Anyone want to post their experience with the Palm Pre now that it's available? One thing I'm wondering about is how the keyboard works since it's reported to be small.
I tried one out at my local Sprint store yesterday (BTW they were sold out of the Pre at 10:30 am). The keyboard seemed pretty much the same as the Centro to me and I like the feel of the keys better than my 755p keys.
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Originally Posted by LesleyT
I haven't been able to sync outlook yet, as I always used stand alone outlook and a traditional USB sync.
I tried one out at my local Sprint store yesterday (BTW they were sold out of the Pre at 10:30 am). The keyboard seemed pretty much the same as the Centro to me and I like the feel of the keys better than my 755p keys.
Hmm I've never tried those keyboard but what I'm wondering is the space between the keys..as in is it hard to type on or can you immediately intuit that you will get better and better at it the more you use it? Great news on the sync issue..seems like some people are finding that as a problem. Thanks. I'm surprised at the lack of posts about the Pre.
Hmm I've never tried those keyboard but what I'm wondering is the space between the keys..as in is it hard to type on or can you immediately intuit that you will get better and better at it the more you use it? Great news on the sync issue..seems like some people are finding that as a problem. Thanks. I'm surprised at the lack of posts about the Pre.
When I switched from my Samsung SPH-i500 to the Treo 755P, I was worried about how I would like the keyboard and I thought I would miss Grafitti, but I never had a problem. I had downloaded the Grafitti Anywhere program, but I never bothered to install it -- even though I was a pro with Grafitti, the keyboard was much faster, even initially. There's a small learning curve on how to use the function key to get to the special characters like @ and $, etc., but you pick it up pretty fast.
I remember reading somewhere in a forum a discussion of the Centro's keyboard and how it compares to the keyboard on the 755. If I remember correctly, the consensus was the rubbery surface on the Centro (and Pre) keyboard, makes up for its slightly smaller size. If you have really big fingers, it might be an issue, but I also seem to remember someone saying they just use their fingernails since the rubbery keys are so sticky, they get better precision and they don't slide off the key.
When I switched from my Samsung SPH-i500 to the Treo 755p, I was worried about how I would like the keyboard and I thought I would miss Grafitti, but I never had a problem. I had downloaded the Grafitti Anywhere program, but I never bothered to install it -- even though I was a pro with Grafitti, the keyboard was much faster, even initially. There's a small learning curve on how to use the function key to get to the special characters like @ and $, etc., but you pick it up pretty fast.
I remember reading somewhere in a forum a discussion of the Centro's keyboard and how it compares to the keyboard on the 755. If I remember correctly, the consensus was the rubbery surface on the Centro (and Pre) keyboard, makes up for its slightly smaller size. If you have really big fingers, it might be an issue, but I also seem to remember someone saying they just use their fingernails since the rubbery keys are so sticky, they get better precision and they don't slide off the key.
Nice thanks. A few people with big/fat fingers complained at the Samsung i730s qwerty but most people loved it. As someone who has slender piano player type fingers I personally can do around 70 words per minute on it..I'm hoping for the same kind of possible means of doing that on the Pre. I'm going to try to go to a store this week to see if I can play with a real display unit to see what its like. Thanks for the input.
Sorry, no Palm Pre for me! Sprint won't let me use it on my SERO Plan. It's a good plan that I'm not about to give up for the Pre! I'll keep my Treo 755. Palm is going down if the Pre doesn't sell well!
Nice thanks. A few people with big/fat fingers complained at the Samsung i730s qwerty but most people loved it. As someone who has slender piano player type fingers I personally can do around 70 words per minute on it..I'm hoping for the same kind of possible means of doing that on the Pre. I'm going to try to go to a store this week to see if I can play with a real display unit to see what its like. Thanks for the input.
After a few days with my Pre I've found the keyboard to be very usable (a lot more so than I had expected). It's way more comfortable than the Centro and I like the feel of the keys better than the i730 (well in my case the i830, but same keyboard).
Sprint offers a 30 day trial for existing customers?
Yeah there is a 30 day trial whether you are existing or a new customer. FYI...it is probably best that you make up your mind within the first week or so or else you'll end up in billing hell on your next bill...
Yeah there is a 30 day trial whether you are existing or a new customer. FYI...it is probably best that you make up your mind within the first week or so or else you'll end up in billing hell on your next bill...
Yeah, but what DOESN'T have a thirty day trial is my plan. If I switch from my three SEROs to a family data plan, I can't go back!
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After a few days with my Pre I've found the keyboard to be very usable (a lot more so than I had expected). It's way more comfortable than the Centro and I like the feel of the keys better than the i730 (well in my case the i830, but same keyboard).
I would still like the keys to be bigger, but I agree for most part..very usable..I actually typed as fast if not faster on the Pal Pre because the keys aren't bubblish like on the i730/i830, so there's less area you have to cross before you center your finger over a key.
A one time import perhaps. It seems like a damn shame to loose the Palm UI for calendar and contacts. Also I hard sync 4 computers with my Palm data; not sure how that will or will not work. But even if it does, I still hate to loose the Palm PIM, which more than anything has kept me with them (even on the Treo).
Now I mostly use the Blackberry due to work email, but am learning to really hate (vs. just hate) the calendar and address book.
Oh well. Looks like we might stop meeting like this after all!
BB
as a former i500 and Centro owner, i can safely say that i've found the holy grail. you CAN migrate all of your old Palm OS PIM data to the Pre and use them like you used to!!!
it will cost you $30 to purchase the MotionApps Classic for Palm Pre app, but it works. it's kinda trippy (and sweet) too, using the old Palm OS apps on the Pre!
now, there's no way to do a quickie hotsync anymore, but there is a workaround for that...
...it's essentially a manual hotsync -- and more of a backup than a "hotsync", actually. i was able to get new datebook data inputted on Classic on my Pre to my old Centro -- that was the test!
okay, so the only real caveat is that you can't auto-dial someone from Palm OS Contacts on the Pre that should be an obvious technological "drawback", but after you do the initial one-way migrate offered to new Pre users (basically allows you to port your Palm Desktop data one-way to the Pre), you'll have all your old Palm contacts on the Pre's new Contacts and obviously you can dial your contacts directly from then on.
so anyways, you old Palm geezers like myself, have no fear.
me personally, i'm not gonna use the old Contacts app as explained above, but I will forego the new clunky Pre Calendar app (well, EVERYONE'S calendar apps are clunky these days, even iPhone's) and launch Classic to launch good 'ol Datebook as my calendar app.
AWESOME!
i'm happy to help you migrate over, just let me know.
I bought a Pre a little over a week ago in the hopes of replacing my 755p. The screen is beautiful and it is nice having a bigger display. webOS has grown on me in spite of it taking more steps to do virtually everything than what I am used to. The browser is very nice is as is WIFI.
My biggest problem are the built in PIM apps. The calendar is tolerable (just) but very slow. I don't know what they were thinking with the Task app...there is no sorting or searching options or recurring tasks. No alarms on tasks either. The Memo app is also bare bones and none of the apps support private entries. It is very hard to adjust to the Pre after using Datebk along with Pimlical!
I'll give it a little more time but I don't think Palm is going to add all this functionality in anytime soon. I suppose that means I will go back to my 755p or give the BB Tour a whirl.
Hence, not sure what I will do but do know I have time to wait while Pre bugs/shortcomings are fixed.
I bought a Pre a little over a week ago in the hopes of replacing my 755p. The screen is beautiful and it is nice having a bigger display. webOS has grown on me in spite of it taking more steps to do virtually everything than what I am used to. The browser is very nice is as is WIFI.
My biggest problem are the built in PIM apps. The calendar is tolerable (just) but very slow. I don't know what they were thinking with the Task app...there is no sorting or searching options or recurring tasks. No alarms on tasks either. The Memo app is also bare bones and none of the apps support private entries. It is very hard to adjust to the Pre after using Datebk along with Pimlical!
I'll give it a little more time but I don't think Palm is going to add all this functionality in anytime soon. I suppose that means I will go back to my 755p or give the BB Tour a whirl.
Hence, not sure what I will do but do know I have time to wait while Pre bugs/shortcomings are fixed.
All the best to young and old alike.
BlazorBoy
agreed that the built-in PIM apps on the Pre, iPhone, and (insert list of all modern "smartphones" here) are all slow and impractical. Even Google Calendar is slow by the mere fact that you'd have to connect online to get to it, but if it weren't for Classic, I probably would've gone with Google over the built-in Calendar on the Pre.
incidentally, Datebk by Pimlico (sp?) is supposed to be an app that works under emulation in MotionApps Classic (see www.motionapps.com).
for Tasks and Memo, you can still use RFbackup to backup those databases, then grab those database files off the Pre via USB. it's a two-click/tap process in Classic as far as backing up those databases is concerned: open RFbackup app, tap on Restore button, done.
as long as you don't plan to use Palm Desktop that much, you should be alright with Classic.
i didn't use Tasks and Memos that much when I had my old Palm OS, so I'm content just using the slow built-in Pre apps for those, should i need them.
the Pre's built-in Contacts app rocks!!! it has the capability of searching for a contact while you type. way better than the search on my Centro, which was always kinda weird in finding a contact (i never really did figure out the logic behind that).
and as far as Palm supporting old Palm OS, yeah, i think those days are done. they're moving in a new direction and it will be up to companies like MotionApps to find a niche in the platform that Palm is creating.
while scrounging the MotionApps website, i found that they have received a lot of requests for emulating hotsync, so i think you will see that coming soon, but Palm will have really nothing to do with that. it's all MotionApps. until then, the RFbackup workaround removes my fear of not having a backup somewhere for my Datebook (again, running in emulation mode via the Classic app) on the Pre.
big picture-wise, honestly, i think the old Palm company (Handspring founders or what have you) exploited a niche built around ultra-strong PIM apps that you and I still love and require to function daily, but they couldn't take it mainstream. So now, a smartphone is no longer all about PIM.
seriously, i couldn't be happier with my Pre and Classic running good 'ol Datebook!
btw, i got the touchstone too (heck, it was 20% off both accessories if i got the car charger, so i bit) and it's sitting to the right of my laptop as i write this. it's angled at a way so that you can read the Pre in either portrait or landscape mode. it TOTALLY reminds me of when the Palm Pilot first came out -- actually when the Palm V first came out -- with the holster and the stylus holder that lit up green when you put it there. except now, it's my frickin PHONE too! again: AWESOME!!!
might be time to finally switch from i500 - but I use datbook all the time on my laptop - much more than phone - is this a problem? In other words, when I update desktop calendar (datebook) - can I transfer somehow to Pre with the updates? you may have covered this - but I get lost in all the new techno words - been using Palm too long - and the i500 (2003 technology)
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stevedrummer
"A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort."
- Herm Albright
might be time to finally switch from i500 - but I use datbook all the time on my laptop - much more than phone - is this a problem? In other words, when I update desktop calendar (datebook) - can I transfer somehow to Pre with the updates? you may have covered this - but I get lost in all the new techno words - been using Palm too long - and the i500 (2003 technology)
been really swamped with work here lately, but the short answer is, yeah, you might have a problem if you need to use datebook on your laptop all the time.
when i come up to breathe again, i'll try to answer in more detail.
might be time to finally switch from i500 - but I use datbook all the time on my laptop - much more than phone - is this a problem? In other words, when I update desktop calendar (datebook) - can I transfer somehow to Pre with the updates? you may have covered this - but I get lost in all the new techno words - been using Palm too long - and the i500 (2003 technology)
Hey Steve,
We are in the same boat (although I paddle mine with a Treo rather than my beloved I500 these days). I use the calendar and phonebook on four computers and keep them synced by hard syncs via the Treo. Changes may be entered on any one of them or from the phone. I use the phonebook to place calls from my computer (w/o dialing) and, of course, from the phone.
While I too do not follow all the new lingo, it does not look like there is (yet) an easy solution for our usage. Give it a year or so and things might work out. ss has some work-arounds but they do not seem to really do the trick. By the time you will feel comfortable switching, maybe you will no longer be able to see the keys!!
As a former devoted i500 user, I find my Pre to be a very poor substitute in terms of calendar and contacts. I love it for its screen, its access to the web and to email. I have thus far found Classic to be totally useless. Hardly any of my old Palm programs will work in Classic... or, even if they would work, the lack of the four dedicated Palm buttons means I cannot properly control the program.
I used to sync my i500 with two desktops and a laptop. Now I use the Missing Sync to sync with my single desktop (I no longer use the other). It is impractical to try to sync with the laptop... the Missing Sync software has to be married to a particular CPU to use it.
There are other programs (busy sync and address-o-sync) which will sync two computers with one another, but I find them awkward and undependable... no substitute for the old Hotsync capability.
Does this mean with Missing Sync - that I can sync with one computer? (I use my laptop all the time) - if so, that is OK with me. And is it a 2-way sync?
Only really need the calendar and address book to sync - I can live w/o the other stuff.
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stevedrummer
"A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort."
- Herm Albright
BB:
By the way - going to Cambridge a lot this summer - and signal strength OK with the i500 - also email works OK also - just no browsing.
Steve
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stevedrummer
"A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort."
- Herm Albright
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