You can expect an automatic over-the-air update to webOS 1.2 over the next few days, and you can find more info on the update in the release notes on the Palm website.

You can buy the Palm Pre smartphone from Amazon at $100 (with contract)

If you have a Palm Pre from Sprint, you’ll soon be able to update to the latest version of the operating system, webOS 1.2.0. Sprint has revealed the release notes for 1.2.0

The upgrade is a mix of bug fixes and also new enhancements.

webOS updates and enhancements:

* Enhanced copy feature added to browser and email (shift key + tap and drag to select text).
* Improved global search to catch synonyms. For example, “Movies” brings up YouTube and Videos.
* Send/Receive vCards via the contacts application (tap left menu drop down)
* LinkedIn enhancements
* Filter search in email
* Bluetooth for expanded car-kit support
* Improved auto-linking of contacts
* Save inline images in email
* Resume support for podcasts and long songs
* Download files in browser
* Backup/Restore of web browser bookmarks
* Support Amazon MP3 over WAN (not just WiFi)
* Photo Albums sync via Media Sync

Bug fixes:

* Capability has been added to dial phone numbers from a calendar notes field.
* User interface now displays “updating PRL” correctly when you tap on Update PRL in Phone Preferences.
* Device will no longer reboot while attempting to download music when there was not available user memory.
* Real-time updates on Yahoo Finance now work properly.
* Sprint Navigation is now able to use free form addresses for navigation, including addresses from personal email accounts.
* PDF files can now be opened from a browser link.
* If the device receives a notification alert (for example an SMS), a clock alarm would not play unless the notification alert was dismissed.
* If a calendar event is snoozed then moved to a future time, the event notification will now appear at the proper time.
* When editing or creating a calendar event and toggling to another application before saving the event, the event will no longer be duplicated.
* On Google calendar, all day events that are changed to timed events on a computer are now properly updated.
* If a cancellation is received for an event and the user selects “Remove from Calendar”, the event is now removed from the device and desktop.
* If large attachments are sent in an e-mail, the e-mail is no longer sent twice.
* When setting email sync time to manual the device will no longer automatically sync the email accounts.
* Certain properties of tasks that can be set via the computer (but not displayed on the device) will no longer be deleted on the server.
* When two contacts were linked (one with a last name and one without) you will now be able to find them in SMS and email.
* Syncing issue with personal accounts has been resolved.

If you don’t have a Palm Pre yet, you can get one for US$200 (with contract) on Sprint.

[ via PreThinking ]

A lot of people are waiting for Palm to release their new smartphone, the Palm Pre, with carriers/operators other than US-based Sprint. While there were rumours of a second webOS-based device, the Palm EOS for GSM networks, it turns out that Palm is sticking exclusively with the Palm Pre for a little while longer.

We know that Verizon is keen to offer the Palm Pre. The rest of the world is waiting for a GSM version of the Pre … it looks like we have to wait for a few more months.

Palm has announced that the Palm Pre will be available in Europe “in time for the holidays”. No, not the summer holidays, unfortunately.

International mobile giant Telefonica is the European launch partner for the Palm Pre. You will be able to get the Palm Pre in UK, Ireland and Germany on Telefónica’s O2 network, and in Spain on Telefónica’s Movistar network.

As for the rest of the world, we wait.

First off, Palm’s App Catalog has been doing well. The App Catalog is Palm’s version of the Apple App Store. Even though the number of applications is still small, Palm Pre users have been downloading apps at a steady pace. Medialets reports that although we only have about 30 apps right now, these apps have been downloaded over 600,000 times. That’s certainly a good start — as the number of Pre users grow, we should see a similar explosive growth in app downloads.

Why are there so few apps right now? It turns out, Palm won’t be able to release the full SDK to developers until later this summer. Engadget reports that the software and developer services to support the SDK just aren’t ready yet.

When the iPhone first launched, for the first year all we had was web apps. Those apps are still around. So until the developers can get cracking on native webOS apps, you can take advantage of many web apps which work well with the Pre web browser.

For early adopters of the Palm Pre, Palm has already released a software update. webOS 1.0.3 makes some improvements in the built-in Email, Calendar, and Contacts apps, among others.