![]() Moving from app to app was extremely light and quick, and opening applications was far faster than on any previous Palm handset or OS version. We're talking seriously impressive performance, which just seems to prove that a big part of what webOS is missing is great, high performance hardware. On the Pre 2, the OS was incredibly fast. In addition, little details like the launcher and universal search section (now known as "Just Type") have been tweaked, the former getting clearer navigational elements and much-needed options like the ability to add pages, and the latter providing a clearer delineation of sections and far more options on what to search (more on that in a moment). The dialpad is a deep blue instead of the previous green, and programs like the App Catalog have been doused in a slick and shiny black. For starters, the UI now bears a darker, more refined design. The first thing you'll notice about webOS 2.0 is that Palm has subtly changed the look of the OS, cleaning up a lot of the graphic elements from earlier iterations, and adding much needed functionality and utility in areas. In all, it's pretty clear that this hardware is a stepping stone to get developers and hardcore users into a solid webOS 2.0 experience, and the Pre 2 is not meant as a challenger to the Droid Xs and iPhone 4s of the world. but still not good enough in our opinion. ![]() While we didn't see major jumps, the juice seemed to sap away slower than on any previous Pre. One other thing of note that did seem slightly improved with this combo: battery life. To our fingers, the keyboard feels identical, though Palm has made a wise decision in making the entire casing the soft touch material it's been using for Touchstone-compatible backs. Certainly the screen size and resolution remain the same, and the overall design doesn't seem dramatically altered. Really it's a rehash of the original Pre and Pre Plus with minor tweaks. So, this isn't a review of the Pre 2 by any means - but it is worth noting that even though Palm has made subtle improvements to the handset (faster CPU, flat glass display, better build quality), this isn't a significantly different piece of hardware. Palm's strategy seems to be to get webOS 2.0 into the marketplace, and more importantly, into the hands of developers so that they can begin to code for what is a notably changed OS with lots of new features.Īnd what features! It's clear that Palm devs have been keeping their collective heads down working on the new OS, and it's jam-packed with all kinds of interesting new additions which should spark some refreshed interest in the platform. In fact, the only place you can get the hardware right now is on SFR in France. Beyond that, you won't be able to get the phone in America anytime soon (though it will be coming to Verizon at some point in the near future). According to the company, the device we have is an early unit which isn't final hardware. We've taken an extensive look at the new OS, so read on for our full take!įirst off, you should know that this isn't a review of the Pre 2. The company offered us an early developer phone to test out the new OS and see if the combination of tightened code and a significantly faster device (the Pre 2 clocks in with a 1GHz CPU) could make a difference between last place and a fighting chance. Palm has officially released its second generation OS into the wild, along with a new, beefed up version of the Pre (at least in France - North American handsets are coming soon). ![]() We've heard a lot of talk from both parties since the acquisition, but have seen little in the way of proof that progress was indeed being made - but that's all changed today. Though it seemed like the dream of webOS could fade away, the company made it clear that it had plans to not only continue the work Palm had done in the mobile world, but extend what the tiny company had created to other platforms as well (tablets, and yes, printers). It's been an intense few months for Palm: after floundering in the early part of the smartphone wars, it was scooped up by HP for a tidy sum of $1.2b. When it comes to webOS 2.0 (now actually called HP webOS), it almost felt like we'd never see the version number, let alone get to review it.
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