Palm OS 5, RIP. Access Linux Platform (ALP), hello beautiful!
by Ryan Block 
posted Feb 14th 2006 at 8:19AM
Palm fans, steel yourselves. We have some news for you
this morning. Today at 3GSM Access, the Japanese company who bought
PalmSource last year, announced the (kinda) unexpected: the next version of the Palm OS. We know, crazy, right?
PalmSource dragged Palm OS 5 (Garnet) kicking and screaming to its death, but what do we have to show for our years of
patience waiting for Palm OS 6 (Cobalt)? Well, first of all, don't call it that at all -- Palm OS 6 / Garnet is gone --
Access is rebranding their OS (and yes, it is now their OS to rebrand) and went "Access Linux Platform," a
very sober name for um, the Access platform that runs Linux (kernel 2.6.12 or above, to be exact). And when we say
rebranding, we really mean it; though it will run classic Palm OS 5 applications, apps written for Access's new
application framework, MAX, and even Linux apps written for the Gnome frontend, the ALP user interface is said to bear
precisely no resemblance to the Palm OS of yore. Sounds like all we can do is cross our fingers and hope for the best
when [Via Phonescoop]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mark Ng @ Feb 14th 2006 8:36AM
Apple, oh, apple... Where are you? Here's your chance...
Aaron @ Feb 14th 2006 10:31AM
"PalmSource dragged Palm OS 5 (Garnet) kicking and screaming to its death, but what do we have to show for our years of patience waiting for Palm OS 6 (Cobalt)?"
Um, PalmSource released Cobalt 2 years ago! Heck, they even released an update to it in september 2004 too: http://www.palminfocenter.com/view_story.asp?ID=7166
Unfortunately, when sony dropped out of the game, all cutting edge palm devices went with them, leaving us with Palm Inc. who were happy to release OS 5 devices with no BT or wifi forever.
That all aside though, this is good news. Glad to see the new Linux stuff finally making an appearance. Bring on the sshots!
Jon @ Feb 14th 2006 11:28AM
Wow this is overdue. It was like Palm trying to sell a 8 year old Pinto and calling in 'new.'
cgallaty @ Feb 14th 2006 12:13PM
To be more precise, it's Palm(One) that has beat Garnet to death. PalmSource has been working on first Colbalt (based, in part, on the BeOS (with the same release success BTW)), and now (after identifying *some* of the issues with lack of adoption) a Linux based version.
I think then main thing that needs to be answered is Palm(One)'s reluctance to move to Cobalt (I'm guessing pricing but after deploying Windows Mobile, who knows) If it's a technical issue, why the hell weren't they more involved in the process (and if they were, what happened) I find it hard to believe that PalmSource wouldn't have ported Cobalt to the Treo *for* Palm, just for the chance to sell it. I know I would buy it. (But then, I would have bought a copy *and* a T3 to run it on two years ago at PalmSource) I say get it out there and let the customer decide.
I'm still BTW holding my breath on *any* new version of PalmOS (or Access Linux or whatever) until I can BUY A DEVICE. Without a commited hardware vendor, it's all for not. Sadly I fear I'll be running linux on my 650 using an open source solution long before I 'm even offered the choice to PAY someone to do so.
Soren Macbeth @ Feb 14th 2006 12:33PM
THANK GOD!
my OS 5 devices crashes more than monkey driving a hummer.
Aaron Johnson @ Feb 14th 2006 3:52PM
I am glad to see that ACCESS has finally found the operating system they have been looking for. It is an excellent business move to develop ALP, now it is time to see where the mobile software developers take this by inspiration stirred from portable device makers. I see the upside in this simply because it is Linux and isn't so proprietary with Palm hardware. Now this offers true interoperability which is the companion of interconnecting not only devices but also services (only I could explain the future of interconnecting services, but I will hint VoIP for this mobile conversation).
This is also great because not only are there over 420,000 Palm developers awaiting the platform to support ALP but we also have the inevitable open-source community which has innovation written all over it. Coming from an open-source background myself, we are now going to see common applications and service enablers, which work is intended to be applicable across both fixed and mobile phones. Now the open-source community application developers should then, in theory, be capable of creating differentiated applications around the common foundations to support ALP similar to what Palm’s structure was before being purchased by ACCESS.
This is just my opinion that hopefully opens up your vision of how this will play a huge part in mobile devices to come and truly support past hardware as well. Note not to forget that open-source sparks the most innovation that a lot of commercial companies derive features which concurs revenue. This is a portal to a lot of open-source developers to show their innovation and finally receive compensation from notability for their work…Oh and the nice paycheck to go with it.
mjb @ Feb 14th 2006 9:51PM
I think any news of this kind is good. Mobile devices have so many cool and liberating possibilities, but one thing preventing them from being realized is the heavy control over usage and applications from both the phone vendors and cell phone carriers. For example cell phone providers will turn certain features OFF, or users of capable phones have to try to hack them to bring out their potential (e.g. see http://motorolafans.com or http://handhelds.org ).
Palm was the first really popular mobile OS, capable and standard enough to attract a zillion developers and users. A lot of apps developed for versions 3.5+ are still used by people every day.
Now that people need something better technologically, Linux is a pretty exciting choice as a basis... because of the huge enthusiasm of the Linux development community. If compatibility with old Palm apps helps mobile Linux compete with Microsoft, I'm all for it.
The real capabilities of mobile devices aren't really gonna be realized unless some relatively open and noncommercial standards develop -- both for hardware and software.
Me, I'm holding out for a Linux treo with gsm, wifi, grafiti, and zinf. :]
trouinky @ Feb 14th 2006 11:37PM
Does this mean my 650 will finally be stable and won't reboot randomly even after resetting to factory setup? I mean it's a great gadget, but come on with the reboots! I had to replace one that continuously rebooted until the battery died. Got a new one (not a refurb) didn't even install any new progs and when I switched to the camera, REBOOT. Argh! Stop the madness!!!
Mashka @ Jul 5th 2006 6:51AM
But why? I don't understand...