Waiting for the high profile apps to hit the App Catalog?
Daniel Rodriguez
The App Catalog has come a long way since day one. As we saw earlier today the catalog now has over 200 apps. This is amazing progress and it is very exciting to see but, yes but, we have one big but that everybody has on their minds. Where are the high profile applications we are all waiting for?
Of course we want to support the smaller developers and all their hard work. It is all very much appreciated and some of the apps that have hit the catalog are very intuitive. However, there is a list of apps people are expecting to hit the catalog and these apps are on almost every other platform and they are very important if Palm wants its App Catalog to be one of the driving factors for WebOS platform adoption. These are the apps from the big, already well known companies and developers. We have heard rumors about some of these, but have no solid dates and don't even know if we will for sure be getting any of these. I have taken it upon myself to compile a short list of apps that are in dire need to get to the App Catalog for Palms sake. This is the list of apps and these apps really need to be here soon. In my opinion some need to be here before the holidays if Palm wants to really attract the Christmas shoppers. Check out the list after the break.
1. Facebook - Facebook was involved with Palm when WebOS announcements first started and we all expected a Facebook app on day one. Not sure why this hasn't happened yet I mean it seems to be in the best interest Palm and Facebook.
2. MySpace - Though the Facebook fans will disagree, Myspace is the second largest social networking site and has millions of users in High School and College and an app would be an attractive way to draw those busy bodies who love to message to the platform.
3. Beejive - Yes we all love synergy and how Palm can integrate AIM and Google Talk into the messaging app but we need more. Beejive allows you to use multiple IM protocols including Aim, Yahoo, MSN/Windows Live, Google Talk, Facebook, MySpace, and ICQ. This is a must have IM Client on a mobile platform that is perfect for 'connecting' with others like the Palm Pre or Pixi.
4. Docs2Go - Plain and simple document editing. The Palm Pre and Pixi's greatest strengths over the competing iPhone is the fact that it has a physical keyboard. Lets make this phone an official business device and give it Docs2Go. Docs2Go was supposed to be released by the end of this year but the guys over at Precentral say there might be a delay and it could be pushed back to sometime in the first half of 2010
5. Epocrates - Epocrates along with Facebook were one of the developers mentioned to be apart of the early developer community in WebOS. Where is the native application?! I personally have emailed them time and time again and they just email back instructions on how to use the old PalmOS version on Classic. Well I didn't buy the Pre to use PalmOS. In fact I didn't buy any phone to use PalmOS because I didn't like it. Epocrates have said they are working on a native app and it should be out by the end of this year, but it needs to get here quick!
6. Shazam - We all know what Shazam is. It is an app that can listen to a song and send you the album art and information as well as artists name, album title, and song title. The Microphone API hasn't been released in the SDK yet but this needs to be addressed immediately. Not having that API is preventing developers like Evernote from including Voice Memos which they already have on every other platform into their apps. Voice recorders, and apps like Shazam and Midomi, will only be a figment of our imagination until Palm releases APIs for the microphone. We know it is possible too because in the interactive tests it has you speak into the microphone and it plays back what you said to see if you can hear it.
7. Stanza - Stanza is the most popular form of mobile e-book reading aside from using a dedicated device such as the Kindle 2 or the Sony e-Reader. Stanza is also on many other platforms and they know how to develop a brilliant e-Reader UI. Shortcovers is a decent alternative however I think Stanza has a much wider selection of books and the UI feels much more polished.
8. Games - I know we aren't using the Palm Pre's GPU just yet and we really can't do 3D gaming with the current iteration of WebOS. However, we do need quality games from quality developers such as EA games who could bring us Tetris, and Monopoly, and UNO and any other good quality 2D games that have been on platforms in the past. Where is Bejeweled?!
Okay folks I appreciate you taking the time to read my rant. We want these apps, maybe not all of us want every single one of these apps but everyone wants at least one or two of these apps and we want them ASAP. They are important for building the WebOS Platform and keeping people connected to their groups of friends on social networks and IM Clients and interested in the WebOS platform. So Palm, if any of these developers have submitted their apps to the catalog make it a priority to put them in the App Catalog as soon as possible!
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Reader Comments (26)
Great write up. I agree 100% these apps coming in are nice but we really do need the great apps. Facebook being a number 1 priority, for me at least.
We also need critical business apps like Salesforce.com.
Add in WordPress app and I totally agree 100%. I want all the important apps!!!!!!!!
i also wan apps that are important voice recorder video recording ftw
Enough all ready with the weather apps, the tip calculator apps - dots games, and useless translator apps. I'm bored. I want some crazy fun, silly, stupid apps. I'm jealous of the iPhone people. I want my Palm Pre to explode with enthusiasm in my pocket. C'mon Plam, get stupid silly busy.
I too have waited and waited for these standard mobile apps. Its sad to say cause I enjoy the os however us sprint folks now have a cool phone option. Bye bye pre hello android....
I've been very patient with Palm on this, too. But I'm a little perturbed at the delay in the big hitters as well. I'm hoping that all those folks ported over from Apple aren't thinking they have a whole 12 months to get this App Catalog off the ground like with the iPhone. Times are different now.
If webOS is so easy to write for, shouldn't we have seen these apps in droves? Are they waiting for the catalog to come out of beta? Are they waiting for Palm to release a more powerful SDK?
....... Or are they just... uninterested?
Used AND LOVED beejive on the iphone. However I seriously doubt they'll be developing for the Pre. Think about it, we have a built in messaging app and Palm can simply add I'm protocols and make their app obsolete.
Facebook is a must, as well as voice recorders.
I think two things need to happen for the App Catalog to really take off: Palm needs to open up more API's and more units need to be sold, which is now happening because the Pre is being sold in other countries.
Go Palm!
I hear you Danny boy, way to root for Team Palm. But I do believe Palm has a clear and concise road map prepared for WebOs that are executing. I did not buy the Pre to do Facebook I bought for the multi tasking ability and the Webkit experience besides I don't recall Palm marketing the Pre to be Face bookers wet dream. That will be the Pixi's mo and at time I'm sure you will be able to update your wall till you are blue in the face. Having said that, most Pre owners are locked in for at least 2 years anyway, so Palm has nothing but time on their side. So give Palm and its developers a little slack as they will ultimately meet most of our expectations. Case in point, they blessed it with a state of the art CPU akin to the 3GS's processor and an open source OS for future upgrades and enhancements.
I agree, I think Beejive is important to have to keep all ur IM's in 1 app as well as have them seperate from the messaging app. Even adding a different notification so we don't get the same 1 for IM's and messages. I am hoping that they are waiting for the App Catalog to come out of beta. I do have a little hope that is the case because Palm said they were overwhelmed with app submissions and are hiring more people to help deal with it. If by overwhelmed they meant 20 apps... well that just sucks lol and I don't think that is the case. So maybe we will see when the catalog is out of beta and hopefully by then there are a lot more API's available to developers.
I would kill for an etrade power pro app for the pre.
does Bejeeve have the ability to store chat logs in gmail? The native I.M. app on RIM's BB phones can do so which makes me puzzle why the one in WebOS can not. In note to the comment about I.M.s and T.M.s being together in the same chat string, I actually like it. It allows users to keep the same conversation going and just flip what they're using depending on their location. Out of range to poor connection to a cell tower but have a free wifi nearby that you can tap into, the conversation can then just swing over into the I.M. World from the txt msg world with out having to switch applications.
It will be nice when it supports MSN and Yahoo. Maybe we'll juat have to have "another app for that"
Real quick: MUNDU has just confirmed they are working on their MUNDU MESSENGER app for webOS. In the meantime they have a web-based app designed for the Pre that supports Yahoo, GTalk, AIM, and MSN that we can use NOW...
Here's their main website: http://mundu.com/products/mundu-im/features
Go HERE on your Pre's browser for the Pre mobile portal: http://pre.mundu.com
Well, how about a serious password app? SplashID beta is crappy at best.
app situation pushes my next purchase away from pre with every minute of bad apps. pretty unhappy with palm right now. but i'm pretty sure if things don't drastically change in all the areas mentioned i'll get an iphone.
BLOOMBERG App is heavily needed - for a lot of business-people, this App is a show-stopper as long as it is not available...
Still waiting for Brightkite...using location-based services to update and check in at various points. Brightkite has remained mum about it, but there's a developer out there working on a project called "Parafoil" which he keeps pretty close to his chest and for which he doesn't seem to want any help. It will be interesting to see how that plays out...we got Evernote pretty fast, which has been fantastic, but I'm ready for Brightkite on my Pre!
i use meebo mobile when i want to log on to everything for some reason. works well enough. whoever mentioned the integrated messenger is right - they may partner with other chat providers for inclusions in the native app, but i don't see them taking third-party IM apps.
also, microphone api is a must have, and so is wordpress. everything else, until we get gpu goodness, is small potatoes.
how are we forgetting basic voicemail app....sorry to say my next phone will prolly be some sort of these new android phones...prolly the new 4G one.
I totally agree. We could use some apps from some of the major banks like Citi, BofA and Chase.
Slingbox!
How about a powerful datebook application like Datebk6, a good database app like Smartlist to Go, a good weather application like 4Cast
DateBK, DateBk DateBk!!Did I mention DateBk?
I agree that it would be great for palm to come out with more quality apps. I do understand that webos app store is very young but I would have to agree that the progress of the app store could be the difference in how well Palm well be able to compete with apple and android. I myself would like to see a few of the games like monopoly. I really would like to see video and voice recording. However I purchased the phone for its multi tasking but don't really think that this alone can keep me on the palm bandwagon. The one only has one thing going for it at the time. So I'm going to say that I've been with Sprint for 11 years but really working on a timeline. I believe that If I don't see some of things I may go with another phone. I've been holding out for a while. But think the Iphone is looking better every day.
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I just purchased the new palm pr plus... Love the phone. Especially when oupled with the homebrew apps via preware. Patches and such are great however, why is it so hard for palm to understand that we NEED apps like shazam, grooveshark, and visible voicemail for free. NOT TO MENTION ADOBE FLASHPLAYER. It's getting old palm. Fuckers....