Palm just wrapped up their CES 2010 press conference. The big news: Lots of webOS enhancements and two new Verizon exclusive devices:
- Pre Plus and Pixi Plus hit Verizon as exclusives on Jan 25. No pricing announced.
- Pre Plus: 16GB internal memory, slight redesign including no more front-panel navigation button, and Touchstone-compatible back plate standard
- Pixi Plus: Now with Wi-Fi
- Pre Plus and Pixi Plus feature mobile hotspot app: Use the phone as a mobile WiFi router to tether up to 5 devices to your 3G data stream
- Sprint users, you get none of the above :-(
- webOS 1.4 hits in Februrary, will feature video capture/share for all webOS devices
- Flash 10 plug-in coming to webOS devices soon.
- 3D gaming on Pre (only) shown off by EA Mobile. First 3D games available now in app catalog.
- webOS development kit open today, plug-in development kit (PDK) coming soon
- Pre and Pixi now on SFR France
- NOTHING mentioned about webOS on AT&T. Hmm.
- A new line of colorful backplates is available for Pixi. Including an orange one just for me :-o
Bad news for Sprint and Apple, but more for Sprint since we all know Apple's just biding their time before the inevitable iPhone/iPhone OS version four announcement later this year, and they'll find a way to deal with the Flash business. Sprint, on the other hand, now has last year's webOS devices that don't get the mobile hotspot app that the new Verizon phones get. Sprint's Pre lacks the new design and double-up memory of Pre Plus, and Sprint's Pixi lacks Wi-Fi while Pixi Plus on VZW has it. And the beat goes on …
We'll have hands-on with the new Palm phones for you real soon. Stay tuned!
in the meantime, what say you? Will Palm's new Plus phones on Verizon spell the beginning of something big for webOS?
