The past year has been a rocky one for Palm and its webOS operating system. After a last ditch effort to save its struggling handset business with the Palm Pre and the Palm Pixi, the Sunnyvale company was acquired by Hewlett-Packard. This acquisition by HP slowed down development and Palm was only able to roll out webOS 2.0 and the Pre 2 in the second half of the year. Despite this difficult time of transition, webOS remains an excellent mobile operating system. The webOS App Catalog has also come a long way since the early days of webOS. With more and more big-name apps available in the app store, it deserves its own Top 10 For 2010 list.
So, after having used webOS for a while, we’ve hand-picked a selection of 10 apps that we think are the highlights of the Palm App Catalog for 2010. Without further ado, may we present the Top 10 webOS Apps Of 2010:
1. Facebook for Palm
Facebook for Palm brings your Facebook news feed and contacts to your phone. Synergy lets you download your Facebook contacts into your phone’s address book. It automatically inserts the Facebook details, including status updates, into existing contacts or creates new one. Facebook is also tightly integrated into the camera application and lets you easily upload photos and videos from your phone directly to Facebook. You can also post a status update, add comments, and more right from your phone.
Available for FREE from the Palm App Catalog.
2. Tweed
Tweed is one of the top Twitter clients available for webOS. It supports searches, trends, location and has an excellent notification system that integrates into the webOS notification bar. It also supports multiple accounts so you can read and post from more than one Twitter account.
Available for $2.99 from the Palm App Catalog.
3. Weatherman 2.0
Weatherman is a weather application that displays the local forecast on your lock screen. This lock screen feature sets Weatherman apart from other popular weather apps like Weatherbug which displays weather only when the application is running. Weatherman can also be configured to update your location using GPS or by manually adding in a zip code. It is great for those who want to get an update on the weather quickly and easily.
Available for $1.99 from the Palm App Catalog.
4. Evernote
For those that like to archive what they find, Evernote for webOS lets you capture notes, to-do lists, web pages and more. Your captured content is then sent directly to your Evernote account. You can also pull down previously saved items from your Evernote account and view them on your phone. This app is a must-have for power users and content consumers alike.
Available for FREE from the Palm App Catalog.
5. pReader
pReader is a webOS eBook reader that supports plain text, HTML, PalmDOC, MobiPocket, ePub, and Amazon AZW documents. The reader app has a clean interface and lets you read in both portrait and landscape mode. The only drawback is the Palm’s small screen which makes reading a challenge. Reading is great in short bursts, but it is no Kindle.
Available for FREE from the Palm App Catalog.
6. FlightTrack
As its name implies, FlightTrack is a flight tracking application for webOS. SImilar to other mobile version, the webOS version of Flight Tracker lets you keep track of gate numbers, flight status, delays, and cancellation information. Updates on a selected flight status can be sent automatically to your handset.
Available for $4.99 from the Palm App Catalog.
7. Trapster
Trapster is the quintessential driving application that helps you avoid speed traps. Similar to the other platforms, the webOS application locates you on a map and gives you a verbal warning when you are nearing a speed camera, police offer and other potential speed traps. The Trapster application was recently acquired by Navteq, a property owned by Nokia. The future of the webOS version is unclear, so grab it while you can.
Available for FREE from the Palm App Catalog.
8. drPodder
drPodder is a podcasting application that lets you stream or download audio and video podcasts directly to your phone. The application supports playlists, bookmarking, and both wired and wireless headset control. The application includes a variety of sample podcasts from BOL, GDGT and more. You can also add your own podcasts and listen to them while on the go over a 3G connection.
Available for $0.99 from the Palm App Catalog.
9. Grooveshark
Grooveshark users will be happy to know that their favorite online music search and streaming service is available for their webOS phone. The app lets your search for the songs that you enjoy, save them to playlist and then sync them to Grooveshark for on-the-go listening. Unlike the Apple App Store while no longer offers Grooveshark due to copyright concerns, the app remains available from the Palm App Catalog.
Available for FREE from the Palm App Catalog.
10. mCraig
mCraig brings the best of Craigslist to your handset. You can search for items, reply to listings, and share them with a friend or two. The app lets you manually pick your location or use your handset’s GPS to pull down the listings closest to your location. A must-have application for Palm Pre owners with a penchant for finding deals, jobs or what not on this popular online classifieds.
Available for $1.99 from the Palm App Catalog.