[cardfan]

So, with the Android hype, and now realizing I signed a two year contract and got excited over a phone/company when its almost blatantly obvious that Android/Apple will always be a step ahead of WebOS.

I get that the app catalog is still in "Beta", and that with the Pixi a nice update will come. So of course, Palm will continue to expand and improve on WebOS, but I cant see it surpassing either of its competitors. It seems they will always be playing "catch up".

So gimme some hope guys! Did I make a good choice going with Palm? Or should I wait untill the first Sprint phones with Android 2.0 and jump ship?

Keep in mind...im in it for apps, both fun and functional, as well as solid net browsing and social networking.

You signed a contract with a carrier. Not Palm. Feel free to buy an android device and sell the Pre.

[Ecode]

The grass is always greener on the other side when it comes to devices.... then, once you are all settled in the new pasture, 6 months later, the farmer puts down a brand new pasture with a new fence... and the grass is greener again.... and then 6 months alter, another new pasture and so on....

You'll never have the best of everything unless you upgrade your phone every 6 months.

[knobbysideup]

palm just needs to get their sync on par with what I had with my blackberry curve + google sync, and I'd be pretty happy. As it is, I'm quite annoyed that this hyped feature doesn't work reliably at all.

[kmehr]

Do whatever makes you happy.

Palms WebOS and the Pre/Pixi are in its infancy IMO and there will be a lot to come.

For my use I already have an iPhone 3GS and Treo 750 and find myself using the Pre much more as its easier to carry and handle. There is no way I am even thinking about getting the Droid as its even bigger than the iPhone, way to big. I saw a slide show of side by side comparison and the Droid is like a mini netbook when the keyboard is open and forget one handed operation.

Just my .02 but you can get the Droid now then in June there will be another updated iPhone, then in XX there will be another HTX or Samsung and so on.

So, with the Android hype, and now realizing I signed a two year contract and got excited over a phone/company when its almost blatantly obvious that Android/Apple will always be a step ahead of WebOS.

I get that the app catalog is still in "Beta", and that with the Pixi a nice update will come. So of course, Palm will continue to expand and improve on WebOS, but I cant see it surpassing either of its competitors. It seems they will always be playing "catch up".

So gimme some hope guys! Did I make a good choice going with Palm? Or should I wait untill the first Sprint phones with Android 2.0 and jump ship?

Keep in mind...im in it for apps, both fun and functional, as well as solid net browsing and social networking.

I think what leftyman is saying.... is try out the Droid. if it fits you needs then get it. We can only speak for ourselves and what works for me or anyone else may not work for you.

Pros of the Palm Pre`:
1. Smooth interface
2. Multitasking
3. Small, yet functional w/ decent size screen
4. Homebrew
5. Easily modifiable
6. Cheaper plan/pricing
7. Palm is pushing updates rather quickly [I know we would like the update quicker and to solve all our problems, but at least they are available in months rather than years]
8. Battery [can buy extra if you are a poweruser, so that way if you run out of juice then just pop in a new one, or you can buy an extended battery]
9. More apps are coming
10. Vibrant/responsive screen
11. Voice quality is clear and crisp while on the phone
12. Now we can have Visual Voicemail via Google Voice
13. Flash support will be here soon


Cons:
1. Battery will last one day with moderate to normal use
2. Video recording is not available yet
3. less apps than apple or droid
4. No OBDEX [BT file transfer]
5. Virtual KB [we can add this via our patches, yet is not as efficient/functional as the Droid/iPhone]
6. Reception is not as great os my last Sprint Phone but with the latest prl 60656 its a bit better.

other than these points its mainly up to the individual to decide whats best for them. Keep in mind the Pre`, Droid, & iPhone are all great phones. Each will have their strengths and weaknesses.

Good Luck on your decision

[palandri]

The grass is always greener on the other side when it comes to devices.... then, once you are all settled in the new pasture, 6 months later, the farmer puts down a brand new pasture with a new fence... and the grass is greener again.... and then 6 months alter, another new pasture and so on....

You'll never have the best of everything unless you upgrade your phone every 6 months.

Technology changes fast.

[gottria]

I have the Pre, bought the Hero used and I'm going to wait till 2.0 comes out for the Hero. But as of now the WebOS is so smooth compared to the Hero it's not even funny. Half the time I find myself staring at the Hero asking myself "what button am i supposed to hit?" After having the Pre with just one button and using gestures compared to the Hero and 6 buttons and a track ball.

[Dhiraja]

Seriously. The way how to shop for electronics now-a-days is to do some research and get the item you feel you will be comfortable with for atleast a year. Technology changes rapidly. There is no point to follow hype and follow technology, you will be buying every phone that comes out.

The way I see it. The Pre gets the job done. Every phone has a weakness and a strong point. I guess in your prospective you need to get a phone that has a strong point to your liking because it seems as if what you expect out of the Pre is the Pre's weakness (whatever that may be)?

[laestrella]

I have the Pre, bought the Hero used and I'm going to wait till 2.0 comes out for the Hero. But as of now the WebOS is so smooth compared to the Hero it's not even funny. Half the time I find myself staring at the Hero asking myself "what button am i supposed to hit?" After having the Pre with just one button and using gestures compared to the Hero and 6 buttons and a track ball.

i feel the same way. after multitasking and using gestures on the pre other phones just can't compare. i know that the pre has it's flaws: a bit sluggish and it's missing features like video recording, text forwarding, and most of the apps in the app catalog aren't even worth much. but using a hero for about a month showed me that having tons of apps and other features isn't worth anything if using the phone isn't easy and intuitive.

for example, one thing that really annoyed me about using the hero was that i would do a press on the screen to pull up a menu but then i would have to hit a button to dismiss it as opposed to using the screen. i would like the option to use the screen most of the time on a device that is MOSTLY screen. it just seemed like there wasn't much consistency between the hardware and the software. and i think that's where palm stands out and i think it makes a difference.

the pre's interface is also stellar. i didn't realize how much more fluid it was to do things. using android on the hero and the widgets was just a bit much for me. sliding back and forth between the different screens to click on an icon or find a widget was a bit chaotic. a better implementation would be to use a layout more like touch flow 3d on windows mobile or even the sense ui version for winmo that will be shipping with the hd2. everything is organized into panels but those panels are specific and it's easy to remember what is where and it's a little more tidy.

i think android is a good platform but it's not for everyone. i think there is a lot of hype now because they are spreading their wings after a year of growth but i think Palm will do the same. the SDK definitely needs work but Palm has been consistent about updates and is really making a good effort.

oh and another reason why i didn't like the hero/android devices is that the android community is NOTHING compared to the Pre community. one of the first things that I did when i got the hero was checkout all the forums but they were not as lively as this one. Palm Pre users are awesome so I'm staying right here.

[Stihl]

You are doing the internet equivalent of sticking your thumbs in your ears and waving your fingers while sticking your tongue out at me.

Im looking for reasons to stick with Palm. Not trying to insult them.

He's not doing this in the slightest.

When it comes to a phone, you get what suits your needs immediately.

The contract is only 2 years, and the hardware you can literally swap whenever your finances are in order.

A home you have to stay in. A car you have to pay off. A phone? If it ever stops suiting YOUR needs just get a new one. If Sprint ever stops suiting YOUR needs switch carriers.

A coworker 10 years ago was telling me I was stupid for staying on Sprint when the company was about to go out of business. I asked him if he planned to keep his phone for 10 years. I then asked if he even planned to keep his carrier for 10 years. Does he get some sort of 'thanks for sticking around' bonus for loyalty? No, not at all. If Sprint went belly-up tomorrow we would all still be set (they would be purchased by t-mobile of course, which really would not affect us negatively and might give us access to some free hotspots). Palm needs cash but isn't in a situation where it is going anywhere-if the Pixi does well (which, chances are it will being a centro style phone), Palm will be able to capture 15% marketshare within the next few years. Then it is set.

Windows Mobile has had a huge head start on the iPhone. Does that mean the iPhone will never catch up?

It comes down to design philosophy.

For a long time there, WinMo phones were trying to dump a mini computer in your hand. The interfaces were computer style. You can multitask, but on a computer you have a mouse and clickable icons. On the phone you had a stylus and icons hidden in menus.

The slowness even reminded me of running programs on an older computer (it was only very recently that processors were capable of delivering a satisfying phone using experience). Sure, you could run a mapping program on very high end smartphones, but how often could you do it easily? How often would you end up planning your trip around the limits of your phone instead of just going about your day and using your phone as a tool?

WinMo had programs (or apps, as they are all the rage now) on lock for a long while until very VERY recently, despite all of apples claims. Then again, the difference between an app and a program, comes down to design philosophy-a program you run, an app you use, so while apple smartly never compared it's 500/1000/10,000 etc. app catalog entries to windows mobile programs (because they would get destroyed), they sort of didn't need to.

Pick whichever phone suits your needs right now-with a phone you do not need to think about the future nearly as much as other purchases. A home? yeah. A car? Yeah. A videogame console? Especially this past generation, yes. But a phone? Nah.

Adroid devices are nice. I like google's design philosophy, although I find it a bit too laid back when it comes to interface. Their phones seem sort of like the Amazon Kindle to me-great idea, solid interface, but seemingly designed for engineers, and it shows in both the hardware and the software. If it were the 90s, I would be pretty satisfied with this design philosophy. I loved the heft of a phone and the feeling that it was solid. I loved big keyboards and the idea that I had a computer in my pocket.

But it's 2009 and I don't want a mini computer in my pocket that I make calls on. I want a phone.

I've used pretty much every phone, bought stupid amounts of programs for these devices, and have loved and hated different aspects of each. I am not anti-apple and appreciate that the iPhone has really pushed manufacturers out of their comfort zone (and into ANOTHER comfort zone, which is aggravating). So many manufacturers these days are coming out with phones that are essentially marketed as 'their version' of the iPhone, which I don't want either. I'd just get an iPhone if that were the case (once it came to Sprint or Verizon, of course).

I've got a Pre because it's a phone that allows me to do a lot of stuff easily, efficiently, and all at once, and the sort of 'mission statement' of the phone and design philosophy tell you where things are potentially headed. No one knows for sure. No one knows which updates are coming out or when or how efficient they will be. And, honestly, once the heavy hitting stuff comes out in terms of software and proper hardware integration, we may be on the cusp of the Pre 2 anyway.

But the beauty is, much like the situation that affected first generation iPhone owners, things like WebGL, a more robust operating systems platform, complete GPU integration, a solid app catalog filled with more than 'me too' apps, and a fully fleshed out synergy that works FOR you instead of just motoblurring a bunch of information in your face will all make the Pre Original that much more compelling of a device. We probably will be able to skip the Pre 2 like many gen 1 iPhone owners skipped the iPhone 2. Now when it comes to the Pre 3, bring it on.

The Pre started as a 1.0 device which is something that needs to be mentioned less and understood more. We have a homebrew community of rockstars, and I cannot wait to see what they get accomplished once Palm starts creating/releasing more powerful APIs. Everything is sort of new right now, and while that is somewhat aggravating, it is also incredibly exciting. If that sounds like something you can deal with then stick around. We would be happy to have you.

[Stake]

I know this is weird to complain about but I'll state this as a complaint.

I think the lowest backight setting is too bright especially when you're in the dark like at a bar or a restaurant. It makes your eyes hurt and people can clearly see you that you're looking at the phone. You might as well be pointing a flashlight at yourself. I've seen other devices (starts with iP) that can go very dark to the point of being off which makes it much less conspicuous.

I think I understand why it was left higher (backlight control controls keyboard light too) but it should be darker. It would be nice in the near future update to make the brightness even lower than it is now if it's not a hardware dependent feature.

[stonekeeper]

I had read so many good things about the Pre before it launched in canada. I was excited.... was going to get the iPhone but Pre said it woudl do some things that I really liked. I am frustrated with it. It doesn't seem to be a phone for average users. I have to spend a lot of time setting it up, downloading apps to get it to do simple things, even using some features.. the flicking - have to do that a number of times for it to work, anwering a call - supersensitive or have to select many times...blank pages when trying to open something or download... anyway... this is not bash Pre... more disappointed. I know many like it for the development opportunities but as a SamrtPhone device for somene who wants her life in one spot, it is tiring to figure it out.

[max.swell]

He's not doing this in the slightest.

When it comes to a phone, you get what suits your needs immediately.

The contract is only 2 years, and the hardware you can literally swap whenever your finances are in order.

A home you have to stay in. A car you have to pay off. A phone? If it ever stops suiting YOUR needs just get a new one. If Sprint ever stops suiting YOUR needs switch carriers.

A coworker 10 years ago was telling me I was stupid for staying on Sprint when the company was about to go out of business. I asked him if he planned to keep his phone for 10 years. I then asked if he even planned to keep his carrier for 10 years. Does he get some sort of 'thanks for sticking around' bonus for loyalty? No, not at all. If Sprint went belly-up tomorrow we would all still be set (they would be purchased by t-mobile of course, which really would not affect us negatively and might give us access to some free hotspots). Palm needs cash but isn't in a situation where it is going anywhere-if the Pixi does well (which, chances are it will being a centro style phone), Palm will be able to capture 15% marketshare within the next few years. Then it is set.

Windows Mobile has had a huge head start on the iPhone. Does that mean the iPhone will never catch up?

It comes down to design philosophy.

For a long time there, WinMo phones were trying to dump a mini computer in your hand. The interfaces were computer style. You can multitask, but on a computer you have a mouse and clickable icons. On the phone you had a stylus and icons hidden in menus.

The slowness even reminded me of running programs on an older computer (it was only very recently that processors were capable of delivering a satisfying phone using experience). Sure, you could run a mapping program on very high end smartphones, but how often could you do it easily? How often would you end up planning your trip around the limits of your phone instead of just going about your day and using your phone as a tool?

WinMo had programs (or apps, as they are all the rage now) on lock for a long while until very VERY recently, despite all of apples claims. Then again, the difference between an app and a program, comes down to design philosophy-a program you run, an app you use, so while apple smartly never compared it's 500/1000/10,000 etc. app catalog entries to windows mobile programs (because they would get destroyed), they sort of didn't need to.

Pick whichever phone suits your needs right now-with a phone you do not need to think about the future nearly as much as other purchases. A home? yeah. A car? Yeah. A videogame console? Especially this past generation, yes. But a phone? Nah.

Adroid devices are nice. I like google's design philosophy, although I find it a bit too laid back when it comes to interface. Their phones seem sort of like the Amazon Kindle to me-great idea, solid interface, but seemingly designed for engineers, and it shows in both the hardware and the software. If it were the 90s, I would be pretty satisfied with this design philosophy. I loved the heft of a phone and the feeling that it was solid. I loved big keyboards and the idea that I had a computer in my pocket.

But it's 2009 and I don't want a mini computer in my pocket that I make calls on. I want a phone.

I've used pretty much every phone, bought stupid amounts of programs for these devices, and have loved and hated different aspects of each. I am not anti-apple and appreciate that the iPhone has really pushed manufacturers out of their comfort zone (and into ANOTHER comfort zone, which is aggravating). So many manufacturers these days are coming out with phones that are essentially marketed as 'their version' of the iPhone, which I don't want either. I'd just get an iPhone if that were the case (once it came to Sprint or Verizon, of course).

I've got a Pre because it's a phone that allows me to do a lot of stuff easily, efficiently, and all at once, and the sort of 'mission statement' of the phone and design philosophy tell you where things are potentially headed. No one knows for sure. No one knows which updates are coming out or when or how efficient they will be. And, honestly, once the heavy hitting stuff comes out in terms of software and proper hardware integration, we may be on the cusp of the Pre 2 anyway.

But the beauty is, much like the situation that affected first generation iPhone owners, things like WebGL, a more robust operating systems platform, complete GPU integration, a solid app catalog filled with more than 'me too' apps, and a fully fleshed out synergy that works FOR you instead of just motoblurring a bunch of information in your face will all make the Pre Original that much more compelling of a device. We probably will be able to skip the Pre 2 like many gen 1 iPhone owners skipped the iPhone 2. Now when it comes to the Pre 3, bring it on.

The Pre started as a 1.0 device which is something that needs to be mentioned less and understood more. We have a homebrew community of rockstars, and I cannot wait to see what they get accomplished once Palm starts creating/releasing more powerful APIs. Everything is sort of new right now, and while that is somewhat aggravating, it is also incredibly exciting. If that sounds like something you can deal with then stick around. We would be happy to have you.

If this doesn't talk you off the ledge, i don't know what will!

[dragbug]

This has been beat to death...can we just set something up in the forums to auto remove/delete these threads?

With that said, jump, I won't get in your way.

[oddlou]

*push*

[youngzayiles]

Yeah we are not trying to make u feel like crap but the people that like their pre's are tired of seeing these I hate this phone or should I go to android threads... If u think you should go just go... Or if you need reassuance look up the other billion threads that say should I jump or im leaving cuz the pre doesnt turn into a jet threads.. Heck half of then are started by 1 or 2 people... Its like how many times do u need to announce that u dont like it or u may leave but yet your still here all the time and you still have your pre... I may suggest some of the pre haters that would like another phone go check out there forums instead of posting I hate the pre so 2 months later your not filling up their android or Iphone forums talking about i hate this phone now too..

People think android is the greatest, heck their wifi doesnt even work right on the droid... Check for yourself..

https://supportforums.motorola.com/message/63723

All new phones have problmes...

[kpn]

Don't get me wrong, I love my Pre, but look at what's going on - average joes are creating homebrew applications that allow you to do things like categorize your contacts, change your alert tones, scrub through your mp3s and more...things the Pre is SUPPOSED to do from the start. What is Palm doing? And you could even say "They're probably working on their own solutions to these issues", but seriously...if the average joe could come up with a fix in a matter of days, why aren't we getting updates from Palm? If the story is "They're gathering 50 different fixes together for one update", then split them up - I'll take a mandatory update that fixes 5 things each week. I just want to know that they're doing SOMETHING.

Who's making the Pre - Palm or its users?

I understand your line of thought, however I would say the users are MAKING the device what it is and Palm is just supplying the device to those of us that use it.

[dbpaddler]

I think a problem with that line of thought is that the masses are not going to home brew and do these things. Can Palm then afford or be profitable by just appealing to a small niche of users? Unless they take some of this homebrewed improved functionality and add it to the official firmware AND create better hardware, it's going to have a tough time surviving. Android seems to be the current golden child. Everyone is making hardware for it. The 2.0 release is supposed to be even more solid. Blackberry still has its stronghold though the 2nd round of Storm is nothing to write home about. The iphone is what it is, but if it makes its way to Verizon, that would be a big step. Who knows if winmob7 will be a hit or not, but there's enough winmob fans who will give it a whirl.

If I have to buy 15 work phones for people who are technologically declined, I just don't feel comfortable choosing the Pre and Pixie at the moment. Don't have the time nor want want to put in the effort to keep them all up and running.

[LupeValenz]

PALLLLLLMMM! Stop being Apple and going with clean, almost button less devices! It's like you grabbed a dead fish, slapped us across the face with it and told us to get stupid! I recently found my charger for the Treo 755P and had it charged up and played with it, you know what..I Miss the freaking d-Pad and the menu key. Oh and I forgot, the virtual 4 buttons are NOT like the physical hard buttons. I miss how I can keep on pressing the calendar button to change the calendar view. Speaking of Calendar..yeah, well you know. Speed..I shouldn't have to carry around my Treo 755P just cuz the Pre is slow to load. I mean in the time I can open up and work on the calendar on the Pre, I am able to open and close the calendar app on the 755P twice! I never knew how much I have grown use to the hard keys and d-Pad until I had it taken away from me. One thing that is very handy with the D-Pad is when your browsing the web, you don't have to zoom in and click on the links, just use the D-Pad to highlight the link and click. Agghh, sorry I just had this boiling inside me. It seems to me the old Palm is dead and now we have an Apple Wannabe Palm here and I'm not liking it. Granted the best thing they have for them is WebOS, I love the OS but I just don't like the way to get things done. The Treos had the best form factor for one handed use and was greatly integrated with hardware and software. Even though the Treo had a touchscreen, I rarely used it because the shortcuts with menu key and the D-Pad did practically everything for me.

[dbpaddler]

It is amazing how it just builds up till you're on the verge of bursting. I've had a few rants like that this year.

[max.swell]

I think a problem with that line of thought is that the masses are not going to home brew and do these things. Can Palm then afford or be profitable by just appealing to a small niche of users? Unless they take some of this homebrewed improved functionality and add it to the official firmware AND create better hardware, it's going to have a tough time surviving. Android seems to be the current golden child. Everyone is making hardware for it. The 2.0 release is supposed to be even more solid. Blackberry still has its stronghold though the 2nd round of Storm is nothing to write home about. The iphone is what it is, but if it makes its way to Verizon, that would be a big step. Who knows if winmob7 will be a hit or not, but there's enough winmob fans who will give it a whirl.

If I have to buy 15 work phones for people who are technologically declined, I just don't feel comfortable choosing the Pre and Pixie at the moment. Don't have the time nor want want to put in the effort to keep them all up and running.

The reality is Palm is NOT catering to a niche market. They are, in fact, making a smartphone for the masses. Catering to the niche is what the Homebrew community does.

Most smartphone users will not take the time to (or care to) understand, and really get the most out of their smartphone as is, let alone join the homebrew community. (the same is true with most computer users who only use their computer to surf the internet). This is why Palm is not that concerned, because most people who own a smartphone will, accept the Pre out of the box, as is, and be okay with that (or not). Most will not use half of the features that they already have on the Phone, so to add more is not where Palm's energies lie.

I also don't think that Palm is focusing their efforts on attracting the enterprise market ( so don't buy it for your staff). They are focusing on making a smartphone that will appeal to the masses. One that is easy and intuitive for the masses.

So, for those who want more from their Pre, its available; its called Homebrew.