It’s not quite the release date and price you were hoping for, says Engadget, but it’s something. Today at the Web 2.0 expo in San Francisco, Palm announced the availability of its Mojo software development kit (SDK).
Palm’s Pre handset with Palm’s new operating system are expected to give iPhone and Google Android some competition — when it becomes available.
Palm is working hard to convince some 30,000 Palm OS software developers, who have created over 100,000 applications, to move to the new operating system, explains PC World.
Through Classic, many of the earlier PalmOS apps will work on the new Palm Pre. Key features in the new WebOS include simplified multi-tasking; the Mojo Messaging Service, and a push notification system.
Third-party developers will be able to build applications for its WebOS software that will run on the Palm Pre device. Another element of the webOS unveiled today is that it will include software by MotionApps which will allow legacy Palm OS applications to run on the new software.
In addition to the SDK news, Palm is introducing a new set of “integrated cloud services” for developers (called Mojo Messaging Service) which will use a standardized publish / subscribe system to allow data to be bounced from the “cloud” to devices.
Applications using the SDK will have access to OS related goodies, such as linked contacts, layered calendars, multitasking, notifications and GPS capabilities. All caching/processing is done natively (locally) and does not have to rely on a server. The smartphone, initially available only on the Sprint network, is due out by the end of June at the latest.
