Access debuts ALP 3.0 and ALP mini, a scant 20 years too late

by Paul Miller, posted Oct 23rd 2008 at 8:55AM

Leave it to Access to completely underplay the debut of one of the most anticipated mobile operating systems of the decade -- anticipation that's certainly waned, but we're sure somebody's at least a little excited. ALP 3.0 and ALP mini are about ready for mass consumption, with ALP mini available to licensees immediately, though no word yet on when ALP 3.0 will hit. From the sound of it, ALP 3.0 concentrates on a fancy, transition-filled smartphone OS, while ALP mini is more stripped-down and ready for featurephone use. Both operating systems are Linux-based, with some strange amalgam of Palm OS-ness, though ALP mini drops Garnet compatibility and can't run native Linux apps like big brother 3.0, which is LiMo compatible. NTT DoCoMo is planning ALP phones in the second half of 2009, that Edelweiss ALP phone for Russia has been outed, and we're still struggling to care.

Filed under: Software, Linux, Palm OS

Tags: access, alp, alp 3, alp 3.0, alp mini, Alp3, Alp3.0, AlpMini, limo, linux, palm os, PalmOs

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Highly Ranked

TheGasMan @ Oct 23rd 2008 9:48AM

Twenty years too late? You mean more like two?

Highly Ranked

boris @ Oct 23rd 2008 9:56AM

Anyone planning on making this a custom ROM for the Treos?

Neutral

Randy @ Oct 23rd 2008 10:07AM

Wow, the Smartphone OS Market is really crowded now. How exactly is this OS going to stand out. Palm OS compatability notwithstanding, Why would I pick this over say, Android, WM, or S60? The Treo nuts will probably swoon to this.

Neutral

rseijas @ Oct 23rd 2008 11:01AM

The "killer feature" of ALP would be to make it backwards-compatible with existing Palm Treo smartphones. Being able to install this on my Treo 680 would get me to pony up some $$ to get it. I'd pay $20 just to try it out, and up to $50 it lives up to the hype.

Highly Ranked

Michael S @ Oct 23rd 2008 1:57PM

I am all for competition, but there are just way too many mobile operating systems out there. I remember a few years ago Vodafone was trying to minimize the number of OS’s on the phone they sold, because it’s obviously a pain customizing so many different operating systems. I’d hate to be a developer with all these, as you have to throw a bunch of resources into developing your app for the 5+ big Smartphone operating systems out there now.

Someone will always feel like they are getting the short end because the app will always be out on one OS before another. Look at Google Maps, they seem to randomly pick an OS and develop a new feature for that version while everyone else pleads for their OS to be the next to get the feature.

Neutral

keithwwalker @ Oct 24th 2008 12:38PM

If it works anything like their NetFront browser, this system is a winner. ALP is the true successor to everything that is good about Palm's OS. Palm basically gave it away...

Neutral