webOS Weekly - Finding Solutions 13
by Tim Stiffler-Dean Sat, 16 Apr 2011 3:52 pm EDT
The webOS Community has seen quite a lot of activity over the last seven days, but we can't say that was unforeseen with all of the recent news that has been spilling into the feeds. We've seen several events go down, a few developers start getting their apps to the catalog, and have had a bit of fun with it all in the meantime. A lot of the stories this week come from people that are either looking for or have already found solutions to problems that they've been facing. Hopefully the community here will be able to help the rest.
There is always a lot going on in the community, though, and we can't keep track of it all. So if you see anything missing here that you think we should include next time, send us an email at tim@precentral.net. Read more of this week's webOS Weekly just after the break.
Around the Web:
- What would be cooler than having the President of the United States using a webOS powered device? Talk about a big boost in world recognition of the brand. Jon Zilber at the official Palm blog is asking users to weigh in with what device they think HP should send to President Barack Obama to use as his main device. The question of whether the device will actually get to him remains a question, but it could be fun to see how it all plays out.
- Are you an app developer who is trying to debug styling problems with webOS 2.x emulators and are stuck? Since the Palm Inspector tool has actually ceased to work for 2.x emulators (for now), it can be a major problem for developers who need to find out the reason for various bugs in their apps. User Ian Beck has shared a way to be able to remotely debug your apps with Weinre, and gives a quick tutorial on how to get it all done in what may actually be a better way than the original.
- While Jim Dalrymple is of the opinion that RIM has blown their chances at success in the tablet market with their unfortunately sad reviews of the PlayBook, he is also asking that question that a lot of us are wondering ourselves: Will the HP TouchPad do what RIM could not and take back the market that Apple is currently dominating? Can webOS succeed where RIM failed? I guess that depends on what your definition of "fail" is, but we'll know the answer to that soon enough.
- Developer Geoff Gauchet gets down and dirty with the raw stats of smartphone users and the penetration of different platforms into the market to show that companies that develop only for iOS are shooting themselves in the foot. His argument, of course, is for more than just encouraging people to build for webOS, but it does speak to us closely here as well, so you should check it out.
- Since we keep hearing it in the comments, blog posts, tweets and press releases from HP that they are still in the process of filling a lot of positions at their HQ, it's a safe bet to assume that they are taking any and all applications from people who are interested in a position at HP. See if you qualify for any of the nearly 200 openings that they have listed on their website.
Twitter Timeline:
- It's surprising to think that there are still hardcore webOS fans that haven't installed Prewre or overclocked their devices, especially if they're running an original Sprint Pre. But @cyndypoon no longer finds herself in that strange demographic of people, thanks to @bemjb, and now has exactly what she needs to get herself homebrew-ified.
- @schmid7y has been hearing all the talk about webOS Meetups that are going on this month, and is wondering if anyone in the Phoenix, Arizona area might be interested in doing the same.
- One of the latest (and greatest) webOS Twitter apps has finally hit the catalog, and it's not a strange sight to see many webOS users rejoicing over the news. Unfortunately for some of us, the app isn't yet available in the catalog due to some bug, but for everyone else, @CarbonWebOS is finally here.
- When it comes to finding ideas for new features we'd like to see in later versions of webOS (or through patches), it's always through our extensive use of devices that we can give the best feedback. @acarback does that here as she wonders why she's not able to reset her launcher pages to a factory default to reorganize again.
- Even Android fans, like @Smartphoneblog, know that webOS has a lot of really great innovative ideas that come with it.
- Developing for webOS can be difficult when the userbase is so small, but that stumbling block gets even harder to overcome when you suffer a devastating blow in download numbers. Jonas Neubert could probably use a bit of encouragement, with only 3 downloads of his app in 3 weeks. But then, a lot of other developers could probably use that, too.
- Would you break a smartphone to have a reason to come to webOS? Trevor Wedding is certainly pondering it as he thinks about how much he misses his Palm Pre.
webOS-Tube (videos):
- It might still need a bit of work, but the Reality Gun app is a fun one that shows that webOS is more than capable of the similar apps we've seen on iOS (like those that allow fighting Tie-Fighters). The developers give a short preview here of what the app does, and it's not much, but we really hope that other developers will consider this concept with their own apps that will be coming this next year.
- If you were wondering how to manually change the HP boot logo for any device running webOS 2.1, matbct has given us a nice video tutorial of how to get the job done quickly. It's a very handy set of steps that will help make that device you're using just a bit more custom-built for you.
- We have another app preview video of something that we would like to see come to webOS, but this one is for the service PhotoFunia, which allows you to put any image into another in unique ways (like putting your mugshot on a billboard). It's still in beta, but it looks like fun, so hopefully it'll be coming soon.
13 Comments
And posting about a developer only getting 3 downloads isn't very helpful when you don't mention the app, the link doesn't mention the app, and readers who might be willing to give it a look don't have any way to find it. Weak.
Alas unless Someone spills\leaks news of an impending Pre 3 release on Sprint for June I am Nexus S bound when it releases. My Pre just can't hang on any longer. So someone do some serious digging per favore.
I sympathize for Jonas Neubert but what is his app? I even went to his website but wasn't obvious. Guys should provide a link.
Looks like my unhappy tweet turned me into a webOS community celebrity. With realname on PreCentral and all!
This is the App: https://developer.palm.com/appredirect/?packageid=com.minderleister.coun...
If you also want to see some of my slightly more successful apps, you could check out this website: http://minderleister.com
By the way: We are two developers who made the app. That makes for 1.5 users per developer, haha. But seriously guys: webOS programming is just a hobby for us. We don't starve if no one wants our apps. In fact, we don't even cry when we look at the download count.
ok. you sold 1 more app. Maybe geographically challenged americans were scared of your app! But it is educational and webOS needs more quality educational apps.
you'll receive no support from me. same app multiple times. one is just a language port?! this is what menus or preference options are for. just like appible. same app 100 times over. stop flooding our catalog.
I'm not sure what you mean? The app is localized for German and English but it's still just one app. If you are referring to the app Cardsender which I was involved in but isn't my app, you can read more about why there are several versions available as separate apps in this forum thread: http://discussion.treocentral.com/webos-app-reviews/227670-cardsender-ap...
Oh and don't worry about "supporting" me, I am not interested in support from people who react to not understanding something by complaining.
Erm you were already under cut by a free app. Also begging people to call Palm. Really?!
Laughable.
Dude, what are you talking about? Can you craft a complete sentence so that I can at least understand what you mean?
@digitalslave Not sure how you got 'same app 100 times over' from the 3 that they've released.
Ref: Your comment that, "It's surprising to think that there are still hardcore webOS fans that haven't installed Prewre or..."
I guess if you have such tunnel vision that you think all webOS users are SMARTPHONE PROGRAMMERS then that's why you would have such a view. And, if HP/Palm also feels that way, then the future of webOS is doomed! There are a LOT MORE PROSPECTIVE USERS of such devices than there are people who have the time and/or the desire to tinker with the software in their phones.
I have been in the IT business for OVER 49 YEARS! But, I have NO INTEREST in programming my phone. I am willing to BUY useful apps that can be INSTALLED without putting my device at risk. And, just for the record, if there is a requirement for me to use Windoze to use, manage or backup my device, that also puts the device on the UNWANTED LIST.
I am willing to plug the device into a USB connection AS LONG AS THE FILE SYSTEM IS **INDUSTRY**STANDARD** and does not require any Micro$oft software to manage the files. This is also a problem with the current webOS implementation.
If the manufacturer of a device these days cannot make it operate as easily as a TV set, a DVR, and/or a plugin sound system, then it will NEVER become popular with the general public. If all you are interested in is techie users, then your attitude is in tune with those users. But, if you expect me to purchase phones for my own use and to recommend those devices to my friends and family, many who have a problem turning on a PC, then I guess I should abandon all hopes that webOS devices will ever be as useful and as user-friendly as the old Palm devices such as my old Treo 650, or the Palm Pilot family.
Do not misunderstand, I am not against technology enhancements. I really do like my Pre Plus. But, I want to USE IT, not PROGRAM IT. And I certainly do not want to have to put my device into some kind of systems programming mode just to install a new app.
@cgehr So... Here are a few things:
- webOS does not require windows to do anything. You can use Linux, Windows, Mac OS X, whatever you want.
- In the statement that you quoted, it does say "hardcare" users. Not your average consumer. I think it's understood that not everyone is a hardcore consumer, and there was no pressure in the statement to force someone to start using Preware, which is available for people interested in non-officially distributed software, patches, themes (homebrew). You don't need it, it just makes it easier to move around. Also, Preware is incredibly easy to install - no programming knowledge needed.
- Please don't yell at us.
WADR, Tim, you seem to have a strange definition of 'fan of webOS' since it appears to only include developers and not _users_ of the device. If your audience is only intended for developers, I suggest that you clearly state this in the top banner so people like me and many of my friends and family do not waste time reading your articles.
I am very 'hardcore _consumer_ and _user_' of my Pre Plus. To use another example, I am also a hardcore consumer of ATMs, Internet banking and other similar tools. But, I don't have to find some sneaky way to bypass the user interface to use them. I certainly would not consider trying to 'overclock' the processor on an ATM nor have I ever considered doing so on any PC that I've owned, going back to the original PC-1.
And, when I read all the warnings and cautions about getting into a special mode that, as I read it, makes the device unsupported, it does not create a comfortable feeling. There are similar tools for IBM mainframes that I do use in my work, but I would never expect a teller in a bank to use them to process one of my transactions.
The point is, if webOS is going to ever become a widely and wildly accepted consumer device, all of the neat apps that are not available on webOS because they require tinkering with the system should be made to work in the generally availble device. Some of these apps, tools, features, et al, should be provided by HP/Palm, or should be allowed by HP/Palm without exposing the user to a modified environment.
My complaint about Windoze is the webOS file system is NTFS introduced with WinNT, long ago obsolete, instead of the more commonly found FAT32. I have also skipped purchasing several apps because there are companion PC apps that require WinXP. [I cannot name them, because I promptly forget them since I cannot use them.]
Finally, what you call 'yelling' is really my FANatic plea for developers - independent and HP/Palm - to create an attractive platform for the masses and not believe that because it is a great platform, that everything will ultimately be OK. History is littered with great technology that lost out because of poor support and poor marketing. A few examples: Beta vs. VHS; OS/2 vs. Windows; Blue-Ray Disk vs. HD DVD [I don't have either, but I've heard this view]. My concern is that webOS is on the same path. And, not being a developer, I cannot make any difference, other that trying to wake up some of the people who do have the power and influence to get things on the right track.