Palm Users Who Changed to Droid?

[SSHGuru]

Evernote is Fantastic - download it!

Wow, this thread is too long. I wish I'd have found it a month ago. Doing searches just using "Palm" got me a ton of useless matches, and PalmOS not much. I also wish we could have a ex-Palmy's forum (or whatever the next step above a thread is) instead of just a thread here.

The honeymoon is kinda over between me and the Moto Droid (a855). It's not a very good phone OR a decent PDA. Flat-out the Palm had a better calendar, contacts, and memos 7 years ago. Anybody that says that migrating their contacts over from Palm was simple has pretty low expectations, and utilization. 3000 contacts down to 200, and that's acceptable? Not for me and my 900 contacts, 200 memos. I was able to migrate all 9 or 10 years of calendar successfully by way of "Shredzone", but that entailed a bit of work. One tip there is to export each category as a separate calendar to google.

Here's another thread/forum that'll give some insights on migrating.
migrating from palmOS - Android Forums

Datebook: the best substitute I've yet gotten is the gmail calendar, but I'm sure not in love with it.
Contacts: the native app that is connected with gmail contacts isn't all that bad, but making the migration is a real pain from PalmDesktop or the Treo.
Memos: NoteEverything Pro is the best I've found, and it'll import Palm memos directly, BUT it doesn't use the gmail "cloud". Lumping all my memos into big doc's doesn't cut it! GDocs is off to a good start, but it needs some work.
To-Do: "Astrid" with "Remember the Milk" seems best currently.
Graffiti! YAY!!! I got it back!!! Use MobileWrite. It needs better screen proportions, but at least it's handwriting recognition of (3)sorts!

3Bannanna is another interesting memos / notes app, but was taken in by Snaptic which also sells AK Notepad. Maybe they'll come out with a really good app, but AK Notepad isn't much more than a very, very simple, basic app without any good syncing or import/export system. Android without "the cloud" is pretty lame really.

 

[tjoebgen]

Tranz, what you have to realize is that the PalmOS has been around for a relatively long time. Android is still new. In time it will reveal itself as an incredible platform - after all, it is an open platform. And that is going to bring some outstanding apps in the near future. The faults you point out are going to help guide developers to create better more competent products.

True that it's been around a long time - but their base apps started out way more rugged and versatile than Android is. Then the add-on programs really enhanced them, and these came out very shortly after the base apps. And, there weren't thousands of lame ones that you had to weed through in order to find good ones. They were all well written but had different scopes of work and features. I'm finding that Android is relying on this open source concept too much. Hopefully some really awesome PDA apps will come out, but right now we are having to deal with some pretty week ones. I prefer apps that are written by people that actually know what their purpose is (you know... someone who actually uses this as a business tool), not by someone that just copies the base app and changes the font or color or adds one menu item.

There ARE some great apps out there. Apps that take advantage of the sensors and power and connectivity in this "little droid": Bubble, A Online Radio, Shazam, Compass, Google Sky Map, Radar Now, Movies, Key Ring, ShopSavvy are some of the better ones I've downloaded this week. The list of bad apps that I've already removed is far too long. I've been in contact with some of the developers of the Palm add-ons and I'm (not so) patiently waiting for the Android offerings.

What's cool about what we already have is the ability to link wirelessly to cloud data, such as google calendar. I'm hoping that some real power will come out of a marriage between google calendar and DateBk.

I know it's marketed as a "smart phone" and not a PDA, but I'll bet that most people think a smart phone should be a step or two above simple PDA status - especially after all these years of experience.
PDA apps that it really needs: Note pad with categories (the 3 apps with categories I've tried suck rocks, the 30 that I've tried without categories are very week, unless all you need is to make little shopping lists), Calendar with flexible tasks without having to build 15 separate google calendars, and a built-in Sync'ing of linked PC/SDcard files.

"Droid Does"? well... not quite just yet. I still love it though, and have high hopes for what may come when the software authors begin to mature.

 

[darreno1]

People seem to forget that Palm started out as just a PDA so of course functionally it had to complete. Android isn't geared toward any one particular function. You have to customize it to whatever your main preferences are. It will get there eventually but to expect to be like a Palm out of the box is unrealistic.

And as mentioned already, most of functions people are missing can be found in the Touchdown app although you'll have to pay for it. If you don't want to pay then you'll have to look around the Market for several. But IMO if you really need these functions in one convenient app, Touchdown is hard to beat.

 

[tjoebgen]

Android is lame without the cloud? Not all of us want to be dependent on one sole organization. I have unsync'ed my phone completely from Google. I want a true operating system not one that is a Google servant. Back up your data to anything else. Palm has been decimated by Blackberry and Windows Mobile and has chosen the route of "if you can't beat them then join them" and the Pre uses Windows Mobile.

If you don't know how to change with the times then go get go back to a vintage device...as the Pre uses Windows Mobile. Android OS is a far superior and open platform than anything Palm has released. Your Android is a potential computer not a PDA. The Palm OS is dead.

lol - like I said....

Here's a tip.... try becoming part of the solution instead of part of the problem.

 

[LordKastle]

I am not a developer. If you could read between the lines then you'd understand that development for the platform is limitless. If Apple could expand its potential to "corporate consumers" with a locked down platform, Android can expand with an open platform.

I will admit, I am holding out hope for Windows Mobile 7 or a legitimate Blackberry device when the time comes late in 2010 or 2011. Tired of the excuses MS and RIM give for not bettering their OS's and their potential. Because thats what they are --> complete fabrications.

Also, keep this in mind. Android before November was nothing more than in its beta stages...nothing more than a fad for T-Mobile users. The app marketplace was a complete failure besides a few trendy apps or games. Now with Verizon, Sprint, and others allowing for it to expand..now we will get to see what it really has to offer.

 

[tranz]

low expectations/standards

People seem to forget that Palm started out as just a PDA so of course functionally it had to complete. Android isn't geared toward any one particular function. You have to customize it to whatever your main preferences are. It will get there eventually but to expect to be like a Palm out of the box is unrealistic

No, Android is clearly defined, and it's for PDA functions including telephone and SMS. If expecting it to not simply compete, but to "one-up" Blackberries and Palms is unrealistic, then fears of widespread incompetence are confirmed. Android is not "out of the box" now, as others have pointed out, it's been around awhile now. Besides, Android is not a new concept or paradigm, it's a new generation. Most importantly "Smartphone", "PDA", "Handheld", or whatever term you like, has been in use and undergoing development for 15+ years. The decision to sort contacts by "first name", and not letting the user determine their own contact sorting and listing preferences, was realized to be stupid, no, - IDIOTIC, about that long ago. There are other bewildering disappointments as well.

"just a PDA" eh? You need to do some serious Wiki and web surfing to find out what all that covers dude! Obviously you don't have the life experience to know much of what it already has covered.

Google is NOT "the cloud", only a part of it. Microsoft is busting it's butt to become a bigger part of the cloud than Google, and probably is. I hope Yahoo can somehow recover and become a more viable part again too. iTunes, Facebook, Snapfish,,,,,

 

[LordKastle]

The above post baffles me with the tremendous amount of ignorance. Blackberries/Palms [Palms are dead] have laid with complacency for a long time now. Reminds you of something else? Windows Mobile. The complacency of RIM/BB is what will allow them to be decimated by the iPhone, Android, and even Windows Mobile if it gets its act together in time with WM7 late in 2010. They have put out mediocre hardware with no improvements for years now. Their excuse? Corporate consumer. Targeting corporate consumers is no excuse for not providing a device that is quality in other areas beyond email and enterprise. Blackberry seems to be more interested in giving away free phones than they do with providing a quality device..[one reason why I don't buy the whole corporate consumer excuse...they want to give out their phones like candy to whoever can get their hands on one.]

If Windows Mobile 7 can come out with aspects that make it essential for a corporate user and also with an OS that is beyond the junk and the laziness of late, BB/RIM will begin to falter. They have yet to release a phone with a screen size or OS that allows for multitasking and real-world activities such as browsing the internet with efficiency and reliability. When the user tries, then the OS bogs down. I hold out hope for WM7 if you cannot tell... if they can improve the OS, integrate other specialities such as media/internet, and allow for an app market place that goes beyond vanilla applications - I will give it a chance. A wounded animal is dangerous and that is what MS is. Or...they may just let the dirt pile on and be buried 6 feet under.

The same attacks you made on Android can be made on any of the devices you just named. Incompetence runs a-muck in the mobile world.

Keep in mind some of the arguments against the OS are warranted...but its more-so because Google would like you to become reliant on them as your one and only answer. Google wants to be your shepherd.

No, Android is clearly defined, and it's for PDA functions including telephone and SMS. If expecting it to not simply compete, but to "one-up" Blackberries and Palms is unrealistic, then fears of widespread incompetence are confirmed. Android is not "out of the box" now, as others have pointed out, it's been around awhile now.

 

[firehousejames]

[/quote] How did you sync your Palm 755p to Google? I've never done this, but have a Google account now. I've only ever synced to the palm desktop. Any help would be appreciated. Neall[/QUOTE]

Before I switched to the Droid I used goosync to sync my centro and 700p to my calendar, contacts, and tasks then used googles sync program to sync the calendar. It is a paid program but works well. The droids system is MUCH smoother. I just can't find a good tasks program that matched the palm's for setting categories and priorities. Any suggestions?

 

[Phillip944]

James... I made the switch from a 700p last month. The closest I've been able to come to the Treo's task function is gTasks. No prioritizing, but at least you can sort by date. If you find something better, please let me know.

Good luck,
Phillip

 

[firehousejames]

The closest I've been able to come to the Treo's task function is gTasks.

I too am using gtasks but I am also experimenting with "Remember The Milk" it has been on the iphone for awhile and the android has a nice app that interfaces with it. I let you know more if I figure it out.

 

[firehousejames]

Oddly enough, the one thing I think I miss the most, aside from an Android version of FileMaker Mobile, is a Droid equivalant to the Palm's Memos app. Any ideas?

I am using gdocs (free) from the marketplace which syncs with my google docs account that way i have my memos on my droid and online.

 

[hazydave]

True that it's been around a long time - but their base apps started out way more rugged and versatile than Android is.

That depends a whole lot on the base app. There were plenty of Palm applications that were very, very basic, weak applications. Start with pretty much all of the Treo phone apps, web browser, contact manager, etc. Yeah, there are some weaknesses in Android, too... but Palm was ten years+ in the market without improving these things.

And lets not even get started on how flawed audio support was. I had to write an audio application, at a past startup company, and it was a mess. Lots of "regular, everyday things" were a chore in the PalmOS, and, by modern standards, even as a user. Not to mention their caving to the cellphone companies and leaving Wifi out of any "smart phone" model.

What's cool about what we already have is the ability to link wirelessly to cloud data, such as google calendar. I'm hoping that some real power will come out of a marriage between google calendar and DateBk.

That's the part Google's interested in, and yeah, it works extremely well. It helps to have an ever-present network interface, but the fact that sync is just transparent, where ever I may happen to be, is just so superior to systems that need an explicit sync to a fixed PC, it's not even funny.

Unfortunately, the technology isn't there to do this well with media files. So Android itself simply ignores the problem. Of course, there are apps filling the gap, but that's one thing some form of tethering to a PC or NAS is the best way to sync up lots of media.

I know it's marketed as a "smart phone" and not a PDA, but I'll bet that most people think a smart phone should be a step or two above simple PDA status - especially after all these years of experience.

I don't see a distinction: PDA + Cellular Modem = Smart Phone. Essentially, it's a PDA with an always-on broadband connection, except for the tiny few applications that really do "phone" things. Of course, a 2010 vintage PDA is hopefully a few steps above a 1990 vintage PDA.

PDA apps that it really needs: Note pad with categories (the 3 apps with categories I've tried suck rocks, the 30 that I've tried without categories are very week, unless all you need is to make little shopping lists),

I have tried a few, each of which has features you don't get in Palm's Memopad. Note Everything supports folders, which can even be nested, as opposed to Palm's one-level categories. And you can make text, graphic, or audio notes... it's silly NOT to have that option all-in-one. This one's weak on sync or backup... you can explicitly import and export content, or buy the "Pro" version for automated backup to SD card (also does photo notes, checklists... why was that a separate app in Palm... oh, yeah, had to fit in 2MB of memory..., reminders, etc). If I settle on this, I might dump the separate "Voice Recorder" app.

NoteMe isn't quite as comprehensive, but it uses keywords rather than folders (categories), which is far more powerful... the proper database-style way to sort notes. Note quite sold on this one yet, but it's a big step beyond Memopad.

I'm also messing around with EverNote. This allows you to take text, photo, or audio notes, and instantly sync to their server. Unfortunately, it doesn't maintain a local copy, so it's fairly slow... I haven't quite decided on this yet, either. Like NoteMe, it uses tags for note identification, much better than a simple tree structure.

 

[tjoebgen]

True that it's been around a long time - but their base apps started out way more rugged and versatile than Android is.

That depends a whole lot on the base app. There were plenty of Palm applications that were very, very basic, weak applications. Start with pretty much all of the Treo phone apps, web browser, contact manager, etc. Yeah, there are some weaknesses in Android, too... but Palm was ten years+ in the market without improving these things.

When I say base apps, I'm referring to the BASE apps of the original PalmPilots: DateBook, Memo Pad, To Do List, and Address. Not the web stuff, multimedia, and phone. For many years I've been holding off on getting a "smart phone" so that I could make sure that I get something that is capable of replacing my Palm M515 - no phone, no web, just superior PDA capabilities that have yet to be matched by anything in the industry. The original apps were already rugged and flexible. The add-on apps for those 4 main features that came along over the years were actually extensions of those apps - not replacements or separate apps. They enhanced the original app.

What's cool about what we already have is the ability to link wirelessly to cloud data, such as google calendar. I'm hoping that some real power will come out of a marriage between google calendar and DateBk.

That's the part Google's interested in, and yeah, it works extremely well. It helps to have an ever-present network interface, but the fact that sync is just transparent, where ever I may happen to be, is just so superior to systems that need an explicit sync to a fixed PC, it's not even funny.

well... no. I have real files on real computers spread around my company that I need access to. At best, Google Docs can only accept a copy of those documents - not a link to the document itself. This has been my hardest transition - real file sync. Not every PDA had a desktop side of their platform, but Palm did. From that desktop you could edit your notes and address book and date book and to do list and then sync it to the Palm (via cable or IR). Anything edited on the Palm was available back at the desktop the next time you sync'd. Then came the add-on apps like Documents To Go that could sync with office documents anywhere on your PC and across your network. True links to the files, not just a copy. Somebody makes a change to one of those files and they will be available on the device after the next sync. I make a change to that file on the device and it updates the network version on the next sync. Today's Documents To Go on Android does not do this and neither do any of the note pad apps that I've tried, including the ones you mentioned.
Yes, to have the sync be automatic in the background without being tethered to a PC is nice. But presently, they've given up some serious power for business people for the sake of it. THAT is what's not even funny.

I know it's marketed as a "smart phone" and not a PDA, but I'll bet that most people think a smart phone should be a step or two above simple PDA status - especially after all these years of experience.

I don't see a distinction: PDA + Cellular Modem = Smart Phone. Essentially, it's a PDA with an always-on broadband connection, except for the tiny few applications that really do "phone" things. Of course, a 2010 vintage PDA is hopefully a few steps above a 1990 vintage PDA.

Exactly my point. Someone earlier suggested that we were off base for wanting a "smart phone" to do such powerful things like note taking and appointment making. And 1990? nah... surprising as it may be, the PalmPilot arrived in 1997. Seems so much longer ago to me.

PDA apps that it really needs: Note pad with categories (the 3 apps with categories I've tried suck rocks, the 30 that I've tried without categories are very week, unless all you need is to make little shopping lists),

I have tried a few, each of which has features you don't get in Palm's Memopad. Note Everything supports folders, which can even be nested, as opposed to Palm's one-level categories. And you can make text, graphic, or audio notes... it's silly NOT to have that option all-in-one. This one's weak on sync or backup... you can explicitly import and export content, or buy the "Pro" version for automated backup to SD card (also does photo notes, checklists... why was that a separate app in Palm... oh, yeah, had to fit in 2MB of memory..., reminders, etc). If I settle on this, I might dump the separate "Voice Recorder" app.

NoteMe isn't quite as comprehensive, but it uses keywords rather than folders (categories), which is far more powerful... the proper database-style way to sort notes. Note quite sold on this one yet, but it's a big step beyond Memopad.

I'm also messing around with EverNote. This allows you to take text, photo, or audio notes, and instantly sync to their server. Unfortunately, it doesn't maintain a local copy, so it's fairly slow... I haven't quite decided on this yet, either. Like NoteMe, it uses tags for note identification, much better than a simple tree structure.

Yep - tried them all. None fit my needs. None are a big step beyond Memopad - not by a long shot.
Presently, GooMemo is what I've copied all (738) of my old Palm notes to. I like the tabs (tags) feature. It could still be much better, but after trying over 40 different note apps, I'm settling on this for now. I'm still looking into B-Folder, OI Notepad and Ultra Note. Google Docs could be a contender for my MS Office documents, but there appears to be a limit of 100 documents.

Android OS has some serious potential - especially with the data network, gps, accelerometers, proximity sensors, light sensors, etc., that the hardware can feed it with. I was just hoping for a little more mature of a product by now. There are some really cool (and useful) apps out there. The Droid is a keeper - I'll just have to keep waiting for some suitable replacements for my base apps. The fine folks at Pimlico are working on an Android version of DateBk - an incredibly powerful and flexible scheduling add-on for Palm's Date Book. Can't wait!

 

[slorandy]

I agree on most all of these points. I've written to Pimlico also and can't wait for a release of their application. I can't stand the Google calendar.

The one other thing I need is a folding Bluetooth keyboard like I used with my Treo 755. Writing e-mails of any length on the Droid is ridiculous.

I've thought about getting a 1 piece case that makes the Droid look a little more svelt since I never use the physical keyboard.

 

[mfreeman]

Droid and Outlook

Have not switched yet but I am considering it. The main thing I like about the Palm is the Sync with Outlook and I have yet to find a phone without the Palm platform that will do this. I tried the Pre but it was only one way and did not have all of the apps. Is there an app that makes it possible to sync to outlook contacts, calendar, memos and tasks? (2 way sunc)