[Brazen9000]

We all know that the QNX os on the playbook is "similar" to web os. I played around with a Palm Pre 2 today and just realized - it's essentially web os with a Blackberry os 7 theme!

Two questions (1) Does this fact not make us question how amazing QNX actually are? After all, they all but plagiarized an existing (albeit wonderful) os?

and (2) Is there any chance of being sued when QNX phones come out? Apple are suing companies whose os is not as similar their ios as QNX is to Web os!

I'd be interested in any thoughts as I could well be missing something here.

[kyopo]

Do not mistake the user interface for the OS. QNX is not the UI. QNX has been around for decades, first launching in 1982. It is an RTOS used widely in critical embedded systems. The UI appears to borrows from WebOS amd WebOS has a great UI but QNX didn't do most of the UI design nor did TAT, Teknision an outside firm did a lot of the UI. User Experience Design | Teknision Inc. So the core QNX OS is still great and has nothing to do with WebOS. I like the UI a lot but it appears to borrow from WebOS. but there is nothing terrible about that or else Xerox would be the richest company in the world. I think HP/Palm rather than suing has decided to move ahead with significant enhancements in WebOS 3 and isn't going to worry about people borrowing concepts from earlier WebOs versiosn.

[Brazen9000]

I see. Many thanks for this info. Yes, I was conflating the os with the ui. Your reply makes a lot of sense.

[simsim]

I really couldn't give a flying...

After all, whichever company makes a greater profit or has to pay compensation to another, or even if their share price rises or falls is completely uninteresting to me.

If they make a great product that I can use and get supported, then I'm happy. Luckily, I have had great experiences with Palm products(even while they were being sued by RIM), and am now happy with RIM (who may get sued by Palm/HP).

Who sues who or who originally thought of what should only matter to you if you are going to feel it in your pocket directly.

[Matt J]

Although the underlying OS is completely different, it's likely that RIM copied elements of the WebOS interface. But think about it.... how different is Windows 7 and MacOS X? Or a typical Linux distro? Ultimately it will come down to "windows" or "cards" and a "task manager".

What about Firefox versus IE? The underlying technology is different, but the interface is almost identical.

Did Apple iOS copy Palm OS? Did Symbian copy Palm OS or vice-versa?

[Rainforrest]

Being an original WebOS user and current PlayBook user, I say that RIM has copied a lot from WebOS. WebOS is a couple years older, is a lot smoother, and more feature rich. There is a slight chance of RIM being sued. It depends really on how popular BB QNX gets, if it catches up to WebOS, and if HP doesn't infringe on any of RIM's patents.

HP Says BlackBerry PlayBook Imitates webOS, RIM Responds

The HP TouchPad and Pre 3 look fantastic and hopefully one day RIM will be able to catch up to them and the others (Apple & Android)

Check-out the TouchPad,



A newer video:

[sportline]

Pb versus touchpad...that will be fun.
Rim doesnt imitate, they just mimick webos.

[sf49ers]

Being an original WebOS user and current PlayBook user, I say that RIM has copied a lot from WebOS. WebOS is a couple years older, is a lot smoother, and more feature rich. There is a slight chance of RIM being sued. It depends really on how popular BB QNX gets, if it catches up to WebOS, and if HP doesn't infringe on any of RIM's patents.

Check-out the TouchPad,



A newer video:

I doubt webOS is as smooth as QNX, it may have some edge over UI but with Tat on-board it is least of RIM's worries. webOS multitasking is nothing but a glorified stop-and-play multi-tasking unlike QNX with its sheer power to showcase everything in the background, the power of the QNX is tremendous and one can imagine by its sheer power to run virtualized Android and BB OS on it. With Android apps and BB apps on playbook due this summer and a slimmer 10" version in works I doubt Touchpad has a chance against Playbook.

[TheMarco]

They copied the UI for multitasking and some of the gestures. But then again HP got rid of the Pre gestures on the TouchPad (WTF???)

I agree the QNX multitasking is way superior to anything else out there because QNX is a real time OS and Linux (on which WebOS is based) is not.

[Snipperdo17]

As RIM said, there is only so much you can do with a UI. There are only so many UI configurations that are possible. I agree it is definitely like webOS but I think the UI will chance with time.