Two bits of news from Palm: first, the TouchPad will launch in June. Second, webOS for PCs will see its first beta at the end of the year, and will run… Inside a browser. This means we now have an idea of what Palm wants – no dual boot, but something that runs inside Windows. My guess is that webOS applications will eventually just run inside Windows like everything else.
I remember reading an article a while back that someone had managed to boot webOS on a Dell laptop(had a vid on youtube). Performance wasnt up to much but it still a feat in itself.
I hoped this was going to be along those lines – like a dual boot session.
I had a hand in getting that working actually, it was a simple matter of porting the SDK image, i didnt continue on with it and im not sure if any one else did either. On a modern netbook the performance was actually fairly good!
Wow, awesome! Must have been an early video I saw then. XD
I really like the idea- touchpad with integrated kb.
🙂
I suppose its got the same attraction as android booting on netbooks. Quick to start (though when the listening to precentral’s podcast you’d think webOS takes years to start) and mostly easy to use.
Apart from a few apps I guess some people could want I fail to see the main attraction of running another OS after already booting my memory hungry OS and my memory hungry browser.
Even bigger concern is how are they going to reconcile touch and mouse oriented UI paradigms. Running on top of windows means mouse will still be main input method.
Nah, HP has those big ugly touchscreen systems for which Joshua Bell did advertising.
HP releases ridiculously crappy consumer products, specifically desktops, laptops, and inkjet printers. I don’t see how bundling webOS along with their bloatware could be a positive experience to attract new users. Maybe HP will start offering free smartphones inside the computer box?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WebOS
WebOS applications run inside a webbrowser but. WebOS is a stand alone Linux distribution.
Even better you can download the prototype now. http://www.webos-internals.org/wiki/Main_Page
So what this means is all machines with WebOS on it will have to have a bios that Linux compatible. Trom Holwerda no need go guess at all.
NO. HP is not putting Linux on it’s PC’s… only the frameworks to run WebOS apps – which is browser-based tech, no need for Linux at all.
WebOS on everything. Really does require a windows version so they don’t have to do the horrid turns. As splashtop does to remain working.
WebOS as a Linux system is small compact and ideal for a fast start OS. Apotheker from HP said nothing to rule out the possibility of a duel boot.
Actually, I think the whole idea of a dual boot situation has been nothing but speculation and wishful thinking from some fanboys. I’ve seen nothing from HP to suggest anything like that. HP has nothing to gain from trying to develop yet another Linux distro for PC’s. The value to the average buyer would be negligible and from a marketing standpoint – pointless.
The reality is that the beta due later this year will be delivered via web browser… Quote from Apotheker: “There will be a beta version for webOS running on a browser on PCs available at the end of the year and you’ll see us putting webOS on that technology on PCs”
…and when the official release finally arrives on HP PC’s it will, as he said, be “seamless when it comes to working with Windows” so expect WebOS apps that run on Windows alongside regular Windows programs.
…that Thom referred to them as “Palm”. Old habits die hard…
TouchPad in June: IMHO it sounds risky that he announced this now. If they’re late like the Pre 2 was, you can bet that the trolls will be out in full force. Still, maybe the idea is to delay people from buying iPad 2 just long enough… (that they’ll be willing to put off the purchase another two months come June)…
@webOS in the browser: Remember this is a beta people.
Sounds more like an R&D project/developer tool than a real consumer-targeted idea… at least for the time being.
@webOS everywhere else: Again I have to say, as much as investors might like to hear this sort of thing I am just thinking about the huge potential for underdelivering on this promise, and the damage it will do to HP’s reputation. Let’s hope Apotheker knows what he’s doing….
Why would they? It’s not like this thing will even come close to being as good.
Actually, in terms of multitasking and as a communication tool, I think it is actually better.
For content-creation (music apps especially) no. But for the majority of people it promises to be quite serviceable.
Yeah but can it do it well? Will the ecosystem be anywhere near as good? Unlikely.
I have a Pre 2 and can testify that there are plenty of great apps, and the OS is a joy to use. If the TouchPad follows in its footsteps, then the answer to your question is “yes”.
..only the ability to run the WebOS applications on PC’s.
This is rather like NeXT or early plans for Apple’s Rhapsody that included “Yellow box” support. Apps could be developed and then deployed across multiple platforms.
WebOS on PC’s will be Litestep fork, with html programmed desktop and of course custom wallpaper and few buttons 😉