Waiting for the Palm Pre

For a few months now I've been salivating over the Palm Pre. A cell phone driven by browser-based apps is extremely appealing: I know HTML, JavaScript, and CSS, so I know how to program applications for the Pre's webOS. Historically, I've liked Palm's offerings very much: the m125, m500, and T5 were a big part of my day for years.

Pre news is scarce thus far. Periodically developers get a new nugget in the form of a new rough cut or blog post. Rumors continually surface about who is getting prerelease units and what the release timeframe is.

Occasionally I see what the Twitterverse has to say, but, as often happens on the Internet, it's a jumble of pointless my-phone-could-kick-your-phone's-ass arguments. Honestly, I don't care much for the iPhone: as a gadget, it has never held my interest; as competition to the Pre, I think the market is big enough to handle more than one progressive smartphone. I'm not worried Apple will push Palm out of the market, and Apple's momentum will prevent the Palm from doing the same. The technology (and we, the consumers) can only benefit from the competition between two great companies producing such great wares. There will be a sharing of ideas, and gnashing of teeth, and threats of lawsuits, and when the dust settles both phones will be better for it.

So, Palm, don't keep us waiting for the Pre. And Apple, bring on the iPhone 3.0.

Then let the melting pot begin anew.

Update: Details about the Palm Pre launch have been released by the Wall Street Journal.