Treo rumors aside, Palm is working on a number of cool things out there in Sunnyvale, California.

Setting the foundation

First off, we have everything but the cocktail napkin that was used to outline Palm’s Linux based operating system that I’ve started calling “Palm OS II” until the real name is announced.  Yes, this new version of Palm OS will have nothing to do with the version of ALP that ACCESS/PalmSource is working on.  I also expect that this new version of Palm OS will also be multitasking, have a real file system, be able to run the thousands of the existing Palm OS Garnet applications, and will have support for multiple wireless radios for use in future Treo smartphones.  As both a fan of Palm and a Palm OS device enthusiast I’m really looking forward to this new version of the Palm OS.  The majority of Palm’s engineers are software engineers.   They are also the company that pioneered the modern handheld market.  This means that they are uniquely positioned to deliver an OS that is up to the task of powering the next generation of exciting mobile solutions.

More power to ya

We also know that Palm has been granted a patent for a screen that can be switch from color mode to black and white mode and back again.  This ability to switch between modes has the potential to extend the already outstanding battery life in future devices from the levels we have today in devices like the Treo 650, Tungsten E2, or the Palm TX.  Think about being able to use your Palm for a full eight to ten hours on a single charge.  Now think about being able to use your Palm for that length of time while doing serious work on it.  Reading email, writing documents in a word processor, reading e-books, listening to audio programs and the latest news headlines.  When you think about it, there are all sorts of things that we use our Palms for that don’t require a color display when you really think about it.  When you have some down time and want to watch a video, surf the web, or play a game, you switch to color mode.  What would you do with all the extra battery life?

Seeing the larger picture

Palm has also received a patent for a folding display.  Think of what you can do with a second display at your disposal.  If you’ve used two monitors on a desktop computer, you already know what I’m talking about.  Think about having SnapperMail running in one display window and Blazer running in another display window.  Or, think about being able to open an e-mail attachment and being able to view it in Documents To Go.  People have been talking about trying to use Palm handhelds and Treos are replacements for laptops, but with a dual display device, that option is becoming more of a reality.

On a side note, micro projectors are being developed that will allow a handheld device like a Palm to have a built-in projector which is not unlike the table top LCD projectors that are used with laptops for presentations everyday.  I’m particularly interested in this technology because two of the biggest complaints that I’ve head over the years about mobile computers is that the display is too small and so is that built-in keyboard.  With projection displays and virtual keyboards, both of those arguments will become a thing of the past.

Muscling up to the bar

The most interesting Palm patent is the one that was spotted over on TreoCentral.com and on the US Patent Office website (link) for an electronic muscle casing for a mobile computer.  This thing sounds amazing.  The possibilities of this invention are mind-boggling.  You’ll have to go read the patent filing.  This casing could allow the device to be changed just be holding it.  It can sense if you are right or left handed.  I wonder if it can change color and brew a fresh cup of joe.

None of these new technologies are guaranteed to show up in devices any time soon, but I sure wish they’d hurry up and get here.  How do you think Palm will implement these technologies and how will they be used?  I’d like to know.