Palm Releases webOS 2.0 SDK, Includes Awesome-sauce

August 31, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Palm just dropped a whole lot of information on the upcoming webOS 2.0, including the release of the webOS 2.0 SDK starting today. Still no word on when webOS 2.0 will land on our devices or a mythical new device, but this is a great first step and there is plenty to get excited about. Palm briefed the gents at Engadget and here’s our take on the updated features.

webOS 2.0 Stacks

  • Stacks: An extension of the cards metaphor, stacks allows you to group related cards. Have a bunch of cards displaying webpages, they will be neatly organized into a stack. They’ve taken one of the best features of webOS and improved upon it. Bravo!
  • Just Type: Universal search is now given a new name, “Just Type”, along with some new tricks. They have opened up the API to developers, so now “Just Type” search is accessible by third party apps.
  • Quick Actions: This is a developer feature, but one that will have long reaching effects on end users. Developers can utilize quick actions to perform a string of events. Palm explains that with Quick Actions, ” you will be able to start an email, create a message, update your status, search your favorite websites-all without having to launch an app.” Sounds like AppleScript, but on a mobile phone. Extremely powerful and it’ll be interesting to see how devs incorporate this into webOS.
  • Synergy Improvements: Developers now have access to Synergy, so they can leverage the “contact joining” that was previously available to apps like Facebook.
  • HTML 5 Enhancements: Improved support for HTML 5, including image data and gradient use with Canvas, the availability of local and session storage, geolocations support and application cache functions.
  • Javascript Services: Palm is allowing access to node.js runtime environment, which in turn allows developers the ability to use a large library of standardized API’s.
  • PDK plugins: The PDK plugin will be out of beta and now fully integrated into the SDK. Palm explains this will allow developers the ability mix PDK elements with Mojo development.

Stacks and Just Type are of course the most notable features since most end users can easily relate to front end features. The other improvements, while geared towards developers, should improve the developer experience.

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Quake Next 3D Shooter Ported to Palm Pre

January 2, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Just a few days ago, webOS Internals delivered a port of DOOM for the Palm Pre, utilizing the SDL library found in webOS 1.3.5. Next up in the round of 3D shooters utilizing the SDL library is Quake. The developer still has some work to do before it’s released, but as you can see from the video below, it’s pretty impressive.

Right now, it’s unclear if Palm’s SDK allows for accessing the SDL? Will these apps and others like it find their way into the Palm App Catalog. It’s great to see all these great things happening in webOS development, but this is the type of development that needs official support. It doesn’t make much sense to have your best, most capable apps not available in your official App Catalog. Let’s hope CES brings news of a whole new breadth of graphically rich apps in the App Catalog.

[via PalmInfoCenter]

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Palm Ares Enters Public Beta, webOS App Development Made Easier

December 18, 2009 by Leave a Comment

It wasn’t long ago that we heard about Palm Ares, Palm’s new web based application development for webOS. Ares is billed as a “complete set of mobile development tools entirely hosted in the browser, making it easier and faster to create apps”.

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Ares uses a drag and drop interface builder removing barriers for web developers looking to get into mobile app development. It’s open to developers and it’s free to get a Palm Developer community account.  With developer account, you can login at ares.palm.com and start work on the next big app for webOS.

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Palm Thanks Developers With $100 Gift Card

December 15, 2009 by Leave a Comment

Palm is expected to open the Palm Developer Program to the public later this month, marking an end to the beta that’s helped shape the program. The developers who have taken part in the beta are being rewarded for their efforts in many ways. The company has sent out letters to developers thanking them for all their efforts and including a $100 Amazon gift certificate in time for the holiday season.

sdkthankyouletter

While I’m sure developers will appreciate the gift certificate, receiving a letter from the CEO of Palm along with Ben Galbraith and Dion Almaer provides no better indication of Palm’s dedication to the developer community. Well deserved and well done.

[via PreThinking]

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Palm Ares SDK Currently In Testing Phase

December 9, 2009 by Leave a Comment

Last month, we heard about Palm’s ARES development tool for webOS. As a refresher, it’s a web based development kit that allows faster development of apps for webOS. Palm is currently testing ARES with a select group of developers to help squash bugs and to seek suggestions for improving ARES. The net for end users is that ARES is aimed at providing developers with an easy entry to webOS development. This should ultimately result in more apps for you, the end user.

[via EngadgetMobile]

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Palm Releases Mojo SDK 1.2

September 28, 2009 by Leave a Comment

To support the release of webOS 1.2.0, Palm today has also released an update to their Mojo Software Development Kit. Palm suggests developers get the latest update and highlights the following:

  • Improved installation and development platform support.
    The Mojo SDK now supports Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard), Windows 7 Beta (32- and 64-bit), and Windows Vista 64-bit. We’ve also addressed a number of configuration and installation issues that you’ve reported – thanks for your help in tracking these down.
  • New and improved SDK tools.
    Debugging your app should be much easier thanks to the new palm-log tool, which can display or tail your app’s log output — including JavaScript syntax errors and runtime exceptions. The v1.2 SDK also includes a new webOS Resource Monitor (WORM) tool to help you monitor your app’s memory usage and an updated Palm Inspector with improved reload functionality and reliability.
  • New and enhanced APIs.
    There are a handful of new APIs in the latest SDK, including perhaps the single most popular request: the new Download Manager API lets apps download and upload files over HTTP.

You can download the Mojo SDK directly from Palm and get more information on the update at Palm’s webOSdev blog.

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Palm webOS SDK Coming, No Legacy App Support

January 8, 2009 by Leave a Comment

Palm has confirmed they will release an SDK for webOS. Application development is done using HTML and CSS. According to Palm, developers will find it "easy to create apps". Developers created a Twitter app in less than 3 days.  The company has partnered with a few long-time Palm OS developers in effort to get their apps on the Palm Pre.

Palm has not built-in backward compatibility for Palm OS applications. The company has no plans to do so, but instead will rely on a third party developer. StyleTap was able to port Palm OS apps on the iPhone, so they are most likely the developer who will look to create an emulation app for webOS and the Pre. The company never released their Palm OS emulation for iPhone, but rather showed it as a "proof of concept". Anyone from StyleTap want to comment? Plenty of Palm OS owners looking to make the jump to webOS will be looking to keep their old apps.

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