The Kyrocera 6035. The Pre Palm Pre

Well, unlike buying a window 6.5 phone (unless you hope to load android on it one day) I think the palm pre would be a cool collectors item IF you have the Palm I, Kyocera 6035 and perhaps a Palm V.   Its like Pokémon, you gotta ‘collect’ them all.

BTW, if you have never heard of the Kyocera 6035, this was the first really well designed smart phone.  The integration was pretty good, the OS was based on the palm V and running on Verizon, it worked as a great phone!  Sure the internet connection was slow, but back then it was that or nothing.

As much as the iPhone ‘changed everything’ the Palm OS was the first ‘real’ smartphone experience for many of us. And although the network was too slow (and integration of they digital life had not happened yet) I still view Palm as where it all started.  And now with the WebOS phones looking like the end of line, I’m going to hit up craiglists.. and collect them all.

* I just tried one of the apps, and it works great.  And that is not surprising because is coco, but still, anytime you go from one language to another there are risks.  But so far, so good.

• 3 of the demo apps are free, 4 costs 99c.
• This is not Flash10.  This is to create installed apps written in AS3. So even though its not a true browser plugin (so STILL no flash video) at least we can reuse assets and code from other projects to create iphone apps.  I would expect TONS of flash games to come to the iphone as well as Android and Palm Pre.
• Also, this is not a true flash player where you can include other .swf files.  The code is native coco, so many of the tricks we used in Flash do not work here.  Figures.
• However, since it native coco, I would expect the SDK will give us access to the hardware, camera, accelerometers, compass, etc.. So I expect to see some really cool AR apps in the near future.

Something else to consider.. Think of all the little games that are out there in flash already, especially the flood of new games that have been coming to facebook.   All of those games can now port over to the iphone (and android and palm) quite easily. And then add all the little flash games on tonnes of websites also making the port.  Since we are talking AS3, I would bet 30% of the games could be ported with a week of work or less (per game, not all the games.. sheesh).  Anyway, I expect a flood coming a month or so after the beta SDK comes out.  I have 2 apps in mind that I will port right off the bat!

Flash Professional CS5 will enable you to build applications for iPhone and iPod touch using ActionScript 3. These applications can be delivered to iPhone and iPod touch users through the Apple App Store.*

A public beta of Flash Professional CS5 with prerelease support for building applications for iPhone is planned for later this year. Sign up to be notified when the beta starts.

http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/flashcs5/appsfor_iphone/#divider

At the MAX 2009 show, they demoed a number of flash apps that are in the app store right now.  So, what are you waiting for? Download and test.  There are with the prerelease version of CS5, so do not expect to be blown away nor bug free, but still, its about time!!

The app is open source, get it here test application. The camera can shoot far better then 320×480, so I guess we have to wait a bit longer, but this keeps the Pre in the running.

First the plus sides.  The device feels good in my hand and the UI makes sense.  As I played with it, the OS seemed to keep up well enough.  The phone did get a bit warm, but that could have been because I was pushing it.

However, its the keyboard I want.  And it just did not feel good. If I typed slowly, I could get it to work well enough, but that is what I do on the iPhone now.  I need a keyboard where I can type faster and longer then currently.  Also, the screen is smaller then the iphone. For some people, a smaller phone may be important, but I’m not one of those people.

So now it comes down to two. Either the G1 or the new iPhone(S) ‘and remember, the ‘S’ is for speed! ‘  whatever..

{update}  I gave the G1’s keyboard another try.  FAIL!  I forgot how much I did not like the G1’s keyboard because of poor spacing, key size and the fact the keys are recessed.  Ug.

The WSJ reports that Flash support will be coming to Palm webOS, Google Android, and Nokia Symbian S60 devices by the end of this year, leaving the remaining holdouts the iPhone and BlackBerry smartphone platforms. Analysts suspect this has little to do with technological hurdles and everything to do with Apple and Research In Motion, who may want to favor as much application exclusivity on their devices as possible.

So why is Palm doing this?? Because creating initial demand over supply for something ‘sexy new’ works.  The iPhone and the Wii should be enough proof.  The question will be trying to make sure you have just enough lack of supply to create over demand while not selling so few units you get backlash or have so many units that the plan fails outright. This will be interesting to watch.  I still want to play with one though…  Hear me Palm??  Send me a test unit!!

Still, the operational costs are cheaper.

..’an individual Sprint Everything Data Plan starts at $69.99 for 450 minutes and unlimited text messages and unlimited data, including the carrier’s various services, such as Sprint Navigation and Sprint TV’  … ‘requires a $30-per-month data plan and then it’s $39.99 for 450 minutes (with rollover minutes) and $20 a month for unlimited text messaging, so you’re looking at a total of $89.99 and you don’t even get the extra services’. From Bonnie Cha of Cnet

If the Pre can provide all it says it can, I will be looking to drop the iphone and give the Pre a try.. IF it lives up to the hype.  As much as I complain about the iphone, it is still the best smart phone I’ve used in a long time. The Treo 600-650 was the last big improvement in smartphones, and I do not expect such a jump going from the iphone to the Pre.  But, lower price and more services?? Perhaps.  I’m near the end of my contract and I’ve been hearing that ATT wants to change their plans at bit.  If it get more expensive, then done deal.  I’m switching.