[NM08SRT8]

Not sure if this has been answered but will it be possible to see if you have a waiting notification (a missed call or what not) without opening the phone?
A flashing light/beep or something like that?

It's a slider, not a flip... :P

[Reeves]

Sometimes, I don't realize I missed a call, even though the device is on my hip. It's nice, though, that my 755p flashes to let me know that there was a missed call.

That initial notification is momentary. If you happen to miss it for whatever reason (and there are plenty of reasons) it'd be nice not to have to always turn on the screen to see if you missed something.

I'm only speaking from my usage perspective, but in the two years that I've had first a Centro and then an Instinct S30 - both of which have blinking lights on them - I have NEVER, not once, ever, ever, ever picked up either device because I saw that it was blinking. I did happen to wake up the devices when they were blinking, but I was going to anyway because I wanted to use them for something or other at the time.

And that's why I don't see this as that big a deal. People here are complaining that the battery might not last a power user through the day or that it doesn't have enough storage so they can listen to hours and hours of music and video...but they're also going to be away from the phone regularly long enough on a daily basis so that they need a blinking light to save them from having to press a button to see the lock screens with detailed notifications?

Again...this is just my perspective. I'm not what you'd call a power user, but I get enough Gmail so that there's pretty much a notification waiting for me anytime I turn on the device if I haven't been near it for a little bit.

[west3man]

I'm only speaking from my usage perspective, but in the two years that I've had first a Centro and then an Instinct S30 - both of which have blinking lights on them - I have NEVER, not once, ever, ever, ever picked up either device because I saw that it was blinking. I did happen to wake up the devices when they were blinking, but I was going to anyway because I wanted to use them for something or other at the time.

Wow. Well, if that's your experience, I can imagine why you wouldn't care about the option.

It's happened to me and my lady many times. She'll put her phone down somewhere and I'll happen to walk by and see that it's flashing so we know she missed a call.

And that's why I don't see this as that big a deal. People here are complaining that the battery might not last a power user through the day or that it doesn't have enough storage so they can listen to hours and hours of music and video...but they're also going to be away from the phone regularly long enough on a daily basis so that they need a blinking light to save them from having to press a button to see the lock screens with detailed notifications?

Yes, because it's not an all or nothing deal.

Some days, I use the heck out of my device and hardly have it away from me. Other days, I don't use it as much or I've got the phone on the charger and the streaming podcast on pause, so I don't realize that I've missed a call.

There are plenty of scenarios that occur to me from experience (and some imagination).

Again...this is just my perspective. I'm not what you'd call a power user, but I get enough Gmail so that there's pretty much a notification waiting for me anytime I turn on the device if I haven't been near it for a little bit.

Thanks.

[DeathsArrow]

just hope it doesn't have the idiotic HTC Mogul's "hey, I'm on, so this green light is going to flash every few seconds." it's dang near bright enuff to be a night light. and no, it can't be turned off.

Actually it could be turned off with a handy app called nueLED. First thing I did anytime I reflashed my Mogul.

[moody_WN]

It's a slider, not a flip... :P

Open as in waking it up/open the slider/tapping the screen. But I guess you already knew what I meant?

[Reeves]

Wow. Well, if that's your experience, I can imagine why you wouldn't care about the option.

It's happened to me and my lady many times. She'll put her phone down somewhere and I'll happen to walk by and see that it's flashing so we know she missed a call.

I guess when I put my phone down and move away from it physically, it's because I don't want to be reached or have it on me, and no call or email that comes through is important enough to interrupt whatever I am doing away from the phone...and if it was I would turn at least the screen on ANYWAY when I got back to the phone, regardless of whether there was a blinking light or not. What if you happen to glance at it between flashes and miss it anyway?

Yes, because it's not an all or nothing deal.

Some days, I use the heck out of my device and hardly have it away from me. Other days, I don't use it as much or I've got the phone on the charger and the streaming podcast on pause, so I don't realize that I've missed a call.

There are plenty of scenarios that occur to me from experience (and some imagination).

Yeah, obviously this means something to some people. I've just never seen the point of having a mobile phone you don't keep on you or utilize in a way that calls cannot come through.

[GrantCalibre]

I will sorely miss this when I replace my BB Curve with a Pre. As many other posters have said, it's nice if your phone is silent (no vibrate or noise). It's great that even with peripheral vision the LED can catch my eye, and then I can look at the colour and know if I have a missed call, low battery, or vm/text/email. It even blinks blue when my bluetooth is on to remind me that I'm draining battery life. I hope that Palm or a 3rd party comes up with a way to use the gesture-area's lights as notifications...

[leez]

I'm just speculating here, but I think the Center Button is backlit, and can potentially be used to indicate a message waiting/missed call.

Edit: nevermind. I just searched the user guide at scribd [dot] com/doc/15851822/SG-Pre-UserGuide and found nothing about a backlit center button. would've made perfect sense, though, right??

The center button is DEFINITELY backlit, and we've acknowledged this earlier--the big question is to whether or not we can use that light for some sort of notification.

[STEVESKI07]

I guess when I put my phone down and move away from it physically, it's because I don't want to be reached or have it on me, and no call or email that comes through is important enough to interrupt whatever I am doing away from the phone...and if it was I would turn at least the screen on ANYWAY when I got back to the phone, regardless of whether there was a blinking light or not. What if you happen to glance at it between flashes and miss it anyway?



Yeah, obviously this means something to some people. I've just never seen the point of having a mobile phone you don't keep on you or utilize in a way that calls cannot come through.

I find it really hard to believe that you think a blinking LED is really a pointless feature. When I'm hanging around the house I usually have my phone set down somewhere. What happens if I go out to check the mail and miss a call then? My phone is somewhere visible so if I see it blinking then I'll know to go check it. I don't want to have to wake up the phone every time I walk by it just to check if I missed a message. I have a hard time believing that in this situation, you would wake up your phone at all times to check. Maybe I'm wrong though and this feature really isn't useful to you, but I'm pretty sure that the majority of people disagree with you. This isn't something that will stop me from buying this phone but it is something that will really annoy me.

[Reeves]

I find it really hard to believe that you think a blinking LED is really a pointless feature.

No prob. I'll explain further below.

When I'm hanging around the house I usually have my phone set down somewhere. What happens if I go out to check the mail and miss a call then? My phone is somewhere visible so if I see it blinking then I'll know to go check it. I don't want to have to wake up the phone every time I walk by it just to check if I missed a message. I have a hard time believing that in this situation, you would wake up your phone at all times to check.

As I said, if I want to be reachable on my cell phone, it stays in my pocket. if I don't, it's charging on my dresser or (very occasionally) my desk at work. To me, the whole point of a mobile phone - and especially a smartphone - is NEVER going without a call, or the web, or email unless I specifically want to be unreachable and disconnected. If it's a burden to carry in my pocket, then it's not the phone for me.

I can't stand trying to reach people who have a cell phone but always put it down somewhere or leave it off. Why have it? I could just leave a voicemail on your landline for you to listen to that night, and you could save yourself a monthly bill.

Maybe I'm wrong though and this feature really isn't useful to you, but I'm pretty sure that the majority of people disagree with you. This isn't something that will stop me from buying this phone but it is something that will really annoy me.

Neither you nor I can definitively say where the majority "of people" stand on either side of this issue. I've repeatedly qualified my posts by saying "my perspective." I will, say, however that - unlike the microSD vs. fixed onboard storage issue - I don't care about blinking notifications and wouldn't mind if Palm included it. It's been on my last two phones and I've ignored it completely.

[west3man]

As I said, if I want to be reachable on my cell phone, it stays in my pocket. if I don't, it's charging on my dresser or (very occasionally) my desk at work. To me, the whole point of a mobile phone - and especially a smartphone - is NEVER going without a call, or the web, or email unless I specifically want to be unreachable and disconnected. If it's a burden to carry in my pocket, then it's not the phone for me.

Are you never wearing clothes with no pockets... or no clothes?

I can't stand trying to reach people who have a cell phone but always put it down somewhere or leave it off. Why have it? I could just leave a voicemail on your landline for you to listen to that night, and you could save yourself a monthly bill.

Do you know people with no landline?

I don't have one.

As you say, your experiences are your and mine are mine. I've just gotten the impression that you don't see how or why others would have these experiences or preferences that differ from yours. And, that keeps calling me back just when I think I'm finished.

[STEVESKI07]

As I said, if I want to be reachable on my cell phone, it stays in my pocket. if I don't, it's charging on my dresser or (very occasionally) my desk at work. To me, the whole point of a mobile phone - and especially a smartphone - is NEVER going without a call, or the web, or email unless I specifically want to be unreachable and disconnected. If it's a burden to carry in my pocket, then it's not the phone for me.

I keep my phone in my pocket at all times when possible. The only time I don't is when I'm relaxing around the house and that's because I'm usually wearing mesh shorts or something without pockets. In that case, I usually have the phone within reach. However, I'm not going to pick up my phone and bring it to the bathroom with me or out to check the mail. There are times when you miss phone calls. If there weren't why would we have voicemail? Are you saying that voicemail is pointless also?

I can't stand trying to reach people who have a cell phone but always put it down somewhere or leave it off. Why have it? I could just leave a voicemail on your landline for you to listen to that night, and you could save yourself a monthly bill.

I don't have a landline and neither does anybody I know that is my age. The new post-grad workforce does not get landlines because it is just an extra expense that is not necessary. I don't know a single person that doesn't own a cell phone, so why not just contact them that way? Landlines to me are just a way for telemarketers to reach you.

Neither you nor I can definitively say where the majority "of people" stand on either side of this issue. I've repeatedly qualified my posts by saying "my perspective." I will, say, however that - unlike the microSD vs. fixed onboard storage issue - I don't care about blinking notifications and wouldn't mind if Palm included it. It's been on my last two phones and I've ignored it completely.

You're right, I don't know where the majority of people stand. I can only speak on behalf of everybody I know. Almost everyone I know will leave their cell phone sitting on a table or something when they are at home. Somewhere that is easy to find and easy to reach. Even though it is a small phone, it's more comfortable having nothing in your pocket then something in your pocket. When they leave the house, they take it with them. I cannot speak for everyone else, this is just my experience.


I'm not fighting with you about how you should want this feature. I'm just stating that personally, this is a feature that I definitely would want and to everybody I know, this would be useful.

[Reeves]

Are you never wearing clothes with no pockets... or no clothes?

"No" on the former, and most certainly yes on the latter, but after I finish...whatever it is that I'm doing, I usually whip the phone out not too long after to browse or listen to music in bed.

Do you know people with no landline?

I don't have one.

That I do. Thankfully, they are regularly reachable. I don't expect anybody - myself included - to be surgically attached to their cell. Just be available most times if that is your "mobile" number (and it's not during work hours as people can be stuck in meetings for much of the day).

As you say, your experiences are your and mine are mine. I've just gotten the impression that you don't see how or why others would have these experiences or preferences that differ from yours. And, that keeps calling me back just when I think I'm finished.

No, I totally see why. As I've learned many times on this board, my preferences are unique here.

[meyerweb]

I'm only speaking from my usage perspective, but in the two years that I've had first a Centro and then an Instinct S30 - both of which have blinking lights on them - I have NEVER, not once, ever, ever, ever picked up either device because I saw that it was blinking. I did happen to wake up the devices when they were blinking, but I was going to anyway because I wanted to use them for something or other at the time.

Definitely not my experience. I've noticed on many occasions, in a noisy car for example, the blinking light telling me that I missed a call.

No prob. I'll explain further below.



As I said, if I want to be reachable on my cell phone, it stays in my pocket. if I don't, it's charging on my dresser or (very occasionally) my desk at work. To me, the whole point of a mobile phone - and especially a smartphone - is NEVER going without a call, or the web, or email unless I specifically want to be unreachable and disconnected. If it's a burden to carry in my pocket, then it's not the phone for me.

I can't stand trying to reach people who have a cell phone but always put it down somewhere or leave it off. Why have it? I could just leave a voicemail on your landline for you to listen to that night, and you could save yourself a monthly bill.

Well, I'd say that because someone wants to be instantly available sometimes doesn't mean they want to be instantly available all the time. Nevertheless, I largely agree with you, but even so I sometimes miss calls. The vibrator in the Treo isn't the strongest, and in loud environments it's easy to miss the ringer.

[Reeves]

I keep my phone in my pocket at all times when possible. The only time I don't is when I'm relaxing around the house and that's because I'm usually wearing mesh shorts or something without pockets. In that case, I usually have the phone within reach. However, I'm not going to pick up my phone and bring it to the bathroom with me or out to check the mail. There are times when you miss phone calls. If there weren't why would we have voicemail? Are you saying that voicemail is pointless also?

No. I ignore calls all of the time when I'm in meetings or having dinner with my family or playing with my son. And I when I'm handling hygiene/bodily functions, I'm usually not rocking my phone. I understand there are times when you wouldn't answer your phone or even have it on you.

So there's definitely a point to voicemail and a point to notifications. What I don't - strictly speaking for myself - see a point for is a notification (in the form of a blinking light) OF THE notification.

Maybe we can get a ringtone to alert you to the vibration that will alert you to the blinking light that will alert you that you have even more alerts/notifications waiting on the phone? I jest, but one round of notifications is enough. I don't need to be notified to THEIR existence. Again, just my perspective.

I don't have a landline and neither does anybody I know that is my age. The new post-grad workforce does not get landlines because it is just an extra expense that is not necessary. I don't know a single person that doesn't own a cell phone, so why not just contact them that way? Landlines to me are just a way for telemarketers to reach you.

Actually, I have a lot of friends with iPhones that don't like getting calls at all. I get Gmail, Facebook alerts, and texts from them constantly, and we talk in person. But on the phone....not a lot.

[wynand32]

just hope it doesn't have the idiotic HTC Mogul's "hey, I'm on, so this green light is going to flash every few seconds." it's dang near bright enuff to be a night light. and no, it can't be turned off. Only thing it does is change to orange color when a call is missed or VM, but not email notification.

Hope they do have some sort of indicator for VM and email. Just don't need a flashing night light.

And then there's the Touch Pro's indicator, which is so subtle as to 1) be easily missed and 2) be difficult to tell one status from another.

[west3man]

Happens when I'm traveling, too. I go through some "dry spot" or through "Mayberry" and when I get to civilization (j/k) the phone starts blinking - which is nice.

Not long ago, I was traveling at the same time my mother was (coming from two different states to the same location) and she had car trouble. I ended up going to get her because I had a mobile phone and knew her situation. If I'd missed that call, somehow, it would've been nice if a quiet little reminder tried to notify me.

[eclipxe]

This was actually a deal breaker for me. Sadly there isn't anything in the SDK yet to access anything as low level as the gesture lights.

On the Blackberry I use an app called BBAlerts. You can set custom LED colors (any RGB value and intensity), set the flash speed and have a different color for each email account, im account, missed calls, voicemails, etc, etc. You could even have custom colors for particular people (i.e. my girlfriend's messages would show a pink LED).

It is very useful as I can keep the phone stash away with the screen off and see exactly what is going on. if I have a white led then a pink and then a red I know I have new email, an IM from my girlfriend and a missed call. Easy.

That is the kind of customization I hope the Pre eventually has. It was the same reason I couldn't keep my iPhone for more than a month.

[PrinceAlbert]

Actually it could be turned off with a handy app called nueLED. First thing I did anytime I reflashed my Mogul.

gratz! i had searched for a solution when i first bought the phone, but just got used to it. figures i would find out about a fix just before replacing the mogul.

[hopalee]

I'm only speaking from my usage perspective, but in the two years that I've had first a Centro a

Where is there a blinking light on the Centro? I've had mine for about a year and I had no idea about this; would have really LOVED IT!