ATT Palm Centro

Can I load external software onto the Centro? I want a device that will allow me to use Skyscape's medical software. Don't know if I have to go to the Treo for that or if the Centro will allow me to do it.

"That will not happen on a palm"

Well of course it won't happen on a Palm, because a Palm device doesn't support changing the screen orientation. It also doesn't support WiFi, true multitasking, no GSM 3G (aka UMTS/HSDPA), and needs a 3rd party solution for A2DP.

I'll take WM over the "over-the-hill" Palm OS that's waiting to be put out to pasture on the heels of Nova.

I think i understand what Phillymac is saying. Windows mobile devices continue to be too bloated, back in the day desktops were running a full fledged operating system on 166mhz of processing power. The current mobile devices processors are cranking out 400mhz and some even more and yet still they hang.

I'm not sure which one of your guys on the podcast has the tytn2. but this must have happened to you.

you've got your phone open (using the qwerty) it rings you close it and try to answer. what happens... you gotta wait about 10 seconds before the screen re-aligns.. sometimes you hit the answer key n it just keeps ringing.

That will not happen on a palm. So though he bad mouthed palm I think he's saying its still the only one that behaves how a mobile os should behave relative to work load and responsiveness

I come in peace and i'm not mashing winmo I own a htc tytn I just think the os could make better use of the processing power.

David, don't even remind me. I can see Danger being well, in grave Danger I guess.

Great Idea!! I might pick one up then for review! BUT remember who bought Danger....

I work on a college campus and the majority of Sidekick users here are our high school students we have, and very few college students sprinkled in between. I think the most if anything they might lose depending on how you look at it is the ease of use they've grown accustomed to and better keyboard.

No problem, David. Just to elaborate on the comment earlier of the T-Mo Sidekick. It would be an interesting to compare the Sidekick III OS features and the Centro's OS features. The two phones were originally targeting two different markets, but what does a SideKick III owner Gain/Lose on upgrading to a Centro?

The Gain in theory would be: PDA Functionality
The Con in theory would be: _blank_?

I don't know off the top of my head. But, I think it would be interesting because Palm is aiming at those users.

Remedy thanks for your comments.. I read my post twice and thought i was missing something.. Now you validated I didnt ..Lol

I think David's last comment is spot on. For the entry level Smartphone user, they don't know anything about the age of an operating system nor do they care. They care about stability of the device because the learning curve may be tedious. Which is like Windows Mobile based products that do tend to have a lot of deficiencies to them (think Blackjack, HW6500 models).

While I agree the phone is foolish in comparison to an HTC product like the S730. The Centro has two purposes; Get the 21 and under Tmobile Sidekick users to upgrade to it. 2) Introduce new users to a converge device.

The other part I see Palm going with this is, upgrade within the same company factor. Like, If a person bought a Honda Civic for their first vehicle, their next vehicle will more than likely be a Honda Accord. Move from a Centro to a possible Treo 800(if it ever shows up).

Selling something for less money may not make it a better product, but it does make for a better value. IMO ,thats what you need to do if you're looking to indoctrinate more people into the smartphone market.

Ok your comment really doesnt make any sense. This device has a TON of features for the entry user. People dont really care how old an OS is especially an entry level user. All I know is that my wife who is an ENTRY LEVEL user felt the Centro had a ton of features that she didnt know where to start.

I think you are basing your comments on your own usage which you really cant for the typical user.

Calling this a powerful device for the entry level user is foolish. The Palm OS was out dated 4-5 years ago (I'm a Palm developer btw), the interface hasn't been updated. The mobile browsing is still glitchy at best. There's no functionality that I don't have on any Palm from 2004.

The device physically is cute, but as you've noted, the keypad is awkward.

Now, to the price point argument. Selling something for less money doesn't make it a better product. All that's happened here is that functionality that you previously had to pay $399 for in a Treo has been put into a $99 phone. It's not any better, it's not any more intuitive, it's not any more functional. It's just cheaper.

Having said all that - I'll still take the Palm OS over any Windows mobile platform. However, given the options available out there now, such as the Apple iPhone (which is what Palm should have been if they got their OS act together) I can't say this is a particularly good device - regardless of the price.

Just sayin'

To be honest, with those green keys and white finish, this looks like something that would be right at home in your local candy store. :)

I had trouble using that keyboard too, and I have small fingers. Just a poor keyboard design. Is the Voice software the Tag kind where you need to record the tag for each contact?

Sorry for the cellphone interference due to possible poor shielding..