OS 5.1 upgrade & OS6

[richieg]

I am about to buy a Tungsten but all this talk about 5.1 upgrade and OS 6 is both confusing and worrying. Will the 5.1 upgrade be free and what does it contain? Similarily will OS 6 be compatible with the tungsten and what does it contain? When are these due? Is there any good links with relevant & accurate information?

[maledetto]

Very good questions, but so far none of us outside the walls of PalmSource know the answer. It is more speculation on what Palm has done in the past.

I have a TT and am not bothered by the 5.1OS update, when it comes. But for OS6, well that is something bothers me a little when there is nothing concreate.

[sleuth255]

Try this out:

More details on OS 6 surface (http://www.palminfocenter.com/view_story.asp?ID=4496&curpage=1)

Then go here:

PalmSource COO Mike Mace answers questions about OS 6 (http://www.palminfocenter.com/view_story.asp?ID=4496&curpage=2#69710)

It's obvious that PalmSource considers the TT a prime candidate for an OS 6 upgrade. The decision will be up to Palm of course, but the information from Mike Mace is very encouraging.

[maledetto]

Sluth255 thanks for the links. It does seem from what I read that OS 6 is targeted at hardware that currently run OS5, like our beloved TT.

But it brings up another issue, who is responsible for this upgrade issue, PalmSource or Palm Solutions? Michael Mace states that it will be up to each hardware vendor to deside if they will support OS6 and that includes Palm Solution, which builds the TT. So will they support the current TT or will a new one be offed like an m555? IMO is being purely based on that fact that Palm Solution created a upgrade of the m505 and called it a m515. This fixed two main areas: 1) double the RAM to 16MB and 2) Fixed the screen problems. Are we looking at the same type of prospect?

[sleuth255]

Palm the hardware company is responsible for issuing upgrades to the TT. Palmsource will deliver OS6 to them probably 3Q03. OS5.1 was delivered to them last September btw.

Using Palm's history as my guide, I would assume we'll see an XScale TT in 1Q03 running OS5.1 featuring 32Megs and perhaps an improved Bluetooth stack. However, the current TT will be upgradable (free) to that same OS and will also be upgradable (Palm's fees for major OS upgrades are usually around $20 if my memory serves me correctly) to OS 6 when it's released by Palm to consumers late in 2003. Palm will also introduce an entirely new device then as well.