Software on the Palm Pre
The Palm Pre has been able to steal much of the iPhone’s thunder since its release and some would argue that despite its flaws it is the smartphone of the moment, sitting higher up in the desirability stakes than Apple’s previously dominant handset. However, on the outside the Pre does not dazzle in the way that the iPhone did back in its day. It is the Palm Pre software, powered by the WebOS platform, that has got everyone talking in excited tones.
At the heart of the Palm Pre software is the word ‘Synergy’, which is usually applied as a meaningless marketing buzzword by businesses in trying to look dynamic and inclusive. However, the word is actually applied to the Pre’s range of software functions correctly, as it aims to draw in the various threads of an average user’s life and tether them to the Palm Pre software in a single, uncluttered interface. For example, if you have a GMail account then you can simply enter your address and login details on the Pre and it will synchronise with GMail, harvesting your contact list and even the calendar information automatically. If you do not have a GMail account then other popular services can be integrated by the Palm Pre software. Enter your Facebook profile details and the Pre will drag over all your contacts and store them on the phone. This is incredibly handy for first-time set up, as rather than copying over individual contacts by hand, the Pre should be able to do the work for you, providing you have a fairly well connected group of friends.
It is important to note that once the Palm Pre software has gathered your various pieces of contact information from the disparate sources of origin it will not simply leave them segregated on your phone. If you have a contact who is both a GMail user and a Facebook friend these two services will be rolled into a single contact listing. There will be no need to go navigating through various menus if you want to see different types of correspondence from the same contact. This extends into unifying the way in which you receive various messages. If you receive an instant message from someone you can reply via text message without breaking the flow of conversation or having to open up a different application. For people who chat using their thumbs more than their voices this will prove to be an excellent improvement over the standard messaging systems which can make conversations via different messaging media difficult to follow.
The Palm Pre software also allows for an impressive level of multitasking. You can have various applications and menu screens open simultaneously and use your finger to quickly swipe your way between them. Each app or screen is stored on its own ‘activity card’ and accessing the view that allows you to switch is achieved by pressing the physical button located just below the Pre’s screen. When you are ready to close an application, the Palm Pre software allows you to simply flick the whole window upwards and off-screen, dispelling it to the ether until you need to use it again. This is of course helped by the power of the hardware residing within the Pre’s shell, but without the impressive software the hardware would count for little.
Obviously the best way in which to make the most out of the Palm Pre software is to add in as many different applications as you possibly can. There is a decent array of built in apps preloaded on the pre, but as third party software becomes more advanced the Pre will become even more useful.
