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Palm OS 5.0 Preview

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the future-of-little dept.

Propane sent in an excerpt from Palm's Palm OS 5.0 Preview "Palm OS 5, the latest version of the world's leading mobile platform, redefines market expectations and creates new opportunities for licensees, for developers, and for end users. In addition to supporting ARM®-compliant processors from industry leaders Intel, Motorola, and Texas Instruments, Palm OS 5 also enhances multimedia capabilities, incorporates a suite of robust security options, and expands support for wireless connections. In providing these new capabilities, Palm OS 5 builds a foundation for the future of mobile computing while also maintaining compatibility with existing software. "

4 of 265 comments (clear)

  1. but the patent... by I+Want+GNU! · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I am not a patent lawyer, but what about Xerox's patent on the Graffiti technology? With all due respect to Palm for making a popular product, Xerox patented the technology that makes them the most popular. Plus, Palm sales are down 44%, and people are wanting to get the flashier HP PDA's these days. I remain skeptical over how much this can improve. Palms are pretty good for the amount of money they are (although Visors are better), but they really cannot compare to the HP-Jordana series and the Compaq iPaq, not to mention all these Linux PDAs that are coming out.

  2. Handspring by Evanrude · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I wonder if Handspring will continue software development/upgrades for their rumored end of life for the Visor Handheld. I'd like to see OS 5 on my Visor.

    --

    ~.Evanrude
  3. Great OS, but Palm's platforms are lagging... by Tsar · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I've been using Palm devices since 2/16/99, when I finagled a 50% discount on a Palm III at Staples (and subsequently helped others do the same). Since then I've owned a IIIxe, a Vx, an m500 and an m505, and have been pleased with all of them except the m505. Poor illumination killed it for me, though spending so many years at the same resolution should have done it.

    I went out this weekend and upgraded to the Sony Cli&eacute 615, and I've never been happier. 16MB RAM, 320x320x16 resolution, continuously variable brightness control, Memory Stick slot (with a flickering drive light beside it!), polyphonic sound, and one absolutely thrilled user.

    The OS is flashable, so I expect I'll upgrade to 5.0 when the time comes, but I've seen the future of Palm hardware, and it ain't at Palm Computing.

    Discussion Topic 1: Palm OS 5.0 supports display resolutions "from 160x160 pixels to multiples of 160x160 pixels." That takes in my 320x320 display, but it raises an interesting point: What is the ideal aspect ratio of a handheld device? Pocket PC and others use quarter-VGA, while Palm devices use this square format (which on a Clié provides 33% more pixels than QVGA). Any opinions on which display format is more ergonomic for a handheld, or for a desktop for that matter?

    Discussion Topic 1½: I have nearly three hundred ebooks sitting on my 128MB Memory Stick right now, with room for another couple hundred, and I love reading from my Clié. My question is this: why would anyone buy a dedicated ebook reader, unless it were simply too cheap to turn down?

  4. Re:What Difference Does It Make In The Long Run? by melevitt · · Score: 5, Interesting

    You're confusing Palm the device maker with the Palm OS subsidiary.

    Palm OS is releasing a new version that will be licensed to many different hardware manufacturers. The point is that these hardware manufacturers can take a multimedia-ready Palm OS 5 and build something more than a "39 cent paper note pad".