WebOS WebCast Online, Unofficial Tutorials Arise 11
Missed the O'Reilly webOS webcast or just want to watch it again? You're in luck! The whopping webcast, over 56min long, has been uploaded (youtube here). PreCentral covered the event and while most of the presentation was known information, the Q&A session afterwards revealed some interesting details.
WebOSHelp also covered the event and in the first part of their coverage they've highlighted some of more interesting and base information for the WebOS. They've also created a quick-list of what was said during the Q&A session (handy if you don't want to sit through an hour-long video):
- They would not comment on the release date for the SDK or the Pre.
- They expect to see a fair amount of games on the platform. Right now, web-based games will be most suitable; other games (that need deeper access to the hardware) will come later.
- When asked if "connected" apps will run when no connection is available, they should. Apps are designed with storage functions so even web apps will have storage functions and be able to cache and load data, rather than just displaying a blank page.
- Headless apps are not limited other than the fact that they have no associated card. They operate in the dashboard panel, and technically can be as functional as a card app.
- The app catalog was mostly under wraps, but will be the primary way to get apps at launch.
- The ability to build apps will not be operating-system specific. The tools in the Mojo SDK will be supported on Mac, Linux and Windows.
- Performance is of primary concern, and once the device has been released, perfomance should be just as good as the pre-release demos from CES and the MWC.
- They are not commenting on how fullscreen will be implemented in 3rd party apps (currently the pic viewer and video player will support this feature), but they stated it was important, and will be looked into. They noted that window sizing will be handled at the system level.
WebOSHelp has gone a step farther and based on existing information, combined with new information from this webcast, they've pulled together some links to informative HTML/CSS/JS tutorials, ordered by difficulty: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. There's even a special tutorial designed for HTML5 data storage and a page devoted to Prototype resources. For those unaware, Prototype is a javascript framework that Palm will be bundling with their upcoming developer tools and was used to help create many of the built-in application on the Pre.
Now we just need the SDK. Palm, you're such a tease.



















11 Comments
Seems like a March 1 release date was wishful thinking. Also, why is it that no one looks at the dates of these releases, both February 16, March 1, and March 15 are all on Sundays. I have never heard an item being released on a Sunday.
Most personal electronics are released on Sundays, 95% of Sprint phones for ten years have been released on Sundays.
If you are going to post incorrect information on a topic related to releases. Look for a Sunday in late June if you are going to guess.
February 15 I meant. All those dates fall on Sundays.
Because, as has been commented in the rumor threads about those dates, Sprint always released phones on a Sunday.
Didn't know that. Thanks for the info.
its march 1st no pre...so whats the next wishful day the 15th.. we will see
FWIW-
I spoke to the local Best Buy. Got a kick out of the guy. 100% sure that the Pre is coming out on March 25th. I kept on asking him how he was so sure, and finally he says "well, I have my ususal sources." Turns out for the most part they were phonescoop.com and howardsforum. I almost busted out laughing. I said "I've checked those sites, and precentral doesn't even know. So is there any other source you're working off of?" He finally added "well that's what our Sprint rep told us." I asked "so that's when Best Buy is getting it?", and he said no, that's when it's being released. He didn't really know when BB was getting it.
So once again, everything with a BIG grain of salt.
You don't have to take it with a "grain of salt." It is literally impossible before mid-April and May is the most sensible current target.
I am pretty sure Sprint will be marketing the hell out of this phone. When I was at the bar on Friday The Golden Tee video games had Sprint advertisements on them!!! They are going to plaster the Pre EVERYWHERE.
If you are looking for Sprint commercials you see them. If you are looking for ATT and Verizon you see them everywhere too. It is simply a perspective bias. Sprint has nowhere near the advertising budgets of Verizon and ATT. And Palm has nowhere near the budgets that Apple does.
Great article, Jason. We should have part 2 of our webcast coverage up in the next day or so, which will include downloadable code and tutorials from the event.
We also found the YouTube videos a little small for the font that Mitch Allen was using, so have encoded our footage from the event to 720p, which helps a lot. You can find the HD version here:
http://www.weboshelp.net/webos-tutorials/181-palm-webos-developer-webcas...