Please bring paid apps to Bell Canada

[Harnoy]

I've decided that since there has been no communication from Palm regarding the paid app catalogue release for Canada, that I'll give them until Apple announces the release of their next iPhone. If there is no information at that point then I will be purchasing an iPhone and sending Palm their Pre back.....(in a somewhat dismantled state )

I really do like the user interface that Palm has developed and overall I quite like the functionality that the phone does have, however I didn't spend all that money just for a phone with a barely functioning PIM system that doesn't sync very gracefully with my computer.....I purchased it with the expectation that useful applications would be arriving...... Those apps are arriving now, just not where I can access them, and Palm is being ignorantly tight lipped about release dates for Canada. All that Palm has to do is release some statement about the current status of the paid app catalogue for Canada, even if it is just along the line of 'It is coming, we are currently working through some issues.....' That type of communication would go a long way in keeping the Canadian customer base content to wait.

[chud311]

k

[xome1983]

I'm not in Canada so I can't say I understand your frustration but honestly sending Palm back a dismantled Pre sends what message? It certainly doesn't say I love the UI and the functionality that it does have but I'd like some paid apps up here. I'd ALMOST be willing to bet parity will come with 1.4, that being said it took apple about a year to have any app store.

[Forever92]

I really don't get the app thing much less PAYing for apps.

[Cringer]

Originally Posted by Forever92

I really don't get the app thing much less PAYing for apps.

I know right? Like, it's like groceries too you know? I mean, like, why would people pay for that stuff when you can just shove it down your pants, and like walk out? One of my neighbors from a few blocks over gave me his car one night too. Didn't leave the keys, but like I knew he wanted me to have it. It's also just like those babies they leave in that room in the hospital. We just grabbed one since no one wanted them, I mean they were just laying in there.

[xome1983]

Originally Posted by Cringer

It's also just like those babies they leave in that room in the hospital. We just grabbed one since no one wanted them, I mean they were just laying in there.

They told me it was the Dingoes!

I really don't get the app thing much less PAYing for apps.

There's no such thing as free apps, even ones you don't pay for cost someone something. Dev time, bug fixing, promotion, etc...

[Forever92]

lol, I guess I had that coming. I wasn't THAT specific... I ment I don't get the apps period. Not needed. There are a few I've bought for my ipod, but I don't have these massive collections like some and some of the apps that come out free or not are just garbage.

[Harnoy]

Originally Posted by xome1983

I'm not in Canada so I can't say I understand your frustration but honestly sending Palm back a dismantled Pre sends what message? It certainly doesn't say I love the UI and the functionality that it does have but I'd like some paid apps up here. I'd ALMOST be willing to bet parity will come with 1.4, that being said it took apple about a year to have any app store.

In the case of Apple's app store, it rolled out across most markets pretty much at the same time. Software licensing agreements across international boundaries are not under the same restrictions as music is. The year wait was not a big deal simply because it was KNOWN that there was going to be some time before the app store rolled out, Apple did not keep that part a secret. The difference in Palm's case is that there appears to be no logical reason for the delay, and that there has been ZERO communication from them on this point.

As to sending back a dismantled Pre.....I think it says that I'm not happy with Palm themselves.....that doesn't change my opinions of the UI......(and it will give me a certain level of satisfaction knowing that they won't just resell it!!!)

As I stated above, I'm willing to wait until Apple releases their next iPhone update, at that point if there has been no announcements from Palm then I will be moving to an iPhone. I paid for what I was lead to believe would be a certain level of functionality beyond that of being a phone.....I have not received that functionality AND I face the added frustration of not knowing IF it will even arrive, that is the main point.....NO COMMUNICATIONS.

I have written, and emailed, requests for information. At this point no return communication. This is not good customer service.

Having said all that, I do hope that you're right about the app catalogue arriving with the 1.4 release.

[Harnoy]

Originally Posted by Cringer

I know right? Like, it's like groceries too you know? I mean, like, why would people pay for that stuff when you can just shove it down your pants, and like walk out? One of my neighbors from a few blocks over gave me his car one night too. Didn't leave the keys, but like I knew he wanted me to have it. It's also just like those babies they leave in that room in the hospital. We just grabbed one since no one wanted them, I mean they were just laying in there.

[xome1983]

Originally Posted by Harnoy

In the case of Apple's app store, it rolled out across most markets pretty much at the same time. Software licensing agreements across international boundaries are not under the same restrictions as music is. The year wait was not a big deal simply because it was KNOWN that there was going to be some time before the app store rolled out, Apple did not keep that part a secret. The difference in Palm's case is that there appears to be no logical reason for the delay, and that there has been ZERO communication from them on this point.

As to sending back a dismantled Pre.....I think it says that I'm not happy with Palm themselves.....that doesn't change my opinions of the UI......(and it will give me a certain level of satisfaction knowing that they won't just resell it!!!)

As I stated above, I'm willing to wait until Apple releases their next iPhone update, at that point if there has been no announcements from Palm then I will be moving to an iPhone. I paid for what I was lead to believe would be a certain level of functionality beyond that of being a phone.....I have not received that functionality AND I face the added frustration of not knowing IF it will even arrive, that is the main point.....NO COMMUNICATIONS.

I have written, and emailed, requests for information. At this point no return communication. This is not good customer service.

Having said all that, I do hope that you're right about the app catalogue arriving with the 1.4 release.

I concede most of your points on Apples app store, but if I remember correctly there wasn't even talk of an App store per say at launch. The Pre does function beyond being just a phone. I just tried to check my email and browse the web on my land line... No dice. I'm sure its frustrating having to wait to play NFS or Let's Golf but let's not mistake that for lack of functionality. The functionality is there it just hasn't been rolled out completely across the globe yet. If Palm doesn't meet your time frame then smash your Pre and send it back no one is stopping you, but threatening to do so on an internet forum (Even one as awesome as this one) will do little to bring paid apps to Canada that much I promise you.

[Harnoy]

Originally Posted by xome1983

I concede most of your points on Apples app store, but if I remember correctly there wasn't even talk of an App store per say at launch. The Pre does function beyond being just a phone. I just tried to check my email and browse the web on my land line... No dice. I'm sure its frustrating having to wait to play NFS or Let's Golf but let's not mistake that for lack of functionality. The functionality is there it just hasn't been rolled out completely across the globe yet. If Palm doesn't meet your time frame then smash your Pre and send it back no one is stopping you, but threatening to do so on an internet forum (Even one as awesome as this one) will do little to bring paid apps to Canada that much I promise you.

Quite correct regarding the Apple app store. You're right, the Pre does function beyond being just a phone....I probably wasn't clear enough on that point....almost all phones these days have got very similar functionality. The smartphone category is supposed to go that extra step and enable the running of applications that do not have much to do with phones or PIMs.

You are right that the functionality does exist now, just not rolled out to all countries. Here again I will state that the frustration comes from the lack of any communications indicating WHEN or even IF it will roll out in Canada.

Not knowing IF it is even going to arrive makes me feel that I have been taken advantage of, having paid out money for a product that will not deliver to its full potential.

Your final point about sending back a smashed (err...dismantled) Pre is unfortunately correct, it probably won't make any difference.....but it just might make it more fun for me.

[stanis3k]

lol canada always gets treated like the ugly stepchild no one likes to acknowledge

sowiiiii

[xome1983]

Originally Posted by Harnoy

Not knowing IF it is even going to arrive makes me feel that I have been taken advantage of, having paid out money for a product that will not deliver to its full potential.

It's not a matter of if but when, to think otherwise is just naivety. When I bought my Pre there were no 3d games though my phone was capable, There were almost no apps (Paid or otherwise) though my phone was capable, and I still can't take a video but my phone is capable. It will deliver to its full potential just apparently not on your time frame and thus you're frustrated, which is understandable. Palm won't reply to you and give you a confirmation that they apparently aren't ready to give to anyone. If you honestly believe they aren't bringing the paid app catalog to Canada then why not just get an iphone now? If you don't actually believe that, then this thread boils down to little more than you complaining about how Palm isn't giving you what you want fast enough does it not?

[Andreas]

Dont know why Palm hold back on launching properly in Canada and Europe, this exclusive launching to certain carriers probably do more harm than good. On the other hand, maybe its better to wait with a huge launch until build quality is better.

[weizen]

as far as i know it has something to do with tax laws. palm is a mostly us based firm. for europe that means we get the full appstore in march. canada don't know

the onl mistake i see as of now, is that the standard option for distribution is us only when you put your app in the appstore, and most of the developers forget to switch that to world wide. thats why germany hast 18x apps as of now not 400+

[dbdoinit]

@harnoy (OP):

Eventually you'll realize that you're wasting your time by putting together detailed reasons for being disappointed and ultimatums to leave Palm.
I've been reading this forum practically every day since i bought this Pre back in June. This was because i was extremely let down by all the missing basics on the Pre, that cell phones have had for years.
The groupies tell us Sprint customers that we had 30 days to return it.
But with the way Palm marketed this as the "iPhone-killing FLAGSHIP SMARTPHONE", who would've though that so much in regards to PIM and customization would still be missing almost a year later?
WE STILL DON'T EVEN HAVE NOTIFICATION NAGS natively implemented by Palm. Volunteer programmers have to work their butt off to give us "tweaks, patches and homebrew" to fill in the HUGE void that Palm left us with.
I was so disappointed in this phone, that after reading this forum since June, i decided in August that i'll join up here so my disappointed voice could be heard.
This is the ONLY forum I have ever joined, and disappointment was the reason (did i mention i was disappointed? ). I've had cell phones since the 90's, and this was the only time i felt compelled to complain publicly.
People will tell you that for the first few months i was here, ALL i did was complain, complain and complain.
Do you think Palm wrote to me and asked me anything, told me anything, did anything about anything i complained about?
You know the answer to that.
So, instead of wasting my energy and time everyday, i decided i will wait until my upgrade is up in June to see if i can do better with what Sprint has at that time.
In the meantime, i like to help other people here with what i could because i can identify with the frustration that this phone can bring.
That being said, i agree 100% with you, that the least they can do is utter a two sentence statement about the delay and prognosis in regards to the situation in Canada.
It's just that one person yelling into a vast open canyon only hears his echos in response to him.
The only thing that gets people moving, is money.

[Mikey47]

Threads like this on here do nothing but set off the rage of users who can't get paid apps. While it may help to assuage the anger build up in the OP, it does nothing else.

Have any of you confronted Palm directly about this? Have they gone public at all with any kind of timeline for this?

I agree, if I were in your boat I would be upset too, but it seems like you are venting in the wrong place.

[dkotoric]

I would assume that paid apps would be available in march as thats when palm said that it will be available in Europe. So expect the same for Canada.

[omahawildcat]

Originally Posted by Forever92

I really don't get the app thing much less PAYing for apps.

Maybe Pres. Obama can redistribute the apps? I mean really, this whole capitalist thing with people making money by spending time, money and knowledge to make something that another person would like to have is just a rediculous concept.

[morrison0880]

Originally Posted by Harnoy

I've decided that since there has been no communication from Palm regarding the paid app catalogue release for Canada, that I'll give them until Apple announces the release of their next iPhone. If there is no information at that point then I will be purchasing an iPhone and sending Palm their Pre back.....(in a somewhat dismantled state )

I really do like the user interface that Palm has developed and overall I quite like the functionality that the phone does have, however I didn't spend all that money just for a phone with a barely functioning PIM system that doesn't sync very gracefully with my computer.....I purchased it with the expectation that useful applications would be arriving...... Those apps are arriving now, just not where I can access them, and Palm is being ignorantly tight lipped about release dates for Canada. All that Palm has to do is release some statement about the current status of the paid app catalogue for Canada, even if it is just along the line of 'It is coming, we are currently working through some issues.....' That type of communication would go a long way in keeping the Canadian customer base content to wait.

Thank you for your update. I eagerly await your next move.