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# PreCentral.net

## Palm Pre News, Palm Pixi, Pre Accessory reviews, software reviews, and more. The largest Palm Pre community on the net!

### HP launches new Twitter Campaign for the Veer: #PhonesTooBig
mardi 21 juin 2011 19:43

In another attempt to get the attention of potential smartphone users on Twitter, HP has invested in a day of sitting as a promoted trend in the sidebar with the hashtag "#PhonesTooBig". If the last campaign caused too much confusion for Harry Potter fans and with the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), this campaign should do slightly better with keeping the discussions on topic. #PhonesTooBig sets up the discussion well to talk negatively about huge phones, letting people make jabs at phone companies that only make huge devices, and encouraging people to find smaller devices that will fit in your "skinny jeans". All while HP sends out a number of promoted tweets to let people know about the smallest 4G smartphone, the HP Veer.

Are we glad that HP took another shot at Twitter-fame today? Yes, though we aren't sure it's having the large effect on the masses that HP would desire. There is certainly a larger percentage of people talking about the Veer through this trend (and not confusing the trend as meaning something else), but the actual number of people taking part is much smaller than those organically grown trends (or the fiasco that we saw last week).

We are far from Social Media experts to be able to guess why this is the case, so we'll just chalk it up as being a somewhat strange phrase to have to work into your tweet. We still like #Veer4G as an option (since 4G almost always denotes phone, and Veer can't be confused with something else), but at the very least we can appreciate some of the clever phrases that are coming through this promotion. Like this classic "1999 called...." jab at bigger phones.

### Sprint to deploy $20 Billion LTE Network with LightSquared
mardi 21 juin 2011 17:26

In the #3 spot in the US phone service provider race, Sprint has been working with Clearwire's WiMAX 4G network to provide their customers with the first 4G devices on any network. Unfortunately for these two companies, the billions of dollars that Sprint has put into Clearwire have resulted in less than optimal deployment and customer satisfaction patterns. So what is Sprint to do now, but find someone else to assist in managing their 4G efforts?

In steps LightSquared, a 15-month-old 4G LTE network provider with whom Sprint has sign a 15-year agreement. In that time period they are planning to spend some $15-20 billion deploying and expanding an LTE network, and no doubt they'll want a lot of 4G devices on their network to take advantage of it all (and to offset those huge costs).

What does all of this have to do with webOS, though? We know that HP is pushing the Veer as an AT&T 4G device, and the Pre3 will more than likely be marketed the same way (on AT&T). If Sprint is investing this much into their 4G networks, it is possible that they are waiting on a true 4G webOS device to come out and play for a bit before giving the Palm GBU another chance. Though we can't be too certain of this, and a Sprint LTE webOS device probably won't be coming out any time soon, either, since LightSquared has hardly created a large enough network yet for Sprint to capitalize on (especially given the aggressive speed of Verizon's LTE rollout).

Still, it's fun to think about and is something to keep an eye on in the future. Sprint and LightSquared are expected to have a formal announcement very soon, though we don't expect many more details to arrive that we haven't already gotten from Bloomberg. Sprint will probably also comment at some point on how this effects their relationship with Clearwire (or at the very least, Clearwire will try to calm down their stakeholders) - we'll let you know if anything interesting comes out of the talks.

### Adobe Flash settings in the browser [webOS 2.x]
mardi 21 juin 2011 17:25

This tip is only for devices running webOS 2.0 and higher

Starting with webOS 2.0, Adobe Flash is now available in the browser. Using and interacting with Flash content works rather well in webOS, but you should be aware of some settings that are available to you that affect Flash.

In the Browser Preferences window (accessible by swiping down from the top-left corner while in the browser and selecting "Preferences"), there are 2 new options that relate flash.

- Enable Flash Content - By default, this is set to ON. However, if you would like to disable all Flash content in your browser, you can turn this to OFF
- Autoload Flash Content - By default, this is set to OFF. This means that when you access a website with Flash content, you will get a gray box to indicate that Flash content is available but will not start it. You will need to tap on the that gray box to do that. If you want to autoload all flash content when you load up a webpage set this to ON

Adobe also provides a website that give you some additional options for controlling applications in the Flash Player, including some local storage options (allowing apps to save data to your device) and asking if you want to enable peer-assisted networking. To access these settings, visit https://settings.adobe.com/flashplayer/mobile/ from the browser on your device.

Thanks to @warthogkernel for the additional details

### WebOS Internals shows off wIRC and Lumberjack apps for the TouchPad
mardi 21 juin 2011 16:00

Want to see more TouchPad apps before the tablet's release next month? The folks at WebOS Internals are ready to show them to you. wIRC is the webOS IRC app built by our homebrew friends at WebOS Internals, and it looks like HP has given their team a small lift of the Enyo NDA by allowing them to share some screenshots of the TouchPad version of the app. This is the very same app that broke barriers as being the first hybrid SDK/PDK app available last year, and is once again ahead of the game as the first Enyo app to be allowed by HP for public showing (unlike those others we found by accident).

Once you jump past the break you'll be able to see some screenshots of the app (as shown in an emulator). To be honest, it's looking pretty good already, with the same panels and navigation that we've seen in the TouchPad's email app, and a good clean look that's easy on the eyes, even though it's only said to be a "Work In Progress". Will there be anymore shine or features added before release? Not too sure yet, but you can bet we'll be reviewing this one when we can.

Oh, and don't forget that WebOS Internals does all of this work for free (plus it's all open source) and in their spare time. Even before wIRC is released into the public catalog to all devices or this version is made ready for the TouchPad, we think it's always a good idea to send a few bucks their way to pay for new devices and equipment. Head to their donation page to donate however much you can afford, it ensures that we get more updates for much-needed apps like these in the future.

There's another bonus after the break: Lumberjack for TouchPad (posted by @DontBlameOil) and Tweaks for TouchPad (posted by @therealsconix)

### App Giveaway: 100 copies of Radius
mardi 21 juin 2011 04:07

Normally we wouldn't consider a unit converter to be an exciting thing. After all, it's really just a fancy limited-used calculator. But like any app, what makes Radius special is its design. It converts units just as well as any other unit conversion app, but does so in style. And to give it even more geek cred, all the fancy animations and whatnot that make Radius the app that it is are all programmed using Mojo. Down to the meat: Radius allows you to convert units in the categories of time, currency, volume, computer storage, distance, weight, power, temperatur, and area. You select a category, select your starting and ending units, and just start typing. It's that kind of ease-of-use we've come to expect from SuperInhuman Industries. After all, they're the guys that brought us Bad Kitty, and they're bringing to you 100 copies of Radius, just for you.

Contest: We have 100 copies of Radius to give away. Just leave a comment on this post to enter. Contest ends this Sunday at midnight PST. Please only leave one comment, multiple entries won’t count. Promo codes are only valid on carriers serviced by the App Catalog, and users must be running webOS 2.1 or higher with the latest version of the App Catalog.

### Verizon ending unlimited data on July 7th, era of tiered pricing is upon us.
lundi 20 juin 2011 23:03

We've been waiting for the inevitable switch from an unlimited data service on Verizon since their CEO told us about the change in September of last year, and now it's looking ready to arrive much sooner rather than later. On July 7th, Verizon will be cutting the cord on unlimited data and switching to a unique set of tiered pricing plans, to effect all 3G and 4G customers, from 2GB at $30 to 12GB (with tethering) at $100.

A few things to keep in mind: This will not reflect on current customer's bills or contracts. Anyone who has setup a new contract before the 7th will continue to get the pricing that they've already signed up for. You signed a contract, after all. If you plan on upgrading or setting up a new contract with Big Red after the 7th, though, you'll need to be ready to pay for some more expensive (and capped) data plans. For most users, these new plans won't be too much of a problem: Checking Twitter and reading a few emails every day doesn't take much data. Unfortunately for the rest of us, we'll want to put ourselves around more Wi-Fi hotspots, or you may find yourself paying a pretty penny for the overages (at $10/GB).

Our cohorts at Android Central have gathered some more information on the matter from an email sent out by Verizon's South Area VP of Marketing and Sales, Lee Williams. Click through the break to read that transcript.

The Next Generation of Data Pricing – Our Evolution Amidst an Industry

Revolution

Greetings team, it’s Lee, your Area Vice President of Marketing and Sales Operations. As we approach the summer solstice, I wanted to reach out to the team and overview what I believe represents a significant and exciting evolution around how we package data solutions to our customers and the marketplace.

The Revolution is Upon Us...

In what has been a year of amazing performance by the South Area including company leading year-over-year churn improvement, successful introduction of the iPhone 4, strong post paid gross and net adds and industry leadership in launching our 4G LTE network; we find ourselves entering into a period of transformational innovation within Verizon Wireless and the wireless industry as a whole.

Our ability to out execute and deliver upon the promise of The Credo everyday has allowed us to maintain the industry leadership. At the same time, accelerated market expectations coupled with the introduction of many emerging solution categories has created new opportunities for us to meet and exceed the needs of our customers.

Data Pricing Evolution… The Present

Our legacy data pricing structure was designed to address a somewhat different customer need profile than what we are seeing and can expect in the future.

Consider this. Data usage has more than doubled over the last three years. Consumers and business users alike are doing more and more with their mobile devices. The notion of “send and end” has migrated to “managing multiple aspects of one’s lifestyle through mobility.” Whether it’s social media (85%+ of Smartphone users), mobile internet (88%+ of Smartphone users), or email/applications (71%+ of Smartphone users), this usage has one thing in common—dramatically increased demand for data and media consumption.

As a result, we are evolving our approach around how we package our data solutions and pricing to our customers. Coming soon, Verizon Wireless will move from our existing pricing format to a structure designed to allow customers to choose the right data solution that best aligns with their needs.

The Value Benefit Equation...

With the new usage based pricing plans, the vast majority of our customers will be able to enjoy their typical level of data consumption for the same value that they outlay today. Additionally, for those who have greater requirements for data, we will have solutions that they can tailor to their unique needs.

Perhaps more importantly, given our strong desire to continue to provide enhanced capability and value to our customers, the new data pricing will apply to both our 3G AND 4G LTE networks. So in essence, for those customers in our ever and rapidly expanding 4G LTE network coverage footprint, users will gain the benefit of the fastest and most advanced 4G LTE network in the U.S. all for the same usage based value. More speed. More functionality. Same value.

Let’s Do What WE Do…

Our expectation to extend our market leadership will be largely dependent on our demonstrated ability to “operationalize” in the face of an ever-changing environment. The successful launch of our new data pricing solutions represents a key milestone in our continued march to excellence. Over the next few weeks, you will be receiving much more insight, information, and learning opportunities around this significant evolution in how we provide our industry leading best solutions, to the right customer, that best satisfies their needs.

I have every confidence in our ability to execute this flawlessly because it is the Verizon Wireless and South Area way. Our customers expect and deserve nothing less.

To paraphrase a quote from a favorite cinematic masterpiece of mine from the 80’s, Top Gun, “Verizon Wireless is engaged. The South Area has the lead…” Let’s do what we do.

### "HP Play" name for webOS music sharing service shows up on HP's own specs sheet
lundi 20 juin 2011 19:31

We have written and speculated in the past about HP's planned cloud-based music sharing service, most recently on June 13th, and the name "HP Play" has come up more than once as a likely name. It now appears that the name is confirmed: on the downloadable PDF specs sheet from HP's official TouchPad information page (a PDF which oddly still bears the legend "HP CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION - FOR REVIEW PURPOSES ONLY - NOT INTENDED FOR DISTRIBUTION" even though it's publicly linked), under Entertainment and Multimedia, it says:

> "Music: Sync your PC's music with TouchPad using HP Play.|Access millions of songs and [sic] through the Amazon MP3 store."

> The footnote to that chart entry gives some additional details:

> "HP Play requires download to your PC at http://hpplay.com. Song file formats supported: DRM-free MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, AMR, QCELP and WAV."

Currently, the hpplay.com domain does not resolve to a specific Web site, although the domain is owned by Sol Reynolds of Melodeo, the streaming music service purchased by HP a year ago. The above language could suggest a desktop software product similar to iTunes, however the Melodeo connection, and HP's own dedication to the cloud, makes it much more likely that whatever is to be download will be a conduit for automatic synchronization between desktop and cloud, and from there to TouchPad (and hopefully other webOS devices).

### Run apps in full-screen Portrait mode
lundi 20 juin 2011 19:30

While the Pre's 3.1" screen isn't as big as some of the larger phones on the market, losing a little bit of screen real estate for the top bar and the notification dashboard may be an annoyance but isn't always a huge deal. However, on the smaller screen of the Pixi or Veer, losing these two areas can represent a sizable portion of the screen. For any app that supports rotation via the accelerometer, you can usually turn the phone all the way upside down to switch to a "full screen" Portrait mode to take advantage of the entire area of the screen. In the screenshots below, you can see the web browser in the standard portrait orientation and the upside-down position. Unfortunately, if you need the keyboard, you will have to flip the phone around again, unless you know how to type upside-down!

### More on Skype integration for Pre3
lundi 20 juin 2011 13:55

The HP Pre3 is coming, and it's bringing a nice implementation of Skype along with it. Our friends over at German webOS blog webOS-blog.de received some recent screenshots and details about the upcoming Skype integration, and it's looking pretty awesome with both audio and video calling (as well as text chat) enabled at the operating system level, as well as some other features that will allow you to manage whether Skype uses minutes or data, which app international calls will go through (your phone or Skype) and a way to manage your Skype credits. It's looking like this level of Skype integration is part of webOS 2.2, so hopefully when it makes its way to phones like the HP Veer we'll get to do some Skyping there as well (minus the video chat, of course). More screenshots after the break.

- Skype is fully integrated into the operating system of webOS
- A Skype Credit option found in app menu
- Users can set whether International calls are sent through Skype and domestic calls through the Phone automatically, or have the choice with each call
- Initiate video or audio calls from JustType or the Contacts app (as well as chat from the Messaging app)
- Audio and video calls available for 3G data as well Wi-Fi (tested on O2 Germany).
- Skype calls sound and act just like regular phone calls.
- With video call you are asked if you want to activate your camera for broadcasting.

Now our only question is, will the Microsoft acquisition of Skype affect HP's plans to integrate our favorite VoIP service? We don't think it will, but there's always room for change in the world of tech.

### Best of Smartphone Experts, 19 June 2011
lundi 20 juin 2011 05:36

- Best Android Phones June 2011
- Sprint HTC EVO 3D initial review
- CyanogenMod 7 freshly ported to the Motorola Droid X
- Motorola Atrix Batteries, Cradles and Cases

- Further Explanation on Why we are Waiting Sooo Long for BlackBerry 7 Smartphones to be Released
- BlackBerry PlayBook arrives in the UK
- New device switch and data saving features coming to BlackBerry 7

- Nokia E6 up on Amazon for pre-order, I bought mine on ebay
- Does Nokia deserve a break? Yes, except for the Anna update
- Apple acknowledges Nokia innovation, finally becomes a licensee

- TouchPad now available for pre-order
- HP sends pre-release TouchPads to homebrew developers
- Pre3 to include enterprise-friendly developer mode lock-out and Skype integration, expected on AT&T and Verizon in July

- Apple will soon have enough cash to buy almost all their competitors
- The difference between Apple iPad 2 and Verizon Android tablet commercials
- Official Facebook for iPad app coming soon?

- Nokia reportedly working on a QWERTY design for 1st Windows Phone
- Windows Phone to get dual-core Qualcomm chipset
- Verizon HTC Trophy - Review