Radu writes in:
I recently found your blog and since I’m going to start a medical residency soon I’m curious how fit is the Palm Pre as a medical PDA. I haven’t got a chance to read all your posts so maybe you have already answered this questions, but I’m curious if the Pre is fit for this task (enough software available – I heard that epocrates will have a WebOS version, but I’m curious about other software that might be useful), if the battery life is satisfactory, if other smartphones have useful applications not yet available on WebOS.
What attracts me to the Pre is the multitasking and the programming style (I have programming experience and would like to be able to create medical apps on my smartphone), so I really hope it is a good choice for medicine.
Hi Radu. The Palm Pre or Palm Pre Plus is more than capable of being a good smartphone for doctors.
Epocrates for WebOS is already available as are software like Lexi-comp and Pepid. In fact you can browse the ever expanding WebOS app catalog in MyAppBox.com, and you can take a look at their Health and Fitness category which includes medical apps.
If you are looking for a good multi-tasking experience (WebOS with Cards and smooth multi-tasking is the best out there), with easy programming using Javascript, HTML and CSS with the SDK, then I think WebOS is ideal for you. Ares is turning out to be a great web based programming tool as the SDK combines with a very easy to use drag-and-drop web based interface. Palm has also released the PDK for experienced C++ programmers and in the near future we should be able to have hybrid SDK/PDK capability.
The future for Palm, especially with HP behind it (promising to “double down” on WebOS) is bright. Other readers of this blog seem to think so too, going by this poll.
I am a new medical school graduate and a long time Palm user/lover. I formerly was a Palm fan blog contributor.
I agree with much of what was said above. Palm Pre is an innovative product. Web OS is a fantastic mobile operating system. Multitasking is best-in-class. And it’s relatively easy to develop for Web OS.
However, I would NOT recommend the Palm Pre as the medical PDA/smart phone device of choice right now, especially for first time PDA/smart phone users.
Despite how much I loved my past Palm devices and want to love the Palm Pre, the reality is that the POTENTIAL USEFULNESS of the Palm Pre/Web OS for medical professions does not matched its current ACTUAL USEFULNESS. I can agree with the non-medical PDA side of things — Web OS is great for contact management, multitasking, calendaring, web browsing, general use apps, etc. However, the original poster asked specifically about software.
The sad reality is that, despite Palm’s former reign as the default standard for medical professionals, particularly for medical app availability, that position has been taken by Apple iPhone/iPod Touch for the last 5 years. No other platform can match the iPhone with regards to medical software. Currently, mobile app developers develop first for Apple iPhone, THEN everyone else (Android, Blackberry, Windows, Symbian, and THEN Palm Web OS). Even Epocrates, the most widely used medical app and long time Palm favorite, is still in Beta status for Web OS. The Palm Pre was released almost a year ago, and Epocrates is still in Beta status?
What about compatibility with older Palm OS medical software? It’s true that the now defunct Palm OS had a very large medical software universe, and that these apps can be run in Web OS. But the reality is that they have to be run in MotionApp’s Classic, a $30 3rd party emulator, and you are stuck with software that was designed for a defunct operating system with tiny buttons optimized for use with a stylus. While Classic is a fantastic tool for legacy software, it is not the best solution for the new medical smartphone user. Besides, many of the free Palm OS apps have newer versions designed for modern mobile operating systems, or their functions can be replicated on websites accessible on any modern smartphone with a data plan.
While I loved all of my previous (and current) Palm devices and am nostalgic for its former days of glory, I cannot in good conscience recommend Palm Pre/Web OS for new medical palm adopters. The current best-of-class and standard setter is Apple iPhone, which will be my next device. No other device comes close in terms of medical app availability. The only other iPhone alternative I could recommend is a Google Android device, which also suffers from a smaller medical app universe but has the attention and support of multiple manufacturers and developers. Android is currently the only other platform that has the potential to knock Apple off its medical app throne. Palm still has the potential to make a big splash in this area, particularly after it’s integrated into HP’s mobile strategy. The story may be different in 2011. But right now, in 2010, Palm Pre/Web OS is simply not the best choice for medical professionals requiring medical apps.
Respectfully submitted,
WL
Hi WL,
While the iPhone may be “king of the hill” at the moment, I would like to counter some points you made.
60% of PDA phone usage relates to PIM particularly contact and calendar management and WebOS’ Synergy (eg integrating your contacts from Outlook/Google/Facebook/LinkedIn; multiple calendar integration) makes it much better than the iPhone. The universal Inbox, push email, notifications and excellent multitasking make WebOS a far better experience in day to day tasks than the iPhone.
While iPhone OS 4 claims to have some measure of multi-tasking (we’ll see when Apple finally releases this) the WebOS cards and smooth multitasking is still way ahead of the pack. I don’t like the Android interface. It is clunky compared with WebOS.
What Apple has is a huge App Store. BUT, seriously do you want 100,000 apps in your phone? Most will run perhaps 20-30 most needed apps. As for medical people that means a good drug reference and some apps for your specialty. WebOS already has the core apps like Epocrates and Lexi-comp. More will be ported with time but Classic is there as what I see as a bridging measure. You can run the legacy
PalmOS apps if you choose in Classic and there are some 20,000 of those including great medical ones until some WebOS equivalent is available. Given the relative ease of WebOS SDK programming and now that the PDK is out, I expect the WebOS apps to snowball. I think a very large app store like iPhone’s in itself can be a deterrent for developers trying to “break in” to the market.
I would suggest ultimately users TRY OUT the devices for themselves.
Eventually get what suits you. But I disagree that WebOS is not the best choice. It’s the best overall choice.
I think one should ask her/himself what are those medical apps that he/she cannot live without. If there are something he/she really need and can’t live without, can’t practice medicine as it was anymore, then he/she should not buy the Palm Pre just yet. Not until the apps are there.
Otherwise, WebOS has lots of potential and the user experience is totally wonderful. I myself has no programming background but am now learning to crate something I may like to use at work.
As for Epocrates, the version I have in my Palm Pre is ver3.9, not a beta.
Just my 2 cents.