[kwlug-disc] Palm replacement? Android pad?

[unsolicited at swiz.ca]

On Wed, 16 Feb 2011 09:46:43 -0500, Chris Irwin <chris at chrisirwin.ca>
wrote:
> 
> So far I've found using Android, even a community supported build, to be
> much better than my Nokia n810. Still not as seamless as my old Palm Vx
> (It's been ten years! seriously!), but it also does considerably more:
> Email, Browsing, Movie theatre show times, Angry Birds....
> 
> That said, I still think Palm "has" it in the software space, though
> different from the old PalmOS way. I wouldn't ditch my Pre for an
android
> phone, but I did find the screen just a little too small to try and
> organize
> my calendar, etc. Their tablet might be worth a look, but I don't know
when
> or how much...
> 
> http://www.palm.com/us/products/pads/touchpad/index.html

Palm 'had' it, you mean?

Never made the transition to WebOS - nothing I've seen makes me want to.
Not when it's incompatible with everything prior written for the Palms
(without going into the goofiness of simulators or such).

It seems to me WebOS moved the data to the cloud. My data is my data - it
has no business being anywhere other than on my PDA, and backed up to the
PC, with PC equivalent apps. It certainly doesn't belong on (in?) the
cloud.

Not speaking from experience here, merely my understanding of the
situation and a significant reason as to why I haven't moved on.

So, would you give up your Vx for your Pre?


As for Android, Khalid has said they are getting better in this area.

I just wish they would downsize from the PC, e.g. Evolution / Korganizer /
PALM DESKTOP!, where the richness of content, functionality, and
interoperability, exists, even if only to a different, 100% compatible, PDA
app, rather than try to upsize web apps that were limited by the state of
HTML at the time of their creation. We seem to be going backwards.

The closest thing I've seen these days is Pimlical, and even then it's not
quire 'real', yet, as far as I know - http://www.pimlicosoftware.com/. As
far as I know, it too uses Google, but surrounds everything with additional
code/apis to add in the necessary data structures and code to approximate
the richness of the functionality of the old apps.

    The loss of sync'ing, such as it was, from KDE 3 to 4, is
disheartening. Supposedly being worked on, but 'not here now'. And if
you're using the pim, 'not here now' is just not acceptable. So, I'm in the
'hurry up and wait', stage.

A friend just dropped her Palm - it died. Treo 680's (last pre-WebOS
smartphone, never going back to 2 devices) seem to be getting scarcer.
PANIC!


John - if Mary is like many, heart palpitations at the thought of a day
without her PDA, you may want to pick up an old Palm in the mean time. And
if not, heart palpitations that is, perhaps begin work on traversing the
Android learning curve sooner rather than later - the Palm, she gonna die
sooner or later, and when it does, your life won't be pleasant. (Why is it
OUR fault that THEIR Palm died and they don't make them any more ...)