PalmOS To Get A New Look

[Ed Hansberry]

<a href="http://brighthand.com/article/Palm_UI_to_be_Redesigned">http://brighthand.com/article/Palm_UI_to_be_Redesigned</a><br /><br /><i>"A few weeks ago, PalmSource revealed more of its plans for the next version of the Palm OS, which will be based on Linux...Many have assumed that this will still have the same general look and feel as the this operating system has always had. Maureen O'Connell, PalmSource's Senior Director, Corporate Communications recently told Computing Unplugged that this isn't necessarily so. "It's not particularly our intention that MAX "inherit much of the traditional look and feel of the Palm OS" -- while this paradigm works fine on PDA-like devices with touchscreens, it's not as effective on more "phone like" devices -- MAX is intended to address both effectively," she said."</i><br /><br />Obviously no one has told Ms. O'Connell that the Palm UI has the zen thing going on and needs no redesign. :roll:

[ctmagnus]

What if the new look is the command line? :rotfl:

[Eugenia]

"Obviously no one has told Ms. O'Connell that the Palm UI has the zen thing going on and needs no redesign."

I do not agree with this assesement. PalmOS will see a redesign for its SMARTPHONE version. This version might, or might not have a touchscreen, depending on the phone model used. And if no touchscreen is available, softkeys and soft-menus are required. And this is where this redesign is going to take place. Think of it like Windows Mobile 5 PPC Edition and its addition of softkeys in comparison to WinMob2003SE.

And please remember that when we are talking about the PalmOS-Linux version, it is NOT what PalmOne will use for its Treos. Palm is not interested in the PalmOS-Linux version (that the redesign is taking place for), only their current one PalmOS 5.x.

The phones that will run PalmLinux (if any), won't look like Treos, but more like Nokia's Symbian S60 phones. That's the goal of PalmSource for their new generation phone products. Touchscreens won't be the norm in these new Palmsource products.

[huangzhinong]

Without both core and face changed, why it is still called Palm OS? Will they call a Pocket Pc with StyleTap bundled a Palm OS machine?

So confusing.

[wshwe]

These phones will succeed outside the US, but not in the US. I doubt Palm is interested in selling these keyboard-less smartphones.

[Eugenia]

Palmsource's new PalmOS-Linux is mostly targetting Asia, yes. Not USA. Even Europe is right at the edge of their scope. Palm/One does not have any interest in PalmOS-Linux.

[ADBrown]

Without both core and face changed, why it is still called Palm OS?

It won't be. Currently, it's called Access Linux Platform. They're going to come out with another name once it's ready to actually ship to licensees.

[Eugenia]

Exactly. The old PalmOS applications will run via an emulation layer, IF that even ever happens.

[Ed Hansberry]

Palmsource's new PalmOS-Linux is mostly targetting Asia, yes. Not USA. Even Europe is right at the edge of their scope. Palm/One does not have any interest in PalmOS-Linux.
Eugenia, I think you are a bit behind on what is going on with PalmSource. They were purchased by ACCESS and the entire PalmOS thing (UI, API, etc.) is getting transplanted to Linux. This article is to say that the UI may not make the trip.

This has nothing to do with the linux that they got via China MobileSoft for feature phones with no touch screens or ability to install apps. Read up on ALPS. The best source for lots of info on this can be found in half a dozen sites on Palm OS like Palm InfoCenter.

[Eugenia]

Ed, I never mentioned MobileSoft, did I? Although these are the guys that they will be implementing part of the GTK+ stuff.

>I think you are a bit behind on what is going on with PalmSource.

You obviously don't know who I am. I am a senior editor at OSNews.com and in charge of the mobile news there, but besides that, I hang out with ex and current Palmsource engineers from time to time. My husband is an ex-Be kernel engineer himself and was working at Be just right before Palmsource bought Be.

Yes, Palmsource is porting lots of their existing technology atop the Linux kernel. But the UI and graphics API is to be redone COMPLETELY. It is now using GTK+, not the original PalmOS 6 C++ API (that's a huge step backwards btw as that was NOT the decision of the engineers, but the decision of the Palmsource/Access MANAGEMENT).

Anyways, I better shut up now, because I shouldn't be opening my mouth in the first place. It's just that the ignorance of some people really puts me off and I feel like correcting them.

[Gremmie]

You obviously don't know who I am. I am a senior editor at OSNews.com and in charge of the mobile news there, but besides that, I hang out with ex and current Palmsource engineers from time to time. My husband is an ex-Be kernel engineer himself and was working at Be just right before Palmsource bought Be.

Yes, Palmsource is porting lots of their existing technology atop the Linux kernel. But the UI and graphics API is to be redone COMPLETELY. It is now using GTK+, not the original PalmOS 6 C++ API (that's a huge step backwards btw as that was NOT the decision of the engineers, but the decision of the Palmsource/Access MANAGEMENT).

Anyways, I better shut up now, because I shouldn't be opening my mouth in the first place. It's just that the ignorance of some people really puts me off and I feel like correcting them.

Wow, you must be cool to know people. Obviously, you must be superior to all. I appreciate the information, but chill out.

[Eugenia]

> Obviously, you must be superior to all.

I am not superior to anyone, I am just getting aggrevated when people don't understand things and they need to get them spelled out. BeOS fans for example would close their eyes and not read the true meaning of press releases and strategic plans that was meaning the end of BeOS as we knew it. They were keeping the faith. Little they knew.

PalmOS fans do the same thing today. They don't get what really is happening to the PalmOS as they know it. There is not such PalmOS anymore -- not from Palmsource anyway. Sure, Palm still sells PalmOS 5.4.9, but this ancient technology is going the way of the dodo in favor of Windows Mobile on their camp (slowly but surely).

The new "PalmOS" that's based on Linux is not in API, looks, or application base similar to PalmOS 5.x, not even to PalmOS 6 (which was different anyway). Sure, some of the technologies will be ported over, some of the code will be reused. But Palmsource/Access is re-inventing themelves in terms of "PalmOS". Don't think of this product as a "cooler PDA-like OS". While touchscreen products based on it might work in a similar way, the non-touchscreen versions won't. The PalmOSLinux version supports both UIs. And software emulation for PalmOS 5 apps is not even guaranteed for all these products. That is, IF they actually manage to sell their product to anyone. No, Palm is NOT interested in licensing.

[wshwe]

PalmOS fans do the same thing today. They don't get what really is happening to the PalmOS as they know it. There is not such PalmOS anymore -- not from Palmsource anyway. Sure, Palm still sells PalmOS 5.4.9, but this ancient technology is going the way of the dodo in favor of Windows Mobile on their camp (slowly but surely).
Will Palm then switch entirely to Windows Mobile? POS 5 is terribly outdated.

[Eugenia]

They will continue releasing PalmOS devices for 1-2 more years. After that, they will move to WinMobile completely, yes. This is my opinion on the matter given their current relationship with PalmSource. PalmOS 5 is a dead horse anyway in terms of technology.

[Phoenix]

The new "PalmOS" that's based on Linux is not in API, looks, or application base similar to PalmOS 5.x, not even to PalmOS 6 (which was different anyway). Sure, some of the technologies will be ported over, some of the code will be reused. But Palmsource/Access is re-inventing themelves in terms of "PalmOS". Don't think of this product as a "cooler PDA-like OS". While touchscreen products based on it might work in a similar way, the non-touchscreen versions won't. The PalmOSLinux version supports both UIs. And software emulation for PalmOS 5 apps is not even guaranteed for all these products. That is, IF they actually manage to sell their product to anyone. No, Palm is NOT interested in licensing.

Good grief. What a convoluted mess that is. Yeah, that won't confuse consumers or anything. :roll: If that's actually how things are progressing, I don't see how either of these OS's could succeed. So I'll just say, goodbye Palm OS. Nice knowin' ya.

They will continue releasing PalmOS devices for 1-2 more years. After that, they will move to WinMobile completely, yes. This is my opinion on the matter given their current relationship with PalmSource. PalmOS 5 is a dead horse anyway in terms of technology.

Good. :) Finally. It's about time Palm saw the light. They'd been functioning like zombies for so long that I think WM served as the first breath of fresh air they had in a LONG while. And yes, I agree, PalmOS 5 is and has been, dead technology.

[jlc, just jlc]

>

The new "PalmOS" that's based on Linux is not in API, looks, or application base similar to PalmOS 5.x, not even to PalmOS 6 (which was different anyway). Sure, some of the technologies will be ported over, some of the code will be reused. But Palmsource/Access is re-inventing themelves in terms of "PalmOS". Don't think of this product as a "cooler PDA-like OS". While touchscreen products based on it might work in a similar way, the non-touchscreen versions won't. The PalmOSLinux version supports both UIs. And software emulation for PalmOS 5 apps is not even guaranteed for all these products. That is, IF they actually manage to sell their product to anyone. No, Palm is NOT interested in licensing.

The underlying OS is irrelevant as long as they offer a faster, more stable platform that is easy to use. WM a long way to go in these areas; AS is nowhere near as trouble free as it should beK the spinning propeller everytime you start a program is annoying; and IE seems to take great delight in bring my 700P to a crawl; then there is all the wasted screen space for menu bars.

PalmOS has a very good GUI that works; as long as they keep that while moving forward they will be successful.

[ADBrown]

PalmOS has a very good GUI that works; as long as they keep that while moving forward they will be successful.

That's kind of the point of the thread, Access isn't keeping the GUI, and Palm Inc. isn't moving forward.

[yslee]

That's just too bad. The reason why I'm still using a PalmOS-based Treo is because the WM OS is terrible for phone device, and the PalmOS just works for me.

Hopefully Access will get this right, but I'm not expecting much from them. Chinese firms are terrible with things like user experience.

[Ed Hansberry]

That's kind of the point of the thread, Access isn't keeping the GUI, and Palm Inc. isn't moving forward.
Palm Inc. is moving forward, with Windows Mobile. PalmOS isn't moving, it seems, anywhere but down into the hole they dug for themselves when Carl Yankowski gave them a shovel.