Justin joked about the Palm OS being the ultimate undying mobile OS.  In many ways this is true.  For a while now, a company called StyleTap has created a Palm OS emulator that runs on Windows Mobile or Symbian.  I was actually very surprised at Palm’s announcement that it was a company other than StyleTap that would be developing the Classic app for WebOS.  At the same time, I am glad.  I have never had much luck with applications that use large database files on StyleTap.  But, this means that now Palm OS applications can be run on Symbian, Windows Mobile (Pro, Classic, and Standard), and now WebOS.  That sure is  a lot of market availability for a dying OS!

I really think that an application like this is going to be a huge hit (if it is implemented properly), especially since Palm has said that they plan on making tools that will transfer data over from a Palm OS device to the Pre running Classic.  There are a ton of medical databases that were made for the Palm OS that are still being supported.  This will allow these programs to be available to use on the Pre as soon as it is released.

Is this a long term solution?  Of course not.  But it will make a lot of users very happy that they can use some of the Palm apps that they have been using for years (and years and years and years…) until their favorite developers start making native applications for WebOS.

And honestly, one of the most played games on my Nintendo Wii is Mario Kart 64.  Some things just never get old.

It’s been a rusty nail hanging on the coffin of the Palm brand.  Ever since they moved to Windows Mobile for their devices, people programming for the zombie PALM OS are in luck.  It’s been announced that all the legacy code will work on WebOS.  Now the only missing link in the Palm plan would be compatibility with Windows Mobile code . . .

If you do, then you might be using a Palm OS device right now.  Palm has been slowly dying for a couple of years now.  I guess the good thing is that they have realized it, but did they realize it too late?  To plug some holes in their business, they licensed Windows Mobile.  So now they just confused their customers.  I work as a support technician, and I constantly see people that are trying to buy Palm software for their Treo 800W or Treo Pro because it has the Palm name on it.  Now Palm is going to confuse their customers even more when they find out that there is (at this point) no upgrade path to allow all of their Palm OS programs to run on their new WebOS software.

As a developer, do you want to throw your support behind a company like Palm?

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A lot of people are bashing Palm for putting all of their eggs in Sprint’s basket by making them the exclusive carrier for the upcoming Palm Pre in the U.S.  It makes sense since we keep seeing the fact that Sprint is bleeding away customers more and more each quarter.  AT&T has the iPhone, Verizon has the Blackberry Storm, and up until the Palm Pre, the phone that Sprint has been pushing was the Instinct.  Two smartphones vs. a dumbphone…albeit a well received dumbphone.  Now, Sprint has landed them what is probably the most anticipated phone of the year.  A phone that many analysts say will make or break Palm for sure, and maybe even Sprint.

Is there something that Palm knows that the rest of us don’t?

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