Palm Pre

The Palm Pre went on sale in the U.S. on June 6, 2009. I was a first-day purchaser.
Did you know that Smart-phones have been around for awhile now? Since 1993, according to WikiPedia. My first smart-phone was a Palm Treo 650, then at Palm 755p, and now the Palm Pre. OK, maybe there’s a bit of brand loyalty bias, but not as much as you think.

No, the first smart-phone was not the iPhone. It was just the first smart-phone that was marketed properly. Here’s one of the first commercials for the iPhone.

Truth be told, my Palm 650 (and most smart-phones) could do most of what was in the commercial, except maybe the GPS trick. The first commercial demonstrated what most of us with a smart-phone already knew – a smart-phone becomes a 2nd brain! The iPhone is a great phone. In fact, there are several good choices in the marketplace today.

So why did I choose the Palm Pre? Several reasons.
1.) Palm webOS: I think this is a promising OS because anyone who knows CSS, HTML and XML will be able to develop for this new OS without having to learn any new programming languages.

2.) Synergy: This technology combines e-mail, contact, calendar, and messaging. I have e-mail accounts with google, mac.com, aol, comcast, yahoo, hotmail…, well you get the idea. All the inboxes can be accessed in one folder. Contacts: if you have different information in your various accounts, it all show up in one contact on the Pre — assuming the name is the same.

3.) Multi-tasking: My co-workers know I always have many windows (applications) open on my work desktop. It’s called “Windows” you know… On the Pre, you can have multiple applications open and easily change between them with a flick of your finger. Here’s a demo.

4.) Full QWERTY keyboard: I like having a tactile touch to the keyboard. Some people complain that the keyboard is too small. Well, it’s smaller than the Treo 755p, but you get comfortable with it in time. Do you want a bigger phone? Sure you could have it slide sideways, but that has other limitations. Get over it. Life is a series of compromises.

5.) Size: Not a big part of my buying decision, but I benefit I enjoy now. Because the Pre is a slider, you can have a small phone in your pocket or purse.

6.) WiFi: Great around the home and other places – even the local grocery store.

7.) Sync with iTunes: The Palm folks piggybacked on the popularity of iTunes. You mean I can sync with my iTunes library?

What have I learned since my purchase?
webOS: The operating system is rock solid. Just like the early iPhone users, Palm Pre owners are waiting for more applications. At this publication, they are starting to be released. There are applications through the Palm app store, and homebrew apps available here.

sync: Sure, there is software to do a hardwire sync, but with a phone so connected to the Internet, you’ll need to see what’s best for you. Here’s an application for a hardwire (or WiFi) sync.
My thought was to use the easiest, least software intensive way to merge data. I have a .mac account, and a google account. I personally think that using Google contact and calendar and allowing the Pre to wirelessly sync works better. My advice is to cut the cord and use a Google account. I use Spanning Sync to keep my Google account in sync with Apple AddressBook and iCal.

Keyboard: It is small, but you’ll get comfortable with it.

Battery life: Depends on how you use the phone. Basically, you have a computer in the palm of your hand. What do you expect? If you listen to a podcast to/from work, have it check e-mail every 30- 60 minutes, search the web a handful of times and receive a few calls, you’ll get a days use before you have to charge. If you’re coming from a smart phone you’ll understand. If you’re coming from a phone, you should have a charger at work. In my opinion, you should always have on in the car. What if there’s an emergency and your battery is dead? Have a car charger regardless of the phone you have.

e-mail: I find it easier to check e-mail on the phone than on my compter!

build quality: Could be better, but it’s not poor. There is a little flex in the slider.

Touchstone charger: Seemed like an extravagance when I bought it. But it makes perfect sense. Why should I have to plug in my phone. Why can it work like by toothbrush?

Apps: Just like when the iPhone launched with a new OS, it took time for the apps to roll out. I consider myself a power-user when it comes to the smart-phone, so miss some of the applications I used with my Treo. However, if you just use the phone for contact information and normal personal information management, you’ll be fine.

overall: The Palm Pre is my 2nd brain. The OS is very stable. I really like Synergy it makes checking my schedule, contacts, events, and e-mail surprisingly easy. WiFi and Bluetooth work well. Battery life is about the same as my Treo 650 and 755p.

In subsequent posts, all address applications and accessories that I have found and use.

-Remember, technology is your friend!
John (aka “Founding Geek”)