> **One of the key players in creating Palm’s WebOS mobile operating system, a man who designed its non-intrusive notification system, is now Apple’s Senior User Interface Designer.**
>
> Rich Dellinger [worked as](http://www.precentral.net/father-webos-notifications-leaves-apple) the User Interface Design Architect at Palm for nearly 4 years. During his time there, he invented the WebOS notification system and co-developed the application framework used by the operating system found on Palm’s Pre.
>
> Dellinger was also the visual designer, interaction designer and engineer of WebOS, and he created the icon suite for Palm, Sprint and other partner applications.
via [appleinsider.com](http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/10/06/09/designer_of_notification_system_for_palms_webos_hired_by_apple.html)
This is bad for HP and Palm, obviously, but great for Apple. The notification system in WebOS is one of the few things that is undeniably better than Apple’s. No argument. Flat out, 100% better.
I seriously hope a notifications UI overhaul will be a major “Tentpole” of iOS 5 next year. I was a bit disappointed that it didn’t make the cut for iOS 4.
Meanwhile, HP had better start thinking about how to retain its talent from the Palm acquisition. Makes no sense to buy the company for its IP and then let all the top minds go elsewhere.
