Palm is releasing the software developer kit for WebOS 2.0 to a limited group of developers starting today. Today, the company is spilling the beans on some of the new features you’ll find int he SDK, which build on the things that makes the WebOS mobile operating system special.

There’s a Stacks feature, that builds on the “cards” feature WebOS uses for multitasking. Previously you could flip through “cards” showing which apps were running, and you could close an app by flicking its card up the screen. The new Stacks lets you create piles or groups of related apps on your home screen.

It’s not quite as simple as the folders option offered by other mobile operating systems, because stacks work with running apps, not just icons that you use to launch apps. For instance, if you click a link in an email message and it opens a browser window, then the cards for your email and browser apps will be stacked.

The Universal Search function has been renamed as “Just Type,” and the API is available for developers to incorporate with their apps.

Other updates include improved support for HTML5 and Javascript, and a new feature that lets developers code apps to work with the Touchstone charger. For instance, you can create an alarm clock or weather app that will only open when the phone is docked.

Palm is also opening up its “Synergy” service to developers, Synergy is the feature that lets WebOS pull in information from services including Gmail, Yahoo, AOL, Facebook, Exchange, and other services. Now developers will be able to add their own services to the mix.

WebOS 2.0 is expected to launch later this year. You can read more about the new features at the Palm Developer site.

via PreCentral and Engadget.

Brad Linder

Brad Linder is editor of Liliputing and Mobiputing. He's been tinkering with mobile tech for decades and writing about it since...

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