Hello world! Introducing the Palm Blog!

Before I could even wrestle with questions like "What will Palm's first blog post be about" or "Should I be witty? Reserved? -- the bigger question was "Would there be a Palm blog at all?" Well, at least one of these questions has been answered: Palm is blogging and this is our first post.

So what exactly will Palm blog about and who will be contributing to it? We're going to be flexible and broad on topics because we have a lot of stuff to talk about. The "who" is just about anyone at Palm, from interns to execs. Some days our posts will be educational about our products and other days thought-provoking about our vision and the ever-changing market dynamics. How about even generating a few laughs and who knows maybe some "spirited" conversations - we're game for that. We might even provide a peek behind the Palm curtain. And finally, what self-serving company blog (thanks, Yahoo) would be complete without some insight into the company's employees and culture? Over time, all of the above will be covered.

Please feel free to share your thoughts with us (comments are welcome) because we certainly plan to share our thoughts with you.

If you are feeling daring enough, here is the RSS feed to subscribe to and check us out on a regular basis: http://blog.palm.com.

Happy blogging,

Paul Loeffler

Comments

[Mike Overbo]

Hi Palm! I'm a big fan of the radical transparency and communication that a team blog can bring. How often do you hope to have posts? Daily? A few per week?

[Gazpacho]

Congrats Palm!

[Mr. Nightingale]

GOOD NEWS!!!

Speaking for the Nursing Community, keep fighting the good fight. Our school had been recommending the Dell with Windows Mobile 5 (urrr). This week, dell announced the demise of the AXIM, so they are currently re-evaluating and will hopefully decide on the Palm. As a lifetime Palm user, I say HURRAH!!!!

Even better, Palm is planning a new Linux-based OS (see Dave's PDA Place article today); "Palm Planning New Linux Based OS", Tuesday 04.10.2007 at 12:40 PM

Open Source OS for all!

[Antoine of MMM/Brighthand]

Welcome to the blogsphere Palm and Paul. Looking forward to seeing the news and views that will come out of Palm.

Now here's the most important question, are you making it manditory that all Palm bloggers use a Treo to blog? :)

[Imabug]

I'm looking forward to hearing more about what's going on with Palm through the blog. What I really want to know is: Where are the *non-phone* PDAs? Maybe I'm just a luddite, but I have no desire to carry a PDA/cellphone/camera/yada yada yada combo device. I just want a PDA dangit!

[Linda Casey]

Thanks Palm for this glimmer of hope.

I hardly ever go to an interview without my E2 and wireless keyboard in tow. Please support and evolve your products and OS, there’s a lot of people out there depending on you folks.

-Linda Casey
Editor, SCIP magazine

[Stephen Moore]

G'Day,

Thanx for this. Here's hoping this will have real effect on improving things, and not just placate complainers.

I'm also one who prefers to have secernate devices. I can't afford to be "out-of-touch", and Treos have proven far too unreliable for my needs. There is a market out here for PDAs.

More importantly, however, is the need for a stable operating system. While I did have multiple problems with my T3 slider, the OS was solid, so much so that I still use my Tapwave Zodiac, which uses the same OS, v5.2. I also have a T5, a LifeDrive, and a Treo, but can't rely upon them as they all use flavours of v5.4.

When can we expect the OS to be fixed or replaced with something more stable?

Thanx

[Bob Caruso]

For those inquiring about the 700p ROM update, I have been communicating with Steve Sinclair at PALM for sometime about it. I have been maintaining a thread to track the history of my TreoCentral featured letter to PALM & provide news updates as they come. I received some news from Steve this week and have it posted on the thread at TreoCentral. I thought some of you would be interested. The link is:

http://discussion.treocentral.com/tcforum/showthread.php?t=131719

I want to applaud Palm for this blog. It is a great step towards communication improvement between their company and their loyal user community.

Bob Caruso aka Bob-C

[Tom Henriksen]

Congrats on the blog. A great idea.

Hope that you adopt a forum format like 1src or this blog will implode into unorganized chaos.

Really hoping to see a TX2 device, non treo, PDA released.

Communicate with the Palm community.

Don't forget about the organizing the blog with a forum format or it will be impossible to navigate.

Thanks,

Tom

[BusyPerson]

So glad you're doing this. I just want to add my voice to those who are begging for a new PDA model. I don't want to carry a Treo with me everywhere I go (playing ball with the kids, hiking, etc). I much prefer a small phone to carry always, and separately a good PDA with a big screen for PIM, writing, databases, presentations, project management, organizing, wi-fi/bluetooth surfing and emailing, voice memos, etc., etc.

You've had all the right pieces, just in different machines. T3 had the form factor, but unreliable hardware, poor battery. TX has wi-fi and bluetooth, but lost the voice and vibrating alarm. Lifedrive had the storage, but all those hard drive problems. Sure, everyone wants the new OS, too, but even if you just released a PDA that assembled all the different things you've done right, without any big mistakes, you'd have (another) chunk of my money in a flash. Add in the new OS, and wow!

I do hope you'll respond here to all those of us begging for a new PDA.

[Jean-Paul Horn]

I'd also like to congratulate Palm on this bold move. Hope you're in this for the long run and it isn't just a 'fad'.

Could you please extend the list of Palm communities with more European oriented communities, like our website Palmclub (www.palmclub.nl) (former Dutch Palm User Group). We have been discussing and helping Palm enthousiasts since 1999. It would be nice to see other PUG's and European websites too in the sidebar. Thanks on behalf of the Dutch Palm community.

[BaDZeD]

This is a good means to to get customer input, even though, as someone has already mentioned, the forum format might be better.

Still, keep up the good work :)

On the wish side, I'd still like to see more PDAs, or at least a large screen and wifi on the Treos (TX is still by far the best thing Palm has produced).
Anxiously waiting for the "Third Business Branch" and LinuxPalmOS

Keep us posted! :)

[Rob Prior]

Here's another congratulations and welcome to the blogging community.

As a long time Palm user (Palm IIIx, IIIxe, Handera, T3, and now Tx), i've always loved the simplicity and reliability of the Palm OS. The plethora of software titles available has kept me happy for years as well.

But please, please, please, please stop selectively including features. My T3 had a microphone (that I used all the time) and vibrating alarms (that were much more effective at reminding me of upcoming meetings). My Tx has neither and is incredibly frustrating as a result. But I needed WiFi, so what else could I do?

The ultimate Palm for me, would take my Tx, bump up the processor speed to whatever the current fastest is, bring back the microphone and vibrating alarm, incorporate the phone from the Treo (but no keypad, I want the larger full screen and *like* using graffiti), and keep the Wifi. 256MB standard, and SDHC card for expansion. I'll pay $500 CDN for it.

Let me know when I can buy one. :)

[BaalthazaaR]

Thank you for taking this step.I hope that this will be a useful tool in feeling the pulse of the die-hard Palm fan.

I have owned the Palm V, the Palm Vx, the VII, and the Visor Edge. I was even trying my best to buy the Samsung i500 before Sprint discontinued it. I loved the simplicity, ease of use, and the performance of Palm OS.

I loved the springboard capability (and owned several modules) and was very disappointed to see that die even though I understand why.

What I can't understand is why the PDAs that you make are stuck in the past. My VII was stolen/lost and my Visor Edge died and so I was looking to buy a new PDA. I kept waiting for the line to be refreshed, but your site still lists the TX as "new"? Who are you trying to fool with that "new" tag?

For this day and age, I'd like a PDA with SDHC & SDIO support. NO mini/micro SD. I tend to lose the bigger SD cards, what chance do I have with the smaller ones? I would like Bluetooth, Wi-Fi (at least 802.11G) and decent battery life. I understand that Bluetooth and Wi-Fi reduce battery life when used, but they're not used constantly. Also a vibrating alarm mode is very important. It is very distracting to be in a meeting with a PDA / phone beeping.

I would settle for a Treo if it it had all the above and a bigger screen. Battery life would have to last a whole day with reasonable use. My old PDAs, granted had lesser functionality, but they held a charge for three to seven days with a lot of usage. When I didn't use it much, it was re-charged once or twice a month.

Most importantly, any device I buy will be either Palm OS or Linux. ABSOLUTELY NO MICROSOFT!!

[Karl]

Well here we are, April 12th my birthday, and the day after the Palm Blog starts! Wahoo! We're a select group of people, those of us who LOVE Palm so I'm glad we have a place to meet and greet!

Karl
www.brokeit.com

[Rich]

Sir, may we please have some more PDA's

[Jon Reagan]

Congrats on the new blog, Palm! I will be coming back here often to check it out!

[Treo 750 fan]

A forum format would be better suited for an organized and efficient feedback session. A blog can end up like what we see here.. a lot of congrats but gets no where as far as results.

Don't get me wrong.. thanks Palm for reaching out to your loyal users (and am definitely one) but lets put up a forum style with Palm support moderators.. We have seen the Dell blog.. its very pathetic.. tons of issues but no resolution because its in blog style.

I hope we can create a forum based, organized topic or product line and moderated by Palm executives, managers and or tech/customer support. Don't follow the GMs or the Dells by creating blogs.. in the end everyone just gets frustrated.

[San Diego Gentleman]

Where's the 700p ROM update?
Please say something!
Thank you for this blog and please listen to us!

Where's the 700p ROM update?

[TracerRx]

Please please please.. release a ROM update for the 700P -- a year is a LONG time to wait for a $600+ dollar phone to become fully functional and fixed... WHY have the 700P users just been abandoned!?... All that does is encourage us to buy blackberry's instead --

[Nick Del Grande]

I too am waiting for the 700p update. Can we get some status on it?

[Alex Na]

Great news!

I am an old Plam supporter (and shareholder)

I switched from my Treo 180 to Treo 600 immediately, because it was a big improvement. Since then I did not see such a big new product from Palm for me to switch. Today I am still using my Treo 600... (which has Handspring logo on it).

WE NEED THE NEW PRODUCT! We all hope it is coming in May. If that is true, I am ready to buy now. Let me know how can I preorder the THING ;)

(And I agree, no Windows please)

[Chad Garrett]

About time! I am looking forward to enriching posts about Palm's culture and insights to the mobile market.

[roman]

hello,

congrats on the blog - my hope is that you listen to all the comments. my overall feeling from the public is that Palm is close to 'dying'. either you better come up with something better than garnet and do your linux thing quick, or improve garnet itself. Palm OS had so much potential, but it seems to be stuck in the stone age. why can't we do skype for example? also, why can't get get rom updates that fix issues? Also, why can't I use bluetooth to dial up using my tx and my razr? get with it palm... or else, I will bid thee goodbye.

[Cantinero]

seria excelente opcion disponer de este blog en español, ya que los hispanos parlantes tenemos muchas sugerencia para los proximos productos de Palm.

saludos