[JasW]

The BB OS to be replaced by WebOS??? Just speculation here, but interesting nonetheless:

Why Palm�s Headed for a Buyout � by RIM - NYTimes.com

[Masahiro]

Haven't heard that one before� either way, I sure hope BlackBerrys don't get webos on them. It's sluggish and terrible on battery life, which RIM prides itself on.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[tony bag o donuts]

I have been craving webos on bb's for the longest time. I would love for that to happen.

[Blacklac]

It must be easy to be a columnist these days...

All i got out of that was the dude probably likes RIM hardware and WebOS, so he got an idea.

That idea makes me vomit.

[Sith_Apprentice]

Security is the major issue there

[tony bag o donuts]

True....
I just think RIM needs to stop tweaking the os and revamp it....

[SevereDeceit]

Security is the major issue there

You beat me to it on that one, agreed...

[Sith_Apprentice]

You beat me to it on that one, agreed...

I get lucky sometimes. But webOS was leaked completely at or before release. While they have gone through tweaks the code is mostly the same. Not only that, I do not recall seeing any FIPS validations (or any other) for webOS.

[infamyx]

Security is the major issue there

Precisely, another huge thing people seem to forget is that WebOS and the JavaOS employed by RIM are nothing alike and built on 2 polar opposite foundations.

RIM doesn't need the patents that Palm has, and their OS doesn't fit their platform. As I've said before Google or Motorola would be a much better choice if they Palm is shopping around.

[lnichols]

If RIM could get WebOS, make it secure as current OS, put in all of the current Blackberry push features and Messenger, and have something to market in less than a year, then I could see this as a plus. But there is no way RIM could have this done in a year. If they were to do something like this RIM would have to come out with a consumer device, and then start working on adding the RIM features/security down the road.

RIM has big business, legal, and Goverment locked down right now because of the security and central management capability, but they are starting to look like Palm did in the OS category. I had a Palm III, a Treo 600, Treo 650, then finally left for Blackberry because PalmOS, while very stable, was stale and the Palm's linux based OS that was promised for years took way to long to materialize, and I needed a world phone. I see RIM heading down the same road of tweaks while other OS's have changed the game. RIM is relying on the business and Government niche to keep them from meeting Palm's fate. Right now the only thing really keeping me on Blackberry is Messenger and they have a Sprint World Phone. The Messenger is a must have for reliable messaging when overseas for my work. So for now I will keep using the Blackberry and hope that RIM starts innovating again, or hope that someone else decides to take on RIM at there own game, emulate the features of the BIS/BES while providing the cool new things too, and switch. Unfortunately it doesn't look like either is going to happen anytime soon.

[sivan]

By now we already have a pretty good idea of the talent at Palm. It's a bunch of Apple alumni and some hired guns. Not a very cohesive team.

On the software front they've mostly disappointed. Even if RIM buys them, most of the interesting people are tech butterflies and will jump ship right after their little cash reward. The OS itself is weak and mostly relies on open source stuff cobbled together.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[md12]

RIM will follow Palm down the tubes. Google is developing their own exchange servers to and will eventually take over RIM's market share.

[sivan]

I think we should look at Palm as an example of how coming up with an iPhone-like device is not the recipe for success as so many here are claiming.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[md12]

I think we should look at Palm as an example of how coming up with an iPhone-like device is not the recipe for success as so many here are claiming.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

It's not, but the blackberry OS isn't intuitive, is clunky and very slow with poor features. It's just bad, aside from security.

[sivan]

It's not, but the blackberry OS isn't intuitive, is clunky and very slow with poor features. It's just bad, aside from security.

On the contrary, the 9700 is the fastest smartphone available. How intuitive it is can be debated, I think it's easy to use.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[PurpleSwordfish]

Palm's webOS is interesting. But after having a little hands-in time with a Palm Pre on Sprint I realized that people are just into the pretty interface. Don't get me wrong, RIM is going to have to do better with their interface from here on if they want to continue to do well in the consumer market.

I'm confident that they'll get there, but I don't think buying Palm is an option for them to get there.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[StAiChiLLiN]

If they can mesh both OSes somehow. I bet magic can be made.
Pretty good read though. Nice post.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[theinitialisk]

Gotta agree with PurpleSwordfish. Here in UK, I've played with the Palm Pre on O2, and as far as pretty interface, check. But I love and am addicted to my Blackberry for a purpose, entirely different. And with all that much of word out there on how much the interface needs improvement, I'm pretty sure they are going to come up with something, at the least, satisfactory; and somehow a better option than integrating WebOS and BB OS together in some weird manner.

But then again, we'll never know

[aznlgcy]

Palm possesses horrible technology. In order for RIM to buy it, they would need to spend tons of cash and time to redesign the whole palm side of things first before considering merging some components within blackberries.