Android coming from Palm Pre

jngai

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Why I'm glad I switched from the Palm Pre

I have to agree that Android is not elegant compare to WebOS. I also agree the mail client and the messaging client on Android is lacking compare to WebOS.

But I can't stand Palm taking their time to release new hardware. They announced and demoed the new hardware and OS @ CES on 1/8/2009. As of 9/2/2009 (over 18 months), they have not announce any new hardware. Do they really expect people to wait this long for new hardware? Especially since Apple release a hardware refresh annually? Just because they created what arguably is best interface/task management system doesn't give them the right to delay hardware releases to whenever they feel like. It didn't help that their launch product was far from perfect (my Palm didn't have any Oreo effect issues, but the cheap Micro USB cover fell out and there were 2 cracks develop along the side around the middle of the screen) in terms of build quality and it lack the aggressiveness that a launch product needs to have (Ex: Evo w/ a ridiculous size screen and a 8 MP camera).

And as great as Web OS is, have anybody reset their Epic 4G? We all have to admit, all smartphones need to be reset once in a while. The Palm Pre took over 3 minutes. The Epic 4G took less than 30 seconds.

While Palm almost openly embraced home brew, that something you needed to do because the OS is too simple for geeks like us. Android on the other hand, have so much to customized that I haven't even look into rooting yet. I might, depends if there's any need for it (for the Pre, it was tethering).

So here is what I was looking for when I decided to upgrade from Pre to Epic 4G:

Faster, more responsive - checked
Annual hardware update - checked (I got HTC, Samsung, and others to choose from)
Better features in apps - checked (Yelp have a check-in function, NYT downloads all articles instead of just a paragraph and no pictures)
Better battery life - checked (the Pre was the worst smartphone in terms of battery life that I ever had)

Some nice bonuses that I wasn't looking for but got for upgrading to Epic 4G

Better camera - They actually have a 1/2 press shutter button like real p&s digital cameras. Love that it has tap to focus too.

Swype/on-screen keyboard - Still learning, but i like having the option of using an on-screen keyboard when I'm too lazy to slide out.

Battery usage monitor - Knowing how I drained the battery is the first step to solving battery drains issues. I can only guess that the antenna on the Palm Pre sucks battery life like a vacuum cleaner when you are in a bad signal area (my workplace).

Front facing camera - Its no face time, but video chat is the next gen, right?

Native Divx support - The Pre did such a bad job w/ multimedia that I gave up watching videos on phones. I need to pick up that habit again now that I have the Epic 4G.

So I thought I would miss the Palm Pre, the synergy. But nope, other than wishing Android have a better task management system, I'm really happy w/ the switch.
 

peterweb

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-Being able to go to card view to switch between open apps (has anyone found a way to switch between open apps on the Epic?)

Hold down the Home button. You will get a list of recent apps. I find it works well and seems to be less steps to switching between apps then the pre.
 

jamex

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Hold down the Home button. You will get a list of recent apps. I find it works well and seems to be less steps to switching between apps then the pre.

How is it less steps than the Pre? I don't see how you came to that conclusion.

One thing that kind of bothers me about Android Os is that it is plain ugly. The UI and widgets do not look as well designed as they are on WebOS. Webos UI is just so beautiful in comparison while Android looks like the apps are on thin paper and lack depth. Colors do not look rich either. It's almost like going from Windows 7 to Windows 95. I really was under the impression that Android had more polish since it has a billion dollar company behind it.
 

ejohnnyk

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I just dumped the Pre for the Epic... here are a few thoughts:

The Epic's hardware blows the Pre out of the water.

The Epic is faster. My Sprint Pre was soooo slooooow.

I greatly miss webOS and may return someday, but the Pre is two-year-old hardware AND software and is way behind in features and functionality.

I keep trying to "gesture" on the Epic like I did on my Pre. This will take some getting used to.

My biggest complaint with the Pre was speed. The Epic is super fast and responsive. I love it.

If you're thinking about switching and you're up for a discount on a new handset, take the jump and go with the Epic (or the Evo if you prefer).

One note: battery life on the Epic, at first, appears to be way better than the Pre -- but that's not saying much. The Pre's battery life sucked.

Just a few random thoughts here. I've only had the Epic for one day and plan to post more detailed comparison's to the Pre over the weekend.

Good day.
 

audiosuccess

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Exporting Contacts from Pre to Epic

Ok...first post so here we go. I moved from the Pre to the Epic b/c overall the Pre has its qualities, I don't see with all the apps how it can even compare. I guess if you just talk on the phone and check e-mail...sure, get the pre. Everything else ... way too cool with all the features.

So, you probably already know this, but to move your native contacts out of your Pre go ##66623# and then you will see an export button. Hit it, then it will tell you to connect to your computer via usb. (windows) After you connect, then open the "drive" and look for a temp file. You may have to look for hidden folders depending on what os you have. It will generate a file called PmMigration, drag it to your desktop or another file, it is in .vcf format.

Then you can figure what you want to do with the vcf file. I imported it to my gmail under its own folder.
 

jngai

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Better features in apps - checked (Yelp have a check-in function, NYT downloads all articles instead of just a paragraph and no pictures)

Just played with Google maps - Compass, latitude, buzz, distance measurements. This app blows Palm's app out of the water. It really shows what I have been missing the last year or so on the Palm Pre.
 

SomeAudioGuy

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I REALLY liked my Pre. I'm keeping it around as a second phone, hoping I can load up WebOS 2.0 on it, so I'm not trying to pick a fight here, but it kinda feels like people here (in comparing Android to WebOS) are confusing "familiar" with "intuitive".

The phones come from radically different ethics. The Pre is a polished experience, and possibly even better than the iPhone in terms of "out of the box". Android is a polar opposite, designed with every expectation that the user will tinker and customize the phone to create their OWN unique user experience.

To me it's sort of like comparing oranges with things that are not oranges...
 

smashclash

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I REALLY liked my Pre. I'm keeping it around as a second phone, hoping I can load up WebOS 2.0 on it, so I'm not trying to pick a fight here, but it kinda feels like people here (in comparing Android to WebOS) are confusing "familiar" with "intuitive".

The phones come from radically different ethics. The Pre is a polished experience, and possibly even better than the iPhone in terms of "out of the box". Android is a polar opposite, designed with every expectation that the user will tinker and customize the phone to create their OWN unique user experience.

To me it's sort of like comparing oranges with things that are not oranges...

that's all fine and dandy and i'm sure android can be made into a great device. but for android to be so open to all kinds of customizations why the heck do they make is so difficult with their rooting? you need to understand linux and jump through hoops to get what you really want. webOS and Preware are practically idiot proof. i want to root my phone but i'm scared i could ruin it. i'd be more inclined to messing with it if i knew if i screwed it all up i could still revert everything back to the factory settings like you can with webDoctor for the Pre. i know absolutely ZERO about linux and don't want to have a shiney new paperweight for the next year.
 

peterweb

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How is it less steps than the Pre? I don't see how you came to that conclusion.

Steps assume you are in an app to start with and want to go back to another app that is also running.

Pre Steps:
-Swipe up to go to card view.
-Swipe over to get to other card (app).
-Touch card to expand to full view.

Android steps:
-Touch and hold Home button
-Select other app to view.

Two steps vs. three steps not really a big difference.
 

jngai

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that's all fine and dandy and i'm sure android can be made into a great device. but for android to be so open to all kinds of customizations why the heck do they make is so difficult with their rooting? you need to understand linux and jump through hoops to get what you really want. webOS and Preware are practically idiot proof. i want to root my phone but i'm scared i could ruin it. i'd be more inclined to messing with it if i knew if i screwed it all up i could still revert everything back to the factory settings like you can with webDoctor for the Pre. i know absolutely ZERO about linux and don't want to have a shiney new paperweight for the next year.

Why do you need to root it? If its for tethering, just wait for Froyo.

If you can't wait, you can always get pdanet or easy tether.

I like that rooting in the Palm gets me tethering, but I hated that I have to uninstall all patches every time they release an update. I ended up turning off updates and was still on 1.4.1 when I switch to the Epic 4G.
 

smashclash

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Why do you need to root it? If its for tethering, just wait for Froyo.

If you can't wait, you can always get pdanet or easy tether.

I like that rooting in the Palm gets me tethering, but I hated that I have to uninstall all patches every time they release an update. I ended up turning off updates and was still on 1.4.1 when I switch to the Epic 4G.

Why would waiting for Froyo help me for tether?


And you didn't need to uninstall and reinstall patches with Palm. i mean you used to but with the new Preware and WebOSQI you no longer had to remove them when updates came out.


If you root your android device, do you have to revert everything you did back to an unrooted state for when Froyo comes out?
 

jngai

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Steps assume you are in an app to start with and want to go back to another app that is also running.

Pre Steps:
-Swipe up to go to card view.
-Swipe over to get to other card (app).
-Touch card to expand to full view.

Android steps:
-Touch and hold Home button
-Select other app to view.

Two steps vs. three steps not really a big difference.

I guess you never use the advance swipe features? I long swiped to switch apps in one step. But that only works well if you have 1 or two apps to switch between since you can't preview what app you have to the left/right of your current app.
 

jngai

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Why would waiting for Froyo help me for tether?


And you didn't need to uninstall and reinstall patches with Palm. i mean you used to but with the new Preware and WebOSQI you no longer had to remove them when updates came out.


If you root your android device, do you have to revert everything you did back to an unrooted state for when Froyo comes out?

Shows how much I follow the home brew scene. I was really into it at first (rooting, adding SFTP access to phone), but then I just update whatever else ppl suggest in the forums. I didn't even know w/ Preware and QI you don't need to remove updates.

As for Froyo, wired and wireless tethering is included, as long as Sprint doesn't nerf it. My friend got the N1 for Tmo and he's loving the wireless tethering.

I think you do have to revert everything back to an unrooted state to get the froyo update, from what I read about the Droid Incredible non-supported froyo update.
 

Gee

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As for Froyo, wired and wireless tethering is included, as long as Sprint doesn't nerf it. My friend got the N1 for Tmo and he's loving the wireless tethering
They WILL. I have, or should I say had since I recent broke it, a EVO. Sprint took out the tethering in Froyo and will without a doubt do the same on the Epic. They charge for it after all.

Anyway, I played with a Pre while I was a iPhone user and I can say that WebOS and iOS are at the top when it comes to UI/UX. I can't say definitely, but I always felt that WebOS had a stronger foundation than iOS despite being much, much younger. On the other hand, Android on the EVO was SLOPPY, once I loaded a AOSP ROM (CM6) things got a whole lot better. The integration with Google services are the best, specifically with Google Voice. It's still not as good as WebOS/iOS but I have a feeling that a lot of this will change with 3.0.
 

jngai

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They WILL. I have, or should I say had since I recent broke it, a EVO. Sprint took out the tethering in Froyo and will without a doubt do the same on the Epic. They charge for it after all.

Anyway, I played with a Pre while I was a iPhone user and I can say that WebOS and iOS are at the top when it comes to UI/UX. I can't say definitely, but I always felt that WebOS had a stronger foundation than iOS despite being much, much younger. On the other hand, Android on the EVO was SLOPPY, once I loaded a AOSP ROM (CM6) things got a whole lot better. The integration with Google services are the best, specifically with Google Voice. It's still not as good as WebOS/iOS but I have a feeling that a lot of this will change with 3.0.

Nice! They sure know how to motivate me to root the phone. Doesn't sound like it will be all that easy to root this phone compare to the Palm Pre. But I doubt it can be any harder than adding extra storage back in Tivo Series 1 days.
 

drizek

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I've been running some side by side browser speed tests over 3G between a 1Ghz Pre and the Epic running Dolphin HD.

The Pre tends to win quite a lot...

Hopefully the Android browser will get faster in Froyo.

That said, seeing the two side by side really makes me appreciate how much nicer teh Epics display is compared to the Pre.
 

Andrew Ruffolo

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Nice! They sure know how to motivate me to root the phone. Doesn't sound like it will be all that easy to root this phone compare to the Palm Pre. But I doubt it can be any harder than adding extra storage back in Tivo Series 1 days.

Ca you install a program onto your computer? Can you tap a button? The good news, you can root an epic 4G in about as much time as it would take you to type in the konami code.
 

Andrew Ruffolo

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I've been running some side by side browser speed tests over 3G between a 1Ghz Pre and the Epic running Dolphin HD.

The Pre tends to win quite a lot...

Hopefully the Android browser will get faster in Froyo.


That said, seeing the two side by side really makes me appreciate how much nicer teh Epics display is compared to the Pre.

Have you tried it with the stock browser? Cause it will naturally take longer to load the flash content. 2.2 with the v8 engine is just sick. Even with flash support, it'll win. And that's with full flash support. Saying that, I'm very happy with the speed of rendering webpages, despite the crappy network speeds.
 

maven1975

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The Pre cant even render or work with some sites. Yes browser is fast on the Pre, but has significant downsides when using power hungry sites.