Switching to Pre

Jouster · 03/14/2011, 07:32 PM

Hello,

Forgive what may seem like a silly question. I don't know a whole lot about the Pre, but I like what I see. I have a first gen iPhone (!) on AT&T. My neighbor has a Pre but does not like it and will probably switch to Android soon. He is happy to give the Pre to me. As far as I know it's a first gen Pre - what y'all refer to as a Pre -, I think.

So, my question is: can I just pop the SIM card into the Pre from my iPhone and keep my AT&T connection going? I don't love AT&T but I don't hate them either. I'd rather wait until the Pre 3 comes out before switching to a new contract (assuming Sprint is still a carrier). By that time I'dow if WebOS was for me.

If I can't do that, I guess I can't try a Pre. A new SIM would mean a new contract, right? And changing my number is not an option.

Thanks for your help!

speedskate · 03/14/2011, 07:43 PM

If it's a Pre minus, then you'll have to switch to Sprint to use it. Sprint doesn't use SIM cards, but you can probably sign up for an account there without getting a contract if you are bringing in your own phone.

twisteddan · 03/14/2011, 07:45 PM

I've never heard of that.
You must have a contract to switch to any carrier....(as far as I know)

sorli · 03/14/2011, 07:48 PM

Yes I also don't remember ATT having first generation Pre-....but then I could be wrong.

For that matter, it could be a GSM phone from Canada or Europe and it may work on ATT, but again I don't know.

Either way, I'd pull the battery and see if your unit has a SIM slot and if yes it may just support your iphone SIM card. Either way, welcome and hope you like your new/old Pre...I'm also looking forward to a Pre 3. Sorli...

Jouster · 03/14/2011, 08:16 PM

Thanks all - so if it's a Pre minus, I have to use Sprint. And I don't think they do a prepaid plan. Oh well. He bought it here - Connecticut - so I doubt it's a GSM.

So...if I were t pick up a Pre+ or Pre 2 on ebay, I could use my SIM card? I just want to give it a try before signing a contract (which would wait till the 3 anyway).

NickVTPre · 03/14/2011, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jouster

Thanks all - so if it's a Pre minus, I have to use Sprint. And I don't think they do a prepaid plan. Oh well. He bought it here - Connecticut - so I doubt it's a GSM.

So...if I were t pick up a Pre+ or Pre 2 on ebay, I could use my SIM card? I just want to give it a try before signing a contract (which would wait till the 3 anyway).

The Pre2 does come in GSM version, as does the Pre+. You'll find a Pre+ for much cheaper than the Pre2 off contract. I would suggest going for the Pre+. I have the Verizon version and am very happy with it. The Pre2 is a much better phone though, if you don't mind shelling out the cash for it.

Jouster · 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickVTPre

The Pre2 does come in GSM version, as does the Pre+. You'll find a Pre+ for much cheaper than the Pre2 off contract. I would suggest going for the Pre+. I have the Verizon version and am very happy with it. The Pre2 is a much better phone though, if you don't mind shelling out the cash for it.

Thanks - I think that'll work. It makes sense too. I'll pick up a Pre+ for less and see how I like it. That way, no contract needed and I don't mind shelling out for the Pre 3 when it's released. (Hmmm...kinda like the Veer too. I've always been a fan of small phones....)

Edit: sorry - one more question. Is it just a matter of popping the SIM into the Pre? Interestingly, that doesn't work with the iPhone. I tried with a friend's and it was rejected.

Edit2: lol - the first one I looked at on ebay is located 2 miles from where I live!

Jouster · 03/21/2011, 04:25 PM

Ok, well, my neighbor didn't want to let go of his Pre (since his company bought it, which is fair!) but I really wanted to try WebOS. So I got a Pixi cheap. It's for Verizon. I don't have a Verizon contract so I am going to activate it on PAYG and see how it goes. I now have to address a bunch of other questions:

How does it work with a Mac?
How do I buy apps with PAYG?
How do I manage podcasts?
How do I import my Exchange contacts? My Gmail contacts?
How do I get import my iTunes stuff?

Should be fun!

zealster · 03/21/2011, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jouster

Ok, well, my neighbor didn't want to let go of his Pre (since his company bought it, which is fair!) but I really wanted to try WebOS. So I got a Pixi cheap. It's for Verizon. I don't have a Verizon contract so I am going to activate it on PAYG and see how it goes. I now have to address a bunch of other questions:

How does it work with a Mac?
How do I buy apps with PAYG?
How do I manage podcasts?
How do I import my Exchange contacts? My Gmail contacts?
How do I get import my iTunes stuff?

Should be fun!

I'm not a Mac person, so I'll leave that question to someone else!

Buying apps is paid for via your Palm Profile. It links your debit card to your Palm Profile so it goes through Palm rather than your wireless carrier.

There are a few podcast management apps out there. drPodder is apparently the best, but I'm not a podcast person so I'll stay out of the line of fire for best podcast app.

Exchange contacts can be a little tricky to add, but you should just be able to add your exchange account and it'll sync the rest (if you want calendar, events, contacts, ect). You may have to find out your pod# (for example, I had to input pod51000.outlook.com as my domain to add my exchange contacts. Gmail is straight up added via the cloud. It'll pull them down save them on your phone and sync them when changes are made. Of course that's the same with Exchange contacts, but the settings are a little buggy.

For the last question, as far as I know, iTunes syncing is not supported. I'm not 100% sure, but I think Palm and Apple had a falling out around the first time the Pre was released and they never fixed the iTunes sync.

lore927 · 03/21/2011, 06:57 PM

forget about the Palm Pre, your life will be better... :-(

Jouster · 03/21/2011, 07:29 PM

Well, it's fun to learn....and cheap to start. I got the phone for $29 and bought $10 of credit from Kitty Wireless.

pho_dog · 03/21/2011, 07:29 PM

I picked up one of the cheap pixis too. For mac music syncing check out double twist, create a pixi playlist in itunes then mount pixi as usb, fire up dt and sync. I have it but frankly haven't done much, using too much Pandora and drPodder.

Jouster · 03/21/2011, 07:47 PM

I learned the OS in about ten minutes. What a terrific job Palm did. Switching between apps is the best implementation I've seen on *any* handheld device.

I like my iPhone and find my wife's Droid horrible. But this is a delight to use so far.

innocentbystander · 03/21/2011, 09:07 PM

Hey, I use a Pre + with my Mac. If you want to use iTunes with it, you can use either Salling Media Sync (the free version will do just fine):
Salling Software - Salling Media Sync for Mac
Or you could use iTMW, which had trouble syncing artwork when I used it, so I recommend the other one.
iTuneMyWalkman

Jouster · 03/23/2011, 11:15 AM

Well, I knew I was going to do it: I tried to swipe up from my non-existent gesture area on my iPhone....

03/14/2011, 07:32 PM	#1 (permalink)
Jouster Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 14 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Switching to Pre Hello, Forgive what may seem like a silly question. I don't know a whole lot about the Pre, but I like what I see. I have a first gen iPhone (!) on AT&T. My neighbor has a Pre but does not like it and will probably switch to Android soon. He is happy to give the Pre to me. As far as I know it's a first gen Pre - what y'all refer to as a Pre -, I think. So, my question is: can I just pop the SIM card into the Pre from my iPhone and keep my AT&T connection going? I don't love AT&T but I don't hate them either. I'd rather wait until the Pre 3 comes out before switching to a new contract (assuming Sprint is still a carrier). By that time I'dow if WebOS was for me. If I can't do that, I guess I can't try a Pre. A new SIM would mean a new contract, right? And changing my number is not an option. Thanks for your help!
	Liked by

03/14/2011, 07:43 PM	#2 (permalink)
speedskate Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 31 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 12 Thanked 5 Times in 4 Posts	If it's a Pre minus, then you'll have to switch to Sprint to use it. Sprint doesn't use SIM cards, but you can probably sign up for an account there without getting a contract if you are bringing in your own phone.
	Liked by

03/14/2011, 07:45 PM	#3 (permalink)
twisteddan Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 5 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I've never heard of that. You must have a contract to switch to any carrier....(as far as I know)
	Liked by

03/14/2011, 07:48 PM	#4 (permalink)
sorli Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1,368 Likes Received: 57 Thanks: 585 Thanked 112 Times in 97 Posts	Yes I also don't remember ATT having first generation Pre-....but then I could be wrong. For that matter, it could be a GSM phone from Canada or Europe and it may work on ATT, but again I don't know. Either way, I'd pull the battery and see if your unit has a SIM slot and if yes it may just support your iphone SIM card. Either way, welcome and hope you like your new/old Pre...I'm also looking forward to a Pre 3. Sorli...
	Liked by

03/14/2011, 08:16 PM	#5 (permalink)
Jouster Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 14 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thanks all - so if it's a Pre minus, I have to use Sprint. And I don't think they do a prepaid plan. Oh well. He bought it here - Connecticut - so I doubt it's a GSM. So...if I were t pick up a Pre+ or Pre 2 on ebay, I could use my SIM card? I just want to give it a try before signing a contract (which would wait till the 3 anyway).
	Liked by

03/21/2011, 04:25 PM	#8 (permalink)
Jouster Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 14 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Ok, well, my neighbor didn't want to let go of his Pre (since his company bought it, which is fair!) but I really wanted to try WebOS. So I got a Pixi cheap. It's for Verizon. I don't have a Verizon contract so I am going to activate it on PAYG and see how it goes. I now have to address a bunch of other questions: How does it work with a Mac? How do I buy apps with PAYG? How do I manage podcasts? How do I import my Exchange contacts? My Gmail contacts? How do I get import my iTunes stuff? Should be fun!
	Liked by

03/21/2011, 06:57 PM	#10 (permalink)
lore927 Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 9 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 5 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	forget about the Palm Pre, your life will be better... :-(
	Liked by

03/21/2011, 07:29 PM	#11 (permalink)
Jouster Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 14 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Well, it's fun to learn....and cheap to start. I got the phone for $29 and bought $10 of credit from Kitty Wireless.
	Liked by

03/21/2011, 07:29 PM	#12 (permalink)
pho_dog Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 23 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 1 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	I picked up one of the cheap pixis too. For mac music syncing check out double twist, create a pixi playlist in itunes then mount pixi as usb, fire up dt and sync. I have it but frankly haven't done much, using too much Pandora and drPodder.
	Liked by

03/21/2011, 07:47 PM	#13 (permalink)
Jouster Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 14 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I learned the OS in about ten minutes. What a terrific job Palm did. Switching between apps is the best implementation I've seen on any handheld device. I like my iPhone and find my wife's Droid horrible. But this is a delight to use so far.
	Liked by

03/21/2011, 09:07 PM	#14 (permalink)
innocentbystander Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 628 Likes Received: 28 Thanks: 96 Thanked 95 Times in 69 Posts	Hey, I use a Pre + with my Mac. If you want to use iTunes with it, you can use either Salling Media Sync (the free version will do just fine): Salling Software - Salling Media Sync for Mac Or you could use iTMW, which had trouble syncing artwork when I used it, so I recommend the other one. iTuneMyWalkman
	Liked by

03/23/2011, 11:15 AM	#15 (permalink)
Jouster Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 14 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Well, I knew I was going to do it: I tried to swipe up from my non-existent gesture area on my iPhone....
	Liked by

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