Don't forget that Palm's new OS is HEAVILY based on the Linux by Access Ltd! Way too many similarities ... plus that Palm was testing it for months on end and then 4mths prior to the Pre announcement presentation, Palm states their working on a new OS.
There is NO intelligence algorhythm that you like to believe in the Palm Pre. I've watched EVERY rehash and video and there are STILL issues with touch accuracy - even by their head of sales who has been featured in 3 videos showing it off. Its just more forgiving with touch - but this CAN work against you too.
Search is the EXACT same as S60's ... I see No real functional differences - save for web searching (which seems to be intuitive and at the same time hidden to the user - a real problem in countries where TRUE unlimited data is NOT a reality: Canada is one such example for any of the 4 major providers). How the search is presented in a GUI is different but what it can search locally or in folders is the same; just that the user isn't forced to specify where they're searching. This is something I hope Symbian OS takes to heart, because with ever growing storage space ... 32GB on the N97 plus MicroSD reaching 16GB and soon 32GB ... remembering where data is stored MAY become a problem.
Searching on Palm OS or on iPhone is a different paradigm. You must recall that the system decides where your content is loaded (from the desktop), saved (either via the browser, email attachments, MMS contents, etc), or shared from. There is no user definition of WHERE the content should be stored! Due to this, having a search where the system looks everywhere - but really where it has decided to place the specific type of content - on the unit seemlessly after you specify the criteria. Symbian ... the user has pretty much complete freedom WHERE to store data/files/file types. The BEAUTY of Symbian is that it doesn't matter WHERE the user chooses to store data - its default programs can find the content their coded to associate with.
1. Music Player.
- searches BOTH the phone & MicroSD / Internal Flash storage for audio files it can play.
2. Maps.
- knows where to find stored map points, saved map files etc.
3. Gallery.
- searches for anything really Pictures, Videos, Music tracks & playlists (making them accessible to the Music Player).
4. Browser.
knows where to find saved web pages and allows user to load them again; rendering them the same as when originally viewed.
^ Everyone needs to understand this paradigm ... its used on Win2K/XP/Vista and Windows 7. Heck even in OS X users must install or save files in specific folders - but OS X is MORE forgiven of dis-organization (something completely backwards to OS 9 & prior really).
I like the freedom of where to save my files ... I don't like that the system can find them regardless - only when I've saved hot naked girly pics and my wife can load the gallery to find them. However, at least there are options on how to HIDE those files or multiple files in a folder from the gallery until I deliberately allow it; of which I'm looking for that ability on the web.
Oh and ...
Haptics ... N97.
TAT - Kastor is already been featured/shown in the N97 but more so in the N86. N-Gage ... thats not a whisper in the air but delivered, Symbian Foundation seems to be going where its promised. Try reading Symbian Foundation blog - interesting thoughts there from those working with that team directly.