• centro,  sprint

    Sprint Centro 1.07 Software Update

    July 23, 2008 /


    Palm has released a software update for the Sprint edition of the Palm Centro smartphone. This update is designed only for the Sprint device.

    According to the Palm website, the 1.07 software includes several enhancements:

    • Improved Gmail IMAP compatibility
    • Updated compatibility for Google Mobile Maps My Location feature
    • Improved ongoing delivery of email sent to VersaMail accounts viaExchange ActiveSync
    • Bluetooth usability enhancements and updates
    • Sprint TV performance enhancements
    • Enhanced AOL Instant Messenger performance
    • Improved performance when adding a contact using Mobile Voice Control
    • Improved email attachment handling
    • Changed default camera shutter sound to “ON.” Audible shutter “click” will be heard
    • Allows Preferred Roaming List updates over the air

    Before applying this update, I recommend that you back up your device either by performing a HotSync operation with your computer or by using a backup application, like Alex Pruss’ free NVBackup application.

    This software update can not be undone, even by means of a hard reset. Make sure that you are ready to commit to the update before applying it.

    For more information and the download link, visit the Palm website…

    Read More
  • treo,  vista,  windows mobile

    Windows Mobile Sync Troubleshooting

    July 21, 2008 /

    I went to sync my Palm Treo 750 with my Dell Optiplex 755 running Microsoft Windows Vista Business SP1 this evening and ran into trouble. (Imagine that!)

    When I placed the Treo in the cradle, the Windows Mobile Device Center didn’t recognize that there was a device connected to the system. Sure, I heard that familiar “plink-plunk” when you connect a USB device to Windows, but the Treo and the PC just wouldn’t talk to each other.

    Windows Mobile Synchronization Troubleshooting Steps

    Here is a short list of the troubleshooting steps that I took to resolve the issue.

    1. Soft reset the Treo. (Just pull the batter, wait 20 seconds, and put it back in.)
    2. Reboot the PC. (Stopping and restarting the Windows Mobile services didn’t seem to work.)
    3. Use the Windows Mobile Device Center to delete and recreate the partnership.
    4. Resync the Treo with the Vista PC.

    Upon initial resync wtih Windows and Microsoft Office, there was a sync error, however, performing a second data sync immediately after the first seemed to have cleared that error up.

    Using the Treo to view the last sync status

    You can check what the status was of the last data synchronization with your Treo was by using the ActiveSync application on your device. To view the last sync status:

    1. Press the Start button (Windows flag key)
    2. Select Programs from the Start menu (or press the “P” key)
    3. Tap the ActiveSync icon
    4. Use the right button (or tap the screen) to select the software Menu button
    5. Select Status (or press “T”) to view the sync log

    Read More
  • 1src

    Palm’s Marketing Must Be Better

    July 15, 2008 /

    I’ve been talking a lot about makeovers and transformations that are probably going on at Palm. Now it is time for Palm to overhaul their marketing department.

    September 2007 can been seen as the official kick off for all of the transformations that Palm is undergoing. To get things started, Palm sold a 27% state in the company to private equity firm Elevation Partners. Then all of the non-essential businesses where sidelined, including the Foleo mobile companion, the traditional handheld PDA business, and Palm’s retail locations. Next came staff reductions and realignment of the remaining teams. Palm has begun to roll out smartphones that are grabbing enthusiastic reviews. Coming up next up for Palm is a new Linux-based mobile operating system that will modernize the venerable Palm OS. With all the positive momentum being generated at the company, the time is right to overhaul their marketing department.

    In less than a year, Palm has sold more than a million consumer-oriented Centro smartphones. And they are on track to sell 2 million units by the end of the year. All in all, Palm’s marketing has been resonating with customers looking to replace their feature flip phones. This is a very good thing for Palm. (Evidence also suggests that Palm may soon be able to break even or begin making money on their Centro smartphones.)

    However, the events of this past weekend border on being reckless. Just in case you missed it, Palm launched a new edition of the AT&T Centro this weekend. The electric blue Centro went on sale this past Friday at AT&T retail locations and online at the Palm website. AT&T also implemented a temporary price cut for the Centro. You can now get an AT&T Centro for just $69.99 when you sign up for a qualifying 2-year service agreement. (The discount is in effect until September 20, 2008.) And then on Sunday, Sprint began selling the highly anticipated Palm Treo 800w smartphone. Reviews for the Treo 800w are just starting to come in, however, according to the Palm blog, people are writing things like; “ the best Treo ever,” and “the most productive Windows Mobile Pro device.” It is a same that the long lines weren’t for Palm’s new products and that no one heard Palm’s message because the new hardware was introduced during the insanity that was the international Apple iPhone 3G and iPhone 2.0 software launch.

    With Palm running lean and mean, it seems that their marketing department isn’t on the same page as the management. How else can you explain Palm spending money to launch new devices during the same weekend as a major product launch as the iPhone 3G? Why not postpone the product introductions by a weekend? The only thing that I could dream up for a reason to roll out a new Centro this past weekend would be in a vain attempt to be disruptive of Apple’s iPhone launch. If that was the case, Palm’s plan backfired as Apple reported today that they sold over a million iPhone 3Gs internationally as of Sunday; the third day of the new iPhone’s availability.

    In the time remaining between now and whenever Palm is ready to deliver the first products running Palm OS II/Nova, I hope that Palm takes a hard look at their marketing efforts. Palm OS II/Nova will probably be the single most important product developed by Palm over the next five years. Palm’s message about the new version of Palm OS and the devices that run it needs to be loud and clear.

    There is still time for Palm to put their marketing house in order. To get the ball rolling, Palm has taken the first major step forward by bringing Elevation into the fold. Elevation brings the disciple of product execution to the table and product marketing needs to be part of project plan. Secondly, Palm has hired Lynn Fox away from Apple; a feat that I’m sure Palm Executive Chairman Jon Rubinstein had a hand in. In her role as director of Macintosh PR, Fox will know how to add the sizzle to Palm’s steak. Lastly, Palm needs to engage the media and the Palm user community in a combined marketing assault that gets the word out that a new Treo running Palm OS II/Nova will run circles around your current phone.

    If Palm can generate excitement for their brand, their new Treo and Palm OS in advance of their delivering the smartphone that there customer base has been clamoring for, Palm won’t just have a smash hit on their hands, they will be on their way to being a meaningful player in the mobile computing field.

    [Via 1SRC.com…]

    Read More
  • treo,  windows mobile

    Jeff Kirvin on the Treo 800w

    July 15, 2008 /

    Now batting for the Palm lineup – Jeff Kirvin!

    “The Kirv” has picked up a new Windows Mobile Treo 800w. Jeff writes:

    “I picked up a Treo 800w over the weekend and man, I have to give Palm their props. This is a wonderful refinement of the venerable Treo form factor. It’s comfortable, light and elegant. But what really make the difference is software, Palm’s “special sauce”.”

    Read Jeff’s full post on JeffKirvin.net…

    Read More
  • sprint,  treo,  windows mobile

    Palm Officially Launches the Treo 800w

    July 14, 2008 /

    Earlier today, Palm has launched the Treo 800w smartphone for the Sprint wireless network with Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional, 802.11g Wi-Fi, and GPS capabilities.

    “Palm is adding a unique stamp to the Windows Mobile experience with the Treo 800w,” said Stephane Maes, vice president, product marketing, Palm, Inc. “It’s an easy-to-use feature-packed smartphone that will keep users happy, empowered and productive.”

    The complete list of Treo 800w product specs can be found on the Palm Treo 800w website.
    A downloadable PDF datasheet for the Treo 800w is also available.

    The Treo 800w can be purchased for as little as $249.99 with a qualifying service plan and after instant and mail in rebates. Without a service agreement, the Treo 800w sells for $599.

    You can purchase the Treo 800w from Palm’s online store or Sprint’s retail outlets and online store.

    Read More
  • att,  centro,  sprint,  treo,  windows mobile

    Weekend Wrap Up

    July 14, 2008 /

    This weekend, Palm made three important moves, not that anyone noticed with iPhonemania 2.0 in full swing.

    Electric Blue Centro, Temporary Price Cut

    On Friday, Palm introduced a new electric blue Centro on the AT&T wireless network. If you are following along on your scorecards, AT&T now has three colors to choose from: obsidian black, glacier white, and now electric blue. To entice even more people to chose Centro, AT&T has lowered the price to $69.99 when you sign up for a qualifying two-year service agreement. That is great news for anyone looking to jump on the smartphone bandwagon!

    You can purchase an AT&T Centro either online from the Palm or AT&T website, or from any AT&T retail outlet. For more details, visit the Palm Centro website.

    Sprint Begins Selling the Palm Treo 800w

    At long last the new Palm Treo 800w is available! It has a great looking case and offers several new built-in features previously unavailable on any previous Palm smartphone.

    Just some of the new features include Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.1; a 320×320 touch screen display, a 2.0MP camera, and built-in Wi-Fi and GPS radios. The new Treo retails for $599, however, when you sign up for a qualifying service plan, after instant and mail-in rebates, the 800w sells for $249.99. A handsome price for what could be a very nice phone.

    On Sunday night, Palm has yet to issue a press release or update their website and online store. Look for more details come Monday morning.

    Oh Palm, sigh…

    Working with AT&T to bring out a new Centro, if only in color, and putting a price cut in place was the right thing to do. And launching the much-anticipated Treo 800w on Sprint was another positive step forward.

    Yet, once again, Palm’s marketing department show how inept they are. Launching two new phones and introducing a price cut during the same weekend that Apple was rolling out their new iPhone 3G and iPhone 2.0 software was just poor planning.

    John Paczkowski from the D: All Things Digital website, has the perfect quote from Charlie Wolf who is an analyst at Needham & Company. The quote reads:

    “They took the wrong day to do it,” said Charlie Wolf, a wireless analyst at Needham & Co. “It’s going to be drowned out by the hoopla around the iPhone.”

    I truly hope that Palm learns from this mistake, and doesn’t start talking publicly about their Palm OS II/Nova plans and/or devices during the same week that Apple is rolling out new products at MacWorld Expo in San Francisco come January 2009. Palm needs to get out in front of Apple, or get behind them. Just don’t go toe-to-toe with them.

    Read More
  • sprint,  treo,  windows mobile

    Palm Launches the Treo 800w on Sprint

    July 13, 2008 /

    Starting today, Sprint has begun selling the Palm Treo 800w smartphone. According to the Sprint website, the Treo 800w has the following product specifications:

    • Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.1
    • Autonomous and simultaneous GPS using Sprint Navigation for turn by turn directions, and points of interest searches
    • Stereo Bluetooth lets you listen to your music on the go
    • Embedded Wi-Fi
    • 2.0 Megapixel camera/camcorder
    • MicroSD card support
    • 320×320 TFT display capable of displaying 65K colors
    • 256MB of user memory, 128MB of program memory
    • Incoming call alerts when a data session is in progress, avoid sending callers directly to voicemail
    • Phone as a modem support

    The Treo 800w sells for $599 without a service plan and can be had for as little as $249.99 when purchased with a monthly $25 or more data plan (in addition to a voice plan) or the Sprint Simply Everything plan ($250 instant savings, $100 mail-in rebate).

    Palm has yet to issue a press release officially announcing the Treo 800w. Additionally, the Palm website and online store have yet to be updated. I expect Palm’s official launch of the Treo 800w to come on Monday morning.

    Make sure you tune into this week’s 1SRC.com Podcast for more details on the Treo 800w.

    For more details, or to purchase the Treo 800w now, visit the Sprint website.

    Read More
  • Uncategorized

    Palm Lands Duarte

    July 5, 2008 /

    Engadget is reporting that Palm has hired well known software interface designer Matias Duarte. The company has confirmed that Mr. Duarte has been working for Palm since September 2007.

    Mr. Duarte’s title at Palm is listed as Senior Director, Human Interface and User Experience and is likely working on the new user interface for Palm’s next generation Linux operating system, Palm OS II/Nova.

    Bringing in Mr. Duarte is likely the work of Jon Rubeinstein who is leading an internal revolution at Palm with the intention of making the company relevant in the mobile computer market.

    What I find interesting about this is that Palm has stated that Palm OS II/Nova is due to have the core OS completed by the end of this calendar year. Once the core is complete, the work on the interface would begin. It sounds like Palm has an entire team already working on the interfaces for the next generation Treo and Centro smartphones.

    Is this yet another piece of evidence that suggests that Palm OS II/Nova will be ready before the middle of 2009? I think so.

    Read the full Engadget article…

    [Thanks to all the folks who sent in this tip.]

    Read More
  • palm os,  treo

    Palm Post Verizon Treo 755p Update

    July 3, 2008 /

    Palm has posted a minor maintenance release for the Verizon Treo 755p. The new software brings the ROM version number up to Treo755p-1.08-VZW.

    Similar to the Sprint Treo 755p update that was released on January 30 of this year, the Verizon update only states that “[t]his software update is a tune-up that improves the phone application, stability and device usability.”

    Having applied the Sprint update to my Treo 755p, I did not notice any changes in my device after the upgrade. The Treo was working well before the update and it is still working well six months later.

    Download and update directions can be found on the Palm website.

    Read More