Details on Palm’s new OS

Posted on February 18, 2009 by Mark Urbin

The OS is called WebOS and is LINUX based. Applications will be written in CSS, HTML, and JavaScript.  The SDK should be interesting when it comes out.

The new Palm Pre, due out in the first half of this year, has some really nice features.  These include a Replaceable battery, and a MicroUSB connector for charging, with USB 2.0 support. This is on top of the standards, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, various sensors, a sharp screen.

The biggest stopping block to the Pre being a game changer is having it locked to the Sprint network.  As soon as it becomes available on other networks, it could be a interesting challenge to the iPhone.

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Ford Fusion Hybrid

Posted on February 15, 2009 by Mark Urbin

Ford has had a hybrid SUV, but it never has done very well sales wise for a variety of reasons.

They are trying again, but this time they seem to have done a bit better.  Their hybrid version of their popular Fusion seden has been tested against other hybrids twice and so far has come out on top.  

US Today and Car and Driver magazine both gave it top marks against domestic & foreign hybrids, including the Pirus.

US Today got to where the rubber meets the road, “OK, let’s just get it out there: The 2010 Ford Fusion hybrid is the best gasoline-electric hybrid yet. What makes it best is a top-drawer blend of an already very good midsize sedan with the industry’s smoothest, best-integrated gas-electric power system. It’s so well-done that you have to look to the $107,000Lexus LS 600h hybrid to come close.”  Bottom line, it just drives better than the Pirus.  Car and Driver says it’s “fun to drive.”

Kudos to Ford!

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Microsoft rumored to announce their own smartphone

Posted on February 9, 2009 by Mark Urbin

Microsoft has been in the smartphone business for a while, but only as a software vendor with their WinCE OS (ok, so Microsoft calls it “Windows Mobile” now, but the WinCE name is so descriptive).  

There are rumors circulating that Microsoft will be announcing their own smartphone hardware.

Microsoft already produces hardware, the Zune being the closest to what they need for a smartphone platform.  How the current hardware vendors who sell phones with the Microsoft smart phone OS will react to Microsoft starting to compete with them in the hardware arena.

Filed under: cell phone tech, Microsoft, Smart Phone, tech rumors | Tagged: , , | 3 Comments »

Microsoft to repeat a Vista mistake in Windows7

Posted on February 5, 2009 by Mark Urbin

One of the serious problems with Vista was the half dozen plus versions.  That caused market confusion as well as code bloat, since every version had the same code with features locked out in the lower end versions.

It looks like nobody has explained exactly what is wrong with this to the marketing folks at Microsoft because they are about to repeat the same mistake with Windows7.

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