Palm’s webOS source code made its way on the Internet last week and since then hackers have been feverishly working to get custom code running on the Pre. It seems like the first things everyone tries on new devices are Doom and NES Emulators. I’m not sure how easy it is to get them running on a Pre, since I don’t have one and cannot try it, but there are directions online for both.
The Doom that is running on the Pre is an open-source Linux clone of the popular first-person shooter. It seems to run pretty well, and there is a video below in case you wanted to check it out yourself. The creator has a very technical write up on his blog, and there is also a Pre Dev Wiki page for it if you want to try it out yourself.
The Nintendo emulator seemed to be a little less optimized, it ran a little slow, see the video below and judge for yourself. Also, I’m not sure about the screen being in portrait mode, all those old games were made for 4:3 television sets, so they’re either squished or cut off on the Pre. There is also a Pre Dev Wiki page for this if you’d like a go at it.
If you have the technical skills this could be a very fun project. You could be the coolest kid on the block with a Pre until they make the Pre as easy to hack as the iPhone. If you try it out I’d love to hear about it.