rpciardiello@gmail.com posted on January 26, 2012 12:10
By Joseph Walker, Contributing Writer
HP has finalized its plans for the open source release of webOS. While developers are eager to get their hands on the webOS source code, the announcement isn’t a dream control. HP has decided to deliver its now defunct smartphone platform in bite-size pieces (as opposed to all at once).
(At right): Astro Brelsford, SMB Nation's official mascot, with Harrybbb's HP TouchPad.
According to HP’s Open webOS roadmap, individual code modules will be released on a quasi-monthly schedule between now and September. The first piece HP has made available is Enyo 2.0, which provides the framework necessary for coders to write new mobile and web apps. The Enyo toolset includes webOS support but also enables development of iOS, Android, Firefox, and Internet Explorer apps.
Here’s a summary of the rest of HP’s webOS source code roll out schedule:
February: JavaScript core, UI Enyo widgets, QT WebKit extensions, project governance model
March: Linux kernel, EGL extensions, USB extensions, and LevelDB
April: Enyo 2.1, Ares 2.0, Node services
May-June: Summer vacation apparently (i.e. no scheduled releases)
July: System manager bus, core applications, Enyo 2.2
August: Build release model, Open webOS Beta
September: Open webOS 1.0
What’s most exciting to me about HP’s webOS plan is their decision to build Open webOS atop a standard Linux kernel. By opting for a Linux kernel, HP has made wide-scale adoption of the platform much more likely. (Google used the same strategy with its Android OS, and everyone knows how well that’s worked out.)
A Linux-powered webOS means maximal driver support, a broad base of potential app developers, and potentially far-reaching device support. In fact, it’s entirely possible that some Android devices will eventually be able to run webOS ROMs.
For those of you interested in webOS (and tablets in general), don’t miss Harrybbb’s upcoming GeekSpeak article set to appear in the 1Q2012 edition of SMB Nation Magazine. Harrybbb loves his now-discontinued HP TouchPad (which uses webOS) and has written a detailed review of it, along with four other popular tablets…stay tuned!