LikeMob

LikeMob Episode 5- We missed last week, but we’re happy to be back! After a visit to London, and specifically the Nokia store on Regent Street, Itamar was crushed after finally getting his hands on the new Nokia 5800. It was an enormous disappointment to say the least. Listen on!

Here’s what we spoke about:

1. Palm’s Planning Something Big At MWC 2009

http://www.gearlog.com/2009/01/palms_planning_something_big_a.php

2. iPhone Apps: 500mil and counting

http://www.mobilecrunch.com/2009/01/16/iphone-app-store-crashes-through-500-million-downloads/

3. Multi-Touch on Android

http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/01/25/get-your-hack-on-unofficial-multi-touch-support-released-for-an/

4. Pelephone goes GSM

http://technmarketing.com/2009/01/15/gsm-beginning-to-replace-cdma/

5. Report: Users find phones too hard to use

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7833944.stm

http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/01/25/survey-finds-mobile-phone-setup-to-be-excruciatingly-difficult/

6. One of the best iPhone accessories I have ever seen

http://www.techeblog.com/index.php/tech-gadget/sound-clip

7. Google Maps Public Transportation option gets tested, loved

http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/01/24/google-maps-public-transportation-option-gets-tested-loved/

8. Apple suing Palm? Did I not call it?

http://i.gizmodo.com/5136645/apple-hints-at-palm-pre-legal-battle

It was all (or mostly) Palm Pre this week! We were actually very excited and proud of Palm, so we couldn’t help ourselves but gush over their new phone, the Pre.

1. Palm Pre launches at CES 2009

   http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/01/09/palm-pre-webos-launch-roundup/

2. Touchstone- very cool

   http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/01/10/palm-pre-touchstone-eyes-on/

3. Palm’s App Catalogue not a priority

   http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/01/10/palms-app-store-christened-app-catalog-games-not-a-priority/

4. Pre pricing rumor- $399

   http://www.mobilecrunch.com/2009/01/09/devastating-rumor-puts-sprints-palm-pre-at-399-at-launch/

5. Pre hands on

   http://www.mobilecrunch.com/2009/01/09/palm-pre-hands-on-the-movie/

6. Canadian Pre? For you, Itamar!

   http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/01/10/palm-ceo-on-bringing-the-pre-to-canada-we-certainly-want-to/

7. Skype launches for Android

   http://www.mobilecrunch.com/2009/01/09/thin-is-in-skype-lite-beta-launches-for-android-100-java-enabled-phones/

8. $2.5 million dollars for an iPhone??

   http://www.techeblog.com/index.php/tech-gadget/world-s-most-expensive-iphone

9. Controlling a party with Sonos:

   http://www.kyte.tv/ch/6118/311465

Enjoy!

Palm just announced their new phone, the Palm Pre, and their new WebOS. I’m actually really excited about this, and proud of Palm. I’ve been a fan of Palm ever since I had a Palm V in high school. Back then it seemed way ahead of it’s time, and was the only thing stopping me from forgetting my homework and assignments. The syncing capabilities were great, and AvantGo always kept me from getting bored on the bus home.

But then they just stayed the same for a while, while everyone else was racing ahead. Until today. And here are some of my first impressions:

1. Awesome form factor.  The physical keyboard was a no-brainer for a Palm, and I’m happy they were able to pack it in into a slim package.  I think it looks like a great synergy of touch screen and physical keyboard.  Interesting how they went with portrait and not landscape… They seemed to have really gone all out on the design and UI.  Which is extremely important.  These days, you can’t impress people with functionality alone.  Design matters people!
   

   Photo credit to Engadget

2. I’m very excited about the WebOS.  If it’s going to be as easy as Palm claims to write an app for this OS, just with HTML/CSS/JS, then I’m really excited.  However, if they make it so that a developer can write such an app, AND have access to core funcionalities (like GPS, phone book, etc.), then that will be killer.  I mean KILLER.  But it probably won’t end up being that good, and it’ll just be for web apps.
3. The lack of Wifi kind of stood out.  Maybe Sprint did it to toot their 3G horn?  Personally, the 3G coverage in Israel is amazing, but I can see why in the US it would stick out like a sore thumb. (UPDATE: After the official specs were released, I realized I was wrong.  The Palm Pre does indeed have Wifi.  I guess that’s what happens when you base your initial thoughts on tweets and live blogging.  I pasted the official specs below.  Also, now that I see the official specs, very big thanks to Palm for the 3.5mm headphone jack.  That’s always a biggie for me.)

   

4. Peter Ha – “Symbian and WinMo are done. This is an iPhone, Android, Palm race now.” http://is.gd/eTMYI almost agree with this.  I would say WinMo is done, but Symbian is far too big to call it a day.  However, as excited I was about the N97, I think I’m a tad more excited about the Pre.  Symbian’s biggest mistake was not overhauling the UI.  That’s always been their Achilles heel, and I guess they are too stubborn to learn?
5. Simultaneous running of apps seems like a no-brainer.  Why can’t the iPhone do this too?  It’s a mobile device people, why should you have to open and close every time?  Kudos to Palm on this one, especially with the notifications like on Android.
6. I just hope the media integration is done as well as the iPhone/iPod.  That could really make or break the Pre in certain demographics.

Which brings me to my last thought.  I originally thought Palm should have just embraced Android, stick it on a slick piece of hardware and call it a day.  The OS fragmentation in the mobile space has become the bain of my existence.   Even though I’m really stocked about the Pre, as a mobile development company, I cringe at the thought of yet another OS.  However, if they have actually implemented their “web development” properly, and allow developers to actually create apps with rich functionality with only HTML/CSS/JS, then this could be their saving grace.  Either way, nothing like a hot new phone, eh?

We’ll no doubt be discussing this in more detail on our next podcast episode, LikeMob Episode 4, airing this Monday, January 12th. Feel free to write in at wtf@likemob.com, and the best emails will be read on the podcast

• Features
• Details

The Palm® Pre™ phone is available on the Sprint network.

LikeMob Episode 3- iPhone Diet Episode  January 5th, 2009

OK, back again, this time we are up to episode 3.  Aryeh is back this week to share his insights. Itamar is feelin good, no cold, and hopefully you can hear Hillel. First episode of 2009 and it is a good one.

Here is what we talked about:

1. Motorola Axing 400 Jobs

   http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/12/31/motorola-hastens-layoff-plans-axes-400-earlier-than-anticipated/

   http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/oct2008/tc20081017_238719.htm

2. Inq1 from 3- Are social network phones cool, or unnecessary?

   http://www.mobileindustryreview.com/2009/01/the_inq1_from_3_-_update.html

3. WiMax coming to Chicago via Sprint

   http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/01/04/sprint-hopeful-to-take-wimax-live-in-chicago-by-end-of-2009/

4. ATT 3G Upgrade Degrades 2G Speed

   http://mobile.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=09/01/03/1818206

5. Yellowsn0w
6. Nokia N96 Firmware Update

   http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/01/02/nokia-n96-gets-updated-for-the-yanks/

7. What Do Google Android Netbooks Mean For Microsoft And Apple?

   http://www.alleyinsider.com/2009/1/google-netbooks-microsoft-apple

   http://www.mobileindustryreview.com/2008/12/t-mobile_gives_away_free_asus_netbook_with_mobile_broadband.html

8. Blackberry Users Addicted to Twitter

   http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/01/02/twitstat-study-blackberry-users-are-totally-addicted-to-twitter/

9. Washing machine that tweets

   http://www.techeblog.com/index.php/tech-gadget/washing-machine-tweets-twitters-when-cycle-finishes

10. Microsoft and CES

    http://gizmodo.com/5122565/leak-everything-microsoft-is-announcing-at-ces

OK, that sums it up, hope you enjoyed the show.