Why I WON'T Bother with buying a Pre - Treo Forum

consultnga · 05-07-2009, 08:42 AM

As the current owner of a Centro who would like to own a Pre, I have come to the following conclusions about why I will no longer bother with getting a Pre and will spring for the iPhone.

#1. Palm takes too long between updates of any significance in their hardware or software. Just take a look at the Treo line as compared to iPhone & BlackBerry.

#2. Pricing.. I received a notice that I can upgrade my Pocketunes on my Centro for only $39.95!! UPGRADE!! Yet iPhone users can purchase a new license for $9.95. What kind of sense does this make?

#3. iTunes. Yes Sprint & Palm plan to offer a similar store, but being 3 years behind means they will NEVER catch up.

The Pre may be a better phone, but you can bet that the other players in the smartphone field will be moving a lot faster. Palm's track record in offering meaningful updates and improvements will mean that they are always playing catch up. It's really too bad too... Sort of like GM letting Toyota catch up and pass them. Look at the marketshare of the smart phone industry over the last few years. That should scare anyone considering a Pre.

jfa02 · 05-07-2009, 08:47 AM

Valid points all. But some of us are still hoping that Palm will be changing more rapidly and going with OTA updates etc. We are willing to wait and see if the pre bombs for whatever reason Palm may very well be dead. I think they are making and have made a huge mistake not getting the pre out several months ago. Pushing the date back to within a few days of the iphone 3.0 is a marketing blunder IMHO and could be one of monumental proportions. I hope not but...

TazUk · 05-07-2009, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by consultnga

#1. Palm takes too long between updates of any significance in their hardware or software. Just take a look at the Treo line as compared to iPhone & BlackBerry.

True, but Palm don't have the resources of the other two.

Quote:

#2. Pricing.. I received a notice that I can upgrade my Pocketunes on my Centro for only $39.95!! UPGRADE!! Yet iPhone users can purchase a new license for $9.95. What kind of sense does this make?

No details have been given for Palm's apps store so we've no idea as to the what the pricing is likely to be.

Quote:

#3. iTunes. Yes Sprint & Palm plan to offer a similar store, but being 3 years behind means they will NEVER catch up.

The Pre will use Amazons music store which has over 2 million songs, which may be less than the iTunes store, but it's not the only way in which you can get music onto your Pre. I don't really understand your comment about not being able to catch up, I'm sure the record companies would want their music available form as many sources as possible

Apple like to straight jacket you, they lock you to one provider, force you to get apps from their apps store, music from their music store. They restrict what apps are available too. Palm are being a lot more open with the Pre, which to me seems the way to go

Christoph · 05-07-2009, 09:33 AM

As another current Centro owner, I fully intend on getting a Pre once it comes out assuming I like it when I get a hands on feel of it. Although, those things you've listed are not a big issue for me with a phone.

One BIG issue for me though is how much ATT's mobile service costs with an iphone! With my company discount and an already low monthly premium...I'll stick with Sprint.

bakemcbride21 · 05-08-2009, 06:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jfa02

Valid points all. But some of us are still hoping that Palm will be changing more rapidly and going with OTA updates etc. We are willing to wait and see if the pre bombs for whatever reason Palm may very well be dead. I think they are making and have made a huge mistake not getting the pre out several months ago. Pushing the date back to within a few days of the iphone 3.0 is a marketing blunder IMHO and could be one of monumental proportions. I hope not but...

Actually Palm missed the boat not getting the Treo Pro subsidized on carriers 6- 8 months ago! lol

I have a Pro and it is simply...awesome. Easiest the best smartphone I have ever had (have gone 650-700p-750- Pro).

If you are a business/work professional, I still say the iPhone is inferior. The higher level of Exchange integration, laptop tethering, EASE of typing on the Pro kick the iPones butt..and no Slingbox! (though they say they are finally near..that I would like to see on the iPhone though)

But if you want a phone to play music and games etc...well the iPhone is the cat's meow (and it is th emost gorgeous screen out there).

But I am replying to 50+ emails a day and I owuld pull my air out trying to type on the iPhone (and I have played with them ALOT)

bakemcbride21 · 05-08-2009, 06:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by consultnga

As the current owner of a Centro who would like to own a Pre, I have come to the following conclusions about why I will no longer bother with getting a Pre and will spring for the iPhone.

#1. Palm takes too long between updates of any significance in their hardware or software. Just take a look at the Treo line as compared to iPhone & BlackBerry.

#2. Pricing.. I received a notice that I can upgrade my Pocketunes on my Centro for only $39.95!! UPGRADE!! Yet iPhone users can purchase a new license for $9.95. What kind of sense does this make?

#3. iTunes. Yes Sprint & Palm plan to offer a similar store, but being 3 years behind means they will NEVER catch up.

The Pre may be a better phone, but you can bet that the other players in the smartphone field will be moving a lot faster. Palm's track record in offering meaningful updates and improvements will mean that they are always playing catch up. It's really too bad too... Sort of like GM letting Toyota catch up and pass them. Look at the marketshare of the smart phone industry over the last few years. That should scare anyone considering a Pre.

If you are going over...at least wait until iPhone 3.0...why go now and get yesterday's technology when the upgrade is imminent?

jfa02 · 05-08-2009, 10:57 AM

Oh I agree totally they missed the boat on the pro. best Buy has anniounced that they will offer vthe pro with a 2 yr ATT contract as a suported/certified device but not officially subsidized for $249.00. They could and should have done that a long time ago.

TazUk · 05-09-2009, 04:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bakemcbride21

Actually Palm missed the boat not getting the Treo Pro subsidized on carriers 6- 8 months ago!

True, but you can't force carriers to take your products. Verizon fell out with Palm a long time ago, possibly over the memory issues with the 700w. AT&T already had the iPhone so weren't interested in the Pro, same with T-Mobile with the G1. That just left Sprint, who botched the release of the Pro by wanting to change the spec from the GSM version.

skoenig · 05-11-2009, 08:48 PM

Palm has been extremely slow to change and it's true a once innovative company failed dismally in many aspects of innovation. I think the Pre does hail a significant change in the company's outlook.

You're right about software prices. It's something we're constantly trying to get across to developers.... I think underlying issue is a qualitative and feature based one. On the Pre it seems to be easier to develop with and has a much more open platform. Thus expect a similar range in quality to iPhone with more features by default out of the box.

Pocket tunes is expensive....but ask yourself if there is an alternative software to buy. The best thing for dealing with price other than us arguing with developers - more licenses at less money = better for everybody - is increased competition in the same quality/feature bracket.

I think you'll get that with the Pre since the OS is pretty easy to develop for...

I hear you though, Palm has burnt many bridges with very slow/no innovation, poor post sale product refinement/support, strange quirky problems others phones don't seem to have and problems with product design. But the Treo Pro, Pre and Eos all seem like giant leaps in the right direction.

The biggest problem for Palm has been PalmOS (which it sold to Access - someone thought it was a good idea at the time) which has remained the same for far too long stifling innovation/features and all sort of other things that frankly would have been fairly easy to add were it a more modern OS.

Instead they plugged with gap with 3rd party apps instead of developing their own apps and libraries others could use.

~ Steph

~ Steph

jfa02 · 05-11-2009, 10:00 PM

I hear you though, Palm has burnt many bridges with very slow/no innovation, poor post sale product refinement/support, strange quirky problems others phones don't seem to have and problems with product design. But the Treo Pro, Pre and Eos all seem like giant leaps in the right direction.

Yes steph but the problem with these devices id the ways of old the slowness of getting them out the pro the sprint pro pushed back on to the pre release windows the pre re;ease wiindow jammed back into the cusp o the iphone 3.0 release its living too close to the edge for too long one more tiny bugaboo truns into a not sp tiny quagmire if things dont go exactly as planned. I hjope they succeed I want Plam to rgain traction and work back to the player they used to be. The pre and the eos/castle need to be big hits I've got my fingers crossed but I'm not holding my breath, even if I could!

05-07-2009, 08:42 AM	#1 (permalink)
consultnga A Few Questions.... Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Georgia My Treo: Palm pre My Carrier: Sprint My OS: Vista Posts: 6 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Why I WON'T Bother with buying a Pre As the current owner of a Centro who would like to own a Pre, I have come to the following conclusions about why I will no longer bother with getting a Pre and will spring for the iPhone. #1. Palm takes too long between updates of any significance in their hardware or software. Just take a look at the Treo line as compared to iPhone & BlackBerry. #2. Pricing.. I received a notice that I can upgrade my Pocketunes on my Centro for only $39.95!! UPGRADE!! Yet iPhone users can purchase a new license for $9.95. What kind of sense does this make? #3. iTunes. Yes Sprint & Palm plan to offer a similar store, but being 3 years behind means they will NEVER catch up. The Pre may be a better phone, but you can bet that the other players in the smartphone field will be moving a lot faster. Palm's track record in offering meaningful updates and improvements will mean that they are always playing catch up. It's really too bad too... Sort of like GM letting Toyota catch up and pass them. Look at the marketshare of the smart phone industry over the last few years. That should scare anyone considering a Pre.

05-11-2009, 08:48 PM	#9 (permalink)
skoenig Administrator Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Los Angeles My Treo: Treo 700p My Carrier: Sprint My OS: XP Posts: 1,782 Thanks: 103 Thanked 152 Times in 99 Posts	Palm has been extremely slow to change and it's true a once innovative company failed dismally in many aspects of innovation. I think the Pre does hail a significant change in the company's outlook. You're right about software prices. It's something we're constantly trying to get across to developers.... I think underlying issue is a qualitative and feature based one. On the Pre it seems to be easier to develop with and has a much more open platform. Thus expect a similar range in quality to iPhone with more features by default out of the box. Pocket tunes is expensive....but ask yourself if there is an alternative software to buy. The best thing for dealing with price other than us arguing with developers - more licenses at less money = better for everybody - is increased competition in the same quality/feature bracket. I think you'll get that with the Pre since the OS is pretty easy to develop for... I hear you though, Palm has burnt many bridges with very slow/no innovation, poor post sale product refinement/support, strange quirky problems others phones don't seem to have and problems with product design. But the Treo Pro, Pre and Eos all seem like giant leaps in the right direction. The biggest problem for Palm has been PalmOS (which it sold to Access - someone thought it was a good idea at the time) which has remained the same for far too long stifling innovation/features and all sort of other things that frankly would have been fairly easy to add were it a more modern OS. Instead they plugged with gap with 3rd party apps instead of developing their own apps and libraries others could use. ~ Steph ~ Steph __________________ IIIe > V > [wilderness] > 650 > 700p > 680 \| Sprint \| Subscribe to the newsletters!

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05-07-2009, 08:47 AM	#2 (permalink)
jfa02 Moderator Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Arkansas My Treo: Treo Pro My Carrier: Cingular/AT&T My OS: XP Posts: 5,496 Thanks: 1,928 Thanked 345 Times in 320 Posts	Valid points all. But some of us are still hoping that Palm will be changing more rapidly and going with OTA updates etc. We are willing to wait and see if the pre bombs for whatever reason Palm may very well be dead. I think they are making and have made a huge mistake not getting the pre out several months ago. Pushing the date back to within a few days of the iphone 3.0 is a marketing blunder IMHO and could be one of monumental proportions. I hope not but...

05-07-2009, 09:33 AM	#4 (permalink)
Christoph Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Louisville, KY My Treo: Palm pre My Carrier: Sprint My OS: Linux Posts: 23 Thanks: 5 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	As another current Centro owner, I fully intend on getting a Pre once it comes out assuming I like it when I get a hands on feel of it. Although, those things you've listed are not a big issue for me with a phone. One BIG issue for me though is how much ATT's mobile service costs with an iphone! With my company discount and an already low monthly premium...I'll stick with Sprint.

05-08-2009, 10:57 AM	#7 (permalink)
jfa02 Moderator Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Arkansas My Treo: Treo Pro My Carrier: Cingular/AT&T My OS: XP Posts: 5,496 Thanks: 1,928 Thanked 345 Times in 320 Posts	Oh I agree totally they missed the boat on the pro. best Buy has anniounced that they will offer vthe pro with a 2 yr ATT contract as a suported/certified device but not officially subsidized for $249.00. They could and should have done that a long time ago.

05-11-2009, 10:00 PM	#10 (permalink)
jfa02 Moderator Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Arkansas My Treo: Treo Pro My Carrier: Cingular/AT&T My OS: XP Posts: 5,496 Thanks: 1,928 Thanked 345 Times in 320 Posts	I hear you though, Palm has burnt many bridges with very slow/no innovation, poor post sale product refinement/support, strange quirky problems others phones don't seem to have and problems with product design. But the Treo Pro, Pre and Eos all seem like giant leaps in the right direction. Yes steph but the problem with these devices id the ways of old the slowness of getting them out the pro the sprint pro pushed back on to the pre release windows the pre re;ease wiindow jammed back into the cusp o the iphone 3.0 release its living too close to the edge for too long one more tiny bugaboo truns into a not sp tiny quagmire if things dont go exactly as planned. I hjope they succeed I want Plam to rgain traction and work back to the player they used to be. The pre and the eos/castle need to be big hits I've got my fingers crossed but I'm not holding my breath, even if I could!