PALM TREO 680 User here, DESPERATELY looking for an alternative

[philipsv]

Hello Everyone!

I am a long-time Palm Treo 680 User, who's been following the fortunes of the iOS, Android OS, and especially webOS by Palm for the last couple a years, and am now desperately looking for a replacement to my Treo 680 which is starting to fall apart on me.

I've got TONS of questions, especially about the Droid Pro, and am looking forward to you seeing you all in the forums.

 

[bennish]

WebOS. Don't even bother with anything else. Go out and get yourself a Pre 2 right now.

The only reason I'm using an android is because I lost my pre and couldn't manage to get another one imported to my country.

Go with WebOS, it's AWESOME.

check out precentral.net - the folks there are amazing.

(sorry to sell short android and this forum, but seeing as you're a palm user... )

 

[RUSH]

Hi, philipsv..
Glad to hear that you're ready for a change... I was also a webos user who have gotten frustrated with HP/Palm on their lack of devices.

I've now come over to Android... and my only regret is that I should have made this move a long time ago. Everyone has their choice of phones and OS's - I've chosen the better(Android)

Don't get me wrong - I still believe that webos is a good operation system, is just that I have found something better(IMHO).

THE MOVE TO ANDROID WAS ONE OF THE BEST DECISION I HAVE EVER MADE, AND THE MEMBERS AND STAFF HERE ARE AWESOME -

 

[philipsv]

Thank you, both of you, for your input.

I'll have a pretty detailed post in the forums about what exactly I need, and what I am looking for.

I also think that webOS is THE most well-designed and intuitive UI among them all, but the horrendous hardware prevented me from jumping in.

Having said that, I NEED, desperately need a smartphone that will work on a daily basis without having to deal with resets, bugginess, etc... so here I am.

I will be back.

 

[RUSH]

Thank you, both of you, for your input.

I'll have a pretty detailed post in the forums about what exactly I need, and what I am looking for.

I also think that webOS is THE most well-designed and intuitive UI among them all, but the horrendous hardware prevented me from jumping in.

Having said that, I NEED, desperately need a smartphone that will work on a daily basis without having to deal with resets, bugginess, etc... so here I am.

I will be back.

Well then, with that being said...you have come to the right spot, and to the right OS.

Just pick the phone of your choice and enjoy.

Happy Holidays.

 

[DSPKweb]

I just got the Evo with the radio shack $99 deal and it is well worth it. You will not be disappointed with the choice. I came from the Pre because I loved the ease of use of the OS, but the hardware was always the major issue. Nothing like that with the Evo and the learning curve isn't that bad, also coming from the treo 755 and always using physical keyboards, I thought that it would be tough to get used to the on-screen keyboard, the large screen makes it almost nonexistent and am typing as quick if not quicker with it. Hope you find a great phone and best of luck.

 

[Smitty_82]

First off, Welcome to AC! This is a great place to explore what device will best fit your smartphone needs. While I can't comment on webOS (former BB user) I can say that moving to android was a great decision for me and have no regrets.

 

[philipsv]

Ok, here goes...

First, what I do for a living and how that affects how I use my phone - I am in sales, and I have to generate quite a few leads and follow up on those leads before I can get a conversion into a sale. This means thousands of 'contacts' in my address book - sometimes each contact having duplicates because it's hard for me to remember by their name, so I will usually preface the name with "x-prdct-prospct" to enable easy pull up of their contact if I can't remember their name at any time. I prefer to travel by motorcycle most of the time, so my phone is subject to a VERY dusty environment.... my Treo 680 is wrapped in a completely wraparound leather case with a FULL plastic cover on the front (I know this is probably not going to be doable on the modern capacitative screens, that sucks)... This is also necessary because I tend to be rough on phones - am pretty clumsy, keep dropping them, splashing liquids on them etc.... the leather case on the Treo that I have has been VERY good at cushioning impacts etc... as well as fending off the occassional fluid 'splash'... NO 'DELICATE' phones please.... Also, I am not big on 'skinny' phones... I like a 'substantial' phone that 'fits' properly in my palm....

What I MUST have in a smart-phone -
1. PORTRAIT SYTLE Physical QWERTY keyboard. On-screen kb is an absolute no-no... easy one-handed use is a must... constantly 'multi-tasking'....
2. Threaded-SMS/text-messgng
3. MS Outlook DESKTOP syncing, an ABSOLUTE must, and it MUST sync ALL of them, 'Contacts', 'Calendar', 'Tasks', 'Notes', 'Voice-Memos' - Exchange-server / over-the-air syncing not an option right now.
4. EASY copy/cut-paste... 'swiping' to select text... DO THIS A LOT....
5. DEDICATED PIM-application buttons like on the Treo 680 - phone, calendar, text-messaging, tasks etc. alongwith assignment of additional ones by pressing the 'function' key first.
6. VOICE-memos, voice-recorder.
7. Docs-to-go or equivalent to read/edit MS Office and PDF files.
8. EASY MULTI-TASKING... VERY important in the grand scheme of things.
9. D-PAD for navigation... lovvveee the Treo's....
10. Email? Don't really need it at the moment... but if it can be done without incurring extra cost of ExchangeServer or BES... then yes...
11. Internet/Browsing? - A webkit browser at the least? The ones on Android pretty much rival that of the iphone, right?
12. 'Dedicated' ringer on-off switch would be nice..... but perhaps I am being unrealistic...
13. EASY pulling up of 'contacts' by typing the name.... my WM Samsung Blackjack drove me NUT with wrong names being pulled up.... with SO many contacts, scrolling through the list is just not doable...
14. UNLIMITED "categories" in contacts.
15. NOTES - Use it continuously.... need a good program... with plenty of categories, and an efficient way to sort and find....
16. A Decent camera - including video recording.
17. Battery Life ? biggest battery possible, as well as the possibility of using bigger aftermarket ?extended? batteries with a bigger cover.

Ok, I think I've covered the basics of my 'needs', so let me get to my likes and dislikes of webOS, iOS, and AndroidOS? and yeah, I forgot? BBos

BBos ? let?s just say? dated, unintuitive CRAP?.

webOS - virtually no complaints whatsoever... the fluidity, the sheer intuitiveness of the OS is unparalleled IMO... and the 'multi-tasking' implementation? Simply world-class! Just no comparison whatsoever... BUT, it is the lack of functionality in the PIM functions that makes it virtually unusable, and especially galling, considering PALM was the gold standard.... all that aside, no compelling hardware... at least not yet.... I like the 'idea' of the 'sliding-portrait-kb' form factor - best of both worlds, a large enough screen, as well as a portrait kb - but don't know if any manufacturer has made one rugged enough for my use.

iOS - the sheer smoothness, the responsiveness, the cohesiveness of the implementation across the board, the virtual 'guarantee' of updates... love all that... DON'T like the lack of a physical kb.... AND the pale imitation that they call 'multitasking'.... iphone is an absolute no-no....

AndroidOS - while I like the 'idea' of the OS, the 'concept'... I just find the OS still pretty darn 'cluttered' and 'confusing'..... the strange multiple launcher pages, with icons scattered all over.... 'widgets' (still can't quite figure out what widgets exactly are?)... task-killer to figure out which applications are running - this one REALLY bothers me, especially when I see webOS' 'cards' implementation.... and one of the biggest deal-breakers of all ? the ?fragmentation? of the OS across multiple manufacturers and devices and the ?uncertainty? of consistent updates to the particular device of your choosing?. And then, there is this most damning indictment of the OS? development and direction, from engadget?s Nexus S review - Nexus S review -- Engadget

To have this many options and discrepancies over something as simple as copy and paste should be embarrassing to Google. What it mostly is, however, is a pain to the end user.

And that's kind of the crux of our problem with Android in its current state. We don't question the power of the OS, but the fit, finish, and ease of use simply is still not there. There is something disconcerting about an operating system that changes its rules from app to app -- for a mobile interface to work well, it has to be approached holistically and organically. There is something cohesive in OSs like webOS and iOS -- a language that you can easily learn to speak and feel confident about using to get what you want -- that just seems to be missing here.

This is one of THE major concerns I have about Android, the lack of consistency, the fragmentation, the different versions/skins by the different manufacturers?..


Do I sound confused? That?s because I am ;-)?..

 

[verwon]

I just left webOS and I can tell you that if that's you're favorite system, you may want to wait another month and see what happens. HP bought Palm and have said they'll be making a big announcement early next month.

Sent from my eVo

 

[philipsv]

Thanks verwon - I do know that HP bought Palm, I've been following PreCentral since the original CES announcement by Rubinstein, of the Palm Pre. But even if HP does announce new devices... I don't live in the US anymore... I live in India now, and I need an unlocked GSM phone that I can buy without being locked into a contract.... hopefully a not ;-) very expensive one.

 

[verwon]

No idea what they will be announcing, but it could be worth it for you to wait and see.

Sent from my eVo

 

[philipsv]

Someone out there, HELP please!! ;-)..... am I asking for too much?

 

[philipsv]

Hey, rushrl,

I desperately need some suggestions.... Anyone, people?

 

[prittyboy203]

My friend you need something that I have never heard of hahahaha just joking but that's alot of little feature one platform wont have every single thing you are asking for and I can't remember what Gsm phone did somethings you mentioned but that sounds like a job for the Motorola sholes unlocked Droid but I did see something about the Droid pro which is or looks like a palm preish because of its smallness but don't know if you want such a small touch screen / keyboard if that's what you like but there isn't every single thing you asked for but you should look for a reliable phone that alot of people where very happy with the Motorola sholes you should Google a review of its spec and see if that phone works for you its a slide out keyboard with d-pad and a very sturdy phone if a case of your choice is put on it like the otter box cases that are water proffered and drop proof but this is only a suggestions on what instantly came to mind when reading your post happy searching

Sent From PrittyBoy's Evo 4G

 

[BSG75]

philipsv, you have a lot of requirements. I don't know if anyone will feel comfortable telling you the Droid Pro is going to satisfy all of your must-haves. You only have so many options. Wait for new HPalm devices, if you think you dig that more. When they come out, try the Droid Pro out for a week and see if it sucks.

I'll answer what I can to the best of my abilities

-----------------------------------
1. PORTRAIT SYTLE Physical QWERTY keyboard. On-screen kb is an absolute no-no... easy one-handed use is a must... constantly 'multi-tasking'....
A: Try out the Droid Pro. Not much else to say there.

2. Threaded-SMS/text-messgng
A: Download Handcent SMS, or other similar, free SMS apps.

3. MS Outlook DESKTOP syncing, an ABSOLUTE must, and it MUST sync ALL of them, 'Contacts', 'Calendar', 'Tasks', 'Notes', 'Voice-Memos' - Exchange-server / over-the-air syncing not an option right now.
A: I don't know what can do all of that. Maybe the Touchdown email app.

4. EASY copy/cut-paste... 'swiping' to select text... DO THIS A LOT....
A: "Easy" is subjective. The default email app does NOT let you cut/copy from it. I think the TouchDown email app does.

5. DEDICATED PIM-application buttons like on the Treo 680 - phone, calendar, text-messaging, tasks etc. alongwith assignment of additional ones by pressing the 'function' key first.
A: No idea.

6. VOICE-memos, voice-recorder.
A: Yes, we have a voice memo/recorder.

7. Docs-to-go or equivalent to read/edit MS Office and PDF files.
A: Docs-to-go is on Android. Never really used it in BB or Android, though.

8. EASY MULTI-TASKING... VERY important in the grand scheme of things.
A: Multi tasking is as easy as it could be. You don't DO anything. Just leave and come back to what you were doing. It remembers where you were.

9. D-PAD for navigation... lovvveee the Treo's....
A: Check the Droid Pro hardware. Not sure on this.

10. Email? Don't really need it at the moment... but if it can be done without incurring extra cost of ExchangeServer or BES... then yes...
A: Work email? Not sure. I use my companies webmail in the browser if necessary. Free gmail/yahoo/hotmail, etc, of course.

11. Internet/Browsing? - A webkit browser at the least? The ones on Android pretty much rival that of the iphone, right?
A: Supurb browser.

12. 'Dedicated' ringer on-off switch would be nice..... but perhaps I am being unrealistic...
A: You can put a widget in your home screen, or hit volume down to turn of the sound. Or hold power, and select vibrate. This can be done easily, but maybe not with a hardware button.

13. EASY pulling up of 'contacts' by typing the name.... my WM Samsung Blackjack drove me NUT with wrong names being pulled up.... with SO many contacts, scrolling through the list is just not doable...
A: Easiest way I know of is to add Contacts to the universal search button. Hit the Search button, type a few letters and the contacts will pop up. Simple.

14. UNLIMITED "categories" in contacts.
A: I'm not sure if you can put 1,000,000 categories, but you can probably add a bunch. I have no idea what the limit is.

15. NOTES - Use it continuously.... need a good program... with plenty of categories, and an efficient way to sort and find....
A: Download Evernote (or a competitive app)

16. A Decent camera - including video recording.
A: Yes, we have that.

17. Battery Life – biggest battery possible, as well as the possibility of using bigger aftermarket ‘extended’ batteries with a bigger cover.
A: Buy an extended battery. Check out the Android Central store for what's available for the Droid Pro

Widgets: You can put them on your screen and interact with them on the screen. They don't open into apps, they perform actions all on their own. Example: Widget to turn on wifi. Click it to turn on wifi. Click it again to toggle off wifi. Widgets are your friend.

Fragmentation: Overblown. Get the phone you like, and if you like it you never need to worry about "fragmentation." That is just a boogey man tech writers keep trotting out as to why Android may fail to grow in marketshare, even as Android grows by leaps and bounds. A generation behind Android phone is still better than tomorrows blackberry.

Multi-tasking: You are fixated on being able to multi task. In Andorid YOU do not multi task. The OS handles the multi tasking. You don't have to save things for later. Just exit out and go to something else. When you come back, it will be just as you left it. Multi tasking implies quickly switching between things, back and forth. Just do it. Android will handle it for you.

Task killers: You don't need them. No one "needs" them. Don't load them. Multi task til your hearts content. If some app misbehaves, there are ways to kill it with build in management, just like every other OS.

Launchers: Don't worry about them. Once people feel comfortable with Android, they like to tinker. It's not required. It's a bonus, not something to be feared.

Multiple home screens. These are good. Look how people set up their screens for fun and productivity. Example:
http://forum.androidcentral.com/droid-incredible/13565-post-your-htc-incredible-screens.html
<link acting funny>

http:// forum.androidcentral.com/droid-incredible/13565-post-your-htc-incredible-screens.html


One note: You seem to have a lot of "must haves" based off your previous smartphone experience. You may find that other features of Android make some of those other "must haves" unnecessary.

Example: You say you need a front qwerty because of multi-tasking. The keyboard has nothing to do with multi-tasking, at least not in Android. One handed typing on a virtual qwerty may not be as easy with a physical kb. The Swiftkey kb app may be easier than a physical kb, though. It has uncanny text prediction (full sentences can be predicted after a word or two). Voice-to-text is also phenomenal with Android. Walking? Just speak your text and punctuation and Android transcribes it remarkably well. I just don't want you to rule out options based off of a false premise.

 

[philipsv]

Thank-you both, PrittyBoy, and BSG75. Thanks much!

That was a pretty comprehensive reply, I appreciate the effort.

Physical kb is primarily because I have tried both iOS and multiple Android phones' virtual kbs and just could NOT get used to them... PLUS... I'm constantly using my phone ONE-handed because I am multi-tasking - by "multi-tasking", what I am referring to here is the fact that I am doing other 'things' beside using my phone, I think you misunderstood, or I misconveyed ;-) the idea that I was referring to using multiple 'applications' on the phone at the same time - all the time.... portrait-style physical kb it is. I am okay with the screen-size on the Droid-Pro. But is that the ONLY Android phone with that form-factor?

I am googling Motorola Sholes right now, I will be right back ;-)...

 

[philipsv]

The Motorola "sholes" is actually the original Droid? But that's not a portrait kb, so that doesn't work for one-handed use.... So, is the Droid Pro my only option for now...?

 

[AnonymousCow]

Hitting an old thread, but...

I do wish it were that easy. I had an original Palm Pilot 500 (which was actually the second palm produced, before they were purchased by a modem company), and kept up with the platform and OS all the way up to the Centro. I'm now on a Sprint Epic. It's a beautiful phone, and the experience is superb,.... B U T ....


There are things that were doable on the palm that are not doable. Copying from one application to another is a good example. The maturity of the apps really isn't yet there. I will grant that some of the apps that I do use have capabilities that can't be reached on Palm. I suppose it's just a matter of waiting for maturity.