Unreal Engine 3 up and running on webOS, and we’ve got video!

Palm just showed us the Unreal Engine 3 running on webOS, which apparently took a couple weeks to port over to the platform using that fancy new PDK. It runs at a pretty smooth clip, with just a tiny bit of artifacting in our enemy’s death animation. As an added bit of wow factor, Palm has it currently setup to demonstrate the game at 1 fps when in card view. Like most touchscreen shooters, this doesn’t really solve the problem of simulating dual analog sticks, but it’s still a fun and good looking engine for a mobile device. We’re still unaware of any games that have been built for the mobile engine, which has now been shown for iPhone, Tegra 2, and will be headed to the iPad as well, but we have to assume we’ll be seeing some before too long. Check out the webOS video after the break.

Continue reading Unreal Engine 3 up and running on webOS, and we’ve got video!

Unreal Engine 3 up and running on webOS, and we’ve got video! originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted on March 11, 2010 at 3:20 pm by Paul Miller · Permalink · Comments Closed
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Palm’s webOS PDK beta adds Pixi native development, PDK’d apps will hit the Catalog mid year

We just sat down with Palm here at GDC and fished out a few more details on the PDK beta front. Firstly, and most interestingly, Palm has confirmed that the PDK now works on all of its handsets (instead of just the Pre and Pre Plus), which means Pixi buyers can stop hating themselves pretty soon. Apparently the level of performance degradation should be comparable iPhone 3G vs. 3GS, which doesn’t sound too horrible. This is functionality that wasn’t available even to Palm’s early PDK partners like EA and Gameloft, so we should be seeing versions of existing games make the jump to the Pixi when the time for PDK beta-developed apps to hit the Palm App Catalog. When will that time come, you ask? The “middle of the year,” or “a few months,” whichever sounds more promising to you. Palm’s not saying whether this new era for the App Catalog (anyone being able to release PDK apps, and those apps working on the Pre and the Pixi) will accompany a full-on webOS update, but it seems logical to us.

On a more technical front, we’re told the PDK supports the Linux standard SDL (Simple DirectMedia Layer) to ease in porting and development (Unreal for Linux runs using SDL, for instance), and that developers could even build apps like an audio processor that rely on PDK components but don’t show up in the UI at all, or OpenGL-empowered things that aren’t necessarily games or in 3D. Also, existing developers have only been able to do “full screen” games that rely on PDK components alone, but the PDK beta lets you mix and match webOS UI with PDK elements. Currently there aren’t many PDK games that use the extra Palm hardware like the QWERTY keyboard and the gesture area, but we’re told that’s all exposed to the developer, along with any other element of webOS that Mojo SDK users have access to. One notable plugin hangup is the fact that Flash only works in the browser, and can’t be embedded into a regular webOS app, PDK or no — though we have to assume this is something that’s in the works.

Palm’s webOS PDK beta adds Pixi native development, PDK’d apps will hit the Catalog mid year originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted on March 9, 2010 at 4:12 pm by Paul Miller · Permalink · Comments Closed
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Palm unleashes webOS PDK beta on the public

If you’ve been looking to get in on some of that red hot game development action that Palm’s been all about lately, check it out: among the announcements at this year’s GDC, Palm has announced the release of its public beta PDK for webOS. This bad boy promises to let devs “use C and C++ alongside the web technologies that power the SDK and mix them seamlessly within a single app,” just the thing for porting game titles to the webOS platform. And it’s available now! Hit the source link to get started — and maybe someday we’ll finally get to play Mr. Jelly on our Pixi. We can dream, right?

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading Palm unleashes webOS PDK beta on the public

Palm unleashes webOS PDK beta on the public originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted on March 9, 2010 at 8:19 am by Joseph L. Flatley · Permalink · Comments Closed
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How would you change Palm’s Pre Plus and Pixi Plus?

We aren’t trying to lump these two together or anything, but we figured we’d give those of you who opted for Palm’s second set of webOS handsets an opportunity to pool your thoughts in order to make the smartphone landscape an even better place to survey. We personally didn’t find too much new to laud on Verizon’s Palm-branded twofer compared to the original Pre and Pixi, and those of you who were hoping for all new hardware from the company at CES were undoubtedly let down. Still, there’s something to be said about a webOS product on America’s “largest 3G network,” and frankly, we’re interested in hearing how you’d change things. Would you have overhauled things more drastically? Expanded the screen size? Bumped the resolution? Enlarged the keys? Go on and tell Jon exactly what you think in comments below — who knows, the Pre Plus Plus might just carry your calling card.

How would you change Palm’s Pre Plus and Pixi Plus? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 06 Mar 2010 01:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone games ported to webOS in ‘a matter of days’ on tap for GDC?

EA has already said that it was able to get 3D games up and running on webOS in a “matter of weeks” using the OS’ PDK (or Plug-in Development Kit), but it looks like Palm might be ready to step things up even further at GDC next week. While any official word will have to wait until then, John Paczkowski of AllThingsD says that he’s heard from sources close to the company that Palm will be now demonstrating how iPhone apps can be ported to webOS “in a matter of days,” and with virtually no degradation in performance. Not much more to go on that that at the moment, unfortunately, but you can be sure we’ll be there at GDC to how this and anything else Palm might have in store pans out.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

iPhone games ported to webOS in ‘a matter of days’ on tap for GDC? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted on March 5, 2010 at 1:08 pm by Donald Melanson · Permalink · Comments Closed
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Facebook for webOS gets a much-needed, and much-appreciated, 1.1.0 update

After a disappointing initial effort, Palm has unleashed version 1.1.0 of its webOS Facebook app. Currently only available via the update function but not the standard App Catalog, users will find new and improved access to their inbox, all their friends’ photo albums, profiles, direct photo uploading, friend search and a list view for upcoming events and birthdays. The first thing we noticed was the initial news feed now matches the notification preferences set on the standard webpage stopping the inevitable flood of Farmville updates we blocked so long ago. Features still missing include chat, video and the ability to respond to friend requests but with a distinctly faster and tighter experience, it’s certainly surpassed the mobile webpage as the best way to access Facebook on the Pre. Can’t reach the update button right now? Check our gallery for a few more images or this video demo from PreCentral embedded after the break.

[Thanks, @Isaac]

Continue reading Facebook for webOS gets a much-needed, and much-appreciated, 1.1.0 update

Facebook for webOS gets a much-needed, and much-appreciated, 1.1.0 update originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 21:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Palm webOS 1.4 update hits Verizon’s Pre Plus and Pixi Plus

According to a little late night tweet from Palm — and the update screen on our device — the stacked new webOS 1.4 update is making its way out into the world for the company’s Verizon-flavored devices. That’s right, Plussers — video recording (and editing) is just a small download away. So why are you still reading this?

Palm webOS 1.4 update hits Verizon’s Pre Plus and Pixi Plus originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 28 Feb 2010 01:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted on February 27, 2010 at 10:26 pm by Joshua Topolsky · Permalink · Comments Closed
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Palm Pixi now $50 on Sprint

Likely a direct counterstrike to Verizon’s $79.99 Pixi Plus, Sprint has dropped the retail price of its original WiFi-less Pixi all the way down to $49.99 after $100 mail-in rebate on a new two-year contract. As you might recall, the Pixi debuted at $100, but now that the Pre’s leaving it in the dust with both high-quality gaming and Flash support, a little more price separation between the two makes a lot of sense. Alright, Sprint, strong work — now you’ve just got to drop the Pre a few bucks to distance it from Verizon’s Pre Plus and you’ll be good to go.

Palm Pixi now $50 on Sprint originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 27 Feb 2010 19:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted on February 27, 2010 at 4:11 pm by Chris Ziegler · Permalink · Comments Closed
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Palm’s webOS 1.4 update now available for Sprint, O2 and Movistar phones

No leaks or release date rumors this time, a mere 39mb download is all that separates your Sprint, O2 or Movistar connected Pre from video recording, Flash, enhanced message notifications and much-desired performance and battery life improvements. Verizon, Bell and Telcel customers are unfortunately still waiting for their day in the sun, only specified by the official Palm blog as “soon.” Check out Palm’s trailer for the new features and the full webOS 1.4 changelog after the break, after queueing up the download of course.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading Palm’s webOS 1.4 update now available for Sprint, O2 and Movistar phones

Palm’s webOS 1.4 update now available for Sprint, O2 and Movistar phones originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 27 Feb 2010 02:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted on February 26, 2010 at 11:43 pm by Richard Lawler · Permalink · Comments Closed
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Palm’s webOS 1.4 emerges: screenshots galore

We heard (momentarily) that Sprint was fixing to roll webOS 1.4 out to Palm devices starting today, and it seems as if one particular Pre Central forum member has stumbled upon the software early. We’ve already shown you the full changelog, but if you’re too anxious to wait for your own OTA alert, hit up the source link for a deep dive into webOS 1.4 screenshots. Oh, and there’s a video recorded within 1.4 just after the break — huzzah!

Continue reading Palm’s webOS 1.4 emerges: screenshots galore

Palm’s webOS 1.4 emerges: screenshots galore originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted on February 26, 2010 at 11:16 am by Darren Murph · Permalink · Comments Closed
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