As expected, Apple has released an update for iTunes, which seems to put an end to the happy syncing time Pre users had. So, if you would rather keep iTunes syncing, then you should avoid updating it to version 8.2.1, which brings “important bug fixes” and “addresses an issue with verification of Apple devices”. However, it looks like plugging the Pre in actually brings iTunes 8.2.1 up, but then Palm’s smartphone does not appear in the sidebar.

Until the developers have figured out a way to override the fix, you can go for an alternative way to sync your content; for example, by using doubleTwist. You can find more information about it here. Mac users also have their alternative – The Missing Sync app, more about it here.

source

Palm Pre owners are about to score a touchdown. An OTA upgrade from Sprint on August 1st will add NFL Mobile Live to the touchscreen handset. That will mean certain games will be able to be viewed live on the Pre. Other coverage will include live audio from any regular season game and video from the NFL Network 24 hours a day. A special “Red Zone Alert” will tell you when a team is likely to score. The carrier said that any Pre bought after August 1 will have the football package already pre-loaded (not too late for a pun) on the device.

source

via

Hey, who said Verizon will be picking the webOS-powered Palm Pre early next year? We can see it’s already working right here in the video below! Okay, you got us, that is just one unit, hacked by a user at the PreCentral forums. Currently, the Verizon-loving Pre is only capable of voice calls and texting, since webOS seems to be performing a check to see if the phone is running the way it should be, and thus it does not allow a data session. The work is still going on though, so a patch that fully unlocks the Pre’s capabilities and makes it usable with another carrier might be right around the corner. Fingers crossed!

source

Palm has just announced that divisions of Telefonica will have the exclusive rights to sell the GSM version of the Pre in the U.K., Ireland and Germany (O2) and in Spain (Movistar). As far as a launch date is concerned, the manufacturer said that the handset would be out in time for the holidays which doesn’t really narrow things down, although we’re pretty sure that Arbor Day isn’t the holiday in mind.

Palm’s Spanish division has released the first official photo of the GSM Palm Pre and outside of the HSDPA indicator on the display, you would be hard pressed to find any difference between the CDMA and GSM models on the outside. Last week, we reported on a film shot by some Vietnamese individuals that showed the GSM version of the handset and now we have the official word from Palm. A couple of items were not revealed in the press release, such as the frequencies used by the radios on the GSM Pre, and pricing.

Check out the via link for Palm’s lengthy press release.

via

As it became clear yesterday, Palm is about to reveal details on the Pre’s UK launch pretty soon. Now, a word has spread that O2 has already acquired the exclusive rights for the device. According to The Guardian, what Palm is going to announce next week is that it has signed a deal with the carrier, so that it would be the only one in the UK to offer the Pre, just like it did with the iPhone. This actually confirms a rumor from March, going that O2 owner Telefonica is to take care of the webOS smartphone across a number of Latin American and European countries, including Spain and the UK.

source

It´s not that there weren’t signs this was going to happen, but it’s more than great to see the Palm Pre’s GSM version officially coming to the UK. In short, the manufacturer’s UK website now says the phone is to be expected soon, while more details on carrier availability,  price and the exact release date of the webOS-based smartphone are to be revealed early next week. Congrats to all UK Pre lovers!

source

via

And who said the Palm Pre is not good for gaming? Well, the web nature of the operating system might come with some limitations, but hey, if running a PlayStation emulator is possible then so is real gaming on the Pre! ZodTTD, the individual who is responsible for some of the best jailbroken iPhone emulators, is now developing a Pre version of the PlayStation 1 emulator, psx4all. You can watch a video demonstration of the webOS smartphone running a PS1 game below.

Interestingly, it seems the Pre puts up a better performance than Apple’s newly launched iPhone 3GS, according to the developer. However, there are still some issues that need to be fixed before everything’s ready like sound output, screen rotation, scaling, etc. In addition, ZodTTD has plans to port other emulator projects to the Pre, such as Game Boy Advance and TurboGrafx-16.

source

via

Palm is now sending the webOS 1.0.4 firmware to its Pre users. Apparently, the new update fixes a number of security issues, which seems to have been discovered thanks to Townsend Ladd Harris (a Pre homebrewer). Palm has thanked him publicly, and the company is now inviting everyone who would want to help make the platform better and safer. Unfortunately for application homebrewers, Palm has made installing apps via e-mail impossible (for now). This is also an important security measure, since who knows what malevolent content might be sent to you someday. Still, apps that you have already installed this way will continue to work.

source

via

It is estimated that about 150,000 Palm Pre units have been sold to date, as we said yesterday. However, it looks like these guys just can’t help but install new applications on their webOS-powered smartphones. According to New York-based mobile analytics company Medialets, the users have already downloaded a total of one million apps from Palm’s App Catalog. That figure really sounds like a lot, especially having in mind there are only 30 apps currently available on the storefront (all of which are free). That said, we certainly hope to see more and more mobile programs surface on App Catalog soon enough.

via

You’ve recently bought a Pre and enjoy its syncing capabilities with iTunes? Well, there might be some bad news for you. Apple has posted a note on its site saying that iTunes syncing support will not be provided for “non-Apple digital media players”. Here is an excerpt from the official text:

“Apple is aware that some third-parties claim that their digital media players are able to sync with Apple software. However, Apple does not provide support for, or test for compatibility with, non-Apple digital media players and, because software changes over time, newer versions of Apple’s iTunes software may no longer provide syncing functionality with non-Apple digital media players.”

So, what this means in short is that Palm Pre users might soon be unable to sync their smartphone with iTunes. It would be interesting to see if Palm’s current CEO (and former senior vice president of the iPOD division) will have an answer for that.

source