The Official Palm Blog

The Palm Foleo

Some of you may have seen late last night or early this morning information about the Palm Foleo.Now it's "officially" official. And no, the Palm Foleo is not a plane, train or portable waffle maker. It's a smartphone companion that has a large screen and full-size keyboard (which makes email and working with documents much easier), Wi-Fi, and an on/off button that actually does just that...instant on, instant off (i.e. no boot up).

More details can be found here:

http://socialnews.palm.com/release.aspx?hid=11

http://investor.palm.com/pressdetail.cfm?ReleaseID=246403

Check back for more info on the Palm Foleo during the coming weeks.

Paul Loeffler - Palm, Inc.

Treo 680 Software Update

Attention AT&T/Cingular Treo 680 smartphone customers - we have developed a software update, which is available for download here: http://www.palm.com/680CriticalUpdate. The software update includes these features:

• Improved power management for better battery life;
• Camera update for better battery life;
• Help to correct distorted characters that can occur in the title bar of the Phone application;
• Help to fix device freezing that may occur under certain conditions;
• System Lockout improvement for increased security;
• Support for the new Daylight Saving Time legislation;
• Provides better support for networks unique to some Caribbean, Latin American, and Asian countries; and
• Updates Cingular branding, replacing it with the new AT&T branding.

For those who have unlocked Treo 680 smartphones, the following updates are available:

• Treo 680 security update:   http://www.palm.com/us/support/downloads/treo/680securityupdate.html
• Daylight Saving Time Update for Palm OS Devices: http://www.palm.com/us/support/downloads/dst.html
• Treo 680 Camera Updates:  http://www.palm.com/us/support/downloads/treo/680cameraupdate.html
• Outlook 2007 Update: http://www.palm.com/us/support/downloads/outlook2007/outlook2007update.html
• Exchange ActiveSync Update for Palm OS Devices: http://www.palm.com/us/support/downloads/treo/easupdate.html

Updates for other Treo smartphones are available here: http://www.palm.com/us/support/smartphones.html 

Thanks,

Phil McClendon - Product Manager

Back it Up!

It's been a little over a month since we've launched Palm Backup Beta, and we have been getting a lot of valuable feedback and comments. A big thanks to everyone who has tried the application, and we hope you will keep sending us your feedback: backup.feedback@palm.com.

I also wanted to take some time to answer a few of the common questions we have seen so far:

1.) How do I restore my data after I have backed it up?

When you first register for Palm Backup, it's important for you to confirm your account by clicking through the activation email from Palm. Make sure to check your spam or deleted email folder if you didn't receive the email after registration. For security reasons only a confirmed account is allowed to restore data, so no original confirmation, no backup and restore.

To restore data (contacts, calendar, tasks, memos, bookmarks, speed dials, and call log) after doing a hard reset or replacing a lost or damaged Treo, install the Palm Backup application and then sign in with your registered email and password (you can download the application from http://www.palm.com/backup on your Treo).

2.) Why does it take so long to backup my call log?

Unlike regular cell phones, Treos can hold a large number of call log entries. Some users have thousands of call log entries because they have been using Treos for years (including me). If you don't need years worth of call log history, the best way to speed up your backup is to purge some of your old call logs. Here are some instructions on how to do that.

3.) Why am I getting this error message, "an unknown error has occurred, please try again?"

This is usually because the Palm Backup server is temporarily unavailable and it often returns to normal after a short period of time. If it appears repeatedly, please contact Palm Backup Beta support at 1-866-785-7256.

Also including a link to the Palm Backup FAQ: http://www.palm.com/us/support/palmbackupbeta/faqs.html

We will continue to improve Palm Backup Beta over time, and we want to make sure it's working well for everyone. Please continue to share your thoughts and let us know if there are topics on Palm Backup that you would like to talk more about.

Kevin Wu - Product Manager

Timing Update for 700p MR

Timing for the 700p maintenance release hasn't changed since we last posted to the blog (April 17th). At this time, we expect the software update to be available the week of May 28th. We will post an update if the timing moves.

Paul Loeffler

Update:

We appreciate the frustration that has been shared and everyone's patience. I know we said we are working to deliver the 700p maintenance release (MR) the week of May 28th. We are still hoping to make the MR available for Sprint Treo 700p users tomorrow or early next week.

Unfortunately, the MR will not be available this week for Treo 700p Verizon Wireless users, but we expect it will be available soon.

Will post again tomorrow.

National Bike-to-Work Week!

It's national Bike-to-Work Week, and this Thursday May 17th is national Bike-to-Work Day. I currently bike to work a few days a week, which is why I was really happy to see Palm participating in the Silicon Valley Leadership Group's "CEO/Celebrity Cycle-to-work Day Challenge." More than 50 CEOs, senior executives, mayors, city council members and other officials have signed up - with a challenge out to their employees to do like wise. The whole idea behind the challenge is to promote alternative energy, cut back on fossil fuels, decrease traffic on the roads and an overall healthier lifestyle.

I never really thought I would bike to work or take public transportation -- I was born and raised in LA -- and we used our car to go down the block. Two years ago I moved to Oakland from Cupertino and started commuting to my job in the South Bay -- after three months I was ready to quit - the 880 freeway could take me from one to two hours each way and after avoiding a few accidents I was ready to give up. I started looking into alternatives, and some friends told me I should check out riding the Amtrak train from Oakland to Great America and then jumping on the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) shuttle. For the first few months I was driving to and from the station, but eventually started biking so I could better control my schedule. Fast forward a year and a half later, and I am still doing it!

So for those of you who think this might be a one-day, feel good exercise, you never know, it could turn into a lot more. Think about some of the benefits:

• Environmental: Some sources estimate that if everyone cycled to work just two days a month, it would result in a 10% reduction in greenhouse gases from commuting. CO2 emissions from cars are a major contributor to global warming.
• Health/Personal: In six months, I lost 30 pounds and 4 inches in the waist my health has improved and I have a new set of friends from the train.
• Financial: In addition to saving money by not paying at the gas pump (we are all feeling the $3.40+ per gallon) there were extra savings that I had not anticipated -- I called my car insurance company and they lowered my car insurance $200 a year since I wasn't using my car to commute.

So why not put your car keys aside, grab your helmet, and join others by riding your bike to work. Some people may ride the whole way to work and others might cycle from their home to nearby mass transit, take the train/bus, and then cycle the rest of the way to their office. Whatever you decide, here are a few of sites to check out:

-Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition

-Bike to Work Day Energizer Stations

-Santa Clara Valley Transportation Agency (VTA) Maps (including an Interactive Bikeways Map which is pretty cool)

-511.org bicycling safety site

-Bicyclesafe.com

For more details check out: http://socialnews.palm.com/release.aspx?hid=7

Josh Mailman - Product Marketing and member of the Palm Cycling Club

Update - Photos from Bike-to-Work day

(Some of the Palm employees who gathering around to show off their bikes)

(Bikes of Palm employees and others who participated in Bike-to-Work day getting a much deserved rest)

Pocket Tunes and Podcasts!

Hi, I'm Ben Combee, one of Palm's design engineers. I've been a Treo user since I got a Treo 300 back in 2003 while working on CodeWarrior for Palm OS (a software development environment) at Metroworks. I've been through lots of Treo models: the 300, the 600, the 650 and my current device, the 700p. I use my Treo for a lot of the typical stuff like phone calls, email, text messages and games, but my most often-used application is Pocket Tunes (PT).

I started using PT back when it first appeared on the Palm Tungsten T, and I was really happy to see us including it as a bundle with the Treo 700p and 680 smartphones. These days, I use PT less for music and more for podcasts (just incase you aren't familiar podcasts, they are the online audio programs that published for download and subscription via RSS). I manage my podcasts on my PC using FeedStation, a tool that watches the feeds and pulls down all the new programs to my hard drive, then I copy them to a SD card for playback. I've started using the Palm OS application Quick News from Stand Alone Software. It has RSS feed support that lets you download podcasts over-the-air directly to your device, avoiding the desktop computer entirely. You can schedule the updates for late at night so your new podcasts will be ready for your morning commute.

One of the things I like best about listening to podcasts in PT is that you can use a skin designed for podcasts and audio books that enable skipping around in the files, and you can set bookmarks to remember where you were in the program. Plus, unlike a dedicated music player, if something in the program strikes my interest, I can make notes or do web searches on my Treo wherever I am.

Right now I listen to a wide assortment of podcasts including 1UP.com's Retronauts, a show that focuses on classic video games; NPR's Wait Wait Don't Tell Me news quiz show; the Palm-centric 1SRC podcast; and Leo Laporte's This Week in Tech. Do any of you listen to podcasts on your Treo or mobile device? If so, feel free to share your favorites.

Ben Combee

Guess What's Official - Treo 755p

There has been a lot of buzz and chatter about the Treo 755p smartphone (when will it be available, what features does it include, etc.) Well, now it's "officially official" with Sprint as the first carrier, available in stores May 14th.

 

 

Here are some specs and features:

• Internal antenna, slimmer form factor and mini-SD slot (up to 4GB SD card)
• Two colors - "Midnight Blue" and "Burgundy"
• Built-in Microsoft Direct Push Technology that delivers automatic updates to Outlook email as well as support for Global Address Lookup and IT policies like remote data wipe
• Integrated Google Maps built into the ROM, right out of the box
• Sprint Mobile Instant Messaging - chat with AIM, Yahoo! and Windows Messenger

For more details:

http://socialnews.palm.com/release.aspx?hid=6

http://www.palm.com/us/products/smartphones/treo755p/

One new thing to check out is the Google Maps feature built into the Contacts page (personal favorite) that allows you to open Google Maps directly to a contact's address, and easily get driving directions or find local businesses.

Let us know what you think.

Rob Katcher - Product Manager

Palm Desktop On Windows Vista

We have seen several people inquiring about support for Palm Desktop on Windows Vista:
http://blog.palm.com/palm/2007/04/editors_note_bl.html#comment-68399558.

I wanted to let everyone know that we are working on a beta release of the new Windows Vista-compatible Palm Desktop and HotSync Manager software - time frame for the release is this summer. I will make sure to let everyone know when the software is available.

Also, here is a link with info on Windows Vista for Palm's Palm OS and Windows Mobile devices: http://www.palm.com/us/support/windowsvista/.

David Sloan - Product Manager

Bay Area Traffic - Mobile Tips!

A lot of people have been talking about how the recent damage to off-ramps from the San Francisco Bay Bridge will make traffic in the Bay Area even uglier during the next few months. I commute by car every day during the work week and probably should have been looking for alternatives sooner, so with the traffic delays I have experienced over the past couple days (30+ minutes in addition to my hour commute), I started looking into other options. I am sure for some it might not have any effect at all or it will be a minor inconvenience, but for others like me it could mean significant changes in how you get from point A to point B. Regardless, I thought it would be nice to provide a few ways on how the Treo and other mobile devices might make commuting a little easier during the next few months.

For those who plan to take mass transit more frequently and avoid the roadways as much as possible check out:

--BART Quick Planner (http://www.bart.gov/stations/quickplanner/pda.asp) - provides quick tips on addresses, fares, stations, transfer details and more

--Caltrain+ (http://www.wrafra.net/software/Caltrain/#CurVer) - allows you to check schedules and fares for the Peninsula

If you decide to brave the roads you can try GoogleMaps, which gives you the latest traffic conditions and also turn-by-turn directions in case you are trying out new routes.

You can also check out public transit and road traffic sites that have been optimized for use on mobile devices. Here are a couple:

--HopStop (http://hopstop.com/) - allows you to send directions by e-mail or text message to your mobile device directly from its site, so you can plan a trip with mul tiple destinations. You can also open HopStop up on your web-enabled mobile device, it will recognize that it's a mobile device and put directions into a digestible format for getting to and from the nearest subway stop.

--SigAlert (www.sigalert.com) - allows California drivers to view traffic from their mobile device with real-time, personalized traffic reports.

If you are interested in applications that provide more features and don't mind paying a little for it check these out:

--Telenav (http://www.telenav.com/products/tn/) - provides traffic updates every five minutes and re-routing instructions to navigate traffic accidents and slowdowns.

--Traffic for Treo (http://www.palm.com/us/software/traffic/) - provides details on traffic incidents--accidents, construction, stalled cars and more--along all major and minor roadways. Information is updated wirelessly.

--Tube 2 (http://www.visualit.co.uk/Palm/palm_Tube2.htm) - gives you a map of subways and metro systems around the world that includes line changes, platform directions and accurate journey times.

Of course the Bay Area isn't the only place that has to deal with these types of situations and traffic in general, so if you're outside the Bay Area, see which of the above applications and sites work best for getting around.

Feel free to share any tips for commuting or how to survive traffic jams, whether it involves a mobile device or not.

Good luck out there,

Adam Moise - Manager Developer Relations