webOS 3 Enyo tidbits: cross device, cross-platform, PDK, and more 26
Details are rolling in from the webOS CONNECT event in London yesterday as well as hints from HP's new webOS developer portal.
First up, PreCentral reader Adam jumped into the Q&A with both feet yesterday and we've got confirmation of a few things: first, webOS 3.0 / Enyo will be available on the Pre 2, Pre 3, Veer, and TouchPad. Sorry "legacy" webOS devices, but HP "had to draw the line" somewhere.
Adam also asked about PDK support on the desktop version of webOS and, sad to say, the picture is still very much unclear. HP noted that "hardware restrictions may mean not all apps will be supported," which may offer a glimmer of hope that you can get your Angry Birds on inside the webOS window, but the straight-up truth is we probably won't know for sure until the browser-based beta is released later this year.
HP also noted that their PC-version of webOS will be HP-only, at least "that is the current plan." Interestingly, PC reader Martin pointed us to HP's own product page on the developer portal, which has this little tidbit about Enyo:
[The TouchPad is the] First device designed around webOS 3.0 and apps developed using the cross-platform Enyo framework; apps written with Enyo will work with iOS, Symbian, Blackberry, and Android devices. To find out more about Enyo, join the Early Access program.
So Enyo, which we already know works quite well within the Chrome browser on the desktop, will apparently enable developers to build web apps that could work across multilple devices. There's a bit of a mixed signal here - but we're sure it'll clear up over time.
Next up, @errade confirmed something else Adam heard and what we all expected: webOS 3.0 will allow you to share a single Palm Profile across multiple devices. Interestingly, it looks as though HP is going to allow developers to choose whether their apps can be installed on multiple devices or limited to just one. While we're all for giving power to developers, compared to the "buy once, install anywhere" policies found in the App Stores of iOS, Android, Windows Phone 7, and Blackberry, that seems like a step backwards to us.
Finally, tyler3_o also noted that the TouchPad will have a "thin on-screen strip just below cards" for the gesture area on legacy Mojo apps. It's not clear whether that still will be gesture-enabled or just have buttons for back, center, and forward.
Source: HP; Thanks Adam, @errade, tyler3_o and Martin!
26 Comments
"webOS 3.0 / Enyo will be available on the Pre 2, Pre 3, Veer, and TouchPad."
i would like a leagally binding document stating this.
Haha, I quizzed Richard Kerris about this after the event. He seemed to be saying "We know we made some false promises in the past but things are different now - we're hearing you and we're trying to put things right".
I guess I'll give them the benefit of the doubt one last time!
I put a comment on previous post, about Grapple being "just" a(nother) web framework that works on many phones (thus you don't develop for the phone, but for Grapple - wow):
http://www.precentral.net/want-touchpad-apps-grapple-mobile-already-work...
Now, after reading this:
"apps written with Enyo will work with iOS, Symbian, Blackberry, and Android devices"
I can't help but think that a big webOS role is being, precisely, a replacement for those frameworks.
These frameworks are no more than building on the original idea of webOS.
This actually seems to be better than what RIM did with their "we support gazillion of ways to make Apps for our device..." "... oh and we can play Android Apps too!".
No, they are intending to make it easy for everybody to make Cross-Platform Apps while still taking full advantage of webOS (instead of putting other platforms "design ideas" into your own platform...). This is actually cool.
Also: Here you have your gestures people! Just use webOS 2.x Apps and you still can use them! That's actually the same that RIM did to "emulate" gestures (which for me is the second best kind to implement it).
Hooray...
"While we're all for giving power to developers, compared to the "buy once, install anywhere" policies found in the App Stores of iOS, Android, Windows Phone 7, and Blackberry, that seems like a step backwards to us."
There are plenty of apps for iOS where you have to pay separately for the iPhone and iPad versions. Just because HP is giving developers this ability doesn't mean they have to use it.
True. However I'd like to know how this would work with the rumoured sync of savegames etc. Would be nice if the savegames would sync nevertheless. Imagine start playing Angry Birds on your Pre on the train and continue where you left of on your Touchpad when you arrive home. Would be great, wouldn't it?
Yes, it would be great for the user. Then again, I am thinking of the developers who would not find this so great because they are making less money. There is definitely a tradeoff for this convenience, and it does not come at the user's expense.
But I do see the appeal in having everything sync up, save states and all, when you go from phone to tablet to computer.
Thing is, please don't make me use an HP computer, I'm a Mac.
Point is that you have the same ID on each of those devices. So you're not selling less. AFAIK, when my buddy, who has a Fruitphone 4 + the Fruitpad, buys an app, he gets them on both his devices.
I'm an HP Tm2 with touch screen, whoopee! It's almost like getting a touchpad for free, providing of course that I don't have to buy A NEW HP lappie just to get WebOS on it... :)
so with webos 3.0, we can share a palm profile; but what would happen if you have a pre- 2.0 and a touchpad, would you have to create a new palm profile?
good point
any news on app catalog geo-restrictions?
No changes to current position at this time.
That is really very very strange. I can't for the life of me understand it. I talked to HPalm about this, and even asked them to send me a fresh PP2 so I can activate it "in the right country", this was their reply:
"Unfortunately, in order to be able to purchase applications from the App Catalog, the phone would have had to be activated in a country in which the Web OS platform had been officially released (Spain, Ireland, France, UK, and Germany). On the other hand, we are not able to offer you a replacement Pre 2 for you to activate it in UK, to enable the payable applications to appear on the App Catalog.
Currently, there are no plans to include Sweden as a supported country for the applications availability."
Somebody please explain the logic (or lack of?) to me...
I actually like giving the developer finer control over where his apps get used. It could mean (s)he charges 99c for a phone app but $3.99 for a much more robust touchpad app. Even if it is written to scale and is the same codebase, you still have to do a lot more programming to meet screen realestate, why offset that cost onto the phone users?
I know, the argument can be made either way, but at least HP isn't dickin around with the devs
HP is having to re-invent the wheel with the smartphone vs. tablet apps.
Does this mean that smartphone apps aren't going to work on the tablet unless the developer specifically indicates it? That would be a problem because I'll bet that a lot if not most webOS apps have been abandoned by their developer (i.e. NY times). If this is the case then the Touchpad is going to launch with about 50 apps.
I actually hope that they implement it the other way around. So every App should load on both tablets and phones (and PCs) by standard and the developer should be enabled to block this and make two separate Apps.
But with Enyo coming out soon I don't think that this will be something that lasts forever. In two years there are only going to be Enyo-Apps which most probably simply do have different views for different resolutions and pixel-densities, whether this is going to be on a PC, a Phone, a Tablet, a Printer or your toaster will irrelevant.
so in the usa basically if you ever wanted webos 2.0 or 2.1 you had to get an outdated phone that was outdated before it was every released in the states ( by its own company ) ie palm pre2. do they honestly believe every person who bought a palm pre or pre plus is sitting around with baited breath after already waiting a few years for flash, webos 2 which we cant legally get. and look forward to these new devices anymore? i am basically like have fun finding consumers including the touch pad with the great 3.0 on it. after the lies and betrayals i might actually specifically buy something other than a touch pad even if the touch pad is better. way to destroy the loyal fan club base you had hp. i predict that touch pad pre3 etc etc etc will fail miserably as everyone else is moving on or has moved on except the extreme diehards. or maybe you'd like us to learn how to build apps for a product that only the newest of new hardware can utilize. ie very very very very few units to sell to.
Lies and Betrayals? Drama Queen much?
"i might actually specifically buy something other than a touch pad even if the touch pad is better."
Sounds like you will only hurt yourself.
Listen HP doesn't need the original fan base to succeed in the mobile market. Everyone could move on and they'll be just fine because the market is huge (it's sad but true). If you don't like than the iPhone 4 & iPad 2 are no slouches just pick one up, be happy and don't look back. Especially in the comment section of Precentral.
Licensing Enyo for use on other devices would really be an awesome move! I also think it would benefit HPalm, as there are not many good and free JS app frameworks with sensible licensing available, so you could draw quite a lot of attention in the developer world.
so, the fact enyo emulates the gesture area for "legacy mojo apps" seems to indicate the gesture area itself is likely to disappear?
That was a huge disappointment not to have it on the touchpad. It is a pretty big part of webOS and interaction with apps. Otherwise, why not just go with android? JUST because of cards?
I'm starting to think I'm crazy for holding out for a Pre3... but to be fair, the Nexus S 4G and EVO 3D aren't here yet.
Cards is not the only differentiator:
We also have Synergy, Just Type, Quick Actions, Exhibition mode, Multi-tasking done right, Beautiful uncluttered UI, Amazing homebrew community, and touch-to-share.
Well said! To add on to your homebrew point; people think that Android is the only platform that you can tinker with. I submit that that you can tinker with WebOS the same amount if not more! And, its easier to do in WebOS "upupdowndownleft..." :)
"Adam also asked about PDK support on the desktop version of webOS and, sad to say, the picture is still very much unclear."
No he didn't it was me who asked that. But well done to Adam anyway.
Hmmm...looks to me like someone at HP Developer Relations read the quote here about IOS, Symbian, Blackberry and Android, and decided maybe they were disclosing too much, cuz kids, that phrase has now been excised. It now reads: "First device designed around webOS 3.0 and apps developed using the Enyo framework. [this is where the cross-platform phrase was] To find out more about Enyo, join the Early Access program."
Check it out: https://developer.palm.com/content/showcase/device_showcase.html
Not sure what to read into (or out of) this.
Would love a multi platform interoperable messaging system to support games across all tablets and devices.... iOS vs. Webos vs Android then we let th eplayers decide who owns who...