If you have Javascript enabled and would like to view the lastest version of this Weblog, please go here.
November 13, 2007
My gripe(s) about the new Garnet VM for maemo...
Ok, so admittedly, something very cool just happened for our maemo community: the ACCESS Garnet VM (virtual machine) was just released. Garnet (formerly PalmOS) is a one-click install that instantly provides access to the over 30,000 applications available for Palm devices on the maemo platform.
Awesome, right? Yes! (Seriously, I love it!) But, what would I have done differently?
In its current form, the Garnet VM is an application that acts as a launching point for all of the Palm apps that are installed (view picture). It’s basically the home screen on a Palm device, if you chose to view “all” of the categories. It’s also the place where one installs/deletes applications, sets configurations for specific applications, HotSyncs to a desktop computer (via wifi), etc. That’s all well and good — and it works rather nicely — but it’s an extra layer, in my opinion, that is completely unecessary. (Not to mention that apps cannot be categorized like they can be on a real Palm device.) The Garnet VM application is also where other Palm apps are launched from. When an app is launched, the Garnet VM stays opened, and the new application launches as an additional application on the Hildon UI (resulting in two — or more — applications opened at once: the virtual machine and whichever other apps that were launched from the virtual machine).
Before I continue, I must interject that this is how most virtual machine applications or emulators work — whether it’s virtual Windows or an Amiga or Gameboy emulator. But, Garnet VM is so slick, that I just thought it could be a little better.
My changes would be simple, but profound. If I had developed the Garnet VM (of course, only in my wildest dreams), I would have made the main Garnet VM application purely a point of contact — a place where users would go to perform all of the aforementioned functions, except for that of launching other Palm apps.
What I would have done is created a way for any installed Palm app to become a shortcut (or, alias), of sorts, within the Hildon UI itself. Then, users, without having to open Garnet VM, could launch their Palm apps right from the Application Launcher on their device. Of course, doing this would have to open Garnet VM as well (to run the actual Palm apps), but it could be done transparently, without the user even knowing.
Secondly, as you’ll see from this next screenshot (how do you like my straight-up Blackjack win, by the way?), Palm apps that run in Garnet VM, do so within a screen that is made to look just like a Palm device. That is expected (and necessary), of course, but why not make it so that the apps run vertical to the aspect ratio of the device. As you can see here, this would have utilized my device’s (a Nokia N800 Internet Tablet) screen real estate much more adequately. The virtual Palm device would have been much larger and there wouldn’t have been any wasted space.
Once you’ve launched a Palm app with Garnet VM, you’re basically running a Palm device. This is really cool, considering all of the tried and tested history of PalmOS and its supporting software. Likewise, once you have you virtual Palm opened, you can access all of your other installed apps without having to use the main Garnet VM application (which is another reason to do away with this additional interface layer).
But, again, don’t get me wrong. I have been having a lot of fun with Garnet VM, and I suggest you install it for yourself.
Posted at 11:09 pm
Trackback:Trackback Link:
as for that screen rotation, i think someone said there is a option to start dem rotated 90 degrees, but i cant verify it as my 770 have a wsod period :(
anyways, the vm is beta. i suspect that if one where to report wishes back to access, they may take notice :)
turn_self_off - November 14, 2007 at 04:31 am
turn_self_off - November 14, 2007 at 04:37 am
fr - November 14, 2007 at 04:44 am
the only app that gave me problems was ptunes.
take a look at the /usr/bin/gvm folder
interesting stuff in there.
I played around with the settings trying to get the screen bigger.
but no go.
I think screen size is hard coded in the rom file.
unless there’s a way to magnify the viewing area, I doubt access will
be able to provide the bigger screen size everyone wants so.
I faced the same problem when compiled POSE for maemo.
The devs at palm told me that everything is hardcoded in the rom once the emulator is running.
stan one () - November 14, 2007 at 08:36 am
Ok, so turning the Full Screen option OFF does put the VM into portrait mode, but it is still the same size (i.e., it doesn’t fil the entire screen). Weird, no?
Also Eero Tamminen (of Nokia) made a good point on the maemo Users Mailing List: portrait view would be ver awkward on the N810, with the slide-out keyboard.
Too true!
timsamoff () (URL) - November 14, 2007 at 10:07 am
san - November 14, 2007 at 1:04 pm
I know I can group/categorize my apps once I’m in the Palm UI (just like on a real Palm device), but I can’t find a way to do it in the main Garnet VM UI.
Any additional pointers would be appreciated.
timsamoff () (URL) - November 14, 2007 at 1:10 pm
The best wishes from Brazil! Incredible photos on your flickr!
Br
Marcelo
Marcelo () (URL) - November 14, 2007 at 7:47 pm
Paulo () (URL) - November 14, 2007 at 9:55 pm
Paulo ~ Wow, I didn’t even think about that, as I only ever knew G1… You should offer your opinion to ACCESS!
timsamoff () (URL) - November 14, 2007 at 10:41 pm
Hendrik Boom - November 15, 2007 at 10:06 am
Aaron - November 26, 2007 at 11:48 am
Aaron ~ Good suggestions. Having the Graffiti space to the side might be awkward, but is sure would use the space more wisely (and probably wouldn’t be that difficult to get used to).
timsamoff () (URL) - November 26, 2007 at 12:10 pm
