Mit folgenden Themen:

* Interviewing Jorge Castro in a couple of weeks, Global Bug Jam
* Notifications in 9.04
* LoCos on TV
* Ubuntu Privacy Remix
* Tabbed Browsing in Nautilus
* etc, etc, etc

Mehr unter: http://ubuntupodcast.net/

Heute wurde wieder Geschichte schrieben. Palm veröffentlichte auf der CES 2009 sein neues Smartphone mit Multitouch-Touchscreen den Palm Pre. Schon in den letzten Monaten hatten sich die Experten gewundert, warum die Investoren von Elevation Partners insgesamt 425 Millionen US-Doller (im Juni 2008 die ersten 325 Millionen und am 23 Dezember 2008 nochmals  100 Millionen US-Dollor)  in die Firma Palm stecken. Das Resultat lässt sich heute bestaunen. Der Palm Pre wurde der Weltöffentlichkeit vorgestellt und das mit sehr viel positiver Resonanz.

Der Palm Pre verfügt über eine  3,1”-Multi-Touchscreen mit 320×480 Pixel, einer ausziehbaren QWERTZ-Tastatur, 802.11b/g WiFi, GPS und Bluetooth mit A2DP,  die kabellose Aufladestation als Option, 8GB Speicher und eine 3 Megapixel-Kamera mit LED-Blitz.

Was kann dieses Palm Pre so besonders. Im Prinzip hat es eine unglaubliche UI. Nach meiner Einschätzung ist dies eine Weiterentwicklung vom iPhone.

Palm Pre Video Walkthrough 1 from Gizmodo on Vimeo.

Palm Pre Video Walkthrough 2 from Gizmodo on Vimeo.

Palm Pre Video Walkthrough 3 from Gizmodo on Vimeo.

Das ganze basiert auf dem Palmbetriebssystem WebOS. Palm nannte dies die letzten Monate nur Nova. Angeblich soll das WebOS auf ein Linux-Kernel aufsetzten. Momentan gibt es im Netz kaum Informationen darüber und welche Grafikschnittstelle dieses Betriebssystem benutzt. Laut den Informationen von Palm sollen die Applikationen über  HTML, CSS und JavaScript programmiert werden.

Mehr Informationen findet ihr unter:

http://www.palm.com/us/products/phones/pre/

Anbei die Pressemeldung die Palm veröffentlicht hat:

“Palm Unveils All-new webOS

Go Back
Web-Centric Platform and New Palm Pre Phone to Debut Exclusively on
Sprint’s Mobile Broadband Network in First Half of 2009

LAS VEGAS, Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Jan. 8, 2009 – Palm, Inc. (NASDAQ: PALM) today unveiled its groundbreaking Palm® webOS™ mobile platform, built from the ground up to be constantly connected to the web, and the new Palm Pre™, the first phone based on the new platform.(1) Pre is scheduled to be available exclusively from Sprint in the first half of 2009.

Palm webOS is a brand-new kind of platform, invented exclusively for mobile use. webOS recognizes that you want your people, calendars and information to move with you, wherever you are, wirelessly, as opposed to being bound to a personal computer. Palm webOS is the first mobile platform to automatically bring your information from the many places it resides – on your phone, at your work or on the web – into one simple, integrated view.(1) The new Palm Pre and webOS are designed to be so in sync with your needs that it feels like Pre is thinking ahead for you.

“Palm products have always been about simplifying lives and delivering great user experiences,” said Ed Colligan, Palm president and chief executive officer. “webOS and Pre bring game-changing simplicity to an increasingly mobile world by dissolving the barriers that surround your information. It’s technology that seems like it’s thinking ahead to bring you what you care about most – your people, your time, and your information – in the easiest and most seamless way.”

“Pre continues Sprint’s leadership in open access to the content customers want for a great web-connected experience,” said Dan Hesse, Sprint chief executive officer. “We look forward to bringing this remarkably innovative device to our customers on America’s most dependable 3G network.(2)

Palm’s new OS is the first mobile platform to be built from the ground up to combine standard technology, innovation and integration. At its core, webOS leverages several industry-standard technologies, including web technologies such as CSS, XHTML and JavaScript. On top of that, Palm has included creative and innovative advancements to enhance the overall user experience and provided a deep integration of all elements within the platform.

The new platform was designed to allow a vast ecosystem of partners, including developers, hardware suppliers, and accessories manufacturers, to develop core solutions to complement the platform and product line. For developers, webOS shatters traditional barriers to mobile-application development by offering a rich open development environment that’s familiar to tens of millions of web developers. More people can develop for the platform and can do it faster than ever before. The platform’s flexible environment will also allow developers to distribute their applications over-the-air via an on-device Palm application store.

Your Life, Brought Together

The new platform introduces Palm Synergy™, a key feature of webOS that brings your information from all the places it resides into one logical view. You don’t have to worry about tracking multiple calendars, contacts and messaging applications – Synergy brings it to you for a more comprehensive and truly representative view of your life.

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Linked contacts – With Synergy, you have a single view that links your contacts from a variety of sources, so accessing them is easier than ever. For example, if you have the same contact listed in your Outlook(3), Google and Facebook accounts, Synergy recognizes that they’re the same person and links the information, presenting it to you as one listing. And if you update a contact on your webOS device, it also will be updated in your various accounts, whether on a personal computer or on the web.

*

Layered calendars – Your calendars can be seen on their own or layered together in a single view, combining work, family, friends, sports teams, or other interests. You can toggle to look at one calendar at a time, or see them all at a glance.

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Combined messaging – Synergy lets you see all your conversations with the same person in a chat-style view, even if it started in IM and you want to reply with text messaging. You can also see who’s active in a buddy list right from contacts, and start a new conversation with just one touch.

Your Information, Effortlessly

By smartly integrating your information, webOS is designed to think ahead for you and keep you on top of the things that happen in your life, but that’s just the first step. The platform’s unique interface brings your information to you with the ease that only Palm can offer.

*

Web-connected applications – Applications are seamlessly connected to the web and always active(4), ensuring you have the most up-to-date information.
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Run multiple applications at the same time – Palm’s revolutionary webOS lets you manage multiple activities more effectively than any other mobile platform today. It lets you keep multiple applications open and instantly flip from one to another.(4)
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Instinctive user interface – With its multi-touch interface, webOS lets you move easily between activities like flipping through a deck of cards and rearrange items simply by dragging them; when you are done with something, just throw it away. And finding what you need is easy with universal search – as you type what you’re looking for, the OS narrows your search and offers results from both your device and the web.(5)
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Intuitive and unobtrusive notifications – When important things come up or new updates arrive, you’ll receive notifications with a diplomacy that’s a radical departure from other mobile platforms. For example, if you receive a text message or email, a scrolling notifications bar at the bottom of your screen lets you address it right away or leave until later. webOS alerts are one step ahead, ensuring that you never miss a thing, but never lose your place or train of thought.

Palm Pre: The First webOS Phone

Pre has a breakthrough interface and hardware design that makes it the most integrated and user-friendly phone for mobile users. Featuring a smooth, rounded ergonomic design and a physical keyboard that slides out only when needed, Pre is engineered to feel natural in the hand and comfortably small in the pocket. When closed, the phone is ideal for phone calls, web browsing, music, photos and videos; when open, Pre is optimized for email and text messaging. With its curved slider and gesture-controlled touch interface, Pre fuses exquisite design with the revolutionary webOS software for fast access to anything on the device or web. It’s an instinctive user experience that seems to anticipate your needs.

“As our lives revolve more and more around the web, devices like Palm Pre that transform how we interact with the web will lead the way,” said Hesse. “We are focused on bringing our customers a superior experience that includes easy-to-use devices, simple pricing and value with Simply Everything all-inclusive offerings, plus Ready Now, our exclusive retail program that helps customers leave the store feeling comfortable and confident they know how to use their new device.”

Pre will support a variety of differentiated on-device Sprint services, including Sprint TV®, offering an extensive selection of live and on-demand programming. Sprint Navigation provides GPS-enabled audio and visual turn-by-turn driving directions, one-click traffic rerouting and more than 10 million local listings. Sprint also offers more than a dozen streaming-radio applications, including Sprint Radio with more than 150 channels.

Palm Pre features include the following:

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High-speed connectivity (EVDO Rev. A or UMTS HSDPA)
* Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g(6)
* Integrated GPS(7)
* Large 3.1-inch touch screen with a vibrant 24-bit color 320×480 resolution HVGA display
* Gesture area, which enables simple, intuitive gestures for navigation
* Slide-out QWERTY keyboard
* Email, including Outlook EAS (for access to corporate Microsoft Exchange servers), as well as personal email support (POP3, IMAP)
* Robust messaging support (IM, SMS and MMS capabilities)(4)
* High-performance, desktop-class web browser
* Great multimedia experience and performance (pictures, video playback, music), featuring a 3-megapixel camera with LED flash and extended depth of field, and a standard 3.5mm headset jack
* Bluetooth® 2.1 + EDR with A2DP stereo Bluetooth support
* 8GB of internal user storage (~7.4GB user available)
* USB mass storage mode
* MicroUSB connector with USB 2.0 Hi-Speed
* Proximity sensor, which automatically disables the touch screen and turns off the display whenever you put the phone up to your ear
* Light sensor, which dims the display if the ambient light is dark, such as at night or in a movie theater, to reduce power usage
* Accelerometer, which automatically orients web pages and photos to your perspective
* Ringer switch, which easily silences the device with one touch
* Removable, rechargeable battery
* Dimensions: 59.57mm (W) x 100.53mm (L, closed) x 16.95mm (D) [2.35 inches (W) x 3.96 inches (L, closed) x 0.67 inches (D)]
* Weight: ~135 grams [4.76 ounces]

An array of compelling accessories also will be available for Pre, including the first inductive charging solution for phones (sold separately). Simply set Pre down on top of the elegantly designed Palm Touchstone™ charging dock without worrying about connection, orientation or fit. Pre is active while charging, so you can access the touch screen, watch movies or video, or use the speakerphone.

Availability and Pricing

Palm Pre is scheduled to be available first in the United States exclusively from Sprint in the first half of 2009, and will be followed by a world-ready UMTS version for other regions. Sprint’s pricing for the phone has not yet been determined.

Customers who would like to register to receive additional information about Pre and be notified when it’s available can register at www.palm.com or www.sprint.com/palmpre.

About Palm, Inc.

Palm, Inc. is a leading mobile products company, creating instinctive yet powerful mobile products that enable people to better manage their lives on the go. The company’s products for consumers, mobile professionals and businesses include Palm® Treo™, Pre™ and Centro™ phones, as well as software, services and accessories.

Palm products are sold through select Internet, retail, reseller and wireless operator channels throughout the world, and at Palm online stores (http://www.palm.com/store).

More information about Palm, Inc. is available at http://www.palm.com.”

Quelle: http://investor.palm.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=358392

Die neue S60 Touch-Serie soll ein Gegenpol zum Apple iPhone bilden.

Das Gdm unterstützt bis zu 100 User bei der Anmeldung bei Ubuntu. Anbei das Use Cases das auf wiki.ubuntu.com veröffentlicht wurden ist.

Use Case

“The general advantage of a face-browser for login is the avoidance of superfluous typing. This helps speed up the login-procedure of all people, who are no touch-typists or experienced keyboard users. But even experienced users can enjoy the convenience of being lazy occasionally. It is still possible to login successfully without selecting an image at all just by typing in the login-name and password.

only one user on system: Although an automatic login would streamline the bootup-to-desktop cycle for a single-user system (single in terms of one real person, not “user” in terms of unix-privileges), security-concerns strongly advice against this. The single user will see only her/his photo in the face-browser.

multiple users on system (<=100): In this case a user can either just select her/his image to tell the computer their login-name or start typing the first few characters from her/his login-name and watch the face-browser filter the set of displayed images to fewer images in order to simplify locating their own image in the visible set of images.

multiple users on system (>100): Scalability-issues regarding texture-usage (especially on low-end graphics hardware) and network-latency (setups with that many users are hardly run of local harddisks) demand a fallback to a non-face-browser mode of the gdm-greeter. In that case plain text-entry widgets for login-name and password are used.

idle: When the computer is left running unattended without any user loggeded in, the gdm-greeter should switch to a screensaver-like display without locking input. Any motion of the mouse or pressed key should exit this mode. The screensaver-mode should use e.g. the user photos and make them fly round on the screen, but the user should always be able to identify that it is still the login-screen that is being displayed and not a normal screensaver from another users-session.

The threshold of a 100 users for automatic disabling the face-browser is something that needs to be properly tested during the beta-phase.”

Quelle: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DesktopTeam/Specs/GdmFaceBrowser

Douglas Engelbart lebenslangem Ziel war AHI “Augmenting Human Intellect”, das er 1962 in ein Forschungsprogramm umsetzte. Computer sollten die menschliche Auffassungsgabe verstärken, die Arbeit des menschlichen Verstandes unterstützen und ihn nicht in der Technik versacken lassen. Das fast ein stündige Interview zeigt deutlich wie Douglas Engelbart denkt und handelt. Viel Spaß dabei.