Palm OS 6 Getting a Name Change

[Ed Hardy]

PalmSource is going to develop two versions of its operating system: one for handhelds and high-end smart phones, and a second one for low-cost smartphones. The version for handhelds, which previously was called Palm OS 6, will instead be named something else.

Read more at http://www.brighthand.com/article/Pa...wo_OS_Versions

[imported_Edward Green]

Interesting. If PalmSource can integrate some of Handsprings additions in 5.2h to the Smartphone OS I would be very pleased. I plan on a one year upgrade cycle for my mobile. I like the look of the Samsungs (if they ever arrive) but would would not want to lose the 5 way pad functionality of the Treo 600.

[Scott R]

I said this a long time ago and I'll say it again here: One of, if not the, biggest improvements in OS6 is multitasking. Multitasking is most needed on wireless devices, as you'd want to be able to upload/download in the background, be "available" in an IM client in the background, etc. The Nokia 3650 (Symbian OS) can multitask and you can get that for free (after rebates).

This move makes no sense whatsoever.

Scott

[imported_Edward Green]

OS 5 can handle downloading and IM clients in the background fine.

[Scott R]

Originally posted by Edward Green
OS 5 can handle downloading and IM clients in the background fine.

Not without jumping through hoops, AFAIK. And while there may be an IM client that can keep you alive (even for OS3.5 I believe), there's no app for background downloading that I'm aware of.

Scott

[imported_Edward Green]

I can download email (& attachments) on my Treo in the background with no problems.

[Scott R]

Originally posted by Edward Green
I can download email (& attachments) on my Treo in the background with no problems.

That's news to me. What app are you using to download email in the background and what are you doing in the foreground?

Scott

[imported_Edward Green]

Treo Mail downloads and checks my email in the background on my Treo 600. It checks my email every 15 minutes and notifies me if it has downloaded any. I don't even notice that it is checking my mail in whatever apllication I am using.

Chatter keeps a constant connection to a Jabber server for Instant Messenging. It is actually connected in whatever application I am using. A dialouge pops up over what ever app I am in if I recieve an instant message, in which I can reply. Just like a messenger in Windows.

And of course Pocket Tunes plays MP3's in the background. It remaps a hard key to launch a mini control dialogue that works over any application.

All of this is well provided for in PalmOS 5. Some of it was available in 4 too as I understand. PalmOS has always had a multitasking kernal, what has changed is what multitasking features people have access too.

What I can't do ion my Treo is start Blazer downloading a large file or webpage over GPRS and then pop into DtG to write a note. I can't see why PalmOS couldn't do this though. Of course because PalmOS 1-5 uses Run In Place it task switches fantatsically well. I hope this speed and ease is not lost in Cobalt.