webOSroundup http://www.webosroundup.com Thu, 19 Apr 2012 12:14:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 webosrounduphttp://feedburner.google.com Metrix goes Open Source! http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/webosroundup/~3/JdwOVsRoGes/ http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/04/metrix-goes-open-source/#comments Thu, 19 Apr 2012 12:14:42 +0000 David Baxter http://www.webosroundup.com/?p=33427

One of the coolest things we at WOR were involved in was the creation of Metrix, an analytics tool for webOS. Hundreds of apps used it and, at its peak, our server was processing over 6 million hits a month.

As you can imagine, our server didn’t like this very much and it cost us a good amount (about $250/month on average). So, as I mentioned on the podcast last week, we have to shut her down…

But fear not brave developers! If you want to track your apps you will still be able to because have opened everything up and given it to the community to do with as you please. Use it, upgrade it, whatever you want…

You can find it over at github, so go download it when you can.

As for the servers, we will be shutting them down on the 25th of this month, so you have about a week to set it up on your own server and have no downtime. I also recommend that you take a screenshot of your current analytics because, unfortunately, there is no way to port the data.

We want to thank all of the developers who used Metrix and helped us make it such a success.

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]]> http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/04/metrix-goes-open-source/feed/ 5 http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/04/metrix-goes-open-source/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=metrix-goes-open-source preNotes: The webOS Newsletter http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/webosroundup/~3/uxak6jVhFCc/ http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/04/prenotes-the-webos-newsletter/#comments Mon, 16 Apr 2012 03:50:10 +0000 Tony Reese http://www.webosroundup.com/?p=33384

I have been receiving a weekly webOS apps newsletter from HP since September of 2011. Yes, really once a week every week. It is informative and easy to subscribe too. Hear about it on this week’s preNote.

You can listen to this and every preNote in the following ways:

What are preNotes?
preNotes are short audio clips (typically between 5 – 10 minutes) that give you tips on how to better use your Palm Pre. They are released each week and cover a wide array of helpful tips so that you too can become a webOS ninja.

…

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]]> http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/04/prenotes-the-webos-newsletter/feed/ 0 http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/04/prenotes-the-webos-newsletter/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=prenotes-the-webos-newsletter Join us for the last hurrah!! http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/webosroundup/~3/2BTuQoIu-Og/ http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/04/join-us-for-the-last-hurrah/#comments Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:18:43 +0000 David Baxter http://www.webosroundup.com/?p=33401

** We are live! http://www.webosroundup.com/wor-live/ **

Tonight is the final webOSRadio and we plan on going out in style! We will have ALL the founding members of WOR with us (me, Dan, Roy, Jesse, and Ryan) so you know there will be craziness. Also, we have tons of free app codes to give away from some of the top developers on webOS for those who join us this evening.

We also wanted to extend the offer to be on the podcast. If you were a contributor (there are quite a few of you out there), a huge fan or just have a great story about WOR or webOS in general, we want to hear it! Just record a little audio bit (up to 2 minutes) and email it to me at david at webosroundup dot com. We will select the best entries and add them in as a little remembrance section of the podcast. We may be able to find something special for you in return…no promises though.

We will be accepting entries until Monday April, 16th, so be sure to get them in.

We are all looking forward to tonight at 9pm eastern and we hope to see you all there!

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]]> http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/04/join-us-for-the-last-hurrah/feed/ 8 http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/04/join-us-for-the-last-hurrah/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=join-us-for-the-last-hurrah preNotes: Multiple Profiles http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/webosroundup/~3/ZVcenffo2Wo/ http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/04/prenotes-multiple-profiles/#comments Mon, 09 Apr 2012 03:50:22 +0000 Tony Reese http://www.webosroundup.com/?p=33363

One of the great things about webOS devices is the Palm Profile or HP webOS Profile. Sometimes it is handy to have more than one and your can hear why on this week’s preNote.

You can listen to this and every preNote in the following ways:

What are preNotes?
preNotes are short audio clips (typically between 5 – 10 minutes) that give you tips on how to better use your Palm Pre. They are released each week and cover a wide array of helpful tips so that you too can become a webOS ninja.

…

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]]> http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/04/prenotes-multiple-profiles/feed/ 0 http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/04/prenotes-multiple-profiles/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=prenotes-multiple-profiles The final webOSRadio… http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/webosroundup/~3/1NQVZroRJdg/ http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/04/the-final-webosradio/#comments Wed, 04 Apr 2012 16:47:40 +0000 David Baxter http://www.webosroundup.com/?p=33359 When I started this site in November 2009 I never expected the amazing ride it would turn into. What started out as a simple app review site grew into the second largest webOS fan site on the planet with over 300,000 visitors a month, a live podcast, two trips to CES, a lot of contests and more fun than one group of guys should be allowed to have.

It is with great sorrow then to say that it is time for webOSroundup to sign off. It has been obvious for a little while now that WOR has not been able to keep up with the stories and news like we used to and rather than just languish and put up an occasional story from time to time we wanted to go out on our own terms and say thank you to each and every one of our fans…so in standard WOR fashion, we are going to do it with one final podcast.

Next Tuesday (April 10th) at 9pm(Eastern) all of the WOR miscreants from the past and present will be around to talk about the wonderful ride running this site has been. We will be doing it live so we want everyone who can join us to do so.

On tap to join us is: Dan Ramirez, myself, Jesse Mendoza, Ryan St. Andrie, and (hopefully) Roy Sutton. It should be a grand time where we can reminiscent about all the antics, webOS as a platform, and some behind the scenes stuff that you probably wouldn’t otherwise hear. Also, if you have questions, we will answer those as well.

We hope you can join us and add your webOS and WOR stories into the mix as well. If you have any questions or stories, feel free to email me at david@webosroundup.com and we will do our best to get to each and every one of them.

 

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]]> http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/04/the-final-webosradio/feed/ 74 http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/04/the-final-webosradio/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-final-webosradio webOS CTO, Sam Greenblatt is out, no one next in line yet http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/webosroundup/~3/0oqBZ1nYgnQ/ http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/03/webos-cto-sam-greeblat-is-out/#comments Fri, 30 Mar 2012 02:38:57 +0000 Mike Avello http://www.webosroundup.com/?p=33352

The folks at webOS Nation have reported that Sam Greenblatt has left his post as webOS CTO and will no longer be in charge of webOS. After reaching out to HP they also received confirmation with the following comment:

“Sam Greenblatt is moving from webOS to a new role at HP and will continue to assist the team during the transition. The Open webOS project is on schedule and HP remains committed to the roadmap announced in January.”

Currently, there is no indication as to who may be next to take the reins of webOS. For the time being, Greenblatt will remain with HP simply in a different capacity. Sources have told webOS Nation that some developers within HP may have had issues surrounding the current pace of the open webOS roadmap. Going as far as possible head-butting going on stemming as far back as when Greenblatt originally came on to manage webOS.

We are hopeful that this is simply yet another stepping stone in the long trail of stones that have faced webOS and that HP chooses the right person to head webOS as the next CTO. We are hoping they are able to continue making progressing and sticking with the promise to remain on track.

Source: webOS Nation

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]]> http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/03/webos-cto-sam-greeblat-is-out/feed/ 11 http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/03/webos-cto-sam-greeblat-is-out/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=webos-cto-sam-greeblat-is-out HP set to publish “Community Edition” of webOS 3.0.5 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/webosroundup/~3/RvOrBv27jyc/ http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/03/hp-set-to-publish-community-edition-of-webos-3-0-5/#comments Thu, 15 Mar 2012 14:27:09 +0000 Jesse Mendoza http://www.webosroundup.com/?p=33341

In a new posting by webOS CTO Sam Greenblatt on the HP webOS Developer Blog, HP has announced it plans on publishing additional components of webOS version 3.0.5 for the TouchPad to open source, calling it the “Community Edition”. It will be posted at opensource.palm.com and is to be completed by June. The publishing of the code will provide the community the ability to “work with legacy devices using the current platform.”

In a separate announcement, the Linux 3.3. kernel has produced a seventh release candidate containing patches for networking, drivers, management, and memory. The release should be ready by the end of this month.

You can see the post in its entirety here.

Source: HP webOS Developer Blog

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]]> http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/03/hp-set-to-publish-community-edition-of-webos-3-0-5/feed/ 50 http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/03/hp-set-to-publish-community-edition-of-webos-3-0-5/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=hp-set-to-publish-community-edition-of-webos-3-0-5 HP Lays Off 250 from webOS Division http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/webosroundup/~3/4t8aIfWJDTY/ http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/02/hp-lays-off-250-from-webos-division/#comments Wed, 29 Feb 2012 00:42:26 +0000 Jesse Mendoza http://www.webosroundup.com/?p=33326

HP has announced it has laid off close to 270 employees from its webOS division, mostly engineering positions relating to getting webOS to work with hardware that it feels it “no longer needs.” The announcement comes as it makes its transition to open source, further reducing a headcount of roughly 500 webOS employees that remain, and following the departure of Jon Rubenstein this past January.

HP’s statement is below:

As webOS continues the transition from making mobile devices to open source software, it no longer needs many of the engineering and other related positions that it required before. This creates a smaller and more nimble team that is well-equipped to deliver an open source webOS and sustain HP’s commitment to the software over the long term.

HP is working to redeploy employees affected by these changes to other roles at the company.

 Source: webOS Nation

 

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]]> http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/02/hp-lays-off-250-from-webos-division/feed/ 28 http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/02/hp-lays-off-250-from-webos-division/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=hp-lays-off-250-from-webos-division UPDATE: Virtual Enyo Hackathon on March 4th and a Pre3 Raffle http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/webosroundup/~3/A9pextirAvk/ http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/02/virtual-enyo-hackathon-on-march-4th-and-a-pre3-raffle/#comments Fri, 24 Feb 2012 02:29:10 +0000 Mike Avello http://www.webosroundup.com/?p=33319

There has been some exciting chatter coming out of the internet tubes and pipes involving Enyo development and the community. Thanks to our friend Ben Stern (aka @webOSdealer) and others in the community, we have ourselves a nationwide Hackathon on the horizon! This is certainly not going to be you grandma’s hackathon. You know, if your grandma had a hackathon and all.

On Sunday, March 4th the New York City webOS Developer and Enthusiast meetup will be hosting  a Virtual Hackathon between 12pm and  6pm. In addition to the New York meetup , Other meetups participating in the hackathon include San Diego, Indianapolis, and Dallas. There are 3 ways those who are interested will be able to participate:

  • Attend one of the local participating webOS meetups.
  • Gather with a few of your local devs and register as a team.
  • Register as an individual

At the start of the event there will be an Introduction to Enyo and presentation by HP webOS Developer Platform Architect Ben Combee via Ustream. Ben will also participate in a Q&A session half way through the event. Not content at offering just hackathon prizes, there will also be a raffle for a UK QWERTY Pre3 that is open to anyone in the world. There isn’t any word yet on what will be worked on, but things are shaping up to be an event not to miss.

Those that are interested—honestly who wouldn’t be—should make their way over to EnyoHackathon.com to register. Enyo developers, it is time to get your game face on!

UPDATE

We have some additional info to share for the upcoming Uber Hackathon this Sunday. The judges for the competition have been announced:

  • Lisa Brewster: One of Laptop Mag’s Most Important Women in Mobile Tech 2011
  • Derek Kessler: Editor-in-Chief of webOSnation.com
  • Ben Combee: Senior member of the HP webOS engineering team with a focus on frameworks, API design, and developer issues

Scheduling information can be found at http://enyohackathon.com/info.htm and prize info has also been posted up at http://enyohackathon.com/prizes.htm

Again, hit up the source link for all the details for the event. Are you getting excited?! We know that we can’t wait to see all the great apps that come out of the event.

 Source: Enyo Hackathon

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]]> http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/02/virtual-enyo-hackathon-on-march-4th-and-a-pre3-raffle/feed/ 10 http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/02/virtual-enyo-hackathon-on-march-4th-and-a-pre3-raffle/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=virtual-enyo-hackathon-on-march-4th-and-a-pre3-raffle Review: Archive Manager http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/webosroundup/~3/PMNL8obQF3I/ http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/02/review-archive-manager/#comments Thu, 23 Feb 2012 16:35:37 +0000 Patrick Campanale http://www.webosroundup.com/?p=33285 App: Archive Manager

Developer: pcworldSoftware
Price: $1.99

Archive Manager is a long-awaited app for webOS.  I know many people who have been waiting on an app that will archive (and un-archive) zip and tar files especially. I love this app, and love the idea. And at $1.99, it really isn’t all that expensive for what you get. Let’s get into the review.

Initial Setup

The initial setup of the app is pretty straight forward. You just click the nice little button that says, “I’ve read this.. Stop annoying me”. Ahh, you have to love the humor that a developer has when creating his app.

UI

The UI is also pretty straight forward. If you’ve used pcworldSoftware’s FTPit!, then the scenes will look very familiar to you. As soon as you open the app, you are presented with a filepicker. From the filepicker scene, you can either enter a folder, chose a folder to be archived, chose some files to be archived, or un-archive an already archived file. The archiving scene is also very nice and well laid out. It has a very nice and easy to understand UI. I knew how to work the app the first time I picked it up.

Function

This app fills a big void in the webOS users life (for those of us who deal with archives on a daily basis). It has the ability to extract and create ZIP, RAR, 7z, tar, gzip, bzip2, ISO and many more archive file types while on the go. I can now send someone a zip file of 30 pictures and not have to chose each picture from a list in the email app on my phone! The developer is looking at creating a homebrew service that will allow entire device access including files and folders.

Pros

  • Supports multiple file types (e.g.  ZIP, RAR, 7z, tar, gzip, bzip2, ISO and many more)
  • Not super expensive
  • Active developer who responds quickly

Cons

  • Didn’t come sooner :)

Bottom Line

The bottom line is, if you use archives, even just every once in a while, I would buy this app. Show your support for future development, and get a very nice tool as well. At only $1.99, it won’t break the bank purchasing it either!

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]]> http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/02/review-archive-manager/feed/ 0 http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/02/review-archive-manager/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=review-archive-manager Cyanogenmod9 Alpha 1 Released!! http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/webosroundup/~3/DDXISyikvPc/ http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/02/cyanogenmod9-alpha-1-released/#comments Wed, 22 Feb 2012 03:09:50 +0000 Patrick Campanale http://www.webosroundup.com/?p=33288 We have been waiting for Alpha 1 since Alpha 0 was released. Well, wait no more! As of 9:47 PM last night, alpha 1 was released to the public! This release is still *alpha* and should be treated as such. This still carries all the warnings that the last 3 releases had.  But this version also carries a lot more features that we have been waiting for, like HD video playback. It still does not support Netflix streaming yet, but they are certainly making some amazing progress! See below for the changelog, links, and more info.

  • Hardware video decoding support. As a result, Youtube HD and 720p and 1080p local media will now be playable. Netflix does not work yet.
  • Includes touchscreen improvements by Dees_Troy
  • Now able to enable use of 2D companion core to offload composition

And below are the release notes.

We finally have hardware video decode working largely thanks to some help from yjwong. This release is primarily just to get hardware decoding out for folks to enjoy while other work continues. This build does not work with Netflix yet. However, hardware accelerated video decoding does work for Youtube HD and playback of local media. This build still uses the 2.6.35 kernel. The 3.0 kernel is still being heavily worked on and is also the primary focus for development. Don’t expect hardware video decoding to be perfect yet. Its half a miracle it works at all on our current kernel.

Similar to the last build I will provide flashable zips to make it easier to switch to lcd density 120 with proper launcher layout. The hardware video decoding will not make it into the nightlies for a few days. There is still some work to do in order to get it merged into repositories and ensure it doesn’t break other devices.

You can find the download links here.

Source: RootzWiki Forum (thanks for the tip @webosdealer)

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]]> http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/02/cyanogenmod9-alpha-1-released/feed/ 14 http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/02/cyanogenmod9-alpha-1-released/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=cyanogenmod9-alpha-1-released Review: Super Ads XL http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/webosroundup/~3/4A4dEz1O9MM/ http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/02/review-super-ads-xl/#comments Mon, 20 Feb 2012 22:00:04 +0000 Mike Avello http://www.webosroundup.com/?p=33261

App: Super Ads XL

Developer: AClass Apps
Price $2.49 intro sale $1.49 

For many, the Super Bowl is a time to gather around the tube in anticipation of watching the year’s two best teams go head to head. For others, it’s a time to checkout the latest of what has become a tradition itself: the Super Bowl Ads. Now thanks to AClass Apps, we are able to enjoy the collection of Super Bowl ads from the past right on our TouchPads, and soon across a variety of other devices thanks to the power of Enyo! At the time of this writing Super Ads XL has already made its way into the Google Chrome web store. For this review, we are focusing on the TouchPad app.

Setup

The setup could not be easier as there is nothing to it. Simply download the app, open it, choose your ad, and enjoy. As soon as the app is installed you are instantly able to checkout and watch the ads that are available from a number of Super Bowl games.

UI

The UI for the app makes use of the normal sliding panels we all know and love on the TouchPad and other Enyo apps. Each pane makes use of a styled background that is representative of a football field. The left pane displays the groups of ads, sorted by games, along with an option to view your favorite ads. After selecting a game, the list of ads are displayed on the right pane where you can click to view the ad or click the large star to make it one of your favorites. Each video is displayed in a popup window that houses an embedded YouTube player. Clicking the button on the bottom right corner brings up the full-screen mode just like any other YouTube video. Exiting the full-screen mode is done by clicking the center home button. The only feature I felt was missing was a way to share ads via email or other social networks such as Twitter and Facebook. Luckily, a share feature is said to be included in a future release. We are also told there are plans to include a Villo chat room in the app, which should round off the social side of the app in coming updates.

Function

This app is perfect for people who enjoy the Super Bowl ads, more than the game itself. It’s a fun way to pass some time, and the ability to look back at past videos is great. There were many great ones that I simply forgot about. Currently, the app is limited to the past four years of ads, however we are told that more ads will continue to be added as they are found and the app is updated.

Pros

  • Price (introductory sale currently!)
  • Simple to use
  • Enjoying the ads all over again

Cons

  • No sharing ability currently (said to be in future update)
  • Currently limited the past 4 years worth of ads

Bottom Line

Who doesn’t love watching the Super Bowl ads? For $2.49 (currently on sale for $1.49) you can easily browse and watch the ads on TouchPad at any time.

Super Ads XL Demo & FAQ

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]]> http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/02/review-super-ads-xl/feed/ 11 http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/02/review-super-ads-xl/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=review-super-ads-xl HP announces Isis Project; WebOS Internals looking into “Tech Preview” http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/webosroundup/~3/NJc_Fvk1c_U/ http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/02/hp-announces-isis-project-webos-internals-looking-into-tech-preview/#comments Mon, 20 Feb 2012 21:12:35 +0000 Mike Avello http://www.webosroundup.com/?p=33255 Feeling like spreading some open-source love to the webOS community, HP posted information regarding the Isis Project on February 14th. This project includes the open-source release of the Isis browser. Additionally, this is the announcement of HP’s progress in incorporating the latest web technologies such as QtWebKit and JavaScriptCore into webOS.

Info on the Isis Browser and features, along with the source code can be found on the project’s site isis-project.org and github. What this means is that HP is holding true to continuing development on driving webOS towards their commitment to the open-source community. Additionally, QtWebKit promises to bring cutting edge support for the latest web features and standards, something that the current web browser has certainly been a bit behind on. QtWebKit was originally developed and has since been open-sourced by Nokia, and has been powering other mobile browsers on various platforms. This also marks the first release of any open-source components from the webOS platform itself after originally announcing the plans and releasing the EnyoJS open source dev framework. Furthermore HP goes on to clarify that UI Enyo widgets will be released by the end of February.

In related news, we have also heard that WebOS Internals are in discussions to incorporate a “tech preview” release for the TouchPad via Preware. This package is said to include the new QtWebKit package and allow it to run along side the current stock browser. Once released, this preview should allow anyone to easily download it via Preware to test out some of the improvements and features of this new framework. If you are like us and love all the work WebOS Internals has put into the community, feel free to donate to their cause.

Source: HP webOS Developer Blog

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]]> http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/02/hp-announces-isis-project-webos-internals-looking-into-tech-preview/feed/ 8 http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/02/hp-announces-isis-project-webos-internals-looking-into-tech-preview/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=hp-announces-isis-project-webos-internals-looking-into-tech-preview Review: Mugen 1400mAh Extended “SL” Pre 3 Battery http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/webosroundup/~3/wIKmilodng8/ http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/02/review-mugen-1400mah-extended-sl-pre-3-battery/#comments Wed, 15 Feb 2012 00:30:43 +0000 Mike Avello http://www.webosroundup.com/?p=33236

Our webOS phones have not been known to have the greatest capacity when it came to battery life, no one would argue otherwise. While there has been improvement between each version of webOS and iterations of devices, they typically would not make it a full day with normal moderate use on a single battery, without of course charging intermittently during the day. Luckily for owners of the original Pre series up through the Pre 2 there were some options for extended batteries, or simply spare batteries that were all interchangeable with one another. This helped people to swap batteries throughout the day as needed, or with the use of the larger options that were available; requiring a larger replacement cover.

Then, there was the announcement of the Pre 3 which was larger than its predecessors and required a new battery. Not a big deal, surely there would be the same battery options available as in the past once the phone would be released, right? Only that did not exactly happen, and a full on release never came about. The official release of the HP Pre 3 was limited to Europe right around the time HP announced ceasing all webOS hardware production. Luckily, devices that were headed for AT&T stores and even a few Verizon branded devices made it to eBay. The problem here was, how would those of us with this device get a spare battery without purchasing a spare Pre 3 to go with it? What about getting a larger capacity battery? Who would want to make batteries for a device that really was never released in full force? What would someone do when the stock battery inevitably lost its useful capacity to hold a charge? Purchasing a spare Pre 3 just for a battery isn’t really a cost effective solution.

Seeing that there were a lot of Pre 3’s hitting the market, either via eBay or importing from Europe, caught the attention of Mugen Power Batteries. Now, we all know Mugen is no stranger to creating batteries and have made spare and extended batteries for the Pre and Pixi in the past. Mugen decided to get in touch with the community and find out just how much interest there really was in spare and/or extended batteries for the Pre 3 by setting up a survey.  It didn’t take long, since it was only a matter of hours before Mugen announced enough support to produce both an $46.95 “SL” 1400mAh battery and a rather massive (by Pre standards) $98.95 “XL” 2800mAh Battery, which includes a larger back cover. Pre-orders for these batteries were opened in December.

Stock Battery

Stock Battery

Mugen "SL" 1400mAh

Mugen "SL" 1400mAh

For reference, the stock battery that comes with the Pre 3 is rated at 1230mAh, certainly nothing to write home about, but it does the job. These new Mugen batteries would give a boost of roughly 14% and 128% for the “SL” and the “XL” respectively.  These batteries began shipping earlier this month and they kindly set us up with some batteries to test out and review.  Up first we will take a look at the “SL” 1400mAh battery. I will note that the 1400mAh battery was being detected as being 14060mAh, 60mAh more than it is marketed as having. Who doesn’t like freebies right? Per Mugen’s recommendation I let the battery run through a couple cycles of letting the battery fully charge, and discharge to below 10% before charging again. Even during this calibration stage I noticed the bit of improvement that it was giving. Once this stage was done, I put it through its paces using it as I normally would on any given day. I had the typical background tasks running; Exchange syncing, Gmail, another email accounts checking at 30 and 1 hour intervals, Twitter keeping tabs in the background, sending texts, browsing the web and more. What I noticed was that on average I was seeing what would amount to an extra hour or 2 of use. I had roughly 10% or more capacity higher at any given time than the stock battery.

This doesn’t mean I could go a full day and into the night without a charge let alone last even the day under heavy usage. What it did give me was a bit more breathing room and the ability to have a spare battery if the need arose. It was certainly worth it to me. What would I do if the stock battery failed or simply wouldn’t charge anymore? Another nice thing about this battery is that it is the same physical size of the stock battery, so it fits right in and I had no issue with charging on the Touchstone.

I will say that this battery is a no brainer for any Pre 3 owner. This battery would be the go-to battery for many as it’s aimed as being a replacement or spare to the stock battery. Additionally, who doesn’t like a bit of capacity enhancement without needing a new back cover? The rest of the community must feel the same since it also took the lead for best sellers of 2011 according to Mugen.

Mugen currently has the “SL” battery on sale for $44.95 and you can receiving a 7% coupon code if you “like” them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter at @MugenBatteries.

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]]> http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/02/review-mugen-1400mah-extended-sl-pre-3-battery/feed/ 9 http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/02/review-mugen-1400mah-extended-sl-pre-3-battery/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=review-mugen-1400mah-extended-sl-pre-3-battery Review: Astraware Solitaire http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/webosroundup/~3/JImQgKJLHj8/ http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/02/review-astraware-solitaire/#comments Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:20:25 +0000 Patrick Campanale http://www.webosroundup.com/?p=33221 App: Astraware Solitaire for Touchpad

Developer: Astraware
Price: $2.99

Astraware Solitaire is a long awaited app for the Touchpad. Well, wait no more! With 12 games included in this one app, $2.99 really isn’t all that expensive. This app has the standard Klondike game (or Solitaire as it is also known as), Free Cell, Pyramid, Spider Solitaire, and many more. Now, let’s dive into this review.

Initial Setup

This app is as easy as 1, 2, 3 to set up. Really. You open the app, and then, BOOM, you’re ready to go! The app has all the games on the one main scene, and from there you can access settings, specific game settings, game rules, and more.

UI

The UI of this app is OK, and could use a little work. It was a little confusing for me at first as to where the specific game options were (as they weren’t all in one place) and when you clicked on the “game rules” button, it would open up a new card with the full game rules. I would like it to be a little more simple, or maybe have a tutorial that brings you through the app and shows you things like that.

Function

This app is a must-have for card game enthusiasts. You might not like Klondike, but I’m sure that if you like playing card games, this app will have something for you. This app is a good way to pass the time, and just plain fun to play.

Pros

  • Price
  • Twelve different games for one price
  • Fast

Cons

  • UI could use a little bit of work
  • Could use a tutorial to show you around

Bottom Line

If you enjoy card games, then this is the app for you. At $2.99, it won’t break the bank either.

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]]> http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/02/review-astraware-solitaire/feed/ 7 http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/02/review-astraware-solitaire/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=review-astraware-solitaire Brian Hernacki, webOS Chief Architect, Exits HP http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/webosroundup/~3/lUTi7yYagJg/ http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/01/brian-hernacki-webos-chief-architect-exits-hp/#comments Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:11:50 +0000 Jesse Mendoza http://www.webosroundup.com/?p=33216  

The bleeding of talent at HP continues with a report today from The Verge that webOS chief architect Brian Hernacki has left the company since joining Palm in 2009. Brian follows in the footsteps of Jon Rubenstein, who left HP late last week after finishing up his 12 to 24 month commitment. Although his name may not stand out amongst the Matias Duarte’s and Rubenstein’s of HP’s hay days, Brian’s exit leaves yet another critical void just as webOS moves to Open Source.

Source: The Verge [thanks Adam!]

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]]> http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/01/brian-hernacki-webos-chief-architect-exits-hp/feed/ 30 http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/01/brian-hernacki-webos-chief-architect-exits-hp/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=brian-hernacki-webos-chief-architect-exits-hp Jon Rubenstein Leaves HP http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/webosroundup/~3/WroSOFRlEVU/ http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/01/jon-rubenstein-leaves-hp/#comments Sat, 28 Jan 2012 03:55:51 +0000 Jesse Mendoza http://www.webosroundup.com/?p=33208

AllthingsD is reporting former head of Palm Jon Rubenstein has left Hewlett-Packard, effective today. Jon has apparently completed a 12 to 24 month commitment to stay with HP after it had acquired Palm, with HP spokeswoman Mylene Mangalindan saying, “Jon has fulfilled his commitment and we wish him well.” Jon was assigned to a “product innovation role” within HP’s Personal Systems Group soon after HP decided to kill its webOS hardware business.

Jon reportedly hasn’t been seen around the HP offices since former CEO Leo Apotheker announced the end of any and all webOS hardware, and subsequently killing the company’s fist foray into the tablet space with the HP TouchPad.

In a parting comment to AllThingsD, Rubenstein said, “I am going to take a well deserved break after a four and a half years of developing webOS.” In a follow up interview with The Verge the same day, Jon speaks of not completely retiring, and his plans are to remain in the mobile space to some capacity in the near future.

More details as they come in!

Source: AllThingsD, The Verge

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]]> http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/01/jon-rubenstein-leaves-hp/feed/ 13 http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/01/jon-rubenstein-leaves-hp/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=jon-rubenstein-leaves-hp HP TouchPad 32GB Shows Up On Woot! And Best Buy? http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/webosroundup/~3/EdDJUTX27fg/ http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/01/hp-touchpad-32gb-shows-up-on-woot-and-best-buy/#comments Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:43:33 +0000 Jesse Mendoza http://www.webosroundup.com/?p=33190  

Just when you thought our beloved TouchPad has been wiped from every store and warehouse shelf on the planet, we occasionally see a batch of them pop up from time to time. Today’s Woot! deal of the day just happens to be a 32GB HP TouchPad for $219.99. Although they’re refurbished stock, the deal is too good to pass up!

Even Best Buy is getting into the action. I captured this photo of a full priced 32GB TouchPad earlier this week at a store in the Chicago area.

Don’t want to pay full price? Grab that Woot! deal now before they’re gone!

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

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]]> http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/01/hp-touchpad-32gb-shows-up-on-woot-and-best-buy/feed/ 21 http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/01/hp-touchpad-32gb-shows-up-on-woot-and-best-buy/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=hp-touchpad-32gb-shows-up-on-woot-and-best-buy webOS Open-Source plan announced and Enyo Open-Sourced! http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/webosroundup/~3/mFOPeuAM6ss/ http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/01/webos-open-source-plan-announced-and-enyo-open-sourced/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:55:22 +0000 Patrick Campanale http://www.webosroundup.com/?p=33177 We have been waiting for webOS to be open sourced (as with Enyo) for a long time now. HP officially announced that they would be open-sourcing webOS last December. Well, it has finally come to a reality! Today, HP announced their strategy for webOS. Below is the plan:

January:

  • Enyo 2.0 and Enyo source code
  •  Apache License, Version 2.0

February:

  • Intended project governance model
  • QT WebKit extensions
  • JavaScript core
  • UI Enyo widgets
March:
  • Linux standard kernel
  • Graphics extensions EGL
  • LevelDB
  • USB extensions
April:
  • Ares 2.0
  • Enyo 2.1
  • Node services
July:
  • System manager (“Luna”)
  • System manager bus
  • Core applications
  • Enyo 2.2
August:
  • Build release model
  • Open webOS Beta
September:
  • Open webOS 1.0

HP has promised a nice timeline. And with the open-sourcing of Enyo, you can now cross-platform your applications easily! Full press release after the break:

HP to Commit webOS to Open Source by Fall 2012

New version of acclaimed Enyo developer tool and source code available now

PALO ALTO, Calif., Jan. 25, 2012

 

HP today began executing its plan to deliver an open webOS by committing to a schedule for making the platform’s source code available under an open source license.

The company aims to complete this milestone in its entirety by September.

HP also announced it is releasing version 2.0 of webOS’s innovative developer tool, Enyo. Enyo 2.0 enables developers to write a single application that works across mobile devices and desktop web browsers, from the webOS, iOS and Android platforms to the Internet Explorer and Firefox browsers – and more. The source code for Enyo is available today, giving the open source community immediate access to the acclaimed application framework for webOS.

By contributing webOS to the open source community, HP unleashes the creativity of hardware and software developers to build a new generation of applications and devices.

“HP is bringing the innovation of the webOS platform to the open source community,” said Bill Veghte, executive vice president and chief strategy officer, HP. “This is a decisive step toward meeting our goal of accelerating the platform’s development and ensuring that its benefits will be delivered to the entire ecosystem of web applications.”

The webOS code will be made available under the Apache License, Version 2.0, beginning with the source code for Enyo.

webOS roadmap

Over the first half of the year, HP will make individual elements of webOS source code available – from core applications like Mail and Calendar to its Linux kernel – until the full code base is contributed to the open source community by September.

Timing Milestone/Code published
January Enyo 2.0 and Enyo source code
Apache License, Version 2.0
February Intended project governance model
QT WebKit extensions
JavaScript core
UI Enyo widgets
March Linux standard kernel
Graphics extensions EGL
LevelDB
USB extensions
April Ares 2.0
Enyo 2.1
Node services
July System manager (“Luna”)
System manager bus
Core applications
Enyo 2.2
August Build release model
Open webOS Beta
September Open webOS 1.0

Enyo 2.0 and Enyo source code

Enyo 1.0 made it simple to write apps that worked on a variety of webOS form factors. Version 2.0 extends this “write once, run anywhere” capability to a range of other platforms, including mobile and desktop web browsers.

More information about Enyo and the source code is available at http://developer.palm.com/blog.

Apache License, Version 2.0

The Apache License, Version 2.0 is commonly used to govern contributions to open source software projects. It provides a legal framework that balances open innovation and a dependable user experience, which is consistent with HP’s vision for webOS.

About HP

HP creates new possibilities for technology to have a meaningful impact on people, businesses, governments and society. The world’s largest technology company, HP brings together a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure to solve customer problems. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com.

This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. If such risks or uncertainties materialize or such assumptions prove incorrect, the results of HP and its consolidated subsidiaries could differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and assumptions. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including but not limited to statements of the plans, strategies and objectives of management for future operations, including execution of restructuring and integration plans; any statements concerning expected development, performance or market share relating to products and services; any statements regarding anticipated operational and financial results; any statements of expectation or belief; and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions include macroeconomic and geopolitical trends and events; the competitive pressures faced by HP’s businesses; the development and transition of new products and services (and the enhancement of existing products and services) to meet customer needs and respond to emerging technological trends; the execution and performance of contracts by HP and its customers, suppliers and partners; the protection of HP’s intellectual property assets, including intellectual property licensed from third parties; integration and other risks associated with business combination and investment transactions; the hiring and retention of key employees; expectations and assumptions relating to the execution and timing of restructuring and integration plans; the resolution of pending investigations, claims and disputes; and other risks that are described in HP’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2011 and HP’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. HP assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements.

 Source: webOSnation via @webosinternals

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]]> http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/01/webos-open-source-plan-announced-and-enyo-open-sourced/feed/ 20 http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/01/webos-open-source-plan-announced-and-enyo-open-sourced/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=webos-open-source-plan-announced-and-enyo-open-sourced Review: DataJog for webOS http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/webosroundup/~3/Tus02nWWr7Q/ http://www.webosroundup.com/2012/01/review-datajog-for-webos/#comments Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:21:07 +0000 Patrick Campanale http://www.webosroundup.com/?p=33065 App: DataJog

Developer: datajog.com

Price: $3.59 $2.69 Special Discount / Free 7 Day Trial

DataJog and webOSroundup have partnered together to bring you a discount to DataJog!

Have you been missing Touch-2-Share? Well, with DataJog, you don’t have to! DataJog not only allows you to share links, but it allows you to share contacts, notes, calendar events, addresses, and even allows you to call a number. DataJog has not only the ability to send data between devices, but now also allows you to send data to your PC as well.

Initial Setup

The initial setup of the app is super easy. You just open it up, get your “access code” (or set a custom one like I do), and set a password. Boom, done.

UI

The UI of this app is really simple, but nice. When you open the app, you will find the main page which holds all of your “data that has been jogged.” At the top of the screen, there is s text input box that allows you to send some text or a URL to your desktop. Below that are all of the things that you have sent to the device. At the bottom left of the page, you have a few buttons. You have the “DataJog” button that allows you to see some extra data, change the layout, get help, and now allows you to access the “RSS” feature (as long as you are on a TouchPad). Next to the “DataJog” button, you have the “Restore” button. This button allows you to restore anything that you have sent to DataJog before. On the far right, you will find the “Delete all” button. This button, yes, delete all the things that you have sent to DataJog. The nice thing is, that data isn’t gone forever! It is, and always will be, in the “restore” section if a time arises that you need it again.

Function

This app serves a major function. With this app, you can send yourself a contact card from your computer to your mobile phone or tablet, without ever having to touch the device itself! You can also do this with URL’s, calendar events, and many other things.

DataJog is a must-have for the person who is always on-the-go, and has need for information on both their computer and their phone or tablet. Some people use Google for their contacts/calendars, but others don’t. This app makes it very easy to set a reminder without having to use Google (or any other service). Overall, I love this app and the function that it serves.

Pros

  • Easy to use interface
  • Sends data to and receives data from the PC and the device
  • Great customer support
  • Firefox and Chrome add-ons
  • Web version so you can send and receive data from any internet browser
  • Doubles as a RSS reader

Cons

  • Price
  • Currently webOS only (I have heard that this will eventually change)
  • RSS feature not available on phones currently

Bottom Line

This is an amazing app, albeit a little expensive. But if you are the person who emails themselves a link all the time (like me), needs to send themselves a note (either from the desktop or to), or the person who is always writing down someone’s address, then this is the app for you.

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