Aceeca shipping RFID handheld evaluation units
In Aceeca's latest newsletter, the New Zealand-based company says that RFID continues to gain momentum as RFID improves and prices decrease, with some tags now available for less than 10 cents. As a result, Aceeca is now shipping evaluation units of their first IP67-sealed Windows CE OR Palm OS Garnet based handheld. -- Posted Friday, January 13, 2012 by chb

Added: full lineup of Janam rugged handhelds
Janam is a new York-based provider of an interesting lineup of rugged handheld computers that all aim to supply tried-and-true functionality in handy, durable packages and employing mature technology, both on the hardware and the software side. On the Windows side of things, Janam offers the Windows CE-based XM60+ and Windows Mobile-based XM66 (see here), and the XG100 with a gun-style handle that includes the unit's battery (see here). For those who seek to continue using Palm OS-based applications, Janam has the XP20 (160 x 160 mono) and XP30 (240 x 320 color) using the Palm 5.4.9 Garnet OS (see here). -- Posted Thursday, December 29, 2011 by chb

Aceeca to retire Palm-based handheld, switch to multi-OS version
Aceeca reports that after a production life of almost ten years the MEZ1000, essentially a ruggedized implementation of the original Palm, is nearing end-of-life. This means Aceeca will phase in their new MEZ1500 which replaces the MEZ1000. The MEZ1500 offers both Garnet and WinCE operating systems, with various Linux options along with Android coming in future months. -- Posted Tuesday, October 25, 2011 by chb

Lessons learned from the HP TouchPad
I was supposed to write a review of the HP TouchPad, but like so many others this morning, I am writing its epitaph. HP's decision on August 18, 2011 to cease production of the TouchPad as well as other WebOS devices leaves WebOS in limbo, though HP may try to recoup some of its investment by selling WebOS to another company. Regardless of if WebOS continues to exist to not, the HP TouchPad offered some lessons that Microsoft and Android developers, including Google, should heed. Failure is always a teaching moment, but rather than focus on what HP did wrong, I will share my thoughts on what they did right that others can learn from. [... more] -- Posted Friday, August 19, 2011 by chb

HP kills webOS devices, including TouchPad
HP will discontinue operations for webOS devices, specifically the TouchPad and webOS phones. HP said "the devices have not met internal milestones and financial targets. HP will continue to explore options to optimize the value of webOS software going forward." So sorry, Palm. You deserved better. [See HP report] -- Posted Thursday, August 18, 2011 by chb

comScore: Android widens lead, RIM drops to third
comScore has reported key trends in the U.S. mobile phone industry during the three month average period ending May 2011. The 3-month moving average of the 77 million US smartphone subscribers showed Anrdoid in the lead with 38.1% (up 5.1 from three months ago), Apple second with 26.6% (up 1.4), RIM dropping to third with 24.7% (down 4.2), Microsoft 5th with 5.8% (down 1.9), and Palm 2.4% (down 0.4). -- Posted Wednesday, July 6, 2011 by chb

Aceeca issues Garnet OS-based PDA32 update
Aceeca reports that they completed work to offer WiFi and Bluetooth options for their semi-rugged Palm OS/Garnett PDA32 handheld, and also released 64-bit Windows USB drivers for Palm OS/Garnett devices (good news for Palm users who still have legacy Palm devices that they want to make use of). Aceeca now anticipates shipping limited quantities of wireless PDA32 units in late June 2011. [See Aceeca newsletter] -- Posted Monday, May 16, 2011 by chb

Semi-rugged handheld keeps Garnet OS alive...
In response to customer requests for a compact Garnet OS handheld (previously known as the Palm OS), Aceeca announced the availability of the PDA32. Featuring battery capacity at more than twice the average consumer device, the PDA32 is targeted at commercial customers requiring a handheld that can last all day, is semi-rugged and is low cost with guaranteed long-term availability. The Samsung S3C2440-powered PDA32 has a 3.2-inch 320 x 480 pixel touch screen, costs just US$179, and Aceeca offers custom colors and branding. [See Aceeca release] -- Posted Monday, April 11, 2011 by chb

HP announces webOS-powered TouchPad
As expected, Hewlett Packard announced the TouchPad, a tablet that is virtually identical in design, size and weight to the Apple iPad, but runs webOS, which Palm pioneered on its Pre and Pixi smartphones. Powered by a 1.2GHz Qualcomm "Snapdragon" processor and offering either 32 or 64GB of memory, WiFi, Bluetooth, 3G WWAN, and a 1.3mp camera, the TouchPad will be available in the summer of 2011. HP did not release information on battery life, price or carriers. [See description and specs of the HP TouchPad] -- Posted Thursday, February 10, 2011 by chb

Palm still has high hopes for WebOS
According to a report on PCWorld.com, Palm CEO Jon Rubinstein admitted at the Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco (November 15-17, 2010) that the company had lost some momentum after it was acquired by HP. However, Palm -- which is now part of HP's Personal Systems group but still resides in its Sunnyvale home and was actually infused with a couple hundred HP staffers -- is optimistic about WebOS which will appear in several upcoming devices. -- Posted Monday, November 22, 2010 by chb

Port to WebOS, get a million
The Palm PDK Hot Apps Program offers developers $1 million in cash or HP Products for applications developed using the Palm webOS Plug-in Development Kit (PDK), and rewards developers of the most-installed free and highest-revenue paid applications. The count begins July 15, 2010 and will last until September 30, 2010. [See PDK Hot Apps Program] -- Posted Thursday, August 5, 2010 by chb

Graffiti now available for free on Android!
Talk about adding insult to injury. Access Co, the folks who bought PalmSource way back when, but never really did anything with it, are now offering the original Graffiti as a free download from the Android app store. -- Posted Saturday, July 17, 2010 by chb

Palm Pre+ and Pixi+ free on new HP Wireless Central site
Now that Hewlett Packard's acquisition of Palm is final, HP wasted no time in pushing WebOS-based Palm phones on its new HP Wireless Central site. Better yet, you can get a Palm Pre Plus or a Palm Pixi Plus for free (after instant discount) with a new 2-year AT&T, Verizon or Sprint account. Given the high monthly phone bills for two years, of course, means the term "free" is a bit misleading, but it still shows that HP is determined to move inventory. -- Posted Tuesday, July 6, 2010 by chb

HP completes Palm acquisition
On July 1st, 2010, Hewlett Packard completed its aquisition of Palm Inc., at a price of US$5.70 per share. HP says the acquisition gives it "significant headway into one of technology’s fastest-growth segments with Palm’s innovative webOS platform and family of smartphones, plus a rich portfolio of intellectual property" that will "enhance HP’s ability to participate more aggressively in the highly profitable, $100 billion smartphone and connected mobile device markets." HP stated that the WebOS will be used to deliver also "other mobility products" including "future slate PCs and netbooks." [See HP press release on Palm acquisition] -- Posted Friday, July 2, 2010 by chb

Opinions on HP's acquisition of Palm
Now that Palm's been sold to HP, everyone has an opinion on the company, how things developed, and how it'll all play out. PCWorld presented A Brief History of Palm, InformationWeek an Analysis Of HP-Palm Acquisition, and many others weighed in as well, generally with much better pieces than the often clueless hype on tablets and their history. -- Posted Monday, May 3, 2010 by chb

End of an era: HP buys Palm
Three weeks after Pen Computing conjectured, "Here's an idea, though: what about using Palm's WebOS as the basis for HP's upcoming iPad competitor? It'll never fly with Windows 7 on it, but with Palm's WebOS....?", HP announced it will acquire Palm for US$1.2 billion. Now this sounds like good news for Palm, but then again, HP is also the company that squandered away the iPAQ brand when it bought Compaq. It seems unlikely that even HP will be able to make much of a dent in the smartphone market with Palm phones, but, again, possibly using webOS for small iPad competitor tablets, that's a different story altogether. -- Posted Wednesday, April 28, 2010 by chb

Things look dire for Palm
It's pretty much clear that Palm is now desperately looking for a buyer. But the financial community seems to have doubts that they'll find one. Palm's primary problem is that they're just too small. The WebOS may be find and good, but it's clearly falling between the cracks against the iPhone and Android. Sprint isn't doing Palm any favors either (they never even replied to our requests for review units of the Pre and Pixi). We'd still love to see a webpad with the WebOS on it, but that may never come to pass. -- Posted Monday, April 19, 2010 by chb

Palm buyout rumors getting stronger
With Apple's announcement of multitasking in the next version of the iPhone/iPad OS, already-struggling Palm lost perhaps its last compelling market advantage. As a result, there are acquisition rumors galore, with cnet offering an interesting look at who might be interested in buying Palm (see cnet's Who would benefit most by buying Palm?). Frankly, it's not entirely clear who might benefit from Palm's valiant efforts that simply lack market traction. Here's an idea, though: what about using Palm's WebOS as the basis for HP's upcoming iPad competitor? It'll never fly with Windows 7 on it, but with Palm's WebOS....? -- Posted Friday, April 9, 2010 by chb

Palm Pre and Pixi now available from AT&T as well
Palm announced that the Palm Pre Plus and Palm Pixi Plus phones will be available on the AT&T 3G network for $149.99 and $49.99, respectively, with a two-year service agreement and after a $100 mail-in rebate. -- Posted Tuesday, March 23, 2010 by chb

PCMag: Dear Palm, Please Get It Together
After Palm announced decent financials but a fairly dismal sales picture, things just don't look so good for the former high flyer. The word on the Pre and WebOS is all good, but developers and customers aren't biting in large enough numbers. Lance Ulanoff at PCMag offers some commentary in his Dear Palm, Please Get It Together -- Posted Friday, March 19, 2010 by chb

Palm announces webOS Plug-in Development Kit beta
Palm announced that a public beta version of the Palm webOS Plug-in Development Kit (PDK) is now available at the Palm Developer Center. -- Posted Tuesday, March 9, 2010 by chb

Smartphone market share 2009
According to Gartner, the 2009 smartphone sales unit market was as follows (2008 percentage in parentheses): Symbian 46.9% (54.2%), RIM 19.9% (16.6%), iPhone 14.4% (8.2%), Windows Mobile 8.7% (11.8%), Linux 4.7% (7.6%), Android 3.9% (0.5%), Palm WebOS 0.7% (NA). -- Posted Friday, March 5, 2010 by chb

Does Palm suffer from a lack of image?
Are Palm's lackluster sales the result of not having an image? After all, "Image is everything," as tennis great Andre Agassi once said in a canon commercial (he later said he had never agreed to the campaign). Well, PC World is outlining how Palm is missing out on the image thing by analyzing what the competition is doing in the image department. [See PC World's image analysis] -- Posted Monday, March 1, 2010 by chb

Palm: Slower than expected adoption of Pre and Pixi
Palm says it expects revenues for the third quarter of fiscal year 2010 to be $285-310 million and that revenues for the quarter and full year are impacted by slower than expected consumer adoption of the company's products that has resulted in lower than expected order volumes from carriers and the deferral of orders to future periods. Palm expects fiscal year 2010 revenues to be well below its previously forecasted range of $1.6 billion to $1.8 billion. -- Posted Thursday, February 25, 2010 by chb

Treo gone, last of the old Palms
Palm is down to two models now, the Palm Pre Plus and the Palm Pixi Plus. No more Treos, and that means that the Palm OS as well as Windows Mobile-based Palms are now gone for good. -- Posted Tuesday, January 26, 2010 by chb

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