After the Pre, what next ...

[ColonelKernel]

Okay, rumors already spreading indicate a keyboardless, full-screen Centro 2, but what comes after that I mean.

Every Treo from the 600 onward has really been the same device, tweaked along the way.

So what will Palm do differently?


EDIT: Added the link to Palm Infocenter

[MiDoJo]

LoL Pre's barely been annouced and yer already two devices ahead. . . I like yer initiative
according to cnet there will be a multitude of bodies for webOS, including as you said a keyboardless candybar (YUCK)
QWERTY physical all rhe way

[ColonelKernel]

keyboardless candybar (YUCK)
QWERTY physical all rhe way

Same here.

I ask because the Pre is very nearly my dream device.  Too close, in fact, that I fear the next device, beyond the Cheesy Centro, will be substantially different.  If the Pre had expandable storage and, I admit, a couple hard buttons, I wouldn't care what came after the Pre, because I would absolutely get it.  As of now, I'm simply probably going to get it, but I'm starting to think I'll wait for some key apps to be developed first.

[Robin24k]

I'm really interested in what's coming after the Pre too. My dream device would be a 755p with a larger flush touchscreen, slider keyboard, the same or thinner (sliders tend to be quite thick, so I can settle for the same thickness), at least a 1500mAh battery, and running Windows Mobile or webOS (depending on how webOS does).

[jimhuff]

I'm really interested in what's coming after the Pre too. My dream device would be a 755p with a larger flush touchscreen, slider keyboard, the same or thinner (sliders tend to be quite thick, so I can settle for the same thickness), at least a 1500mAh battery, and running Windows Mobile or webOS (depending on how webOS does).

Maybe they'll retrofit one like this...

[MiDoJo]

Nice spam them pictures at the Palm Site

[ColonelKernel]

Hey Robin, I have a task for you  [cue Mission: Impossible theme]  if you choose to accept it.

A thought experiment, kinda: Take the Pre and rework/reconfigure/futz/mangle the device to work exactly how you want/need it to work.  The only restriction is that you have to adhere strictly to Palm's concept of a polished river stone, meaning nothing resembling a traditional hard button.  That, and have it be plausible, of course.

[Robin24k]

That's pretty darn close, Jim. Except that the 5-way will be gone and the OS be Windows Mobile.

The only restriction is that you have to adhere strictly to Palm's concept of a polished river stone, meaning nothing resembling a traditional hard button.  That, and have it be plausible, of course.

Looks and functionality cannot co-exist by today's standards, so I say that that mission is, well, impossible...

[ColonelKernel]

... Looks and functionality cannot coexist by today's standards ... .

Of course it can.

How's this: I'm gonna modify the screen a bit.  Since the "river stone" is already broken up by buttons, ports, and the two halves of the device, I'm go a step further.  I want to cut the screen out from the surface, still keeping it flush with the rest of the device.  This does remove the illusion of the status icons and notifications extending beyond screen, but that's candy not carne.

Now, I'm gonna licence the Blackberry Storm's screen-clicking technology, but just for the bottom right and left corner.  I'm thinking those two areas can be used for the Phone's Send and End functions which could be operated without looking.

Extending that to other parts of the screen might then control audio while the device is in sleep mode.

So, I may have bent my own rule, but not terribly: the device concept is still the same.

So ... your turn.

C'mon!  Be a rebel.  Bend the rules, if need be.  What about adding more functionality to that center/once-though-to-be-a-track-ball/button, eh?

[ktessner]

LoL Pre's barely been annouced and yer already two devices ahead. . . I like yer initiative
according to cnet there will be a multitude of bodies for webOS, including as you said a keyboardless candybar (YUCK)

Aha!  But that also means that Palm's working on soft keyboards, so surfing on the Pre hardware they demo'd in landscape mode will be possible without constantly flipping over to portrait to type stuff!

This is good...  whether you personally want to buy a keyboardless candybar or not.   

[Robin24k]

I don't know...I'm still not sold on relying upon the screen so much. Heck, I rarely touch the screen on my 755p because I find it to be more comfortable to use real buttons...

[ktessner]

I don't know...I'm still not sold on relying upon the screen so much. Heck, I rarely touch the screen on my 755p because I find it to be more comfortable to use real buttons...

Agreed, I love my qwerty.  But if I had the Pre hardware they showed, I'd sure HATE to have to flip back and forth between portrait and landscape while surfing, and having played with an iPhone or two I know I WANT to surf in landscape.  A big complaint in early G1 reviews was where they had to flip from portrait to landscape to send text messages...  threaded messaging is just nicer in portrait mode.  (I think the latest/beta G1 firmware has added a soft keyboard -- they learned but quick!)

[ColonelKernel]

... I find it to be more comfortable to use real buttons...

Okay, fine.  But can I get you to conjure a "Best of Both Worlds" device?

webOS will soon be your only choice for a Palm-made operating system, which is all touchy/feely where the screen is concerned, so you'll likely have to consider it at some point.

How about this instead ...

Replicate the webOS interactions solely with buttons.  Keeping most button presses to the absolute minimum.

C'mon, Robin, pleeeeese?  Gimme something we can work with here!  I'm just trying to play with ideas.

Any other takers?

[Robin24k]

Since webOS isn't compatible with Palm OS, it's on level ground with WM. I think I've been leaning more towards WM since the announcement of webOS...

[Slarti]

I'm still upbeat about the Pre and WebOS, years ago Psion went through a similar process with their PDA OSes and the change was worth the initial pain.

For me it's a straight toss up between the Pre and a device running Android, I'm holding out to see what Asus do with Android on their EEE phone before making a final choice