Steven Troughton-Smith writing on his High Caffeine blog this week describing how easily the Palm Pre is to jailbreak.

The entire UI and all the apps are written in javascript, which in essence means the source code is available for you to modify at will, without recompiling anything.

Hardware is easy to copy, especially when you have a working example to tear apart.  The expense is in designing and testing the hardware not the actual hardware itself.  Early tear down reports are estimating hardware costs in the $140 to $170 range.

Software is much more difficult to copy.  Witness the myriad iPhone copies that have equal and sometimes arguably better (if using a checklist to compare) hardware specifications, such as the Hiphone T32.  Without access to iPhone, software clone makers are relegated to using the aging Microsoft Mobil OS.

Apple’s iPhone OS, Google’s Android OS, and now the Palm Pre differentiate on software and the subsequent usability, not simply bolting on the latest hardware.  It is the concert of software, hardware, and services all working in tandem to produce a truly great usability experience that consumer’s desire.

Google has developed Android OS as an alternative but to date the hardware and software combination’s lack inspiration.  This may change soon with many phones under development.  Google has made the source code for Android OS downloadable with an open source license and customizable.  It certainly has the potential to dominate the phone market the way windows has on the PC side for this reason alone.  It also has the potential to splinter and destroy the user experience.

Palm has made the source code easy to copy and extend, although not licensed to legally do so via open source.  Personally, I’m curious if Pre clones will start showing up with genuine Pre software, able to use the same services such as the Palm App store.

Marvell has introduced an Arm based computer in a wall adapter sized housing for $99 called a Sheevaplug.  The possibilities are endless.  Linuxdevices.com explains it well here.

Dwight Silverman, technology writer for the Houston Cronicle asks if the Window’s to Mac tide is Turning?   Not so much a total loss of direction, but the big surge seems past.

No one thing is responsible, but reading technology pundints daily it is more of a feeling.  A year ago even stalwart Windows writers were bemoaning Vista.  Today they are all trumpeting the features in Windows 7, especially the new “dock”, and giving it a big thumbs up.

Netbook sales are brisk, as for the first time in history yesterdays computers are fast enough, and the low price and hype draws in consumers.

The economy is hurting Apple less than others, but is hitting the total market hard.  With families strapped for cash, or more likely in a savings and pay down the credit card mood, their next computer purchase may just be good enough, and not the Apple they really want.

Dwight, I feel it as well, the tide is still here, but the surge is gone.

Frank Fox at Low End Mac has very telling statistics regarding netbook vs. iPhone internet usage here.