Usability

The Launcher Screen

I have a nit to pick with the launcher screen. The default screen that comes up upon hitting the launcher button (the right-most button dwelling along the bottom of the quick launcher) comes with a standard set of applications, but what irked me was the periphery of the screen. At the bottom of the screen was a small white arrow which I think does a good job of indicating that there are more applications hidden below, accessible by scrolling vertically.

My issue is that there are also applications accessible by scrolling sideways as well. Those two little pipes in the … Read more

Email Love

Setting up my main email accounts on the Palm Pre was a breeze. Gmail automatically signed in and pulled my settings. All I had to enter was my email address and my password. Next I tried a business email associated with a self hosted domain name. I couldn't believe it when that too pulled everything in automatically! I'm used to having to set up emails manually, entering SMTP, POP/IMAP settings, SSL, etc.

The email application on the Palm Pre feels like a real desktop email client. My Samsung Instinct's email client worked more like text messaging. Seriously, it didn't feel professional. The only thing the Instinct has that I miss with the Pre is the ability to select multiple emails to delete without ever opening them. … Read more

What I Like Most and My Wishlist for New Features

As promised, today's post will cover what I like most about the Palm Pre and features I wish the phone had that it currently doesn't (a.k.a. what I dislike).

What I Like Most

My favorite feature of the Palm Pre is multitasking. The card format for multiple applications is very user-friendly. Navigating between multiple cards is simple and intuitive: swipe up to go to card view, tap the background while in card view to minimize the cards and see more on the screen at once, swipe left to scroll among open apps, and tap the card … Read more

Keyboard Shortcuts Galore!

Keyboard shortcuts make a huge difference in time it takes you to navigate the internet and other files on your computer. So why not have them on a Palm Pre? Thanks to milominderbinde from www.precetral.net who made possible. He has compiled a huge list of the many shortcuts and special features that the Pre does have to offer. I have reviewed and went through the vast majority of these and have found them to all work thus far. To me these aren't just occasional use items but more than less everyday helpers that save lots of time when navigating your device. New Highlights: * Now with over 225 Tips, Tricks, and Hidden Features in six pages * How to send a text to multiple recipients * Missing Basic Features * Protecting your Pre * How to see what software releases you have, memory available, real signal strength in dbm, etc. * How to cut out a section of an mp3 to make the perfect ringtone. There are literally hundreds of threads on the PreCentral Forums with tips and tricks to help you get the most from your Palm Pre. But how do you sort through it all? Bookmark this thread in your Pre for a constantly updated listing. Download the PDF file below for graphics, links and diagrams on your PC. Some Highlights from the attached Palm Pre Tips and Trick PDF Version 1.0: * 101 Tips & Tricks are summarized in this first draft. * The Tips & Tricks are sorted into categories so that they are easier to find. * Many are from the 344-page user guide that is not included with the Pre. * Graphics are included to show which buttons to use. * The Palm diagrams are included to show where everything is.… Read more

"Synergy" - Using Email, Calendar and Contacts

I've been mostly pleased with my access to my work and personal email accounts. After setting up my email (my previous blog - LINKTEXTHERE), I was able to dive right into my email. Both my Gmail and Exchange mail started coming right in. From the email interface, it presents each of your email accounts (I have only 2 here). From each email account, you can select 'Favorite' mail folders which will have shortcuts at the top of the screen (I'm just using my inbox's). Additionally, you can click(touch) the arrow next to each account and you'll be presented all of the folders available within that account. It took no additional work on my end, it was able to easily pull in all of my folders from each account. Fully utilizing the Pre's "Synergy", you can have an 'all email' view, displaying email from each account in one view. I've chosen not to see this as I prefer to keep my email seperate.

The email client also renders HTML email very well to my surprise. I've seen a number of phones claiming to be able to view HTML email, especially for Exchange 2007, but I haven't actually been able to view html email in exchange yet. I began to assume my work blocked that ability for some reason. However, full HTML versions of email come through clearly and immediately, and look great, as you can see in the graphics above. Additionally, you can zoom in and out as needed with the "pinching" gestures on the screen. Additionally, replying and forwarding email appears to work flawlessly (yes, this has been an issue on other phones), and includes the original HTML message.

The only complaint that I have about the email is that from the main email screen, where you can scroll through and choose emails to open. Unfortunately, this is really the only thing you can do in this screen. I haven't found an intuitive way to search or sort my email, so if I want to find something specific, I have to scroll and scroll and scroll to try to catch what I'm looking for. I would also love to see a feature where I can 'press and hold' an item (equivalent to right-clicking) to bring up the option to do something with the highlighted message like delete, mark as unread, or something of the sort. Right now, you can only do this by opening the message.

Moving right along

I spent the evening without my laptop so I used the Palm Pre all night as my access to the Internet.

I Twittered, I emailed, I contributed to a message board and the comments section of a blog and I was surfing the Internet all at the same time. The speed and ease at which I was able to do this amazed me.

I expected there to be some lag in connectivity. I'm not sure why, it was just my, relatively, low expectations of any new technology I suppose but I'm terribly pleased with the results tonight. Switching … Read more

Two Comparisons to the Centro

Another nit pick time. One of the nicer aspects of the Palm Centro were these cursor controls used to move around the screen in addition to the touch screen capability. Particularly, they were very handy for moving around in text messages to clean up typos.

The Pre offers no such functionality that I can find. I am left to continuously tap the area trying to get the cursor into the right place. That is not really the fault of the touch screen sensitivity, human fingers are only so small and the space between letters on screen is much much smaller. … Read more

Getting connected on my Pre!

Probably the most important thing to me in any sort of smart phone is connectivity. And not just having a signal, but being able to easily connect to my different mail accounts, and NOT have to worry about my contacts. In the past, trying to manage porting my contacts over from phone to phone every 2 years, all while MS Outlook was becoming my de facto source of my contacts. When I got my first smart phone, a Windows based Motorola Q, my contacts were pulled in directly from my MS Exchange account and I believed I would never have … Read more

Some Early Impressions and a Word about Authenticity

[Some of my earliest comments after playing with the Pre I purchased.]

Though I understand the skepticism some might have about the sincerity of positive user reviews of the Pre made by folks given free Pres to "test drive," I can assure you that everything I write in my posts--both Pre positive and Pre negative--will be sincere. And not only because I actually chose to purchase the Pre over the iPhone before I was asked to guest blog.

Also, you should know that, as far as I can tell, our posts for this test drive are not being edited at all by anyone at Palm, Sprint, or CNET. We paste what we write into the CNET blogging tool, save and "publish" there, and what we have written goes live almost immediately.

When I purchased my first Pre before receiving one to write about in this test drive, I was really excited. For months, I had been reading everything I could find about all new cell releases on Engadget, Boy Genius Report, CNET, Pre Central, Gizmodo, and Mac Rumors (because I had expected to purchase the iPhone) and so my enthusiasm was palpable. So much so, in fact, that I really can't recreate it now.

So...what follows are some of my first impressions of my Pre experience--impressions posted to Pre forums in the first few days after I made my purchase, before I knew I would be guest blogging here on CNET, and before I was given a free phone.… Read more

Palm Pre & Touch Pro Face Off

I hope everyone had a great Independence Day, had fun, and were safe. Before going to the fireworks I had the thought of battery life between my HTC Touch Pro And My Palm Pre. (Thanks again to Sprint, CNET, and Palm) Being a user that needs a battery to last under harsh conditions this is a very important factor on what device will be active on my account. Being a Windows Mobile fanatic I must admit it's weird being a noob again. The operating system just keeps getting better as I find new features throughout the device. Per examples, the g-sensor is very accurate and smooth unlike my Touch Pro which can be choppy at points if multiple processes are running in the background. The light sensor just amazes me, when my phone falls asleep i can just hold my hand over the ear piece than move to turn the device on. The sensor is also great since when you put the phone to your face it automatically turns the screen off so the user doesn't get buttons pressed. (when removed from your face the light turns back on.) Without further ado here are the results from my little test, and remember that these results are with both phones at 1 bar of service and calling eachother from a full 100%charge.… Read more