Update: If you haven't heard, the webOS 1.04 update prevents this method of installing apps. Palm Pre Developers are currently working on a workaround. Keep an eye on PreCentral.net for more information on this front!
We told you that the ability to install 'homebrew' apps without having to root or hack your Palm Pre was coming and, behold, the day is here!
All credit goes to xorg, spotter, and simplyflipflops, naturally. They've worked up a simple "Hello World" type of app -- it just installs the icon you see above on my non-hacked-Pre, but doesn't quite launch anything yet. It's nice to look at, though. (In case you've forgotten how to delete apps, check out our how-to guide on that very subject).
We've hosted the app itself here, but don't expect that clicking that link on a Pre or otherwise is going to get it for you. Installing requires that you email yourself a link to the app (not an attachment). Clicking an ipk link from a browser, saving it via USB mode, or emailing it as an attachment are all dead ends. Luckily, we have just such a link prepared for you:
Email yourself a link to the SimplyFlipFlops App
And now a quick word from the trio themselves:
Our intent is to help the webOS development world release applications. We do not support or encourage using this information for malware. We completely oppose misuse. To protect yourself, do not open links from your Pre email application that has an .ipk at the end unless you intend to load that application and you trust the source of that application. This applies to other email systems on other platforms as well. The ability for Pre to do this is not unique.
Full instructions on how these ipk packages are put together are still pending, as we await word from Palm; be it a stern rebuke, benign silence, or a big bear hug, the devs and PC will act accordingly.
All that said: Homebrew is here!
(Update: Bit.ly was unkind, email link above fixed)
Comments
When I do it to mine, it just opens up new cards over and over...something I'm doing wrong?
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Seems like the bitly link just causes the browser cascade. Use the direct link.
http://images.precentral.net/sites/precentral.net/files/software/simplyf...
That worked for me.
I clicked the link but its not doing anything...doesn't redirect me or anything. Not seeing why this isn't working...
After you click on the new link. It will seemingly do nothing, but then look at your first launcher screen and you will see the new flipflop application. Which BTW doesn't do anything yet. It's just a proof of concept.
ohh yeah you're right thanks man
Edit: I just checked and it installed simplyflipflops
The link in the post just gives me the cascating browsers until the device runs out of memory. The other link suggested as a direct link above gives a 404 Not Found.
Direct link worked...when I didn't have a typo in it...duh.
the direct link also worked for me, the other link just kept opening up blank web page cards.
http://images.precentral.net/sites/precentral.net/files/software/simplyf...
Make sure to post the entire link and not the ... at the end.
simply awesome thanks guys for the hard work!!!!
Works for me. Great work xorg, spotter, and simplyflipflops!
http://images.precentral.net/sites/precentral.net/files/software/simplyf...
there is the direct link
EDIT: PC automatically cuts, just right click and select copy shortcut or copy link location
the last link worked excellent, so when flipflop will have apps we click on it and it will do what ?
Anyone has any idea what this new icon will do?
It allows you to wear flip flops to work on Fridays with your Hawaiian shirt.
I got the app installed...and I seen its icon in the launcher and that's it. Clicking the icon does nothing. That is not a proof of concept or a "hello world" app in my book. The test app should at least open a new card with text...to demonstrate they we deployed something beyond an icon and a JSON file..and that what we deployed has permission to execute.
Still though, nice job so far.
I'm a bit confused, what can we do know with this flipflop app?
You can do nothing yet but it just shows how you install the app, this is progress for now until SDK comes out
It IS a proof of concept. It might not be the concept that you were working on in your secret lair, scuba_steve, but let's be fair -- it is a proof of concept in that it proves that something can be installed in the launcher without the use of the App Catalog.
Awesome job so far, guys! Keep on truckin'!
Great work...looking forward to some exciting stuff coming out this summer!
Something I noticed about the screen capture: a facebook app?! Where did this come from? I have only been able to access facebook thusfar via the web.
Thanks for proving the concept. I installed the icon. I presume that there will never be an application that can be accessed by this icon since it's purpose is to prove a concept. Is this correct?
Yes, agreed...it *is* a proof of concept that we can install an application into the launcher. My point is that it is *not* a proof of concept that we can install an application that we can execute...and that is the real challenge...and what is implied by the article's headline.
Simply adding an index.html to the package that contains the icon.png and appinfo.json files would create an application that can launch and display some text. If we had that, then we could see that we not only had permission to install the app, but that we we also have permission to execute an app installed in this manner. You don't need the SDK or a secret lair to create an index.html file that contains the words "hello world" ;)
Of course, perhaps the app already contains such an index.html file and what we are seeing is that it does *not* have permission to execute. That is what I am trying to determine. :)
To protect yourself, do not open links from your Pre email application that has an .ipk at the end unless you intend to load that application and you trust the source of that application.
So how would we know? Since the pre supports full html email, you won't always see the href of the link. And it's not like you can hover over the link and see the href in the status bar or something. So theoretically an app can be hidden behind any link?
From some of the responses above, there does not seem to be any prompt's or visual indication that clicking on the link is doing anything.
scuba_steve: the test I did was manually signing with my own key one of palm's own apps.
it installed and ran. we don't have permission to redistribute their code, so we aren't, but it works, stop spreading fud about this.
@Larrushka - I'm guessing the Facebook app you see is really just a launcher shortcut to the website. In the Pre's browser application menu you can send a website to the Launcher.
OK, maybe I'm slow, but I'm still only seeing browser cascade using either link directly or from an email. Haven't seen the magic flipflop in my launcher window. Is there a max number of apps that can fit in the 1st launcher window? OS 1.03 (If it makes a diff).
Arrrrrrgggh. Thar she be! New link, much better. Magical useless flipflop is mine! :-)
just what I wanted page after page of USELESS apps
LOL I must have clicked the link like 10 times and said to myself, "You know what lemme just check the app launcher". And voila there it was, a very useless app. gee thanks....
LOL, I read all the comments before sending the email to myself, and did the same thing as leke.
IT WORKS! :D
This may be a stupid question, but where do you get the facebook app featured on the launcher screen?
He just created a launcher icon from facebook's web app:
Open the web app
Click the Web button in the top left corner
Click Page
Click Add to Launcher.
Worked fine for me. It is proof that you are getting there. Great job... keep up the work.
I cudn't get anything to load but from the looks of it most people cudn't...the link did absolutely nothing! Too bad I got my hopes up!
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