HP-owned Palm seems to have regained some of its mobile mojo with the launch of webOS 2.0 and the Pre 2.
As Dieter Bohn of Pre Central notes, 2.0 represents the most significant update to the mobile OS since its 2009 debut.
“Under the hood, Palm has added all sorts of developer-friendly APIs as well as plenty of tweaks to really speed things up,” he explained.
“[For example], there’s a new background-services model based on node.js, hardware-accelerated transitions, and a new database structure called db8 underpinning the apps.”
The latest iteration of webOS also includes:
- True Multitasking – Pause a game, tap an email notification, check your calendar, read a restaurant review, send an email reply, then switch back to the game without closing anything.
- Stacks – Logically groups together your open apps so they work the way you do. Whether you’re reading email or planning a night on the town, Stacks keeps related items together so managing multiple tasks is even easier.
- Just Type – Start an email, create a message, update your status, search your favorite websites – all before you’ve even opened an app.
- HP Synergy – Sign in to your Facebook, Google, Microsoft Exchange, LinkedIn and Yahoo accounts and your information automatically populates your phone.
- Adobe Flash Player 10.1 (Beta) – The webOS browser now supports a beta of Adobe Flash Player 10.1.
- Skype Mobile (Verizon Wireless only) – webOS 2.0 facilitates Skype-to-Skype calls and messaging while in the United States to anywhere in the world, and low-rate calls to international landlines as well as cell phones.
- Text Assist – Expanded spell check, auto correct, macros and dictionary customization.
- VPN – Connect to a corporate network, including IPsec and Cisco AnyConnect mobile-optimized VPN (SSL, TLS and DTLS).
- Bluetooth keyboards – Supports Bluetooth keyboards and Bluetooth SPP peripherals, enabling applications such as barcode readers and realty lock boxes.
Notable Palm Pre 2 specs:
- Flatter and tougher glass screen.
- New bezel design with an integrated and cover-free Micro USB port.
- 1GHz processor. 5 megapixel camera.
- 512MB of RAM.
