Dear Palm: What I’d like in the next update
We know that webOS and the Palm Pre are 1.0 1.1 products, so we’re going to cut you some slack for now. But that slack is starting to run out, and looking at the competition there are some areas where I think you could improve the Pre to both catch up to and leap frog over iPhone and BlackBerry and Android. So here’s what I'd like to see in the way of software updates before that slack runs out and the real complaining starts.
My list is after the break, and it’s by no means comprehensive. Feel free to sound off in the comments if there’s something you think should be added in!
Oh, and Palm, this isn't an ultimatum or anything. It's a wishlist. Of stuff I want. So consider it a shopping list, and you're the grocery store. Some things we can do without, but others are staple items that we need to get through the week, and if you don't have it, we might have to go across town to the other grocery to get it. After a while, that can get kind of old and we might consider just going to the other store. We don't want to, as it's simply not as nice, but they have a lot of what we need.
On-screen Virtual Keyboard a Possibility for Pre
It was just about two months ago that we pointed your eyes towards WebShell and its on-screen software keyboard. The browser-based SSH input served more as a tease for our desperate eyes than an actual usable keyboard. But that’s changing, and thanks to webOS Internals we’ve got a native on-screen keyboard looking like a real possibility. By modifying the files that control the SYM pop-up extra characters list, a real on-screen keyboard can be crafted, as seen to the right. The keyboard works in both portrait and landscape orientations and is available as a patch for installation.
Now, before you get your Linux all in a twist rushing over to install this patch, take a moment to calm yourself. As is noted on webOS Internals, this patch is “pre-alpha” and not yet ready for prime time, so you should only use this if you really know what you're doing. There are a number of issues still to be addressed, but it’s simply exciting that progress is being made on this front. We'll be sure to keep you updated on the progress of the onscreen keyboard, hopefully it won't be too long before a truly functional variety is ready.
Mad props to rboatright for the tip and to everybody at webos-internals for the awesome work here!