Tips and Tricks every webOS user should know! (Part 1 of 5)

Since I first started this blog, we’ve covered a lot of ground:
… we’ve talked about the very basics of the Palm Pre.  
… we’ve talked about some cool tricks for adding ringtones to your Pre or Pixi.  
… we’ve talked about simple fixes that might prevent a trip to the repair shop or retailer.  
... we've even talked about how to erase your webOS device when push came to shove.

My next goal is to turn you into a power webOS user! You can handle that, right? So let’s get started! This is my very first installment out of five in my “Tips and Tricks” series. Hopefully you will find these articles very helpful.  Some tips you probably know, while others are less well-known. 
Read on after the break, where we cover system tricks and tips for using the launcher.

The Missing Palm Pre User Guide... it's Here!

Got a new Palm Pre? Have you been searching high and low for that user manual that never came with it? Well once again, Totally Palmed has got your back.  Click here to get the official user guide from Palm.

You can also check out the following articles:

• Click here for helpful video tutorials for beginners to the Palm Pre or Pixi
• Click here for tips on adding new ringtones for your Pre or Pixi
• Click here for simple and easy fixes to common problems found on the Palm Pre.

First Six Months of Palm’s App Catalog… How’s Palm Doing?

It’s been six months since the birth of Palm’s resurgence, and here at Totally Palmed, the numbers are in.  We all know how important apps are in the smartphone race.  Despite being only six months old, Palm’s BETA App Catalog provided us with some very decent apps, top-notch Twitter clients,and fun games. Thanks to continued tabulations of Palm’s App Catalog counts by Palm Real Reviewer Craig Froehle (@CRA1G on Twitter) and yours truly, we have some real interesting data to show you. (After you’re done with our blast to the past, check out Mr. Froehle’s article from GearBits.com for a look at the future!) … Here’s the basic breakdown:


- After exactly six months (1/6/10), the U.S. app catalog reached 1023 apps
- About 2/3 of those are paid, and the other 1/3 are free
- After six months of being in public beta with only select webOS developers, Palm officially launched the App Catalog and formally opened it to all app developers.


So, the question begs… how are they doing?  We’ve got all of that, including a really interesting comparison to the Android Market’s numbers, after the break.

Just the Facts: Palm's Keynote at CES 2010

For those wanting to know the low-down on what Palm's keynote speech was about, I highly recommend you mosey on over to precentral.net for all of the juicy details. Or... just watch the video posted above!  If you want "just the facts," here's the scoop:

- Palm Pre Plus and Pixi Plus are launching on Verizon January 25th.
     ..... For details on the Pre Plus, click here
     ..... For details on the Pixi Plus, click here
     ..... No word on when Sprint will get them (can't imagine it'll be later than summer 2010)

- Both phones get a 1.4 update in February, which will include:
     ..... Video recording! Includes editing and direct posting to Facebook and YouTube
     ..... Flash 10.1! "Flash" allows for richer browsing and watching embedded videos
     ..... Faster performance, better battery life

- Oh yeah, and the Palm Pre (not Pixi) has 3D gaming NOW! Get 'em while they're hot!
     ..... Need for Speed Undercover
     ..... Asphalt 5
     ..... Sims3
     ..... Let's Golf
     ..... Monopoly
     ..... Scrabble
     ..... Oregon Trail
     ..... Glyder 2
     ..... X-Plane

If you're still aching for more info, you can check out the info that was teased out of Palm CEO Jon Rubinestein by tech journalist Kara Swisher (from AllThingsDigital)...  Among them?  He's never used an iPhone... as in, ever! Video is posted below!

My Favorite webOS Apps for 2009

Well folks, it's been six months since webOS launched, and we now have 1,000 total apps in the U.S. App Catalog!  But which are worth downloading?  I recently did a blog on the my favorite webOS games for 2009, but hey, we buy don't just buy these phones to use as toys, right? They're tools.


UPDATE! I should add that on 1/7/10, Palm launched some awesome 3D games for the App Catalog, which completely changed the landscape of webOS gaming! Check out those new awesome apps in the App Catalog now. 

While the App Catalog has nowhere near the number of apps as other platforms just yet, there's still quite a few jewels you should pick up.  You just have to know where to look, and that's why Totally Palmed is here to help!  I've watched the catalog closely since I first got my Pre in June and have downloaded tons of apps.  After the break, fire up your Palm App Catalog and follow along with me as we go through which apps are, in my opinion, worth downloading.  No, I don't get any kickbacks or free downloads for doing this! Hey, I'm just a nice guy, what can I say.


Much, much more after the break!

My Favorite webOS GAMES for 2009

So... you have a Palm Pre or a Pixi, and you're ready to spend a little of your hard-earned cash on games to pass the time.  After all, Palm has finally lifted their app limit, right?  Let the shopping spree begin, right?

... But which games are actually worth your money?

As of this entry, there are 1000 apps in the Palm App Catalog.  Of those, 229 are games. While the App Catalog currently doesn't offer famous games like Bejeweled just yet, there are still some "jewels" to be had in the gaming department.

Of course, nobody wants to get stuck with a crap game after paying for it, and Palm's lack of a refund policy doesn't help matters, either. That's where Totally Palmed comes in! After the break, read my opinion on which games I think are worth their price. (Bear in mind I haven't downloaded all webOS games... just a bunch more than my wife should know about.)   If you feel any other games deserve mention here, please share it with us it in the comments section below!

[UPDATE] Well, this is embarrassing!  At CES 1/7/10, Palm released awesome 3D games for the Palm Pre which totally changed the landscape of webOS gaming.  So I guess this entry is sorta/kinda moot.  However, these games are not available for the Pixi, and are more expensive ($6-10), so this post may still be of some use to you!