07.16.09
Posted in General, personal tech at 8:58 pm by Travis
Analysis: Palm Pre sync flap, hardware issues, hurt Palm.
I have had my Palm Pre for a month, and I can say that I love it. It does what “I” need it to do. Could I use more apps? Yes, but it’s version 1.04 which means it’s on the ground floor. The phone quality is good. The apps that I do have come in rather handy, and the camera is superb. It just needs a zoom function. I have not had the problems that others have spoken about. I went on a trip to D.C a couple of weeks ago, and the phone and network performed flawlessly. The Google Maps App came in very handy in finding by way around the area around the hotel.
The problem with Palm is that they tried to swallow a camel and gagged on a gnat. Don’t go after Apple until you have some apps. Nobody cares that Apple had only one app in their catalog when it opened. They see 50,000+, now. Don’t go adding syncing functions to iTunes when you know that Apple is going to squash it and brag like you really did something by creating it.
Bottom line. The Pre is an excellent alternative to the iPhone if you want the advanced features of the WebOs, a solid wireless network, a platform that has enormous potential and you don’t want to deal with AT&T’s wireless 2.8G network. Maybe more bars in more places means that this is where people often try to use their phones the most; I don’t know. If they don’t screw up the third party apps program, things can be great. Time will tell.
Here are some pics I took with the phone.
Great Hall of the Library of Congress
Reading Room in the Library of Congress
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06.12.09
Posted in personal tech at 5:15 pm by Travis
I had a tip that a Best Buy in my area would have some Palm Pre’s today. In their system, they were supposed to get some today, but when I went to check today the order had disappeared. I don’t know if Palm understands what is going on. All of the Pre fan boys have been on the net talking and tweeting about 50,000 Pre’s and now it’s up to 100,000, but many like myself don’t have one because there are none to have. It’s not about how many features at this point.
Everybody and their grandmother knows what the features are. We have seen them for the last freakin’ month on YouTube, MyTube, SheTube and HeTube, but they’re not enough phones. Who cares that you sold 100,00 when you only made 100,001? You don’t have any now, and come next Friday if you don’t have enough, you are going to have to give away a new car with every purchase to sell ‘em.
Next week Apple will release it’s iPhone 3Gs on the 19th, and I’ll bet there will be enough. You have to give it to Apple. They announce one week, and release the product the next week, not announce one month, release months later with hype out of this world and then don’t have enough and act like you meant it that way.
What good are all of the features if you can’t get one? What good is having a product if only a few customers and reviewers have them? There are those who will be more apt to buy a $99 iPhone without all the bells and whistles because its available. Here is another side to the issue. Those of us on Sprint who are upgrading to purchase a Pre have to upgrade our plan to accomodate the Pre. This means we have to time buying the unit at the end of the billing cycle, or we get hit up to twice our monthly bill. As it stands, if a truck load of Pre’s come in next week, I won’t be getting one because I am not going to pay that pro-rated fee along with my monthly bill. So attention Best Buy and Radio Shack just give mine to someone else. I’ll get one next month if Palm is still in business.
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05.28.09
Posted in personal tech at 7:26 am by Travis
Earlier this year, Sprint introduced its ‘Premiere’ designation for its most loyal customers. Now, I fall into that category. I have been with Sprint now for over 3 years with multiple lines, but what I am not feeling is anymore special by Sprint on the eve of the launch of the Pre’. I have called and written to Sprint many times before about the lack of true appreciation for customers who have been around for a while. One of perks of being a premiere customer was to be notified first of the release of the Pre. I got the email the same time as anyone else.
What is the advantage of being a Premiere customer? What is the advantage of staying with a company when people left by the truck loads to AT&T to get an iPhone? I have put up with a lot of things with Sprint. I stayed because I liked the network. The customer service agents, for the most part, were friendly enough and helped me when they could. It’s the overall structure and culture of how you really treat long standing customers is the problem I have.
In the words of your rival Apple, “Think Different.” As a friend of mine has so put it, Apple could release the iSack next week and the Apple fanboys would hype it to the ends of the earth, and if Steve Jobs shows up at the conference, you won’t hear much about the Pre for a while.
Do something that has never been done before. Truly make customer loyalty the hallmark of your business model especially for those who stayed with you when they had every reason in the world to leave with everyone else. I guess I can’t condemn people who stay in bad relationships anymore. I have done it for over 3 years now. The only reason I have stayed is because I don’t care for AT&T that much either.
What’s most disturbing to me is the fact that I have called twice to see what special incentives will be extended to the ‘Premiere’ Customers and so far, none. I will have to get in line like everybody else and hope to get a phone, that now, even the CEO says will be in short supply. I am not understanding the logic of companies that seem to have much to lose, but act like they don’t. When I did some grad work years ago, I had to take a general business course. One of the things we studied in marketing was the fact that you don’t build a business primarily on trying to get new customers. You invest in customer loyalty, but I guess that’s what they do with their 2 year agreements and $200 penalties for leaving early.
You would think that if businesses really cared about customers they would not try to burn the bridge that brought the customer over. I was told that at some point cell companies would start prorating the disconnect fee. The longer you stay in the contract the less the fee will be if you leave before the contract ends. This would open the door for people to want to come back if they leave, not some new phone they may or may not do what it promises.
Everybody keeps trying to make an iPhone killer, but this is the wrong approach. Just make a good phone and take care of your customer and reward their loyalty. I work with technology everyday. I like Apple and really prefer their technology, but I won’t even consider an iPhone because of who they are connected with. I had a terrible customer service fallout with AT&T and for that reason, I won’t even consider getting another phone with them right now.
I don’t care if the phone had a built-in transporter function and replicator.
I am concerned about the logic behind this whole issue. They raised the expectation and hype for months, finally announce the release date two days before their strongest competitor and reveal that they won’t have enough phones. I went into my local Best Buy and Radio Shack stores and asked about availability on June 6th. In one of these two stores, I won’t name which one, the employee asked me what was a Pre. The other store would not tell me if they will have the phone or not. They said they have not been notified. Sprint hits you with the rebate, but the other stores eat the cost. What gives?
Here is what I want. I want to be able to go to the store of my choice the day before and buy the phone for $199 without the rebate and get the Touchstone at a decent discount as a “Premiere Customer”. Is that too much to ask? If somebody at the top doesn’t get their mind right, this could be a Pre’-lude to a disaster.
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06.19.08
Posted in personal tech at 9:04 pm by Travis
STLtoday – News
“A federal appeals court sought to clarify matters in a ruling Wednesday by distinguishing between electronic communication that employers store on their servers, or pay someone to store, and communication they contract out for.
Employers must have either a warrant or the employee’s permission to see messages that aren’t stored by the employer or by someone the employer pays for storage, the court said.”
Bottom line. If you want to ” holla at yo chick on da side “, get your own phone. I think that I am going to write a post called “From Down low to Downloads-Da Playa’s Guide To Technology”. Cell phones, texting plans, OnStar, what the playa of the 21 century needs to know, but was too whipped to ask!
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01.11.08
Posted in personal tech at 10:17 pm by Travis
NewsFactor Network | Sony Deal Solidifies Amazons Challenge to Apple
Be not deceived. Apple is nobody’s fool. They are not concerned about deals made my players who came too late to the game. Apple is pushing them right where they want them to set up their next big thing which will be announced at MacWorld next month. Watch what I tell you.
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01.02.08
Posted in personal tech at 10:15 pm by Travis
Pointui, the definitive user interface for mobile devices.
Take back control of your device with Pointui Home. No need to fumble for a stylus anymore as Home is designed with generously sized controls.
This nice little program adds touch interface control to your Window Media pda device. My buddy has a Treo 750, and he loves it. I have a Centro. I have no real complaints.
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