Security researchers have revealed several critical flaws in webOS that allow malicious code to access system functions. Cross-site scripting vulnerabilities could be used to gain remote access to the device and even build a botnet.

Security firm SecTheory researchers Orlando Barrera and Daniel Herrera discovered three major holes – a floating-point overflow issue, a denial of service bug and the cross-site scripting flaw. Meanwhile, HP has worked on at least one of the holes, in the “Contacts” app, and will reportedly have it fixed as of webOS 2.0 beta. However, it seems that the others will remain unaddressed.

Barrera exemplified the findings and explained how XML HTTP Requests, a possible web communication channel, could be used to access the local file system. This means that user data could be extracted from the local database, which could include anything ranging from contact information to passwords and unencrypted messages like emails and SMS. We have seen previous concerns about webOS’s security as the SMS client was found to be vulnerable to attacks as well.

The OS is extensively using JavaScript to dynamically run core functionality, while system commands are passed on via HTTP locally. This leaves non-protected user-generated content susceptible to attacks. Just how much should we care about this depends only on what we store in our phones. But smartphones are getting closer to being in everyone’s pocket and are becoming a vital part of our personal lives. And this could mean putting security first.

source: eWeek via Engadget

In case you haven’t noticed, all the past and present Palm devices, like the Pre, Pixi, and Pre 2, are based on a singular framework: a physical keyboard with a portrait screen. In preparation for the slew of new Palm devices coming in 2011, Palm has unveiled their new SDK (software development kit) that will accommodate the variety of new form factors.

The software, which was previously known as ‘Ares,’ will now be known as ‘Enyo’. The classics majors will know that Enyo is the sister of Ares, and the goddess of war. The most exciting feature of Enyo is its compatibility with the different Palm devices. The same app will be able to function on a traditional portrait/QWERTY device, a tablet, and a touchscreen-only device. You can check out the email app adapting to its frame at 15:55 in the video below.

Aside from its scalability, Enyo is reported to deliver significantly faster load times, which are supposedly about 1 second. The SDK will be available to developers in early 2011, likely soon before the launch of their new devices. Palm and HP are optimistic about their new offerings. When asked about the projected popularity of webOS 2.0, Palm said it would be far more marketable once there were more devices to showcase it.

HP currently occupies 10% of electronics shelf space. Palm’s Phil McKinney said that they plan “to play an important part of that shelf space.” It sounds like HP is making good use of their investment, and we couldn’t be more excited.
source: Palm (YouTube) via Engadget

HP’s webOS Developer Day in New York City proved to be quite eventful. Developer Advocate Josh Marinacci told the audience that webOS 2.0 will be coming to all webOS devices in the next few months. Of course, that is great news for owners of the original Palm Pre and Pixi models and their “Plus” follow-ups.

We can’t help but notice how the decision to update all of the older handsets results in the the opposite of that naughty fragmentation word that has been plaguing Android going back to the days of Cupcakes, Donuts and Eclairs.

Marinacci’s speech is on the video below, so if you want to hear the words for yourself, give it a play. And we just know that everyone is going to be patient and remain calm even though “the next few months” can run anywhere from December-January to next August-September or beyond. We don’t want to spoil a good thing, but as we have discovered with the Android updates, it is best not to put too much weight on specific targets based on time.
source: PreCentral

Palm Mansion – even the name of this device speaks of size, and recent rumors suggest that it might have a touchscreen display slightly bigger than 5 inches, while still marketed as a smartphone. Now, the link between the Mansion and the smartphone expected from Palm remains unconfirmed. And we should add, that a five-inch smartphone seems to us more like a tablet with enabled voice calls.

What we know about the intriguing device is only speculations, it is supposed to have a touch display and the resolution might be 480×800 pixels. And that’s about it. But what gives some more value to these rumors is the matching time of arrival, which is expected to be at the end of the first quarter of 2011.

The five-inch smartphone could finally turn out to be a different device altogether, as Palm has a handful expected for launch. Could it be the upcoming device codenamed Stringray? We could only theorize at best. Palm, recently acquired by HP, is still quiet about its upcoming devices, but it could well be the kind of silence before a storm. The company has two devices in the making and both are set to make an appearance early next year, the Palm Mansion and the PalmPad. Add to that the Palm Pre 2, which is about to make a debut on Verizon just in time for the holidays, and you get a very interesting picture.
source: Go Rumors

Congratulations, webOS devotees. The Palm Pre 2 (GSM) is now available unlocked directly from HP. What’s the best part, you ask? It only costs $450, which is relatively little for such a powerful device off-contract.

The Palm Pre 2 will be the first device from Palm to showcase their new webOS 2.0. The new version of webOS will add improved multitasking, instant search and app-launching capabilities from the keyboard, improved social media functionality, and support for Adobe’s Flash 10.1. It is also the first device released under the new ownership of HP.

If you had any concerns about Palm disappearing deep into the HP portfolio, consider your fears assuaged. The Pre 2 features a 1GHz processor, 512MB of RAM, a 3.1-inch 320×480 touchscreen, a 5-megapixel camera with LED flash, and 16GB of internal storage.

The device is available now for GSM customers, and should be arriving in CDMA form on Verizon some time before Thanksgiving. We suspect that it will also make an appearance on Sprint not long after that.

source: HP via MobileCrunch

Today, HP announced the UK launch of the Palm Pre 2 that’s set to be released on November 15 for £399 ($640). Now under the HP brand and with the new Palm OS on board – webOS 2.0 – the Palm Pre 2 will try to succeed where its predecessor fell short. We all remember that when the original Palm Pre was released in early 2009, a lot of people thought that this is the iPhone-killer and that the Palm Pre is destined for dominance in the mobile market. As history shows, things turned out to be rather different, so let take a look at the Palm Pre 2.

It’s set to be powered with the new webOS 2.0, that has all the goodies Palm promised – like true multitasking, Just Type and Adobe Flash Player 10.1 beta – along with some other useful features like Quickoffice for webOS 2.0, Text Assist and the webOS browser.

In terms of hardware, it packs 1GHz processor, physical QWERTY, Gorilla Glass display and 16GB internal memory, but to be absolutely honest, we are less than impressed with its 3.1-inch screen with a resolution of 320 x 480 pixels, not to mention the 5MP camera that’s lacking autofocus. After all, the Palm Pre 2 is a flagship device, but it’s kind of hard to imagine that it would beat the competition – like the two Motorola DROIDs (DROID 2 Global and DROID Pro) or Samsung Continuum – but that’s only our opinion. In the States, the handset is scheduled for release in Q4 and its US carrier is Verizon.

source: HP

A leaked Quick Reference Guide shows off some of what Verizon has up its sleeve for the fourth quarter of this year. Besides the Motorola DROID 2 Global, Motorola DROID Pro and the Palm Pre 2, the carrier plans on dropping some models made precisely for the Young Adult Teen market including a comeback for the Kin One and Kin Two.

The pair of Microsoft handsets is being launched this time with some major differences. Originally Big Red tried to push the duo into the smartphone category which required an extra $30 per month charge for data. This time around, the Kin One and Kin Two are featurephones with e-mail and the Zune music experience. The first Kin will have a 5MP camera and 4GB of internal memory. Kin Two sports an 8MP camera, offers 8GB of online memory and captures HD video. The pair are coming down a notch and will be offered with a low end browser. Now, if you want to pay the $30 per month, you can get the goodies to make the Kin duo a smartphone once again. But if you are going to pay the same $30 for the Motorola DROID X, why would you?

Verizon plans on offering four entry-level models for the Young Adult/Teen market. The LG Octane will have a zippy browser that plays web videos and offers the Social Beat social networking service. The Pantech Crux offers many of the same features.

If you are looking for a phone for your kids that features VCAST videos, the Samsung Zeal uses its unique form factor and E-ink keyboard to make the phone a good model for entry-level users. Another model aiming at the same demographics is the LG Cosmos Touch. Offering a touchscreen and a full QWERTY keyboard, the handset also has access to hundreds of apps.

source: PPCGeeks

The Kin One and Kin Two are making a Q4 comeback as featurephones for Verizon

Sprint must have figured that it had hit the jackpot when it worked out a deal with Palm to be the exclusive carrier for the Palm Pre when the webOS unit was launched last year. After all, the early consensus was that the model was the closest thing to the Apple iPhone and some pundits even felt that the Palm Pre surpassed the iPhone in many categories. But we all know what took place and now Verizon is expected to launch the Palm Pre 2 on Thursday as we reported.

Since the Pre 2 is superior to the original Pre , it only makes sense for Sprint to remove the phone from its lineup-which it has done. That leaves the original Palm Pixi as the only webOS handset left for the carrier’s customers, at least for now. If webOS 2.0 becomes successful, or the Palm Pre 2 is everything that the first-gen model was supposed to be, then you might find Sprint looking to bring back the newest Pre. If that doesn’t happen, well, the carrier has some real powerful Android models that they can concentrate on.
source: everythingpre

We were all a little hesitant about HP’s acquisition of Palm. Would they change the iconic Palm devices we’d come to love? Would they change webOS for the worse? Our fears have obviously been allayed by the news about the upcoming Palm Pre 2, which should be available for pre-order tomorrow.

WebOS Internals has poured over the webOS 2.0 build from SFR (a French mobile company). They uncovered 5 new codenames for upcoming devices: Broadway, Windsor, Stingray, Mantaray, and Roadrunner. You’ve already heard the Roadrunner moniker before, which is reportedly the first touchscreen-only device from Palm.

If we had to guess, the Stingray is probably the all-touch device, as the animal is smooth and flat. It would also follow that the Mantaray is the name of their upcoming tablet. We can’t venture a guess for the others, but Palm fans are thrilled either way. While we loved the Pre and the Pixi, we’ve been eager for more variety in the Palm lineup.

The Pre 2, available only from Verizon Wireless (at least for now), is expected to launch within the next few days. The first webOS 2.0 collaboration between HP and Palm will showcase a 1GHz processor, a 3.1-inch HVGA Gorilla Glass display, and a 5 megapixel camera (up from 3MP).
source: webOS Internals via Boy Genius Report

Palm Pre 2 pre-orders set to begin November 8?

November 8th is already looking to be a big day in the mobile community since it’ll be the official launch date of Windows Phone 7 here in the US as both AT&T and T-Mobile are slated to start selling their offerings. If for some reason that doesn’t quite entice you, then you may want to consider the other alternative found with the upcoming Palm Pre 2 for Verizon.

On the same date that Microsoft will be launching its brand spanking new mobile platform, it looks as though pre-orders for the Palm Pre 2 will commence as well. The date is actually mentioned in HP’s Facebook page for Students and pretty much can be expected to launch some time in November after recently seeing it also mentioned in Verizon’s upcoming rebates form.

In any event, you still might want to circle down the date if you’re leaning more in checking out and experiencing all the new features that the webOS 2.0 powered Palm Pre 2 has to offer.
source: Facebook via PreCentral