Palm’s latest device which is to be released on Sprint, the Palm Centro, is set to be running Access Garnet OS. To some this is great, as it should be familiar to those using just about any of the newer Palm devices. To others though, there are concerns whether this is the normal run of the mill Garnet OS or if its Access Garnet OS on Linux.

There have been reports of a place in the Palm Centro’s software where there is a reference made to Gnome, a popular Linux graphical environment. If it is just the plain old Garnet OS, I for one would be kind of depressed, but the same old line of applications would be included and the same old line of apps would be downloadable on the Centro.

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Pros: It’s familiar, the programming environment likely wouldn’t change and all the old apps that have already been created would work on the Centro.

Cons: It would be the same old OS implemented in yet another device, and the application development would still be stifled by its lack of openness.

Garnet OS on Linux

Pros: The open source community would have another device to attack. They generally don’t just attack and tear down a device, when they attack, they attack with a slew of new applications, games, and other software. That alone would make the Centro’s possibilities limited only by its own hardware, which could be improved upon by open source hardware hacks or accessories developed by hardware hackers. Also, this is a step in direction that Google wanted to go with its open access wireless spectrum, yeah I know its not the first device to run Linux, but every one of them helps.

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