[tangible]

Sometimes when I'm waiting for a call that I can't afford to miss, I would like my Treo to be a little less smart. I've got two email programs (Sprint BC, and Chatter) plus who-knows-what else periodically accessing the Internet and therefore forcing new incoming calls to voicemail. What can I do to make these programs, and all others, just be quiet on demand for a while so I can get my calls reliably? I understand I can do this by tweaking a bunch of options in each program; I'm looking for a global switch.

[t2gungho]

Hmm...well with chatter you can just hit menu-->Q for quit.

[bklech]

Preferences -> Network -> Disconnect

[Chillin_]

Sometimes when I'm waiting for a call that I can't afford to miss, I would like my Treo to be a little less smart. I've got two email programs (Sprint BC, and Chatter) plus who-knows-what else periodically accessing the Internet and therefore forcing new incoming calls to voicemail. What can I do to make these programs, and all others, just be quiet on demand for a while so I can get my calls reliably? I understand I can do this by tweaking a bunch of options in each program; I'm looking for a global switch.

Switch to GSM.

[gregorypierce]

Yeah, I was wondering about that because I never have this problem on my GSM Treo.

[tangible]

Thanks for the responses. Unfortunately none of them address my problem because:

1) WRT the Chatter Quit command: As I said, I I know there are specific commands I can issue in each program. I'm looking for something global. By analogy, think of the hard switch at the top of the Treo that turns off all sound, irrespective of its source.

2. Preferences -> Network -> Disconnect causes my Treo to disconnect, and the reconnect a few seconds later. This is probably because of some option I set (or allowed to default) in one or more of my applications. I could hunt it down, but see (1) above.

3. There are no GSM carriers with coverage where I need it. I'm pretty much stuck with Verizon and/or Sprint.

In summary, I want a "button" - hard or soft - that tells the Treo to disconnect and stay disconnected until I tell it otherwise.

[nrosser]

the problem with a global 'discoonect me & stay disconnected until I say otherwise' type command is that SO many of the functions & applications of the device (email, instant messaging, browsing, eyc) really are maximized for a connection setup process that's there all the time. Let's take Chatter as an example - it's going to run its routines and such, thinking it can easily grab the data channel and do its thing. If it can't grab the data side, over and over, I bet that program (or any other, for that matter) will end up having issues. Kind of like a fish out of water - it can make it for a while, but eventually....no good.
That's my thought.

[meyerweb]

Can we PLEASE put the GSM "can receive calls while connected" myth to rest. NEITHER the GSM* nor CDMA Treo can receive calls while a data connection is actively downloading data. BOTH can receive calls with an active data connection, as long as no data is actively being transferred.

The only difference is that the GSM phones keep the data arrows green for a long time after a data transfer ends, giving the illusion that you can receive a call while an active connection exists. The CDMA Treos reset the arrows to gray almost immediately upon a data transfer ending.

Don't believe me? Go to DSLreports, start downloading a big file, and then immediately call your GSM Treo. Bet you $5 you go directly to voice mail.

*Yes, the GSM network is capable of handling a data connection and phone connection simulaneously. But the Treo isn't.

To answer the original question: No. Personally, I don't see what the big deal is about having my email program automatically checking for and downloading mail. I use Snapper, and check mail manually. It really doesn't take that long, and I know for sure that I'll never miss a phone call because Snapper's tying up the connection when I don't want it to.

[Insertion]

Meyer, I'll take the $5 you recieve, and bet you that this myth will not go away.

[jetkins]

Preferences -> Network -> Disconnect causes my Treo to disconnect, and the reconnect a few seconds later. This is probably because of some option I set (or allowed to default) in one or more of my applications. I could hunt it down, but see (1) above.

You don't have to hunt too far. While within the Network Preferences, hit Menu - Options - Preferences (or simply Menu/R) and check the "Ask before connecting to the Internet" box.

[jetkins]

Don't believe me? Go to DSLreports, start downloading a big file, and then immediately call your GSM Treo. Bet you $5 you go directly to voice mail.

I'll take that bet. I just did exactly that - went to DSL Report's speed test and initiated a 600Kb test. When it got to about 100Kb, I called myself from my home phone, and it rang straight to the phone. I also tried it a second time, this time hitting the "Reject" button as it rang, and Blazer picked up right where it had paused when it rang.

Just send the money to the American Red Cross.

[dstrauss]

meyerweb:

WRONG - I'm going to split the prize with jetkins (better still send to ARC).

I did the same thing, at 150k of the 600k download from dslreports, I called my Cingular GSM phone from my office - IT RANG STRAIGHT THROUGH; and when I hung up, it resumed the dslreports test after about a ten second delay. It did, however, effect the test, because my usual 120-140k report showed only an 83k speed - so the interruption did break the test download briefly.

So you are right that we have laid the myth to rest, BECAUSE it's not a myth!

[gadgetluva]

meyerweb:

WRONG - I'm going to split the prize with jetkins (better still send to ARC).

I did the same thing, at 150k of the 600k download from dslreports, I called my Cingular GSM phone from my office - IT RANG STRAIGHT THROUGH; and when I hung up, it resumed the dslreports test after about a ten second delay. It did, however, effect the test, because my usual 120-140k report showed only an 83k speed - so the interruption did break the test download briefly.

So you are right that we have laid the myth to rest, BECAUSE it's not a myth!

I'm just confirming the above. I just tested it, and the call came thru right away. I actually noticed it happening many times before, where my other phones would not.

[Chillin_]

I'm just confirming the above. I just tested it, and the call came thru right away. I actually noticed it happening many times before, where my other phones would not.

I will add my $0.02

I tried it as well, and my Treo rang fine, as always. It ends your data session, and you have to resume it afterwards.

It is not a myth, it is fact. GSM phones in general, and Treo 650s specifically CAN receive a call while actively sending/receiving data. CDMA can NOT.

[Insertion]

I'll take my $5 now.

[gregorypierce]

I just tried it as well and it worked. The blazer session apparently didn't even timeout and after the call was done it finished up what it was doing because I ended up on the results page.

So.... can I have 5 small please? I need to make another donation to Children's hospital.

[ChrisJ]

I also tried it .. It works great on my GSM network.

[Insertion]

I'm gettin' rich here...keep posting your myths!!

[tangible]

Re: While within the Network Preferences, hit Menu - Options - Preferences (or simply Menu/R) and check the "Ask before connecting to the Internet" box.

Thanks, Jetkins, but when I try to do this and then hit the Disconnect button, it says, "To complete this request you must connect to the Internet. OK?". Talk about Catch 22! I'm starting to believe the best approach is to have a separate pda-phone and phone-phone. Like power tools and exercise equipment that converts to do a dozen different things, these converged devices seem not to be best-of-class in any of them, and you waste a lot of time doing transitions from one state to another.

WRT GSM: Don't know much about it, but since I started this thread, I'm imposing a 10% commission on all the $5 payments that are being processed through it.

[SoufSidah09]

meyerweb?