Tech
Palm announces Mojo SDK early access for webOS; legacy app support; cloud service
In his Web 2.0 Expo keynote address Wednesday evening, Palm senior vice president of Application Software and Services Michael Abbott announced that Palm is expanding its early access program for the Palm Mojo Software Development Kit.
In his Web 2.0 Expo keynote address Wednesday evening, Palm senior vice president of Application Software and Services Michael Abbott announced that Palm is expanding its early access program for the Palm Mojo Software Development Kit.
The Mojo SDK, previously available only to a select group of partners, will be provided to a broader set of interested developers that apply for access to the program at the Palm Developer Network website. Access to the program initially will be limited as the tools and systems continue to be refined and improved, with general availability scheduled for later this year, the company says.
The Mojo SDK is a set of tools developers can use to build native applications for Palm's Pre smartphone and other devices running WebOS. The SDK includes sample code, documentation, and development tools. An Eclipse-based IDE is included, and developers will also be able to use their choice of tools to build webOS applications.
According to Palm, developers will be able to:
- Build applications with gesture-based navigation, transitions, and scrolling
- Use the webOS notification system to alert users without interrupting them
- Leverage the local storage capabilities of HTML5 so that data is available even when users are offline
- Use a JSON-based message bus to tap into a wide range of device services, including contacts, calendars, and location
- Migrate data from an existing PDB file to a new webOS app
Abbott also announced that Palm would deploy its first Palm-branded cloud service:
When the Mojo SDK is broadly released later this year, it will include a developer-facing offering called the Mojo Messaging Service, an XMPP publish/subscribe service. The Mojo Messaging Service is an elegant, standards-based way to exchange information over the Internet. When new information is available, it is "published" to the cloud and all interested parties who are subscribers are notified that new information is available. This will allow developers to push live content to their applications or services. The Mojo Messaging Service initially will have a limited feature set and service level that will evolve over time.
Finally, Abbott announced the Palm OS Emulator Application, a utility by MotionApps that will allow most Palm OS applications to run on webOS devices. The application, called "Classic," will be available for purchase when the Palm Pre phone becomes available from Sprint in the first half of 2009, and "gives users peace of mind as they transition to Palm's new webOS."
Since Palm OS applications running in Classic won't be able to leverage core webOS functionality, Palm is working with partners to ensure that popular Palm OS applications are made available on the webOS platform and are optimized to take advantage of everything it has to offer. In the meantime, the MotionApps Classic application will allow customers who have invested in the Palm OS platform to use Palm OS applications they've grown to love and depend upon on their new webOS devices.
Palm initially posted the following on its Developer Network Site to coincide with Abbott's speech:
We are happy to announce our new early access program for developers interested in creating applications for the Palm webOSTM. The early access program is an opportunity for developers to test-drive and provide feedback on the Palm MojoTM SDK prior to its public release.
Admission to the program is by application – we’ll admit a small group of developers to start and gradually increase the size of the program as the tools mature. We’d like to let everyone in, but we want to make sure that we can provide a solid development experience and attentive developer support before we scale up. We are eager to get the SDK into developers’ hands and will expand the program as quickly as we can.
The program will continue until the SDK is officially released to the public, at which point any developer will be free to download the SDK. No, we’re not announcing the date that will happen yet.
If you wish to to apply to the early access program, complete and submit this application form.
If you’re admitted into the program, you’ll be able to download the Mojo SDK, which includes the tools you need to develop and test apps for the webOS platform. You’ll also have access to the early access program portal, where you’ll find documentation, sample code, and community forums where you can share experiences, tips and tricks with fellow early access developers. Because this is early access, all program participants will be required to accept an SDK Agreement which will require you to maintain confidentiality until the end of the early access program.
We are very excited about the expansion of access to the SDK, and can’t wait to see what you are going to build.
At 8:35 p.m. EST, the Palm blog updated with the following post:
Today, Palm expanded the Mojo SDK program for webOS, announcing that a broad group of developers will be provided with the software development kit to create applications for the Palm Pre phone (as well as other future devices running webOS).
Speaking at the Web 2.0 Expo, Palm’s senior vice president of Applications Software and Services Michael Abbott also highlighted some of the most exciting aspects of webOS -- including a new branded service that lets developers create apps that push live content across the Internet -- and invited the audience to apply for the early access program at the Palm Developer Network website.
The power of webOS lets developers rethink how they develop for mobile devices -- and creates opportunities for new kinds of apps. Abbott highlighted several key features of webOS that open up new avenues for the creative ingenuity of the developer community:
- a cards metaphor that simplifies multi-tasking
- Palm Synergy to unify information from sources like Google, Facebook, and Exchange
- a user-friendly approach to notifications that ensures the user is up to date without distracting them from the task at hand.
An often-overlooked aspect of webOS is that Web applications run natively on the phone. They don’t depend on access to a server, and can run even when there is no access to the Internet. But the full power of webOS is unleashed when the device works together with “the cloud” – the combination of all of the Web sites and services that a user interacts with.
Abbott noted that webOS encompasses software that runs both on the device and in the cloud. He also announced that Palm is creating its own cloud service -- the Mojo messaging service -- that will enable developers to have live interactions between users and applications both on and off the cloud.
You can get a taste of several upcoming apps for the Pre -- including Pandora and Fandango -- in a new video on Palm’s website. As the first mobile OS based on standard Web technologies (like HTML, JavaScript, and CSS), webOS is also accessible to developers comfortable with Web development, even if they’ve never created mobile apps before.
The full FAQ for the early access program, including information about criteria for admittance:
Q: What is the early access program for the Palm® Mojo™ SDK? The early access program is an opportunity for developers to test-drive and provide feedback on the Palm Mojo SDK prior to its public release. Admission to the program is by application – we’ll admit a small group of developers to start and gradually increase the size of the program as the tools mature.
Q: How many developers will be admitted? Will everyone who applies get in? We don’t have a specific number in mind. We’d like to let everyone in, but we want to make sure that we can provide a solid development experience and attentive developer support before we scale up. We are eager to get the SDK into developers’ hands and will expand the program as quickly as we can.
Q: When does the program start? The program started April 1, 2009, as announced in Palm’s keynote address at Web 2.0 Expo in San Francisco.
Q: When will the program end? The program will continue until the SDK is officially released to the public, at which point any developer will be free to download the SDK.
Q: When will the Mojo SDK be officially released? We’re not announcing the SDK’s public launch date at this time. More information will be provided closer to availability.
Q: How do I apply? To apply for the early access program, just complete and submit this application form.
Q: What confidentiality obligations will I have if I join the program? The early access program is private and the material in the SDK is considered confidential. Until we’re done developing the SDK, we will not be releasing or discussing its contents publicly. You will have access to discussion forums on the developer portal and will be able to interact with other members of the program there, but as a condition of your participation in the program, we expect that you will keep the material in the SDK and the information you learn through the program confidential.
Q: How soon can I expect a response to my application? When you submit your application, a confirmation page will be displayed in your browser. We’ll only display this page if we’ve successfully added you to our pool of applicants, so you can rest assured that your application has been received. After that, we’ll only contact you if there are problems with your application or if we need more information – and of course when we’re ready to admit you into the program. Because we can’t anticipate exactly how many applications we’ll receive or how quickly we’ll be able to scale up, we can’t estimate how soon you’ll hear from us, but we’re as eager as you are! If you haven’t heard back from us, but submitted your application successfully, you don’t need to apply again.
Q: Will you be rejecting any requests for admission? We don’t expect to reject any requests for admission, but we can’t say for sure how quickly we’ll be able to let applicants in, and we can’t guarantee that everyone who applies will get access prior to the SDK’s public release. If there are problems processing your request, we will contact you.
Q: What information do I need to provide in my application? You’ll need to provide your name and email address. If you are doing work on behalf of a company, you’ll also need to provide the name of that company. The form also includes questions about your app development plans and the platform you’ll be developing on. The more information you provide, the better we’ll be able to evaluate your application – and the more likely you’ll be to get in.
Q: Do I need to submit a separate application for each app that I want to develop? No – whether you have a single app, several, or nothing particular in mind, just submit one application. If you do have multiple projects in the works, you can use the free-text fields in the application to provide as much information about them as you like.
Q: Should each member of my development team submit a separate application? No. If you are part of a team, one member should submit an application on behalf of the entire team. Indicate on the application how many developers are involved. If you’re admitted into the program, we’ll provide access for each team member (within reasonable limits).
Q: What should I do if I have trouble completing or submitting the application? If you run into problems with your application, send an email to pdn@palm.com.
Q: Will Palm be publishing a list of developers who have been admitted? No, we won’t be making the list public, but there will be opportunities to highlight the work of some early access developers as the program progresses – stay tuned!
Q: If I’m admitted into the program, what will I get? If you’re admitted into the program, you’ll be able to download the Mojo SDK, which includes the tools you need to develop and test apps for the webOS platform. You’ll also have access to the early access program portal, where you’ll find documentation, sample code, and community forums where you can share experiences, tips and tricks with fellow early access developers and report issues to the Palm team.
Q: If I’m admitted into the program, will there be a legal agreement to accept? Yes, you’ll need to accept the terms of the program to participate. You’ll do this online, the first time you access the portal.
Q: Is there a fee for participating in the program? No. The early access program is offered free of charge, just as the Mojo SDK will be free for all developers upon its public release.
Q: Will I be able to distribute and sell apps that I develop as part of the early access program? Once the Pre and the Palm App Catalog have been released (timing to be announced), you’ll be able to submit applications you’ve developed – including any you work during the early access program – to the catalog for over-the-air distribution. You can expect that various elements of the SDK will change and you may be required to rework your application to make it compatible with the final SDK. Participation in the early access program does not guarantee your application acceptance into the App Catalog, but it gives you a head start in understanding the technologies and unique features of webOS.
Q: What platforms does the Mojo SDK support? The Mojo SDK is available for 32-bit Intel hardware running Windows (XP or Vista), Macintosh (OSX 10.5), or Linux (Ubuntu 8.04).
More info as it comes in -- and no, no release date or pricing information for the Palm Pre smartphone.