Classic Updated to Version 2.1.2 (UPDATED)

I just noticed that MotionApps Classic is showing an update to version 2.1.2 in the Palm App Catalog. I checked the MotionApps blog, however, there was no mention of the update. My guess is that the 2.1.2 update is a bug and/or performance update for Palm webOS 1.3.5. However, without any comments or release notes posted to the MotionApps website or blog, it is hard to know what exactly the latest update brings.

I have installed Classic 2.1.2 on my Pre with Palm webOS 1.3.5 and I am able to run DataViz Documents To Go 11 Premium and Passwords Plus without issue. Astraware Bejeweled 2 and Solitaire, the two games that I have loaded in Classic, are also working as expected.

To learn more about Classic, and how you can use your Palm OS applications on Palm webOS smartphones like the Palm Pre and the Palm Pixi, check out the MotionApps website.


UPDATE
The good folks over at Motion Apps have dropped me a line to clear up what is addressed in the 2.1.2 update to Classic.

"This was a regular release bringing stability improvements mostly, the one we've been waiting for quite a while, mostly because the issues Classic had after [Palm webOS] 1.3.1."

So there you have it. Classic 2.1.2 is a maintenance update. If you haven't already done so, you can download the latest update to Classic by using the Updates application on your Palm webOS smartphone.

MotionApps Classic 2.0 Released

MotionApps has released Classic 2.0 for Palm webOS. Classic is a webOS application that allows you to emulate Palm OS 5.x on devices like the Pre, and the Pixi later this year.

With version 2.0 of Classic, MotionApps has introduced the following new features:

• HotSync support over network
• Power consumption reduced considerably when device is idle
• Correctly set time in Palm OS from Palm webOS
• Palm OS storage heap memory moved to flash memory
• Virtual storage card is named "VirtualCard"
• Total and occupied size on storage card is correctly reported in Palm OS
• Similarly, storage heap size is reported correctly, maximum reported size 128MB
• Classic wakes up 45 seconds before Palm OS alarm time
• Full screen mode
• Quick keyboard mode switch
• Improved reset functionality
  

In addition to the new features listed above, MotionApps has packaged a number of popular freeware and trial software which can be downloaded directly into Classic! To install the Palm OS application bundle, launch Classic on your Pre, pull down the Classic menu (top left of the screen) and and tap the Install Free Apps menu item. And don't forget that you can install your old Palm OS 5 applications on your Pre using the Import application in Classic.

Pricing and Availability

The Classic 2.0 upgrade is free to all previously registered users and customers can use the Palm webOS Updates application to download and install the new software. If you haven't purchased Classic, you can download a free 7-day trial by using the App Catalog application. If you choose to purchase a copy of Classic, be prepared to shell out $29.99 - which I still feel is a little bit on the steep side for an emulator.

For more information about the Classic 2.0 upgrade, visit the MotionApps website.

MotionApps Demos HotSync Support for Classic

MotionApps, the company behind the Palm OS 5 emulation software for webOS, has posted a new video to YouTube to demonstrate the upcoming support for HotSync.

In the video, Motion shows how you will be able to HotSync the Classic software to Palm Desktop on your computer using a Wi-Fi connection. In the video, the person leading the demonstration appears to be using Palm Desktop 6.2 by ACCESS, not the older, Palm Desktop 4.1.4 or 4.2 that shipped with some of Palm's most popular PDA handhelds and Centro smartphone.

I've purchased a copy of Classic because I've come to rely on DataViz Passwords Plus for keeping my personal data secure and available to me all the time. When the Wi-Fi HotSync feature comes to Classic I'll be looking to resume using the Passwords Plus desktop application to help manage my personal data.

Check out the MotionsApps Classic HotSync demo on YouTube or click the video below.

iPhone OS 3.0, webOS 1.0.3 and New Apps

I'm a fan of both Apple and Palm. That is why I'm using a MacBook to write this blog and record my 1SRC Pre|Switcher podcasts. My phone of choice is the Palm Pre smart(er)phone.

This weekend looks like it is going to be a busy one. Just in the last few days, I've gotten my hands on new software for both my Apple iPod touch and my Palm Pre.

On Wednesday, Apple released the iPhone OS 3.0 update for existing iPhone and iPod touch devices. I also received copies of DataViz Documents To Go and SplashData File Magic. I'll have reviews of iPhone OS 3.0 and both both applications soon.

Palm Pre customers will also want to download and install the webOS 1.0.3 update to their phones using the Updates application. If you also use MotionApps Classic on your Pre to run all of your old Palm OS applications, you should read the Classic FAQ before performing the upgrade.

Classic 1.1 Released With Some Bumps In the Road

Along side the Palm webOS 1.0.3 update that went out Friday, MotionApps also released the 1.1.05 Classic update for webOS. Classic is a Palm OS 5 emulation package for webOS.

Classic 1.1 has some nice enhancement baked in, such as:

• sound support
• pinch/zoom feature
• improved keyboard behavior
• improved process of Palm OS application and data loading
• enhanced preferences and overall greatly improved stability

The update, unfortunately, didn't roll out as smoothly as MotionApps would have liked. A note quickly appeared on the MotionApps blog that read:

"We have received reports from some users that they are experiencing issues with Classic after installing the webOS 1.0.3 update on their Pre which at the same time updated Classic 1.0 to Classic 1.1.

If you are experiencing any issues when running Classic after webOS 1.0.3 update, please see an FAQ entry we have posted with a fix."

The fix, as reported in the FAQ, includes the deletion of the "ClassicApps" folder on the Pre's storage volume that appears when you mount the Pre to your computers desktop.

The article also states that early adopters of Classic should also delete the Classic ROM Updater application as it is no longer required because the feauteres have been migrated into the Classic 1.1 update.

Classic can be downloaded to your Pre by using the App Catalog program on your Pre. If you chose to use Classic beyond it's 7 day trial period, you can purchase Classic for $29.99 from the MotionApps website.

Classic for webOS Updated

I noticed this morning that MotionApps has released version 1.0.2 of Classic for webOS. Classic is the Palm OS 5 emulation software that allows you to run the thousands of Palm OS applications on the new Palm Pre smartphone.

I did not find any documentation that listed what issue was addressed with the minor maintenance release of the software.

Classic can be purchased from online from the MotionApps website for $29.99. For more information about Classic, check out the MotionApps website.

Pre Journal: MotionApps Classic for webOS

I just checked the MotionApps website and Classic, the Palm OS 5 emulator for Palm webOS, is now available for sale.

As I understand it, a demo version of Classic, which is good for 7 days, comes bundled on the device. To activate it, to plug-in your Classic serial number at the MotionApps website when you order the software to unlock the full version.

I suspect that Classic will be my first purchased third-party Palm webOS application.

Learn all about Classic over at the MotionApps website.

UPDATE:

Here is a simple diagram of what is going on inside your Pre when you are running a Palm OS application in emulation mode in Classic.

More Details on Palm OS Emulation on webOS

Earlier this week Palm geeks everywhere where happy to learn that there would be third-party support for emulating Palm OS 5 on the new webOS platform thanks to the efforts of MotionApps.

SlashGearTV.com has some footage from the CTIA Wireless show of the the Pre's product manager showing off MotionApps' Classic running on webOS.

What I find really cool about this is that we can have our cake and eat it too. webOS is the much needed shot in the arm that is required to help reboot Palm and fling them back into the spotlight as an innovator in the mobile computing space. But who want's to be out there in webOS with not of the great software that you have been using for the last decade? For me, old habbits die hard, and I want to be able to have my Handmark Astraware games and DataViz Passwords Plus.

If you watch closely in the demo, you will learn that there is full 5-way nav support in Classic and Palm and Motion have worked together to ensure that the keyboard is fully integrated into the emulation environment. There was no word on whether or not you could continue to HotSync information and applications into Classic (my guess is no), but there was an icon called HotSync ID, which I'm guessing is a way to program your old Palm OS device's HotSync ID into the Classic environment. When you mount the Pre in USB drive mode to your Mac or PC desktop computer, you will be able to copy Palm OS applications (.prc files) and databases (.pdb files) int the classic folder and they will become available in Classic.

There was one other interesting morsel briefly mentioned in the demo. The person running the demo indicates that they worked with the developer of the popular medical package, epocrates, to come up with a new over the air (OTA) installer for the software. Holy smokes!! Sounds like MotionApps could be building in wireless support for Classic that might allow Classic to access the Pre's cellular radio to get wireless Internet access for your old Palm OS applications. How cool is that?! Pretty cool, huh? MotionApps plans to release more details as we get closer to the release of webOS and the new Palm Pre. The Palm product manager for the Pre indicates that Palm wants to make sure that customers will have the ability to run all of their favorite Palm OS applications on day one when the Pre goes on sale for Sprint.

For more details, keep checking the MotionApps website. Click the link below to watch the SlashGear video.

mDayscape for Palm Foleo Announced

MotionApps has jointly announced with Palm to develop mDayscape a complete personal information manager (PIM) for the Foleo Mobile Companion. The joint press release reads (in part):

"Bringing a contacts, calendar and tasks application to the Foleo further increases usability of the Treo and enhances the user experience in a continued shift away from the desktop and toward a smartphone as a center of computing," said Voja Lalich, chief executive officer of MotionApps. "All of us at MotionApps are very excited to announce the launch of mDayscape on Palm's first mobile companion product."

By building the Palm Foleo on an open Linux-based platform and publishing all the tools people might need, Palm hopes to establish a vibrant developer community to create new applications that extend the mobile companion's built-in capabilities. MotionApps demonstrates the ease with which exciting technology andapplications can be ported to the Palm Foleo Mobile Companion.

"Using MotionApps' Quick Add feature, a user can add a new calendar event in seconds, and the event will be mirrored automatically on the user's smartphone. All this is done with the comfort, efficiency and convenience of the full-size keyboard and wide screen on Foleo," said Mark Bercow, senior vice president of business development for Palm, Inc.

MotionApps announcement to deliver a full featured PIM suite to the Palm Foleo is welcomed news. One of the criticisms of the Foleo was that it lacked basic personal information management tools that made Palm's PDA handhelds and Treo smartphones so popular.

For more information about Palm's new Foleo Mobile Companion you can visit the Palm website. Additional information about mDayscape and release notification can be found on the MotionApps website. mDayscape will be available for purchase on the same day the Palm Foleo is released. Further details about pricing and availability has not been announced.

Read the complete press release...