The Next Palm WebOS Device

Palm released information today about their second WebOS device the Pixie. This looks like a Pre without the slider. The QWERTY keyboard is on the front of the device thus reducing the screen size. This device is being compared by some to the Palm Centro. It is a more mainstream device vs a business device. I read a few comments on some of the other blogs and many people are saying they would consider this device over a Blackberry so maybe this device will be a cross over device and be used by both business and non-business users. I really like the look of the device and look forward to seeing one live. Hey Palm send me a tester. :)

Here are the tech specs:
Operating system: Palm webOS™ platform
Network: Sprint Dual-band CDMA2000 3G: EvDO Rev A
Display: 2.63-inch touch screen with a vibrant 18-bit color 320x400 screen resolution Sub-HVGA display
Email: Microsoft® Exchange email with Microsoft Direct Push Technology POP3/IMAP (Yahoo! Mail, Gmail™, AOL, Hotmail®, etc)
Messaging: Integrated IM, SMS, and MMS
GPS: Built-in GPS
Digital camera: 2 megapixel camera with LED flash
Sensors: Ambient light, accelerometer, and proximity
Media formats supported:
Audio Formats: MP3, AAC, AAC+, AMR, QCELP, WAV
Video Formats: MPEG-4, H.263, H.264
Wireless connectivity: Bluetooth® wireless technology 2.1 + EDR with A2DP stereo Bluetooth support
Memory: 8GB (~7GB user available)4
Connector: MicroUSB connector with USB 2.0 Hi-Speed
Headphone jack: 3.5mm stereo
Palm Synergy™: Includes aggregation for Facebook®, Google™, Microsoft® Office Outlook®, Yahoo! Mail, Google Talk™, AIM Instant Messenger, and Yahoo! Messenger.5
Universal search: Searches user's applications, contacts, dialing information, and web.
Activity cards: Third party7 and ROM applications accessible as movable, multi-view cards.
Palm Services: Includes over-the-air backup, restore, remote erase, and software updates.
Palm Touchstone™ Charging Dock Compatible
Dimensions:
Width: 55.0mm (2.17 inches)
Height: 111.0mm (4.37 inches)
Thickness: 10.85mm (0.43 inches)
Weight: 99.5 grams (3.51 ounces)

Palm Pre is Here

One of these years I'm going to get to CES. You know the Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas. My favorite PDA/Smartphone company Palm made a major announcement today. There is finally a new Palm OS and a new device. The OS is called Web and works more like a full size PC than a smartphone OS. The device is called the Pre. The device and OS look to be the equivalent of an iPhone Pro with slide out QWERTY and touch screen. The exclusive carrier for the new device is Sprint. Go figure. The device is supposed to be out in the first half of 2009 so expect to see it in June. Please click the Palm link above and go see this thing for yourself. Take a second and read the specs below.

Here are some quick specs.
Cordless charger!
Multi-tasking OS
Touch Screen
8 GB of on board storage
Merge all your contacts from Outlook, Facebook, and other mail services
Merge your calendars and events
Wi-Fi
GPS

3.1-inch touch screen with a vibrant 24-bit color 320x480 resolution HVGA display

3 megapixel camera with LED flash and extended depth of field

IT'S 2008

Last year I wrote about the new computer/mobile device genre created by Intel the Mobile Internet Device that provides laptop like features in a small form factor with either Windows Mobile, Linux, or Symbian. The first big name to release such a device is Nokia which launched the N810 in late 2007 and rumor has it that new versions of this device will be released at the CTIA Wireless 2008 show April 1 - 3 in Las Vegas. Other manufactures like Samsung, ASUS, Lenovo, HTC, and Aigo have either created prototype devices or have announced that they will be utilizing the Intel chipsets. I expect that we will also see a Sony Vaio MID that may support PSP games. Don't forget that a number of UMPC (Ultra Mobile PC) devices are already on the market by Sony, Samsung and OQO to name a few. The UMPC utilizes Microsoft XP or Vista in most cases. Engadget broke down the difference between MID and UMPC.
Dan Monahan, Intel's Global Internet Segment Manager of Ultra Mobility. This is how it breaks down.

UMPC

• Business-class device for enterprise users
  
• Runs a "heavy" OS like Vista
• Optimized for office-use applications like Excel, Word, etc.
  

MID

• Consumer-class lifestyle device
• Runs a 'lightweight" OS with quick startup like Linux
• Optimized for things like media playback and web surfing
• In 2009 (or so) Moorestown-based devices will be classed as MIDs only

Another manufacturer that hasn't been documented for these devices is Palm. The failed Palm Foleo was pretty similar to a MID, but it didn't have a built-in wireless chipset, but if you add that then the Foleo would be a great device that could compete in the MID and UMPC genres and could even compete with the Mac Book Air. Hopefully CTIA will provide more details and more cool devices for us to anticipate and then we have to wait for the launch of the Xohm network to really utilize the full capabilities of these new devices.

Palm Centro

UPDATE 2/22/08
Coming soon the Obsidian Black Centro the AT&T website.

The Sprint exclusivity on the Palm Centro just ended and look what I found an AT&T Centro.

Will you love or hate the green numbers? I like it.

Overview

The Palm Centro is a compact QWERTY smartphone offering a full range of features. Transfer data or go hands-free with USB, Bluetooth® and infrared connectivity. Keep up with work and friends via email, Instant Messenger and Push-To-Talk. Enjoy the sounds of AT&T Music and XM Radio. Snap pictures and record video with the 1.3 MP camera, and store it all comfortably with up to 4 GB microSD expansion memory.

Included Features

• 1.3 MP Camera with video capture
• Picture and video messaging
• EDGE class 10 for rapid data transfers
• Bluetooth v1.2 and Infrared connectivity
• Supports MicroSD(TM) expansion memory - up to 4 GB
• Full QWERTY keyboard and 2.2" touchscreen display
• AIM®, Yahoo!®, and Windows Live® Messengers
• Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync email support
• Support for Good Mobile Messaging
• XM Radio, AT&T Music and MusicID
• Support for Xpress Mail
• Push-To-Talk

Technical Specs

• Weight: 4.23 ounces
• Dimensions: 4.2 x 2.1 x 0.73
• Talk Time: Up to 3 hours
• Standby Time: Up to 10 days
• Full QWERTY keyboard
• Palm OS 5.4.9
• Intel 312 MHz CPU
• 64MB Non-volatile Flash / 64MB RAM
• MicroSD expansion slot - up to 4 GB
• 2.2", 320x320 touchscreen display with 64k colors
• Quad-Band World Phone - 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
• Warranty: One year warranty on phone and accessories
• All talk, data & standby times depend on network configuration

Visit AT&T dot com for all the details.

Palm Treo 755p Coming to Verizon Soon

engadgetmobile has received details about the forgotten Palm Treo 755p for Verizon. Nothing new or really different from the Sprint version. Check out all the pictures and diagrams on the engadget site.

Gadgets and TV

Ok so the holiday shopping season is in full swing, and everyone is rushing out to purchase their goodies. Top sellers seem to be the Wii and iPods. Is the iPod/iPhone/Touch the most impactful gadget of the 2000's? The cell phone has really transformed our lives, remember back when we just dialed 4 digits on a rotary dial phone to talk to our friends? Remember when we first saw a car with a phone? My first car with a phone experience was a 1986 Mercedes roadster, I remember my friends and I were amazed and could only imagine that a doctor would need such a thing. Then in 1994 I remember seeing people carrying these large phones that reminded me of the field phone used by the military at the end of WWII and Korea and Vietnam. I remember a class mate of mine in high school said his mom worked for southwestern bell mobile systems a new pager and cell phone division of southwestern bell and I thought mobile systems, what's that? Then I remember the first RIM pager/calendar thing and the first US Robotics Palm III. The year was 1995 I was working for a long distance company called US Sprint that was changing it's name to just Sprint and they were launching a wireless digital phone service, not a cellular service but a digital service called Personal Communication Service (PCS) that worked on technology called CDMA developed by some company called Qaulcom. About that same time GTE rolls out a PCS service and so does PrimeCo. Looking back on PrimeCo and Sprint they were at the forefront of the technology. So fast forward to 2001 and the launch of Apple computers new music device the iPod. Wikipedia states,"As of September 2007, the iPod had sold over 110 million units worldwide (stated in "The Beat Goes On" conference) making it the best-selling series in history." So it was just a matter of time before the PCS device and the digital music player merged. So what's next? Where do we go from here? I still believe that the future is upon us, and the days of being tied to wired high speed internet connection are numbered, but aren't their some things that require one to sit a desk? The real question is what can't one do? Do I really need a seperate GPS device, Blackberry, iPod, and laptop? Why can't I have all of this in one Pearl sized package? Is this where the iPhone is heading? If it isn't maybe it should. Why do I need a laptop? To check email and access custom applications for my company? I can already check email on my iPhone. One thing I'm pretty sure of is that most people, including me, don't want to watch TV or a movie on a two inch screen. I prefer the big home theater with full surround sound, why limit my movie/tv watching experience, but there is something to be said for being able to watch my movies or DVR from somewhere else if I'm traveling. Why should I have to wait until I get home at the end of the week? Will a wireless carrier offer me cable or satellite programming on my phone? What about on iPhone or Touch? I really think Sling Media is on to something, but I'm still dependent on a home internet connection. If Sling can manage to add a built in high speed wireless data connection to their devices, then I don't have to have a home network. Which leads me to another new device/service that Amazon has just released the Kindle. I'm still not sure about this little thing, but I must say I'm really intrigued. If I could get rid of my book library that takes up so much space, and I can access my books almost anywhere in the U.S. why wouldn't I want that? The Kindle has built in wireless high speed internet access for downloading new material from books to magazines. I can get my New York Times or Wall Street Journal everyday on this little thing. So which wireless carrier is going to blink and step out there and say to Sling use us? Did you know that some counties and police departments are not issuing carbon copies of traffic tickets any longer? I learned first hand that Dallas county is utilizing a handheld device to issue citations and I get a printed copy that's a lot like my receipt I get at National Rental Car when I return my car. My ticket is electronically transmitted to the court and no paper can get lost or shuffled. I suppose my data could get scrambled, but the chances of that happening are slim. So what's next. Apple has some great ideas, and I expect them to challenge the portable GPS market soon with an iPhone GPS service along with 3G or 4G high speed internet connectivity. Who says that Apple will only work with AT&T? What other industries will be revolutionized or infused by this growing state of mobility that people are experiencing. There's another interesting device that I have not mentioned to this point, and I'd like to pick up here next time. What do NASCAR, NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL have in common besides the fact that they are major sport conglomerates?

Palm Centro Review

I must declare my fandom for Palm right off. I love Palm and have since my first 3x device back in 1996 or was it 1997? After owning and using several PDA devices including a few HP products with WindowsMobile I really like the new Palm Centro. The Centro is small and has some great attributes. I currently have a Treo 755p which replaced my Treo 700p and the new Centro delivers all the goodness of the 755 and adds some. The new keyboard has a great tactile feel the buttons are soft. The screen is super sharp and bright and in my opinion is the best screen I've seen on a Palm device. I did not find any functionality gap between the 755 and Centro. The bad news is that Sprint Nextel will soon be releasing the Blackberry 8130 "Pearl 2" and that device will compete with the Centro. I do think Sprint is on the right path with the Centro and with the launch of the LG Rumor slider and the Pearl 2 Sprint will be providing consumers with options to the VZW EnV and the TMobile Sidekick. I give the Centro 4 1/2 stars out of 5.

Palm Centro on Sprint

Sprint and Palm released details about the upcoming new device the two have been working on. The Centro shares the same form factor as the European Treo 500v, but is a Palm OS device instead of Windows. Sprint also has launched a website dedicated to the device that let's us know that the device will be $99 after rebates and contract discount and will be released on Oct 14. "It's also the world's smallest Palm device." The url is quite clever also, moreyous.com.

Sprint Press Release

Palm Site

BusinessWire

Engadget

Gizmodo

More Gphone Musing

SmartMoney had a story about the gPhone and made some really good points. I like to read what the wallstreet analysts have to write about technology and I found the story to be well written. As I have previously written I think that Google is looking for an ecosystem to support an open source type of OS like maybe a Linux based system that has the Google infrastructure to support Google applications like Talk, Maps, Earth, Spreadsheet, Documents, Calendar, Contacts, Photos, Videos, and all the other on-line Google apps. Additionally I think the devices will be GPS enabled so the user will get realtime Maps and Earth location information. The discussions about Google funding a Gphone by selling advertising on the device would be ground breaking and I really don't see how that would work, others talk about a device like the iPhone or iPod, but I can't see that either. Here are a couple of connect the dot type things that I've found coinsidense maybe. I won't be surprised to see HTC and Palm devices that are developed with and for Google. Digitimes has a story about HTC "HTC is still paying close attention to the latest developments in Linux technology." This quote may or may not mean anything or it could be an invitation or a table setting of something bigger to be announced in the next six to twelve months. Another theory or idea that is being spread around is the idea of Google and now Apple bidding on 700 MHz spectrum set to be auctioned by the FCC in 2008. I really don't see either of these companies getting into providing a network, and if they did I would think they would partner with a known entity to provide operational support and they'd have to partner with chip manufactures to create a chipset and then partner with device manufactures to embed the chips. I really think we will see a multilevel collaboration between Google, HTC/Palm, and Sprint (Xohm) utilizing Intel chips. Google and Sprint publicly have announced a partnership, Palm has been working on their Linux based OS for about four years now, and Intel is providing Wi-Max chips to help power the Sprint Xohm ecosystem of consumer electronics. I don't think that these devices will be limited to Smartphone types either I think we will see a new class of UMPC that may look like a Palm Foleo, Nokia's N800, Samsung SPH-P9200, or OQO Model 02 and have Xohm and EVDOrevA support, with video phone, gps, bluetooth, wifi, SD and micoSD expansion. As I read more articles and blog posts I'll add new posts on this topic, because I really think 2008 will be a "watershed" year for mobile data devices that come in small packages, but really pack a punch. As a former Platinum frequent flier I know I would have loved to ditch my heavy laptop and my bulky smartphone for an OQO model 02 with broadband and the smallest mobile phone I could find and if I could sync my calendar and contacts of my little phone with my OQO wirelessly even better.

Palm Treo 500v Windows Mobile

After much speculation Palm has announced the Palm Treo 500v smartphone which runs Windows Mobile 6 to be launched on Vodafone Europe in October. Check out the official Palm website for the UK.
Here are some specs:
Platform: Windows Mobile® 6 Standard
Display: 320x240-pixel Transflective colour screen; supports 16-bit colour (up to 65K colours)
Radio:GSM/GPRS/UMTS radio
GSM bands: 900/1800/1900
UMTS bands: 2100
Bluetooth® Wireless Technology: Version: 2.0 + EDR
Profiles: Headset, handsfree, EDR, serial and OBEX. Mono and stereo headsets are supported
Memory: 256MB memory (150MB available user storage)
Camera: 2.0 megapixels with 2.5x digital zoom and video capture support
Battery: Removable 1200mAh, lithium-ion
Talk time: 10 days standby, and up to 4.5 hours of talk time
Expansion: MicroSD card
Connector: mini USB
Dimensions: 16.5mm (D) x 61.5mm (W) x 110mm (H) 120 grams
System Requirements: Windows® XP, or Vista™
Software on device: ActiveSync®, Alarm Clock, Bluetooth®, Bubble Breaker, Calculator, Camera, eBay1, File Explorer, Google Maps1, Internet Connect Sharing, Internet Explorer® Mobile, Messaging, Microsoft® Notes, Microsoft Office (including Excel®, Outlook®, PowerPoint®, and Word), Phone, Picture and Video, Solitaire, Task Manager, Vodafone Mobile Windows® Live™, Windows Media® Player Mobile

Latest on Palm

Two news items for my favorite device company Palm. First, the new Palm device to be released in Europe is supposedly a Treo 500 with Windows Mobile. I'm not sure if I buy into this rumor, I think we should wait and see what Palm officially announces tomorrow. See the story via TheBoyGeniusReport and mobilityToday.


Update!!!!
New photos have been posted on Gizmodo of the new Palm device that looks like a Centro, but is supposedly called the Treo 500. There is also a white variant of the device, but it does not have the Vodafone badging, so let's wait and see about that one.

Palm Foleo Ditched

I'm not going to bother writing a lot about this and let the email that I received speak for it's self. I received this email because I registered on the Palm website to receive email updates about the Foleo. All I can say is wow!

As many of you are aware, we are in the process of building our next generation software platform. We are very excited about how this is coming together. It has a modern, flexible UI, instant performance, and an incredibly simple and elegant development environment. We are working hard on this platform and on the first smartphones that will take advantage of it.

In the course of the past several months, it has become clear that the right path for Palm is to offer a single, consistent user experience around this new platform design and a single focus for our platform development efforts. To that end, and after careful deliberation, I have decided to cancel the Foleo mobile companion product in its current configuration and focus all our energies on delivering our next generation platform and the first smartphones that will bring this platform to market. We will, of course, continue to deliver products in partnership with Microsoft on the Windows Mobile platform, but from our internal platform development perspective, we will focus on only one.

Because we were nearly at the point of shipping Foleo, this was a very tough decision. Yet I am convinced this is the right thing to do. Foleo is based on a second platform and a separate development environment, and we need to focus our efforts on one platform. Our own evaluation and early market feedback were telling us that we still have a number of improvements to make Foleo a world-class product, and we can not afford to make those improvements on a platform that is not central to our core focus. That would not be right for our customers or for our developer community.

Jeff Hawkins and I still believe that the market category defined by Foleo has enormous potential. When we do Foleo II it will be based on our new platform, and we think it will deliver on the promise of this new category. We’re not going to speculate now on timing for a next Foleo, we just know we need to get our core platform and smartphones done first.

I would like to thank our customers for their interest in Foleo. I know there will be disappointed folks who were looking forward to carrying a Foleo for all their mobile computing needs. I am certainly one of them. I would also like to thank the developers who have supported our Foleo efforts. They have been loyal to Palm and have worked hard to deliver some compelling solutions on the Foleo platform. I know that they will understand that the right thing to do for the long run is to focus on one platform that will live for years, rather than invest energy in a one-off solution. We will make every effort to make sure we bring our developers forward to our next generation platform.

This decision will require us to take a limited charge of less than $10 million dollars to our earnings. This is a lot of money, but it is a small price relative to the costs that would be required to support two platforms going forward. This decision is in the best interest of our customers, our team, our products and our shareholders. I hope this renewed focus at Palm will allow us to deliver more compelling solutions to our core smartphone market, and it will allow us to position ourselves for the long run around one Palm experience.

Ed Colligan
President & CEO
Palm, Inc.

Latest Images of Upcoming Palm Centro

A new image of the upcoming Palm Centro that was displayed at the Sprint meeting a few weeks ago has hit the net web. Supposedly this device will have EVDO, and if the image is authentic then it will have an IM client like the 755p. The price is supposed to be around $99. Reference previous posts for a brief description of the device. Here's a link to the Engadget post.

Palm Foleo First Impressions

Check out this story by Jennifer Chappell at treocentral.com about the new Palm Foleo.... Foleo First Impressions