Overview of Palm Operating systems
1)Garnet OS expands the solid foundation of Palm OS 5 by incorporating standard support for a broad range of screen resolutions and expanded support for wireless connections including Bluetooth®. It also includes enhanced multimedia capabilities, a suite of robust security options and support for a broad set of languages
2)Palm© webOS™ is Palm's next generation operating system. Designed around an incredibly fast and beautiful user experience and optimized for the multi-tasking user, webOS integrates the power of a window-based operating system with the simplicity of a browser. Applications are built using standard web technologies and languages, but have access to device-based services and data.
The Pre is the first Palm device to use webOS, the Linux-based platform that replaces Palm's previous Palm OS. Developed from scratch for use in mobile phones—whereas Palm OS was originally designed for PDAs—webOS is capable of supporting built-in first party applications, as well as third party applications.
Features of Garnet OS:
1)Every Garnet OS handheld comes with the famously easy to use Palm software suite, including calendar, address book, alarm clock, memo pad, calculator, and email.
2) If you want to communicate with others, or pull information from the web, there are a wide array of options for the Garnet OS. Wired modems are available for many models. Add-ons supports the 802.11b, and Bluetooth wireless network standards. Some Garnet OS systems include mobile phones supporting the CDMA and GSM networks. Or you can use infrared or Bluetooth to let your Garnet OS handheld communicate through a mobile phone3.
3) Garnet OS handhelds are designed to communicate with a PC. Software programs included with many Garnet OS systems work with Microsoft® Word™, Excel™ and PowerPoint™ files. You can also exchange information with Microsoft Outlook™ and other popular PC-based information management programs1. The Garnet OS HotSync software also lets you make backup copies of your handheld information. With a press of a single button, your handheld's information is automatically backed up on the PC, so it can be restored if the handheld is ever lost or broken2
4)Beaming
Features of WebOs:
1)Over-the-air software updates
Keep up with the latest software for your Palm webOS phone. Receive a notification when there’s an update to install, or check to see if one’s available. All without connecting to your computer.1
2)WebOS includes a feature called Synergy that integrates information from many sources. webOS allows a user to sign in to accounts on Gmail, Yahoo!, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Microsoft Outlook (via Exchange ActiveSync). Contacts from all sources are then integrated into a single list. For example, if you have info about one person in many different places, your phone shows them in a single entry for that person. All of your info remains in its original location online.
3)The device makes use of the cloud based services model, but uses no desktop sync client (in the style of Palm's HotSync synchronization method
Palm has announced that the Pre will be capable of "seamlessly" synchronizing with Apple's iTunes via its Media Sync feature
The Pre will be available with high-speed connectivity on either EVDO Rev. A or UMTS HSDPA, depending on location. The Pre also includes 802.11b/g WiFi and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR with support for A2DP stereo headsets. A-GPS with support for turn-by-turn navigation is also included.
Formats supported on Palm OS and Web OS
Palm OS:
. OS: Garnet
. Networks: Quad band (850/900-1800/1900) GSM/GPRS/EDGE
Class10.
. Connectivity: EVDO, 1xRTT, Bluetooth, Infrared, USB
. Memory Card: Micro SD up to 4GB
. Browser: Blazer Mobile Web Browser
. Files supported: .exe, .mp3, .mp4, .m4g, .wmv, .jpg, .gif
. Device Sync: Hot Sync
Palm Web OS:
OS: Web OS
. Networks: CDMA Version- Dual band CMDA 2000EV-DO Rev. A
800/1900 MHz, GSM Version- Quad Band GSM 850/900/1800/1900
MHz GPRS/EDGE and Tri Band UMTS 850/1900/2100 MHz HSDPA .
. Connectivity: Wi-Fi (802.11b/g), Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, Micro USB,
AGPS.
. Memory Card: No slot available
. Browser: Pocket IE
. Files supported: .ipk, .mp3, .mp4, .m4g, .wmv, .jpg, .gif
. Device Sync: Palm Desktop, Microsoft Outlook, IBM Lotus Notes,
iTunes.
Other Tools supported by Web OS
Installing Eclipse and the Palm Plug-In
Emulator
Command Line Tools
Debugger
How to install Web OS:
Install the Palm® webOS™ SDK on Windows®
1. Install Java
-Download and install the latest version of Java.
-To verify that Java is installed, go to the Command Prompt and type:
-java -version
-If Java is installed, Java version information appears.
-Download Java
2. Install VirtualBox 3.0.10
-The Palm emulator is built on VirtualBox, virtual machine software that you can download free from Sun Microsystems. VirtualBox is required before installing the Palm webOS SDK.
Download Virtualbox
3. Install the Palm webOS SDK for Windows
-Download the Windows SDK.
-Ensure VirtualBox is not running before starting the Palm SDK Installer.
-Double-click the Palm SDK Installer file.
-Download SDK
-Windows 64-bit
-Windows Vista & Windows 7 only
4. Verify the SDK Installation
- Start the Palm emulator.
- Click OK to dismiss the dialog boxes.
- Create or choose a directory to use as your development workspace.
- Open a Command Prompt window, and then type:
palm-generate
To verify that the tools are installed:
If help information appears, the tools are correctly installed.
If palm-generate is not recognized as a command, the tools are not correctly installed.
If java is not recognized as a command, Java is not correctly installed
Exit both the Command Prompt window and the emulator.
How to uninstall Web OS:
Uninstall the emulator and virtual machine
Run VirtualBox.
Close the emulator (select Power off the machine ).
In VirtualBox, right-click (Windows and Linux) or control-click (Mac) the Palm Emulator, and select Delete.
Select File > Virtual Media Manager.
Click the Hard Disks tab, and delete Palm Emulator.vmdk.
Click the CD/DVD Images tab, and delete palm_emulator_sdk_XX.iso.
Delete the Palm Emulator folder:
-Windows: C:\Program Files\Palm\SDK\share\emulator
Uninstall the SDK from a Windows system
-Select Start > Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs.
- Choose Palm SDK and click Remove.
Garnet Applications:
Palm OS Garnet applications are primarily coded in C/C++. Two officially supported compilers exist: a commercial product, CodeWarrior Development Studio for Palm OS, and an open source tool chain called prc-tools, based on an old version of gcc. CodeWarrior is criticized for being expensive and is no longer being developed, whereas PRC-Tools lacks several of CodeWarrior's features. A version of PRC-Tools is included in a free Palm OS Developer Suite (PODS).
For Garnet OS:
Conduit Development Kit for Windows, version 6.0.1.
There are two different "Sync Suites" for Windows: C/C++ and COM (including Visual Basic).
WebOs Applications:
the original Palm OS has a typical native application model, as do many of the popular mobile operating systems. Under this model the application's data, logic and user interface are integrated within an executable installed on the native operating system, with direct access to the operating system's services and data.
Classic web applications are basic HTML-based applications that submit an HTTP request to a web server after every user action, and wait for a response before displaying an updated HTML page. More common in recent years are Ajax applications, which handle many user interactions directly and make web server requests asynchronously. As a result, Ajax applications are able to deliver a richer and more responsive user experience. Some of the best examples of this richer experience are the map applications, which enable users to pan and zoom while asynchronously retrieving needed tiles from the web server.
Uses Palm Device:
Some new features have been added, e.g. support for Address categories, Ringtone associations to users, longer memo texts, etc. They were also renamed to reflect designations from Microsoft Outlook, thus Address became Contacts, Datebook became Calendar, Memo Pad became Memos and To do list became Tasks.
Newer Palm devices capable of accessing the Internet.
Palm's Note Pad can be used for quick drawings. With neat handwriting, 20-30 words will fit on one page; for more text, Memo Pad is the better choice
New Palm handhelds include Photos, which create a digital photo album used to view pictures on a Palm OS device.
Palm is also used for Third-party applications
Palm can be use to check email, consult wikipedia on various topics, and also to play games
There's the PocketTunes and various Splash series of programs
Uses Palm Pre Device:
Palm Pre is also used for Third-party applications
Used for Web browsing
Palm Pre can be used for Software stuff
The WebOS has the potential to become a long-term platform for Palm that can keep the Pre and the phones to come on top of the game.
iTunes syncing -Pre will be capable of "seamlessly" synchronizing with Apple's iTunes via its Media Sync feature
One of the important use is that Palm pre webOS allows a user to sign in to accounts on Gmail, Yahoo!, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Microsoft Outlook (via Exchange ActiveSync). Contacts from all sources are then integrated into a single list.
Hard Reset of Palm:
There are two types of resets for your Palm: Soft Reset and Hard Reset. If you Palm locks up on you, perform a soft reset. If you want to erase all the data on your Palm device, perform a hard reset.
Hard Reset :
Important Note: Only perform a hard reset if you are sure that you want to delete everything off your Palm.
1. Hold down the Power button on your Palm.
2. Keeping the Power button still held down, lightly push the end of a paper clip on the Reset pin.
3. A confirmation message will appear. To go ahead with the hard reset, press the scroll up key.
Palm Centro Hard Reset:
A hard reset erases all information and third-party software on your Centro device. Never perform a hard reset without first trying a soft reset and a system reset. You can restore previously synchronized information the next time you synchronize.
A hard reset can tell you if a problem stems from your Centro device or from an application installed on it. If you do not experience the problem after you perform a hard reset, the problem is related to software you installed.
Note: Some third-party applications do not create a backup on your computer when you synchronize. If you perform a hard reset, you may lose data in these applications and you need to reinstall these applications after the hard reset.
Hard reset of Palm Pre :
To erase all the data from your device or restore it to factory settings, you have several options:
Option 1: Simple hard reset
This can be performed on the Palm Pre by going into Device Info --> Phone Reset Options and tapping the "Full Erase" option. You may want to do this if, for example, you are giving your phone to someone else. Step-by-step:
Open Device Info
Tap Phone Reset Options
Tap Full Erase twice (NOTE: You must still manually delete installed apps, as they reappear after a full erase)
If desired, sign back into your Palm profile on the phone to restore your Palm profile data.
Option 2: Remote hard reset
This can be performed from your Palm profile online and clicking the option to "wipe device". You may need to do this if, for instance, you forgot your password to unlock the screen. Step-by-step:
On your computer, go to palm.com/support
Enter your Palm profile email address and password.
Click Wipe Device to remotely reset your phone.
Turn on your phone and sign into your existing Palm profile to restore backed-up data, applications, and online accounts (e.g. Google, MS Exchange).
Challenges for Palm Web OS:
Palm Pre is in direct competition with Apple’s iPhone which in itself is a big topic of Discussion. The biggest challenge here would be to compete with the App Store. Since Palm does not have a proven App Store like catalog, it would be a challenge in itself to challenge Apple’s App Store. At present Palm have only a dozen applications.
Palm pre created a buzz when they announced that it can support multiple applications at a given point of time. But it is a known fact now that it slows down the phone drastically which is another challenge to overcome.
Tethering: Tethering is connecting your cell phone to a laptop (via Bluetooth or Cable) to use the cell phone as a wireless modem and share the cell phone's data plan. Palm Pre does not allow tethering. Another challenge to attract people with data plans.
It would be a big challenge to attract people who love games since 3D gaming experience is very limited due to Web OS constraints.
Accessing mails on phone is a common practice now. Yes you can access mails through your Web OS but you can not delete mass mails. For example, if you want to delete 10 mails from your mailbox through Palm Pre then you need to delete those mails one by one. Another challenge to overcome.
Palm devices on Web OS only have a battery backup of 3.5 hours which is pretty less and they will have to overcome this to stay in competition.
