xostrawberry_shortcakeox
New member
I just noticed this headline and article at palmblvd.com:
PalmSource Eyes Linux with Acquisition
PalmSource today announced plans to buy China Mobile Soft Limited (CMS). The acquisition not only enhances the platform provider?s presence in the most populous country in the world, it helps the company expand beyond the current parameters of the Palm operating system (OS) for mobile handsets.
CMS offers a Linux-based phone platform that PalmSource will use to create a Linux version of the Palm platform. This Linux-based Palm OS should feature the same interface and software frameworks as Palm OS Garnet and Palm OS Cobalt, which will continue to be supported, so it'll be capable of running all traditional Palm software.
So if the difference to the end-user is minimal, why Linux?
First off, there?s the ever-increasing popularity of the open source platform around the world, particularly in Asia. The idea is to leverage Linux to attract more licensees, who in turn would build more mobile devices on the Linux version of the Palm OS.
The company also views support for new hardware (e.g. processors) and software (e.g. drivers) coming more easily with an open platform like Linux. There is also the not insignificant factor of bringing thousands of Linux developers from around the world into the Palm camp.
David Nagel, CEO of PalmSource, said, "We believe the combination of PalmSource, CMS, and Linux gives us the technological and market critical mass to compete with even the biggest proprietary operating system companies."
PalmSource also expects the acquisition of CMS to help give it a leadership position as a software provider for phones and mobile devices. CMS and its subsidiaries offer a wide range software for mobile phones, including more than a dozen currently deployed in over 30 different phone models.
The company said it would give all CMS applications and platform software the Palm OS look-and-feel and data compatibility, extending the Palm OS ease-of-use to all classes of mobile phones worldwide.
What that could mean to the end user is a wider range or handsets built on the Palm OS. Right now, Palm-based smartphones are priced out most people?s range. If PalmSource?s plans come to fruition, you may not need fork over four hundred dollars or more to get a Palm phone in the future, as entry-level smartphones could finally be in he cards.
I hope this works out. We might all be able to get that OS upgrade we've been waiting for. We could also develop drivers for the multifunction cards (wi-fi w/ memory). What do you think?
PalmSource Eyes Linux with Acquisition
PalmSource today announced plans to buy China Mobile Soft Limited (CMS). The acquisition not only enhances the platform provider?s presence in the most populous country in the world, it helps the company expand beyond the current parameters of the Palm operating system (OS) for mobile handsets.
CMS offers a Linux-based phone platform that PalmSource will use to create a Linux version of the Palm platform. This Linux-based Palm OS should feature the same interface and software frameworks as Palm OS Garnet and Palm OS Cobalt, which will continue to be supported, so it'll be capable of running all traditional Palm software.
So if the difference to the end-user is minimal, why Linux?
First off, there?s the ever-increasing popularity of the open source platform around the world, particularly in Asia. The idea is to leverage Linux to attract more licensees, who in turn would build more mobile devices on the Linux version of the Palm OS.
The company also views support for new hardware (e.g. processors) and software (e.g. drivers) coming more easily with an open platform like Linux. There is also the not insignificant factor of bringing thousands of Linux developers from around the world into the Palm camp.
David Nagel, CEO of PalmSource, said, "We believe the combination of PalmSource, CMS, and Linux gives us the technological and market critical mass to compete with even the biggest proprietary operating system companies."
PalmSource also expects the acquisition of CMS to help give it a leadership position as a software provider for phones and mobile devices. CMS and its subsidiaries offer a wide range software for mobile phones, including more than a dozen currently deployed in over 30 different phone models.
The company said it would give all CMS applications and platform software the Palm OS look-and-feel and data compatibility, extending the Palm OS ease-of-use to all classes of mobile phones worldwide.
What that could mean to the end user is a wider range or handsets built on the Palm OS. Right now, Palm-based smartphones are priced out most people?s range. If PalmSource?s plans come to fruition, you may not need fork over four hundred dollars or more to get a Palm phone in the future, as entry-level smartphones could finally be in he cards.
I hope this works out. We might all be able to get that OS upgrade we've been waiting for. We could also develop drivers for the multifunction cards (wi-fi w/ memory). What do you think?