Preproduction Pixi Plus with webOS 2.1 in the wild 11
A Pixi Plus is out in the wild in Vietnam running webOS 2.1. The device was purchased by PreCentral member mr.xtop, who was surprised to see his phone boot up with the latest and greatest webOS build. Well, perhaps not the latest, as we're guessing that this is an internal testing build of some sort. Why assume that? Well, i_maq in our forums rightly points out the telltale green dots on the Pixi's keyboard - dots which signify this is a preproduction device.
Does this mean that webOS 2.1 will be winging its way to consumers' Pixi and Pixi Plus phones? Color us doubtful - while HP may have released webOS 2.1 for a few Pre devices and the homebrew community brought it to more, it seems unlikely the little webOS phone really has the power to provide a good enough 2.1 experience.
Grab a few more photos and details at the source link
Source: PreCentral Forums
11 Comments
it would be nice to see this for some users but i think ill stay with 1.4.5 until i get the veer.
Many of us will not be getting Veers (despite the small size) because we don't want a slider. Handspring and Palm have been offering a candybar-format smartphone for 8 years.
Attention Palm: please take the Pixi, gut it, put a Pre 2 inside it and mount a 320x480 (or 640x960) screen on it, and ship it. It must have the same clicky keys we know and love from our 755ps, Centroes or Pixies.
Amen to that, Troy. I am seriously thinking about jumping ship if they force me to go to a slider-only phone when my Pixi dies. Sad to say it, but I would seriously consider the iPhone before a slider phone. I love webOS but I shouldn't have to sacrifice the style of phone I prefer in order to use it.
If they can make a Veer a "Pre3 in a smaller package", there is no reason they could not do the same with a candybar.
I thought that 2.0 was the first version to make proper use of the graphics co-processor. On a given device, 2.1 should be no worse an "experience" than 1.4.5.
The problem is that 2.0 (like most newer versions of any software) probably requires more RAM than 1.4.5 does. The Pixi didn't have any extra RAM to give because the software that communicates with the CDMA network requires more RAM (which is shared with webOS) than the similar software for the Pre. (I believe this is less an issue for GSM Pixies.)
Another thing to keep in mind is services. If webOS 2 adds a layer of services, and coupled with the fact that many newer applications will require better specs to run well since dev's will be aiming for the Pre3/2 and the Veer, the Pixi and Pre will end up choking on things pretty badly under load. I think the Pre Plus had an argument to be made, but we only think it would run fine because we overclock the chip to 800 megahertz, where it's not terribly far from a Pre 2. I think the call on 2.0 going to legacy devices came down to a mixture of resources, over the air update difficulties, and device performance.
Basically everyone should just chill, ignore the veer, and buy a Palm Pre 3 when it's released, you'll be guaranteed a usable screen, touch to share, and send a message to HP about what form factor the community and consumers want. I'm currently on Verizon, so I'll be getting one for sure, but I will be extremely disappointed if they don't come to Sprint. I think the community in general deserves that. I feel like the relationship there soured though, and Verizon and Att are on better terms with Palm.
Why are you still too dumb/ignorant to cover up serial numbers from preproduction devices?
lol
They need to at least make a new version of 1.x for the Pixi's to unlock their APIs for people to use. Maybe even add an Exhibition mode would be good enough for the Pixi's.
i have only just got a pixi plus and am a first time webos user, my pixi plus is on 1.4.5 and i have previously had iphones and android handsets .... they need to update all pres and pixis to 2.0 at least ... there doing a android thing of only updating some devices ... i must say that the UI is so much better than that of ios or android ... but this is seriously lacking in the app department ... this phone would be a sure winner in the smartphone war if only more developers were intrested in developing, app store 230k apps ... android 90k apps ... webos 6k apps ... more companys need to be developing for webos ... (i dont see why they dont, alot of them waste time on symbian!!!) i loove my pixi plus, but cant stoumoch the idea of selling my Iphone4, i need more apps lol !! .... palm/hp update pixis and pre's now!!!!! lol
ughhh PLEASE BRING THIS TO MY SPRINT PIXI. I AM DYINNGGGGGGG