1SRC Podcast 181

[Alan G]

This week we cover Palm's Merrill Lynch presentation, Astraware Platypus gets revewed, the new Windows Mobile Minute, and more! Listen to 1SRC Podcast 181 now! [details (http://www.1src.com/?m=show&id=2087)]

[BaDZeD]

Supply problems in the upcoming CDMA Device?!?!? Did he mean the 800w??? And the "System Software Core" part worries me. What about the window managers? I'm anxiously awaiting the new OS :)

[danielmaradona]

Platypus is a great game, reminds me of the old nostalgic games that I used to play before when I was a kid. The Treo 800w is a gerat device on paper, but based on the pictures that circulating around the web I don't like the build quality. In my opinion Palm should continue using the material that they used on the Treo 750 and Tre0 755p, or make a device that is glossy like the Blackberry 9000 bold that will make it look modern in todays standard.

[danceman]

800w is coming, ok, final (I hate Windows Mobile), whats next? Why doesn't Palm do some different like make a 800pw, with both systems (WM and Palm), PalmOS doesn't cost and money, its theirs. People could this way have a choice and they save some money and use the same hardware buying more hardware at better prices. This way they also can have something competitive that no other can have. Look at the Mac they were out money years ago, then they fought back and today I'm using a Mac with Windows, Linux, all running at the same time as one. If Palm can do this, no one could beat them (because PalmOs is theirs) and when Palm Nova was done, they could have Nova virtualize PalmOS and stick a Windows Mobile in there too. They have to use what they have that no one else has. The 800w could come with Styletap installed and make hoysync work with it.

Oh by the way Palm has had 320x480 for years now and people think its new from the Iphone or even from the Blackberries now with the bold. Why not stick a 480x320 resolution in the next Centro or Treo or 800 something, or just reuse the 500v hardware with PalmOS at 480x320, 500p. Its not that PalmOS doesn't support it, the Tx has it and software have had years to adapt, not like the Blackberry Bold that people have tested it with old apps and there not working well. Wake up palm, please. I'm still a Treo 650 and I love it and the way I have tweaked it up for me (people when they see may setup don't know what I have but they like it) and I want to stay with Palm.

[danceman]

Just remembered another thing, in a new palm device that could come out, stick PDAreach support. Palm users have had Mobile Companion for years PDAreach and LapLink (I think there are others). And they are cheap, just in install in any windows computer, maybe the eeePC, there you go a Foleo. More cheaper than a RedFly and the Foleo (if it came out), and you got yourself a mobile companion.

We are in a era of Buzzwords by the media, everyone goes with the flow. The Iphone was the first with touchscreen, lol, Mobile Companion RedFly, lol, just a piece of plastic keyboard and screen, the secret is the software, its been done before. Blogs, ipods,podcasts,tags,keywords, we have had all of this way before theses buzzwords. Ok things get better, of course, but they are the same thing with a nice word attached and media support. The Iphone browser, wow, to bad it was first use by Nokia and the engine was made by originally by KDE team, KHTML which then was forked to webkit engine which is now used in lots of different browsers, Nokias browsers, Safari, Konquerer, etc...

Sorry for this buzzword thing, but what I mean is Palm has to go with this flow, lots of companies earning money not by innovation but by Buzzwords and media and carrier help. Palm to make in the world today has to go with this. You don't have to invent a hardware feature (but it helps, example slide Tungstun T and T3), look at HTC Diamond, nothing new, but it is well rapped up and good media converge and software innovation. This last point was one of the special things of Palm, the special sauce, but its not working anymore (thread messaging, search on the today screen, pictures on the today screen is everywhere now). If the 800w doesn't come out with something different, not hardware (they almost put everything, but still a bad camera, no speedometer, the screen is inside the case, etc..), but has to make something stand out from other WM devices, thats what HTC has been doing. Take the media and software innovation of HTC, Nokia's hardware (mostly the best cameras and lens 5mp, vga output to a screen, pick out a webkit open source project), Apples device style and elegance (and glass screen) and marketing and palm may have a winner, the special sauce. Not the zen, thats still with PalmOS ;) (WM still needs way to much clicks and backs and fronts, I'm lost feeling).

Got a idea, make a Palm Butler keylaunch for WM, they still don't have nothing the same (Samsung came out with a start key press in the i780 but still not the same)

[Alan G]

Supply problems in the upcoming CDMA Device?!?!? Did he mean the 800w???

No. The component supply problem is with the CDMA Centro *only*. Knowing this, it kind of makes sense why we haven't seen the VZW Centro yet.

Alan G

[Alan G]

The Treo 800w is a gerat device on paper, but based on the pictures that circulating around the web I don't like the build quality.

Some things are best left to a visit to the store. Given the option of having the soft touch paint on the Treo 750/755p vs. the paint from say a Centro, 700wx, or a TX, I'd rather have the dull soft touch paint.

Alan G

[Alan G]

800w is coming, ok, final (I hate Windows Mobile), whats next? Why doesn't Palm do some different like make a 800pw, with both systems (WM and Palm), PalmOS doesn't cost and money, its theirs.

That trick might work for power users who read 1SRC, but you are giving most consumers way to much credit with regard on knowledge of how to use their phones. If moderating the Palm Help Forums has taught me anything, it is that people don't want to read manuals, refuse to use the search feature (many questions are asked over and over and over again), and only use a small portion of the device's overall capabilities. Making a Treo or Centro smartphone dual booting would be a support nightmare. Dual booting or using a VM manager like Parallels to run another OS on a Mac is a little bit different. I do expect that Palm OS II/Nova will be able to emulate Palm OS 3/4/5 to ease the transition. As a matter of fact, today's Palm OS 5 devices *already* emulate Palm OS 3/4 thanks to PACE.

Oh by the way Palm has had 320x480 for years now and people think its new from the Iphone or even from the Blackberries now with the bold.

I know. I own all of the 320x480 devices. :) And all of the devices that Palm designed, (Palm didn't design the Treo 500v) have touch screens.

Why not stick a 480x320 resolution in the next Centro or Treo or 800 something, or just reuse the 500v hardware with PalmOS at 480x320, 500p.

The Centro is popular because it is almost as small at a regular T9 feature flip phone. Putting in a larger screen will add to the size of the device, which would go against why the masses are buying the Centro in the first place. Palm didn't design the Treo 500v, they worked with an ODM to develop it look like the Centro. Palm's management team, I believe it was Ed Colligan and/or Andy Brown, have already said that the Treo 500 wasn't coming to the States and would remain a GSM Windows Mobile Smartphone Edition device primarily in Europe.

Wake up palm, please.

Palm has diverted almost all of their internal resources to working on Palm OS II/Nova and the next generation Treo hardware that Palm OS II/Nova will run on. The first device is still probably 9 months away.

Alan G

[Alan G]

Just remembered another thing, in a new palm device that could come out, stick PDAreach support. Palm users have had Mobile Companion for years PDAreach and LapLink (I think there are others). And they are cheap, just in install in any windows computer, maybe the eeePC, there you go a Foleo. More cheaper than a RedFly and the Foleo (if it came out), and you got yourself a mobile companion.

I suspect that if Palm were going to take another run at the Foleo, they would build the transfer support into Palm OS II/Nova and then use either Bluetooth or Wi-Fi to transfer data. No need for third-party software. (The last time I used LapLink was 1989-ish.)

With regard to buzzwords and all the rest...we know Palm's marketing department is the pits. Hopefully, the arrival of Lynn Fox from Apple will help kick things into high gear.

I don't expect the 800w to be a breakout new features device. It will bring Palm up to par with everyone else with the addition of WM 6.1, built-in Wi-Fi, and built-in GPS. It will be the innovative applications that Palm develops on top of this hardware that will get people to buy the device. Palm can't afford to be the same as everyone else. The company is too small.

Alan G

[danielmaradona]

Yes Palm excel on their ability to offer tight integration between the hardware and the software. This is one of the reason why Palm OS has been very successful specially the Treo, with its thumbkeyboard and suite of PIM, and powerful applications,

[lclark2074]

Is this true that palm has the rights to palm os nova not garnet?
If this is true maybe palm will support it like it like they use to:)

[danceman]

when I was talking about the 480x320 resolution, I was say something like the centro but with a rectagular screen to support this. If you notice all WM stardards have com with a rectagular screen. The new blackberry bold also is rectagular. Like I said there would be no software problems cuz the PalmOS already supports it, Its just a hardware screen like in the 500v.

[Alan G]

Is this true that palm has the rights to palm os nova not garnet?
If this is true maybe palm will support it like it like they use to

Not exactly. Palm wrote all versions of the Palm OS. A few years ago, Palm spun off their software division. PalmSource became responsible for the OS. PalmSource didn't do so well on their own, and ended up being gobbled up by a company called ACCESS. ACCESS failed to meet their contractual obligations with Palm to deliver a new operating system. As a result, the following has happened:

1. Palm can now use Palm OS 5.4.x in their devices royalty free until the end of 2010.

2. Palm has purchased a perputal (ie: never ending) license to the source code of Palm OS Garnet. (The Garnet source code starts with Palm OS version 5.2.1 through 5.4.9.) Palm can use any portion of Palm OS Garnet in any current and future device without any restrictions.

3. Palm has begun to develop their own version of Palm OS based on a Linux kernel as an alternative mobile operating system to Windows Mobile and ACCESS Linux Platform (ALP).

Palm is being intenionally tight lipped about what Palm OS II/Nova can do and when it will be ready. The only details we know are that it will be finished by about the end of this year (12/31/08) and that devices using that new OS will be on sale by the middle of next year, if not earlier.

Alan G

[Alan G]

when I was talking about the 480x320 resolution, I was say something like the centro but with a rectagular screen to support this. If you notice all WM stardards have com with a rectagular screen.

Oh, right, rectangular screens. Hate 'em. Thats part of the reason why I like Palm's gear. The Treo screens are square and Palm OS handheld are either square or tall. I'd reather see more vertical data than horizontal. I guess that is a personal choice issue. Without the sales figures or customer survey data, it is hard to know what percentage of Palm's customer or potental customer base would want a horizontally rectangular screen.

Alan G

[Dick Tracy]

1. Palm can now use Palm OS 5.4.x in their devices royalty free until the end of 2010.
Not exactly, Palm purchased a perpetual (never-ending) license to the Garnet OS. Palm have amortized this purchase on their books (accounting records for the non-accounting/non-finance readers) through 2010. Included in the perpetual license is permission to use any portion of Garnet as Palm sees fit.

What is implied by this amortization schedule is that there will be no Garnet devices sold by Palm after 2010.

Here's the multimillion dollar question. OS5 devices were shipped before the spinoff of PalmSource was finalized. What, if anything, did PalmSource deliver to Palm before they were acquired by Access. Remember, the original Treo 650 was branded Handspring and the T|T, T|2, T|3, T|E, T|C, Zire 21 and Zire 71 were all Palm branded.

We know the extended PIMs were Palm's doing, as were the enhancements to Desktop 4.x.

As to PalmOS II/Nova, the perpetual Garnet license allows Palm to use any part of the OS as they see fit. Given that these are the most robust PIMs of any mobile device OS, I am going to assume they will be carried over feature-wise, appearance may be different.

[danielmaradona]

Oh, right, rectangular screens. Hate 'em. Thats part of the reason why I like Palm's gear. The Treo screens are square and Palm OS handheld are either square or tall. I'd reather see more vertical data than horizontal. I guess that is a personal choice issue. Without the sales figures or customer survey data, it is hard to know what percentage of Palm's customer or potental customer base would want a horizontally rectangular screen.

Alan G
I prefer the square screen, for me it looks more balance and the form factor of the Treo makes it an ideal complement to the QWERTY keyboard. I think there's no problem aside from compatibility of certain applications which does not supports the resolution as most WM apps are optimized to run on 320x240 resolution. The new 320x320 resolution will increase the quality of the display and makes email a joy to use.

[danceman]

I prefer the square screen, for me it looks more balance and the form factor of the Treo makes it an ideal complement to the QWERTY keyboard. I think there's no problem aside from compatibility of certain applications which does not supports the resolution as most WM apps are optimized to run on 320x240 resolution. The new 320x320 resolution will increase the quality of the display and makes email a joy to use.

Sorry, but was talking about PalmOS. WM came from a rectangular resolutions and now comes to a square one. PalmOS has had these two types for years. I wasn't saying that I like the rectangular screen, I have a Treo 650, but rectangular is better for wide screen films.

What I was pointing out is that the market is like buying Stocks, you lose in ones and win in others (the ones that win have to be greater than the ones that lose, of course). Palm has to have more models, look at nokia and HTC, they have it for every type of person. Maybe because I'm from europe and have a American phone (Treo 650) I see the differences.

Take my phone or even the Nokia e61, people here don't like it, may be they well with time, I'm talking about the querty keyboard. Don't misunderstand me, I love the querty keyboard, but europeans think its strange. You see younger people type on the T9 without looking at the phone, its incredible. Here in Portugal, marketing rules, the more you market, the more it sells. If you ask any younger kid or any normal person what phone he likes, he will say a Nokia, music, best camera, java games, and everyone has one etc... If you ask a executive man he will say QTEK or HTC, it has Office and Explorer, lol. They look at my phone and say what is that, a Blackberry? I bought a Nokia on the street and gave to my mom and shes says its the best phone she has had. I don't like it, but shes loves it. Palm has to do more marketing, more models, more choices.

Carriers in my country just support first Nokias, then Sony-Ericsson and the Windows Mobile. To have a data plan on my Palm had to ask my carrier to give me the Windows Mobile configuations so I could set it up. If I give them my phone they freak out. Just a example Vodafone here has a addon, msn messenger that you pay 3 euros per month to have it but it only supports Nokia Symbian and some Sony-Ericssons. For me to have a Messenger on my phone which I use Gizmo5 which is free, I have data plan that I pay 7.5 euros per month but to do all my connections, mail, web and messenger, there is a catch, I have a 100mb limit per month. Sad right, I manage well, no streaming and podcast download allow for me :(

I have used every phone (my friends have them), Iphone, WM, Symbian, PalmOS and I still come back to Palm but all of them are getting better, they all have problems. And I am a tecky guy, I'm a developer. I'm waiting for the best thing, but I'm convenced that Palm Nova can be very good because it uses Linux which is very supported by developers. Lets see but hardware has to get better.

Oh by the way my Palm still has a feature that no other phone that I know of has, Treo six fifty has a sim slot on the out side, which means I can change carriers all I want WITHOUT turning off my phone. Here in europe all carriers are GSM and here in small Portugal we have 3 carriers and 6 more virtual ones (that I know of) that use theses 3 main ones (TMN, VODAFONE, OPTIMUS).

@Alan: Sorry Alan and everyone in here if this sounds wrong in anyway, this is just my opinion from another part of the world. I do hear your show every week and you are doing great when Palm just doesn't help.

I keep dreaming that Palm is going the same direction as Mac, once upon a time they were out of money and then started to become what they are now, MacOS 9 was crap and MacOS X is very good. Maybe Palm Nova (like I said before Nova in my country is New, brand new) well be the start of a new era for Palm, hope my cooked rom Treo 650 holds up till than.

[danceman]

Heres something innovative: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3CQG_pygBg

Have seen something like this with a Nokia n90 which has a vga output for a projector. But not from the actual phone like in this clip. Now think doing your mail, or messenger or even play games through a living room projector, your in presentation with Document to Go powerpoint, how cool. Thats what you can do with some Nokias.

[Alan G]

OK, DT always keeps me honest on the financial details. Thanks for the clarification.

And now it is my turn. The Treo 650 was a palmOne device. The Treo 600 was originally branded "Handspring." My Treo 600 is an older one that had already been rebranded to palmOne.

Alan G

[Alan G]

Palm has to do more marketing, more models, more choices.

Agreed, but these have been weak points with the Palm organization.

Alan G

[whydidyou]

I just finished listening to your podcast. Its not a world clock, but Windows Mobile does have a clock and alarm feature, but like everything WM its pretty hidden. You need to look under Start>Settings>System>Clocks and Alarms

If you use this function a lot, you may want to place a shortcut on the start menu.

Get this list of shortcuts from Brighthand and copy the ones you are interested to \windows\start menu on your 750v
http://forum.brighthand.com/showpost.php?p=1059308&postcount=2

[danielmaradona]

Palm is started to create its market on various demographic levels. Like the centro, they tap into the general cell phone users by offering a device which has the full blown capability of the Treo and the price of an ordinary cell phone. dancemena, thanks for your opinion. Nokia is doing their job of providing the communication needs of different types of users. Palm is a smartphone vendor and they are offering the needs of mostly professional and enterprise users with their Treo. Maybe Palm has started to evolved again and return to their ways of selling phones that address the needs of individuals, take the centro as a good example of this. They are marketing it as a personal features phone, not really a smartphone but a phone which can do all types of communication and media playback.

[danielmaradona]

Palm is started to create its market on various demographic levels. Like the centro, they tap into the general cell phone users by offering a device which has the full blown capability of the Treo and the price of an ordinary cell phone. dancemena, thanks for your opinion. Nokia is doing their job of providing the communication needs of different types of users. Palm is a smartphone vendor and they are offering the needs of mostly professional and enterprise users with their Treo. Maybe Palm has started to evolved again and return to their ways of selling phones that address the needs of individuals, take the centro as a good example of this. They are marketing it as a personal features phone, not really a smartphone but a phone which can do all types of communication and media playback.

[danielmaradona]

Palm is started to create its market on various demographic levels. Like the centro, they tap into the general cell phone users by offering a device which has the full blown capability of the Treo and the price of an ordinary cell phone. dancemena, thanks for your opinion. Nokia is doing their job of providing the communication needs of different types of users. Palm is a smartphone vendor and they are offering the needs of mostly professional and enterprise users with their Treo. Maybe Palm has started to evolved again and return to their ways of selling phones that address the needs of individuals, take the centro as a good example of this. They are marketing it as a personal features phone, not really a smartphone but a phone which can do all types of communication and media playback.

[danceman]

Palm is started to create its market on various demographic levels. Like the centro, they tap into the general cell phone users by offering a device which has the full blown capability of the Treo and the price of an ordinary cell phone. dancemena, thanks for your opinion. Nokia is doing their job of providing the communication needs of different types of users. Palm is a smartphone vendor and they are offering the needs of mostly professional and enterprise users with their Treo. Maybe Palm has started to evolved again and return to their ways of selling phones that address the needs of individuals, take the centro as a good example of this. They are marketing it as a personal features phone, not really a smartphone but a phone which can do all types of communication and media playback.

Your right, just one stategy is not working with the Centro, it isn't cheap in Europe, its about 300 euros if I'm not mistaken, Palm's pricing on its sites (3 times more than in the US). Because carriers here don't even know about Palm, just the Vodafone Palm ones like the 500v,500,750 and 750v, all Windows Mobile. If you go to Palm's international site and click on any country in Europe except the Region one, you will noticed that the 500 is the main phone announced, the one than Alan says that wasn't even made by Palm: http://www.palm.com/intl/

Thats why is so hard to be a PalmOS user in a place that only sees Symbian and WM.

I was thinking, maybe the money Palm is losing in the US on the Centro, their trying to get it from Europe. Just a thought

[danielmaradona]

In Europe Windows Mobile is the dominant force. It is also the reason why the latest Treo devices running the WM OS is first released in Europe under Vodafone. The demographic data shows that Palm OS will not be a success in Europe. I'm in the Philippines and I remember back in the early years of the new Millenium Palm OS is everywhere. If you are talking about mobile gadget, you're talking about only 2 things, Palm device and iPods.

Currently I am making some careful experiments to date on how I can changed the way I view mobile technology. I gone back to basics. I removed Agendus from my Treo and replaced it with 2day, I also installed UltimatePhone and other utilities that will expand the capabilities of the Treo. I can see that you can change your mobile experience by changing the combinations of Apps that you are using.

Palm is known to offer less spectacular hardware, compare the T3 to the Clie Th55.... Everyone agree that in terms of features the Th55 has the edge. Palm's magic is already dead because their main strength which is the software has reached the peak several years ago and been stagnant for almost 4 years now. Even you changed the skin you can feel the same old engine that is running underneath your device. Just like Windows XP, you have the feeling that you are using the same old version of Windows while having new skins and look. You can change the feel, but I doubt it is easy to changed the perception. That is what happening right now in Palm OS. There are excellent developers out there that is doing their best to further extend the capability of the Palm OS, but can't do nothing.

[danceman]

In Europe Windows Mobile is the dominant force. It is also the reason why the latest Treo devices running the WM OS is first released in Europe under Vodafone. The demographic data shows that Palm OS will not be a success in Europe. I'm in the Philippines and I remember back in the early years of the new Millenium Palm OS is everywhere. If you are talking about mobile gadget, you're talking about only 2 things, Palm device and iPods.

Currently I am making some careful experiments to date on how I can changed the way I view mobile technology. I gone back to basics. I removed Agendus from my Treo and replaced it with 2day, I also installed UltimatePhone and other utilities that will expand the capabilities of the Treo. I can see that you can change your mobile experience by changing the combinations of Apps that you are using.

Palm is known to offer less spectacular hardware, compare the T3 to the Clie Th55.... Everyone agree that in terms of features the Th55 has the edge. Palm's magic is already dead because their main strength which is the software has reached the peak several years ago and been stagnant for almost 4 years now. Even you changed the skin you can feel the same old engine that is running underneath your device. Just like Windows XP, you have the feeling that you are using the same old version of Windows while having new skins and look. You can change the feel, but I doubt it is easy to changed the perception. That is what happening right now in Palm OS. There are excellent developers out there that is doing their best to further extend the capability of the Palm OS, but can't do nothing.

Sadly you are right. :(

Waiting, waiting, waiting, I'm waiting for Palms new Linux, Symbian's touch screen, Window Mobile no Beachball less clicks 7, Iphone 2.0, forget about Blackberry. For now I have to stick to my 3 year old six fifty PalmOS.

[danielmaradona]

Currently I am on a work vacation.... it is time for me to test new softwares and new ways on how I will make my Treo more useful. I installed datebk6 and thinking on ways on how can I increased my productivity. I can say that new technology is not always the solution. Off course we always want something new and that is one of the primary reason why we are still waiting for Palm to release something significant. I think among technology consumers we are the most loyal and Palm should reward us for our long wait.

[danceman]

Currently I am on a work vacation.... it is time for me to test new softwares and new ways on how I will make my Treo more useful. I installed datebk6 and thinking on ways on how can I increased my productivity. I can say that new technology is not always the solution. Off course we always want something new and that is one of the primary reason why we are still waiting for Palm to release something significant. I think among technology consumers we are the most loyal and Palm should reward us for our long wait.

I agree. I agree. I agree. (Had to write more text cuz this forum doesn't let us write short msgs :))

[bquin]

Alan:

Haven't written in a while but have been listening to every episode.
On Windows Mobile you should listen to Paul Thurrott's rant about it in episode #58 of Windows Weekly (twit.tv/ww). he calls it an abomination that should be scraped and started over. His rant lasts for several minutes and is very funny and so true...

I am still using my Palm TX and have bought a replacement for when it dies!

Love your show...thanls for doing it and please keep it up!

[danceman]

Alan:

Haven't written in a while but have been listening to every episode.
On Windows Mobile you should listen to Paul Thurrott's rant about it in episode #58 of Windows Weekly (twit.tv/ww). he calls it an abomination that should be scraped and started over. His rant lasts for several minutes and is very funny and so true...

I am still using my Palm TX and have bought a replacement for when it dies!

Love your show...thanls for doing it and please keep it up!

I heard that too, I loved it. He like his Iphone. And The security podcast Steve Gibson loves PalmOS or used one for many years.

[Alan G]

I just finished listening to your podcast. Its not a world clock, but Windows Mobile does have a clock and alarm feature, but like everything WM its pretty hidden. You need to look under Start>Settings>System>Clocks and Alarms

If you use this function a lot, you may want to place a shortcut on the start menu.

Oh! My! God! First of all, thank you for telling me about that feature. I was about ready to buy a copy of Spb Time. I still may since it only $15. Secondly, this is just another example of how Microsoft screws themselves by making it so damn hard to use their software.

Alan G

[Alan G]

Hi Bill!

I'm stuck at the office watching a server do a whole not of nuttin' so maybe I'll check out that podcast you suggested.

Thanks for writing and for still listening to the podcast!

Alan G

[bquin]

the rant is about 2/3 of the way thru in case you don't want to listen to the whole podcast...

[Alan G]

I just finished listening to the show. I hate the professional audio guys. I need to get Reggie to hire one to produce the 1SRC podcast. :)

Anyway, there was a mini discussion of Windows Mobile Device Center, but nothing that I would call a rant. Regardless, it was a good show. Now I'm going to down another cup of coffee. The server I'm baby sitting is going to be cooking most of the night. :(

Alan G

[danielmaradona]

Oh! My! God! First of all, thank you for telling me about that feature. I was about ready to buy a copy of Spb Time. I still may since it only $15. Secondly, this is just another example of how Microsoft screws themselves by making it so damn hard to use their software.

Alan G
MS should refine the way their software is designed. Those simple features must have a simple access, so users can get the most out of WM.

[Tundra]

Wow - this is a lot easier than you folks are making it seem. On your Today screen simply touch the Date (assuming you have it showing - your choice) and the alarms pop up. You can set 3 of them - which you CAN'T do with Palm OS. Just one on POS without third party stuff. That'd be ONE touch for all those that think WM needs 5 to do what POS does in one.

I've been nothing but Palm OS for years - back to before the color screens - but made the switch to WM (Treo 750) two months ago and haven't looked back.

For me, the greatest thing to ease the transition was to get SBP Mobile Shell 2.1 and then customize it. Believe it or not it's actually more intuitive and useful in many ways than Palm, plus you get all of WM's capabilities and actual software improvements - something that Palm hasn't done in years.

Alan - go get Mobile Shell 2.1 (30 day free trial) and PM me and I'll send you a custom layout that will completely ease your venture in to WM. Should MS be offering this kind of usability out of the box? ABSOLUTELY! They don't, but at least it's available. Palm's out of the box is ridiculous in its own way. I had my 680 so hacked and tweaked to make it functional and respectable to look at that I see little difference now. Both OSs could be done way better. At least WM has a future and some development behind it. I just couldn't swallow investing in an abandoned OS anymore.

Enjoy the 750 experiment. For me the experiment led to a goodbye to POS. Curious how it will play out for you :)

Oh! My! God! First of all, thank you for telling me about that feature. I was about ready to buy a copy of Spb Time. I still may since it only $15. Secondly, this is just another example of how Microsoft screws themselves by making it so damn hard to use their software.

Alan G

[didiluca]

Alan asked in his last Podcast for some alternative kind of clocks or alarmers. I'm using "Big Clock" for years and it works fine. Big Clock is freeware an can be found here: www.biglock.de

regards
Dieter :)
--

[danceman]

Wow - this is a lot easier than you folks are making it seem. On your Today screen simply touch the Date (assuming you have it showing - your choice) and the alarms pop up. You can set 3 of them - which you CAN'T do with Palm OS. Just one on POS without third party stuff. That'd be ONE touch for all those that think WM needs 5 to do what POS does in one.

I've been nothing but Palm OS for years - back to before the color screens - but made the switch to WM (Treo 750) two months ago and haven't looked back.

For me, the greatest thing to ease the transition was to get SBP Mobile Shell 2.1 and then customize it. Believe it or not it's actually more intuitive and useful in many ways than Palm, plus you get all of WM's capabilities and actual software improvements - something that Palm hasn't done in years.

Alan - go get Mobile Shell 2.1 (30 day free trial) and PM me and I'll send you a custom layout that will completely ease your venture in to WM. Should MS be offering this kind of usability out of the box? ABSOLUTELY! They don't, but at least it's available. Palm's out of the box is ridiculous in its own way. I had my 680 so hacked and tweaked to make it functional and respectable to look at that I see little difference now. Both OSs could be done way better. At least WM has a future and some development behind it. I just couldn't swallow investing in an abandoned OS anymore.

Enjoy the 750 experiment. For me the experiment led to a goodbye to POS. Curious how it will play out for you :)

I agree Mobile Shell 2.1 is very good. On the PalmOS, I have emulated it with Takephone, 2day, 4cast and zlauncher. Oh and if you want the clock Palmary Clock. Wish there was only one app like Mobile Shell 2.1. for PalmOS.

This is one of the cases that the today on the WM professional is getting out of date (the WM standard 6.1 has a beautiful today) and SBP made this beautiful app for the WM pro. Does it have it for the standard WM? HTC has made good changes with Touchflow. In many operating system what make it continue is the development not the OS.