Palm has unveiled its Palm webOS mobile platform, to be constantly connected to the web, and the new Palm Pre, the phone based on the new platform. Palm webOS is a platform invented exclusively for mobile use. It automatically brings your information from the many places it resides - on your phone, at your work or on the web - into one integrated view. webOS leverages several industry-standard technologies, including web technologies such as CSS, XHTML and JavaScript. The new platform was designed to allow an ecosystem of partners, including developers, hardware suppliers, and accessories manufacturers, to develop core solutions to complement the platform and product line. For developers, webOS offers an open development environment. The platform's flexible environment will also allow developers to distribute their applications over-the-air via an on-device Palm application store.

The new platform introduces Palm Synergy, a key feature of webOS that brings your information from all the places it resides into one logical view. With Synergy, you have a single view that links your contacts from a variety of sources. If a contact is updated on the webOS device, it also will be updated in all accounts, whether on a personal computer or on the web. Your calendars can be seen individually or layered together in a single view.

Applications are connected to the web and always active. webOS lets you keep multiple applications open and flip from one to another. With its multi-touch interface, webOS lets you move between activities like flipping through a deck of cards and rearrange items simply by dragging them. As you search and type what you're looking for, the OS narrows your search and offers results from both your device and the web.

Palm Pre features include the following:

• High-speed connectivity (EVDO Rev. A or UMTS HSDPA)
• Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g
• Integrated GPS
• Large 3.1-inch touch screen with a vibrant 24-bit color 320x480 resolution HVGA display
• Gesture area, which enables simple, intuitive gestures for navigation
• Slide-out QWERTY keyboard
• 3-megapixel camera with LED flash and extended depth of field, and a standard 3.5mm headset jack
• Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR with A2DP stereo Bluetooth support
• 8GB of internal user storage
• USB mass storage mode
• MicroUSB connector with USB 2.0 Hi-Speed
• Proximity sensor, which automatically disables the touch screen and turns off the display whenever you put the phone to your ear
• Light sensor, which dims the display if the ambient light is dark to reduce power usage
• Accelerometer, which automatically orients web pages and photos to your perspective
• Dimensions: 59.57mm (W) x 100.53mm (L, closed) x 16.95mm (D) [2.35 inches (W) x 3.96 inches (L, closed) x 0.67 inches (D)]
• Weight: ~135 grams [4.76 ounces]