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10/23/2009, 08:24 PM
#1320
 Originally Posted by mattlyons
pathetic or perfect: at the end of the day it is a phone, smart or dumb.
what more can it actually do for a person than serve as such: a phone
It also: lets me take notes during meetings that I can then email to myself to setup projects and assign tasking. It allows me to schedule via the calendar for those taskings to other members, then allows me to assign tasks for myself. It then also allows me to combine all my work and personal contacts so that it operates much like a phone book, I can then utilize Gvoice and keep work and personal life separate, but on the same phone. It also allows me to quickly take pics and send them to friends, and to keep all those messages threaded and available for quick retrieval. It also allows gives me something to do when Im bored waiting at the MVD. It also gives me the ability to surf the internet for a place to find that 'something' I forgot to order online, or that Im not quite sure where to buy it. Im able to listen to my music while out on my motorcycle, while also taking advantage of turn by turn NAV to get where Im going.
I could keep going. I know many phones offer such functionality, but the user experience on this phone is far better than Ive seen on others, and after the learning curve, Ive developed a work flow that helps speed me up, rather than slow me down. This is something that no other device has done for me before.
It would be NICE to have a vid cam function, but its not necessary, I have a dig cam that does this quite well.
It would be NICE to have more native apps, but my core needs are addressed well enough: notes, email, text, picture message, calculators. If I could create and edit MS office docs, that would be huge, and is really the only lacking function for me.
It would be NICE to have additional chat clients, Im sure we will see this sooner rather than later.
It would be NICE to have a compass, but I doubt enough people would even know how to use one these days, so its not really missed.
It would be NICE to have editting functions on the camera, or at least a zoom feature, but Im betting a decent replacement camera app will come to fruition at some point.
Most of the apps dont offer much for a guy like me, I dont game on my phone (not a gamer), I dont twitter, I dont use my phone as a medical reference journal, as a mobile ereader, or as a hockey puck.
I do use facebook, gmail, gvoice, gdocs, and amazon.com. As a result, I can do 95% of what I need to in a day. As I mentioned before, an office docs editor would be great.
Everyone has their uses, a phone isnt 'pathetic' just because its not 100% of what you need. Rather, a person who wants to like a device that doesnt do what they want and as a result bashes it because of the jealousy toward those who find the device more than useful is pathetic.
For those that think Palm is moving too slow: go develop an OS yourself, or go be an engineer for a month. Go learn what it takes to design ANYTHING, then tell me they're moving too slow. They're integrating function from a thousand sources into new code that also functions in a stable and pleasing manner on a device that is compromised for size, battery life, heat dissipation and mechanical tolerance. It takes time to perfect. Apple had far more money invested, most of the hardware figured out already, and far fewer mechanical considerations (no moving parts or keyboard!!). They have had 3 years of huge sales and large engineering resources to fix the device after launch.
Palm on the other hand is far smaller, and has far fewer resources as their product line is very small and limited (phones/pda, not desktop computers, laptops, hardware departments, programmers, etc). They've pushed some major updates rather quickly, and plan to keep up the pace. OTOH, apple's updates seem to be much farther apart. Those that say the updates weren't major: 148mb of code isnt minor :P The udpates have increased the complexity and the function of much of the underlying OS by leaps and bounds it seems.
The Pre is also the first WebOS device, WebOS itself is immature and is on its first generation of release. Once there are a half dozen platforms, half the complaints will likely disappear (keyboard, battery issue, mechanical quality). Right now, the Pre is the only hardware configuration for WebOS. I can imagine that Palm will eventually have what they did with PalmOS: a range of hardware for the value and performance conscious users to address multiple usage patterns.
You think another phone is better? Fine, go get it, no one is stopping you. Those that speak (like me) from experience about development, both mechanically and software, have very valid points about why Palm is moving 'so slow' (which is actually pretty speedy).
Also, to anyone who says Palm is in it for quick cash and will then sell out: you obviously know nothing about a business. The mobile market isnt going to fizzle like real estate. There is a real demand for these devices, and money to be made. Developing one platform, marketing, then selling off would be stupid, unless you're simply an investment firm. Palm is in it to produce an in-demand item with the goal of making money. They will make far more by staying in business for as long as possible, not by reaping a few years of profit and then selling off. Especially given that selling a company usually only yields a return that is equal to the value of assets handed-over. Yes, there is additional value in technology, but once the cost of its development has been captured, that value is decreased and isnt worth as much as people assume when its offered at market.
I for one look forward to the long term fulfillment of the potential of WebOS devices, and the trip there will be even more fun.
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c'mon...
Seriously. I returned my Pre and dont' care for it. But I wouldn't call it pathetic. Subpar, maybe. With the new crop of Android phones and 2.0 looming, it will be intersting to see what Palm can bring to the table in the next 6 months or so. 
