Nokia exacerbates Palm state by hiring design VP

Nokia has landed a coup for its fledgling MeeGo OS as a LinkedIn profile confirmed that it had recruited Palm's Peter Skillman into a specific role. Previously a design-related executive at Handspring and Palm for about 11 years, the new convert was already known to have jumped ship but now has confirmed himself as the VP of MeeGo User Experience and Services. He was best known for designing the Palm Pre but will now be focused primarily on the software, likely shaping the initial experiences of the N9 and other first-wave MeeGo devices.

Skillman's exit was one of highest-profile departures from Palm in the wake of a completed buyout by HP. Most other defections have seen senior Palm team members move directly to competitors. Interface architect Matias Duarte left for Google to work on Android, while webOS interface crafter Rich Dellinger returned to Apple to support the iPhone.

MeeGo has yet to reach a shipping device and, though jointly developed with Intel, may have a Nokia-customized interface optimized for smartphone-sized hardware. Apart from running on a Linux foundation, MeeGo will use Intel's AppUp store for downloads and should support many modern smartphone features, like multi-touch. [via Engadget]

By Electronista Staff