By 
And yes, we mean Palm OS, not the more recently defunct WebOS that ran on the most recent crop of Palm devices. For $49.95 you can experience the proto-smartphone platform all over again right on your far more capable Android handset. OK, so StyleTap’s Palm OS emulator isn’t designed simply to capitalize on people’s nostalgia for clunky mobile operating systems of days past, it is actually designed for business-class customers that still need access to the platform thanks for its association with various pieces of machinery and database systems.
The emulator has been available for iOS, Windows Mobile, and even Symbian, but availability for Android provides businesses with yet another option when outfitting their workforce. The emulator and embedded OS can take full advantage of compatible hardware within current generation devices. If you do, in fact, fall into the category of people that just want a fun trip down memory lane, StyleTap is offering a 14-day free trial upon installing the app (accomplished via sideloading only).
Ha! Cool, but sorry, I’m not sure I would pay $0.99 for nothing more than the nostalgia of my first “smart” phone.
Nice touch: the trial includes HandyShopper pre-installed. Still not worth $50.
$49.95? You could probably pick up a whole palm for that.
I’m finding used Palm TX’s starting at $50,00 :)
And a lot of limitations to the app
Bluetooth/Infrared/Beaming not supported. Bluetooth RFCOMM support is planned for a future release.
Limited serial API support
conduits are not supported
“hacks” (using the HackMaster API) not supported
direct manipulation of Motorola 68000 hardware registers is not supported. Therefore programs that control things like sound or serial I/O by directly accessing the hardware rather than using the software API will not work properly. However, direct screen writes ARE supported.
I’ll just use my Palm TX.
I miss my T|X :( Dropped it in water.
Bottom line is if you spent 100K+ building an app to take advantage of mobile back in the day. Your app can now still be used. Obviously this isn’t a consumer app but for business’s who want squeeze more money out of previous development efforts. I am glad I don’t work for any of those companies. Major pita for their employees…
Well, you should wonder if you should invest $49.95 a device for one or multiple apps. I’m not sure if a new app or those license costs are higher. I do know the user experience is a lot worse when you have to run an emulator.
This more I think about this the more it sounds like a really bad idea. I’m sure there is someone out there pulling out their crappy palm code getting all excited. For everyone’s sake just stop where your at and move into the future.
I love my Rezound, but there’s always some quirk that drives me crazy. At the moment it’s the fact that the music player can’t see my music. My Droid X also had a lot of “personality issues.” But with the old Palm OS, everything always worked. I had about five different versions of the Palm over the years and they always worked the way they were supposed to. I miss that.
SPACE TRADERSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Seriously, I have wanted this for YEARRRRRRRS!!!!!
I am willing to bet that this is for the special construction programs built for palm devices that never got ported over or the old company went out of business. Keeps the hardware updated and the program viable. Might be worth the $50 to a biz.
Though I had a IIIxe and loved it, when I first scanned the article I thought it was an iOS user interface until I realized Apple borrowed ;-) it from Palm.
I don’t need emulator. I still have my Sony Clie in working condition.
I guess you weren’t one of the lucky ones to have your palm desktop database get corrupt and lose all your data then…
I’d personally love to have a WebOS emulator.
POS!
I love palm OS but for 50 bucks just buy it in bestbuy.com unlocked be it palm OS or Web OS on my Android maybe but not for that much