Palm Now Taking Applications For Mojo SDK Participation

Annie told us earlier today that there was a rumor that Palm's Mojo SDK might be available later today.

Well, Palm has just updated their Developer Network website, and have posted this:

"Only a select few partners received the initial release of the Mojo SDK. Now we’re expanding access to it, which could mean access for you. If you’re interested in participating, complete the application at the link below. Not everyone will receive the Mojo SDK right away. But when you do, you’ll see how easy it is to develop for the Palm webOS™ platform."

Go here to Apply Now and head over here to read the FAQ section.

The upshot from the Palm reception from Annie Latham is this: they're not going to accept everybody, but they are going to put together a "strong group" of developers that can drive the process forward, add apps quickly, and ensure a good experiences for users.  So there you go, give it a shot and see if you get accepted, but meanwhile know that it's actually pretty significant that Palm's now taking applications to give early looks at the SDK.

The Pre train, we don't know when it arrives, but we can hear it coming.

Full press release after the break!

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Here at the Web 2.0 Expo, Palm, Inc. (Nasdaq: PALM) today revealed additional details regarding its developer program for the new Palm® webOS™ platform. In a keynote address, Palm’s senior vice president of Application Software and Services, Michael Abbott, said that Palm is expanding its early access program for the Palm Mojo Software Development Kit (SDK), and discussed the company’s plans for integrating cloud services into the new platform. Palm also today announced an application from MotionApps that will allow legacy Palm OS® applications to run on webOS devices.

The Mojo SDK, previously available only to a select group of partners, will be provided to a broader set of interested developers that apply for access to the program at the Palm Developer Network website (http://developer.palm.com). Access to the program initially will be limited as the tools and systems continue to be refined and improved, with general availability scheduled for later this year.

“Developers are an incredibly important part of the webOS ecosystem, and we’re eager to get the SDK into their hands,” said Michael Abbott, senior vice president, Application Software and Services, Palm, Inc. “Now that the SDK will be available to a broader base of developers, we think the enthusiasm for webOS will only grow and accelerate. We’re very excited to work with developers to make this unique development environment even better.”

With Mojo, developers have the ability to integrate their applications into core webOS functionality, such as linked contacts, layered calendars, multitasking, notifications and GPS capabilities.(1) webOS applications run natively on the device. They don’t depend on any server connection to run and can cache data locally. Providing developers with the freedom to integrate unique webOS functionality and services into their applications paves the way for a rich catalog of innovative offerings for webOS users.

Palm webOS is a new kind of mobile platform. Standard web technologies, such as HTML, JavaScript and CSS, are deeply integrated into the webOS architecture, enabling a much broader developer community to easily create compelling applications. The ability to customize webOS applications will appeal to developers and ultimately benefit consumers with a unique and differentiated user experience.

“webOS makes mobile application development incredibly easy – we were able to get a version of Pandora running in no time,” said Tom Conrad, chief technology officer, Pandora. “And because webOS has true multitasking capabilities, Pandora runs elegantly in the background while you’re using other applications. The unobtrusive notification bar lets you know what’s currently playing, and allows you to pause and play without having to go back into the application. It’s an incredibly powerful and flexible platform.”

“The webOS functionality and integration opportunities provide a richer experience for moviegoers on the go,” said Ted Hong, chief marketing officer for Fandango. “With Fandango’s webOS application, you can watch trailers and buy tickets, pick your showtime, which is automatically added to your calendar, then get directions to the theatre, and easily forward the showtime to friends or family. You can even create a reminder to let you know when a specific movie is opening so that you can buy tickets in advance on Fandango. The webOS technology helps further our goal of making moviegoing experience as convenient as possible.”(1)