Would It Be So Bad if the Palm Pre Didn’t Emulate PalmOS?
Just a short thought as I kick up my heels and rest up before tonight’s MobileFocus event. There’s talk of a PalmOS emulator on the Pre and sure, it could happen. But let me take a contrarian point of view to kick up some discussion: would it be so bad if it didn’t? Before you virtually stone me, hear me out for a second. Then you can throw stones as needed in the comments. :)
I’ll grant that there are oodles of PalmOS device owners out there. There are also plenty of PalmOS applications on those devices. But if I were one of those folks that had a PalmOS device and owned some compatible titles, I’d likely only get marginal utility from such an emulator. Why? Because in the long run, I’d want to see slick-looking updates to my fave apps so they could run natively in the gorgeous looking webOS.
Now the developers out there are cocking back their arms and getting ready to lob bombs at me too, but before you throw anything, let me ask you a question. Wouldn’t you like your application to take full advantage of all the native webOS hooks and features? If an emulator will allow you to do that (which is certainly possible), you’re set. I’m not sure that will be the case though because the Palm of today is looking forward — not backward. While Palm likely has no desire to cut off PalmOS developers at the knees, they know that the polish and shine of webOS is going to win them more customers than a crotchety-looking title (by comparison) in an emulator.
One more thought before the missiles fly. No matter how much you want to see a PalmOS emulator, will you not purchase the Pre solely because it can’t run your old PalmOS apps? I’ve seen some grumbling about losing old apps, but really: is it going to stop you? I’m thinking in many cases: no, not based on what you’ve seen of the Pre so far. I have yet to meet anyone in person or online that’s told me they’re passing on the Palm Pre because they can’t lose their old PalmOS apps.
Hey, I agree that if Palm can make it happen, it’s a win-win. I just wanted to ponder the possibilities since Palm originally said they weren’t doing this, although they’d be OK with it if a third-party offered it.
OK folks, let ‘em fly!
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To me it doesn’t matter if older apps can’t run on a mobile phone that I had plan on getting. Yes you might miss some app that you liked in the older OS, but usually newer apps become available for the newer OS and sometimes with better features or at least it will do what you wanted before.
It sounds like a Sony-type move, didn’t Sony make the PS3 initially backward compatible with all those PS2 titles. I don’t think it worked, since PS2 is still being sold and running a PS2 game on a PS3 is just silly. I guess Palm could quickly have a catalog full of legacy apps in their new Pre app store but it would be mostly full of junkware. I say don’t waste time trying to migrate some Treo-heads to the new platform. The smart ones will move even without a legacy emulator.
Hey, I’m with you on this one… who needs all the backwards compatibility? For a few archaic programs that need updating anyway? If a vendor can’t be bothered to update their apps, I can’t be bothered to keep using their apps.
Agreed, I have absolutely no use for old Palm applications, and I bought a ton of them. That being said, there are some people for whom this is a deal-breaker, so the announced “Classic” application is only good news. I won’t buy it, but I’m sure it’ll do well.
I am a long time Palm User (GSM) Treo 600,650,680, Centro. I have bought several programs, but i would not care about backwards compatibility at all. I only hope that Palm wil get the basics right on the PRE. Esp Email, this VersaMail thing had never worked for me, so i used Chatteremail, which was extremly reliable and usefull. So i hope the email client on the PRE will work well with IMAP and maybe even for exchange 2007, or that there will be a new Chatteremail. And that i will be able to open all the most used biz docs (at leat for viewing) like word,excel,pdf,jpg,png,gif. This would be enough for me. I am tried in between Some WinMo and Nokia Phones (iphone dont work for me because of the lack of keyboard, like all the other touch keyboards), and i have always come back to the palm, because it works so much faster and more reliable and is so much less manuvering through the Menues. I hope so much that Palm will bring the PRE as GSM soon too
out with the old; in with the new.
+1 – I have bought new programs plenty of times as I moved from POS to WM5 then to WM6 Classic and now with WM Pro and a short stint with RIM and I’ll probably end up with a Pre. I only have myself to blame, not Palm or MSFT or RIM.
Why clog up a prefectly new OS with old crap?
The only good thing about PalmOS emulation would be the availability of programs like ebook readers. Applications for WebOS may take several months.
…Which is why it’s awesome that they also are starting to roll out the SDK starting 4/2.
And another point (not in response to you, but in general) is that I highly doubt Classic will be free. I’d rather spend money on applications that won’t be more and more dated as more developers release more applications.
I wouldn’t care if most of my Palm apps didn’t work on the Pre, but the two irreplaceable apps that I really need to have access to are Handyshopper and Keyring. For those, I’d run an emulator (in fact I do this on the Nokia 770) and I’ve also made a point of buying backup secondhand Palms for continued future use of those specific apps.
For those, I’d run an emulator (in fact I do this on the Nokia 770) and I’ve also made a point of buying backup secondhand Palms for continued future use of those specific apps.
I have a desktop app I’ve been using since 1991 that only syncs with Palm OS (I can select which part of the data to sync on my Palm); I cant imagine not having access to that data on my mobile device. I also have over 1000 contacts, some with multiple addresses, phone #’s and attached notes. I’ve seldom been as excited about a new mobile device (hardware & OS) as I am about the Pre, but there’s no way I’m changing mobile OS without a clear data and application transfer method. I fully expect Access to have its Palm OS emulator running on WebOS very shortly after the Pre becomes available; it will be the fisrt application I buy for my Pre.
Why deny developers the opportunity to make new money from old apps?
Look at ID, they have brought Wolfenstein back from the dead for the iPhone and it is probably earned them an extra $1m already!
Kevin,
The thing you’re overlooking is the element of TIME.
Eventually, yes, 100% of the functionality I currently enjoy on my Palm OS Treo will be available on the Pre, as devs port over their legacy apps or code up new versions/replacements.
But, until that happens, the emulator means I don’t have to lose stuff I may care about that isn’t available on launch day.
So, for the first 2, 3, maybe 6 months, I’ll probably rely heavily on the emulator. Over time, that’ll decrease significantly. But I don’t think it’ll drop to zero, as there are some classic Palm OS games that I’m sure I’ll want to run every once in a while, if only for sentimental reasons. :-)
The emulator isn’t the reason to get or not get the Pre, but it’s more icing on an otherwise delicious cake.
Oh, one other thing: to answer your bolded question, yes, I do know of at least three people who have their lives so wrapped around a critical app that’s only available for Palm OS that they are adamant about passing on the Pre until either (a) it will run their legacy apps, or (b) a webOS version is launched.
Now, instead of waiting for (b), they can go with (a) straight out of the gate. So it’s a win-win.
@Craig
Agrees, particularly the medical and real estate applications that Palm pushed so hard over the years.
Kevin you’re totally right. I can’t stand PalmOS apps because they’re essentially modeled on a ten-year-old mobile computing model that was invented BEFORE mass adoption of cell phones. Stylus required? No thanks. I’d rather just use functional and interesting apps when they’re developed rather than slogging back to palm’s glory days. I haven’t EVER used an OS9 application, even after OS X came out, and seeing as when the Pre launches, I’ll likely be a “switcher,” I don’t think I’ll ever miss any palmOS app.
to me its very importend palm os app to work with web os and i know lots of potential custemers as well wuold like palm os app to work wit pre
Not to toot our own horn, but I’ve seen dozens of postings from customers of our HanDBase application for Palm OS saying that if we don’t offer a version for Pre, they won’t buy a Pre. While that is certainly an ego booster for me personally, the prospect of rewriting from scratch a relational database manager, along with the encryption libraries, file read/write libraries, etc, for an unproven platform, in a programming language completely foreign to me, is something I look at with “much care”. We just don’t have several months to throw at a project unless we’re somewhat assured of it’s overall profitability. I assume and have heard from other Palm OS developers who feel the same way.
While some may say good riddance to us pioneer mobile developers- bring on the Facebooks, Pandoras, etc, there are many users who run their businesses and rely on tools written years ago to run on original Palm OS devices, and this is good news to both the developer and the customer alike.
The only chance it can be less than perfect news is if MotionX charges too much for their emulator, or if many great apps are not ported to native Web OS apps because of their availability to run in the emulator. I know personally if the Pre lives up to it’s hype, I’d be interested in supporting it with a native app, but I’m just not ready to commit to that sight unseen!
If you are using existing apps that serve you well and keep you highly productive, like DateBk, then I have to disagree with you. I am currently trying to migrate from a Sony Clie to an iPod Touch. While there may be 15k+ apps available from Apple, most of them relate to jokes or flatulance. Hardly any of the PIM programs on the iPhone/iPod Touch come close to the function of DateBk. Yes, the unit does offer other nice features, but as a business device, you need to have a strong selection of software before you will win the hearts, minds and wallets of the productive. And it is not clear that Palm will have that on their new units. Apple barely offers it, and they have a good head start on Palm.
–Ken
I have apps that I used with my first Palm Pilot. Moved them to the III then the VII and the Clie, next the 700p and finally my 755p which ain’t really that shabby. I was laughing at a presentation at an Apple Users Group about Iphone 3.0 and commented that they will almost catch up with Palm with copy and paste.
But, seriously, I don’t think there’s a legacy app that I desperately need. I have my contacts backed up in about a zillion places including Google, so there should be no trouble reaching them there. I do, however, like the ability to have private memos that can be locked, and hoping there will be something similar on the Pre.
But I’m sure I can find Solitaire and Dominos offerings as well.
I’ll take the road not taken, seemingly, and say the PalmOS emulator would make me want a Pre more, and I’ll tell you why. Palm has always represented flexibility to me. My biggest beef against the iPhone is it’s lack of that. The wait for an e-book reader on the iPhone is just one example. I would go one step further and point out that a Windows mobile emulator on the Pre would be a good thing. I think it would be an enticement to users of other smart phones. Sure, I would also like to see the applications I use updated, but I’d like to keep my options open.
When I got a Mac with an early version of OSX I also got some OS9 apps, because that was what was around. I used them for several months (in one case, a few years) before acquiring OSX software for everything I wanted.
I have a bunch of apps I like on my treo. Like someone else, I want to keep my address book until I’m very comfortable with the replacement. I have a RPN calculator and a couple of games I like. I fully expect to replace all of these within a year for Pre aps, but if the classic emulator isn’t too expensive, I’ll buy it and use it while I’m transitioning. I was very pleased to hear it will be available.
Totally agree with Bill Teeple, Palm has also represented flexibility to me. I would not cling to a old app just because. If I have the option to use a native webos app giving me the same or similar functionality I would switch, but in some cases some functionality gaps will not be filled inmediately, and I would not like to resort to carrying multiple devices, or sacrifice functionality. It’s as simple as this: If you don’t need an emulator, no big news, if you do, then there is an option for you. No need to bash an effort to cater to some people needs.
Jose, I’m not bashing the effort, I was simply asking a question to get some insightful conversation going. (Which did happen BTW, so thanks to everyone for sharing your thoughts!)
I wrote this post hours before the official news that the emulator would be available. As I said in the post: if it happened, it would be a win-win.