PalmOS Emulation on webOS CONFIRMED: will be done by Motion Apps 26
Earlier today we broke the story that it appeared that PalmOS emulation would be possible on the webOS. Well, in conjunction with their other announcements this afternoon, Palm has confirmed on their blog that this will be the case.
The emulator, called "Classic," will be built by MotionApps, who have created great PalmOS apps like mVoice and mRign. Details on what the "PalmOS Emulator" weren't released, but there you go: it's coming and it's coming from a developer with a history of creating rich and powerful PalmOS apps. MotionApps wants "to help make the transition from Palm OS to webOS smooth and comfortable."
We're happy to get smooth and comfortable, MotionApps, so kudos to you. Palm, have you considered "fast and soon" for that transition? We're kinda, you know, waiting for the Pre to get released here.
One last note: you will be able to use some PalmOS apps, but likely not all of them, as Engadget notes:
[you] "won't be able to leverage core webOS functionality," meaning that you probably can't expect pure bliss across all of your applications, particularly those with roots that go deeper into phone databases and the like.
Also notable (but not surprising) - Classic goes deeper than your standard webOS widget as far as access to the OS goes.
You can find out (slightly) more about Classic at MotionApps.
Official details after the break!
Palm also announced that MotionApps (www.motionapps.com) is creating an emulator application that will allow most Palm OS applications to run on webOS devices. The application, called “Classic,” will be available for purchase when the Palm Pre™ phone becomes available from Sprint in the first half of 2009, and gives users peace of mind as they transition to Palm’s new webOS.
Since Palm OS applications running in Classic won’t be able to leverage core webOS functionality, Palm is working with partners to ensure that popular Palm OS applications are made available on the webOS platform and are optimized to take advantage of everything it has to offer. In the meantime, the MotionApps Classic application will allow customers who have invested in the Palm OS platform to use Palm OS applications they’ve grown to love and depend upon on their new webOS devices.
26 Comments
"- Compared to Treo 700p your PalmOS apps will run approximately twice as fast on Classic."
Considering how fast most PalmOS applications run, you probably won't even notice it... :-))
I would notice.... most of my apps don't run too fast, and I have a Centro.
Congrats on getting the Palm OS emulation thing right Dieter! would've been funny if you'd been able to press that Classic icon!
No doubt! It took cajones to go fiddling in there at all, merely demonstrating that you desperately wanted to touch it. ;-) (That said... How did it feel?!?!!1)
But I'll give you props for not unfairly crossing the line by pushing a button they pretty clearly didn't want pushed yet. That thing could still be in alpha for all we know and has deep OS access. You might've blown up the lil Pre and brought their hype castle tumbling down unjustly.
Strange seeing that card view of old POS on the Pre, but I bet alot of people are glad to see it.
This is wonderful news. Thanks for bringing it to us right away and thank Palm for keep listening to the users.
Was there any indication of what resolution(s) Classic will support? Like, oh, 320x480?
Looks like it'll only be 320x320, and the extra space will be taken up by the controls.
Maybe. I agree that that's all we've seen in the screenshots so far. That control area might be collapsible.
While the Early Access to Mojo SDK is great news for the developers, I think the news for the Palm OS emulator is a great news for the normal Palm users (not developers) as the palm users are more aware about whether the application they have used and come to love all this time will work on the Pre or not.
As there will certainly be a transition phase from Palm OS devices to WebOS Pre, I believe all Palm users will be happy to know their old apps would likely to work on Pre while they waiting for the developers to release Pre version of their products!
Well done Palm and MotionApps! And great pick up on that Classic icon Dieter!
I wonder if tealos will work on the Pre :)
On a more serious note, this would mean that the Pre will have access to the many thousands of Palmos apps out there, perhaps providing it with more apps than the Iphone.
I wonder if tealos will work on the Pre :)
LOL
This excites me, but I'm doing my best to reserve some of my excitement until I find out WHICH apps will work in "Classic."
I get the impression that the apps I'd miss the most won't be compatible. Kinoma 4 EX, for example.
*sniffle*
It's more than likely that you won't miss many of the apps that can't run. The core PIM apps will be replaced by their WebOS counterparts, and the media capabilities of the Pre will likely make something like Kinoma Player or TCPMP less necessary.
I for one am pushed much closer to swapping my T|X with a Pre (even giving up 8GB of storage, since I use Dmitry Grinberg's PowerSDHC to load a 16 GB SDHC card) sooner rather than later because of the Classic app announcement. {ProfJonathan}
I know its not going to happen but I can have Clie Organizer on it?!? :D.
I haven't seen the most important detail of all: How much?
I might pay $10 to be able to run a few old apps, but probably not $30.
Pda *cough Net?
This is welcome news. My main concern was the availability of a Slingplayer for webOS but this may take care of that.
Good work on breaking the news!
I would prefer to see Sling port their Player to webOS to take advantage of the larger screen. If the Palm OS emulator is locked into 320x320 then I'd use the browser to go to Sling.com and watch my Slingbox through that.
Its a pretty nice move by Palm , it will surely attract their old customers as well towards Palm Pre.
Agree with the excitement. This is great news. I switched from a Centro (after 10 years of POS devices) to an iPhone last Fall. I think the Pre, with emulation, will likely lure me back. The lack of a physical keyboard is such a hindrance on the iPhone as is the lack of integration and their restrictions on apps that access or duplicate their built-in app functionality. After a Palm, the iPhone calendar and contacts apps are dismal, IMHO. These are reassuring signs as well that developers are getting on board with some good stuff right from the get go!
Great to know that the Classic support is now confirmed, as it was a critical a decision-making factor for me. Chances are much better that I will be run all of my medical applications on the Pre :)
Sweet, this will ensure I have a NES emulator on the Pre until someone makes one for WebOS anyways.
Will I be be able to transfer 8 years of accumulated data from my Palm Centro, OS 5.4.9, to the Palm Pre, Web OS? If not, there will be no incentive for me to continue with Palm.
Will I be be able to transfer 8 years of accumulated data from my Palm Centro, OS 5.4.9, to the Palm Pre, Web OS? If not, there will be no incentive for me to continue with Palm.