700p MR Timing - Update Sprint MR is Available

Updated (June 4)

The 700p MR is available for Sprint users. To download to your Treo device visit: http://www.palm.com/us/support/downloads/treo700pupdate/sprint.html.

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The Treo 700p maintenance release (MR) is expected to be available on Monday (June 4th) for Sprint users via the palm.com website. We will post an update here on the blog with a link to the MR once it is live. We don't have a specific date for when the 700p MR will be available for Verizon Wireless users at this time.

Paul Loeffler - Palm, Inc.

Comments

[Robert Linden]

Well, Palm, it appears you've made your bed. Promises made and promises broken. You said nothing in your earlier blog about rolling out the MR a system (i.e. Sprint) at a time. Verizon users (like myself) who are now being given NO release date on a direly needed MR will be beyond disappointed. I'm sorry, but this is starting to smell like a class action lawsuit in the making. I am feeling extremely angry and I am now quite certain Palm doesn't care!

Why is this acceptable? Why are not the appropriate resources being used to address issues in a TIMELY fashion. Addi tonal personal could make anything happen at a quicker pace and satisfy your user base. Come on Palm; this is really unfair. From a VERY frustrated Verizon user.

[James]

thanks paul! I'll go ahead and mark down that date on my calendar, next to my lunch date with the toothfairy.

I remember getting so excited when I bought my first Palm m100...all I have to say now is this:

one word, two syllables:

iPhone

[Michael]

why is there no mention of Canadian 700p users?

[huskey]

I love my treo.

That said, I'm committed to keeping my treo from cheating on me, breaking my heart, looking at other owners, wearing skimpy clothing or leaving it alone with anyone close to me. I will strangle my treo if it does not treat me right. I promise I will kill the good for nothing piece of junk with all my heart. If ever my phone claims to be more than what she says, and doesn't deliver, I'll let the touch screen feel the bottom of a landfill. .. I've watched CSI, so don't play with my emotions.. . but like I said, I love my palm treo. Thanks for the update Paul.

sincerely,
huskey

[Rick Georges]

I have avoided blogging about this delay, in loyalty to Palm. I can delay no longer. Here is today's FutureLawyer post about the issue:
http://futurelawyer.typepad.com/futurelawyer/2007/06/the_official_pa.html

[wilson]

Good thing you had time to patch up the 680 and release that new Foleo. That is what all of us neglected 700p users needed... like a hole in our heads.

[M. Hunt]

I will never buy another Palm product.

[Jay E.]

Paul,
Thanks for the update. I don't envy your job right now. Can you give us the reasons for this delay?

[Private]

This is a joke. From the week of the 28th to Mondy June 4th. You're telling me that the release still isn't ready and Plam folks are going to work on it over the weekend? SURE.

Palm has really screwed the people who bought the 700P big time. The other devices that haven't been out nearly as long have already recieved updates.

On June 4th there will be another stupid message about how "its not ready but we appreciate your patience".

Get it together Palm!

[Matthew]

Paul,

How about just admitting that the 700P is hopelessly flawed and replacing them with 755P?

Palm might not care, but the 700P fiasco is turning off your most valued customers. Read the comments on any of the blog sites, and Palms Treo sales will significantly decrease in the future.

[Andrew Macks]

I cannot believe how unprofessional and ridiculous these comments are. Does everyone really think that their threats are going to help the situation? If you are really are leaving palm, then leave and take your criticism elsewhere. And if you are a loyal palm user, then see how you can help instead of simply complaining. I have had a few frustrations with the 700p, but really, it is still the best smartphone available. Most of us appreciate palm for what they are and the products that they continue to give us...so carry on.

[BusyME]

What about for Alltel users? :D

[RichC]

Thanks for the blog update ... I appreciate the announcements.

[Palm User]

Very sad. Almost as sad as the six 700p phones I have gone through the last year. Sure hope the maintenance release address all the issues we loyal costumers are expecting.

[GadgetMan]

Paul,

Well, now that the 700p (VZ) MR has been pushed back indefinitely, I decided to look at the Foleo.....nice and slick. As a matter of fact, I was very impressed with the really sharp presentation from Palm's founder, Jeff Hawkins. Perhaps if you had some of the coders working on the 700p instead of the Foleo, we'd be much happier.

Instead of taking baby steps toward the ultimate goal of pocket computing, why don't you fix the product that we thought would give us what we want and need? I already have a laptop that is small, light, and travels well (Toshiba). My 700p gives me 90% of what I need, and when I need more computing power and storage, I bring along my laptop as well.

Unfortunately, I can't rely on my 700p to work 100% of the time, with even a modicum of reliability and stability. I haven't installed a ton of apps, so you can't claim that my 3rd-party software is causing any problems (butler, backup buddy)....so its clearly been the h/w and s/w combo that's at fault.

IMO, making a larger device while other manufacturers are making smaller devices is NOT true innovation. I think a lot of us thought the 700p was a big step, and at least for me it allowed me to combine everything I needed into one small package. Recently, I inquired about going back to having a cell phone in addition to my 700p, just so I could reliably make and receive calls while having my mobile computing stay on my Treo. If I could have the same phone number on both devices, I would have taken this step backwards.

Instead of fixing the problems that I have had for 1-year, and that Palm knew about from the get-go, I see new products being developed and shipped. The 700p is truly a bastard step-child now, and not worth nearly what I have invested in terms of $$, time, and effort. I need devices that work, are solid performers, and deliver what is advertised. The 700p fails on all counts....what we have is a device that can't even function with the reliability of a cell phone.

I don't consider myself to be a bleeding-edge consumer, but instead, my philosophy is one of adapting current technologies to solve business problems. If a product doesn't allow me to work faster, smarter, and easier, then I have no use for it. New technologies (computers, phones, Treo, etc.) are not a benefit to me if I have to waste time keeping them functioning. Especially when my carrier charges me a premium for the devices that I want. Given your lack of progress on the 700p (VZ), this may well be my last Palm device.

I have a suggestion for Palm, even though your bean counters may not like it; give us a free upgrade to a 755, or, if you are so hot on the Foleo, give us each a Foleo with the MR, to reward us for our patience and understanding. At the very least, many of us will give it a try. You MAY have the ability to turn a lot of burned tech-savvy (the office and family technology gurus, thus ad-hoc sales force) consumers into users of your latest technologies.

Otherwise, for me it will be Ciao Palm! It will be impossible to win me back as a customer, as I have no reason to believe that any new products will be treated better than the 700p.

GM

[Bill Ypung]

Why has Palm abandoned their dedicated user base? Instead of correcting issues with an existing piece of hardware, they surge ahead with new hardware. If they do not support their existing customer base it will evaporate. Prospective users will see this lack of support and think twice about purchasing a Treo. The TX is an example of an excellent piece of hardware. Why couldn't this excellence be incorporated into the 700P.

[MYX Solomon]

"We don't have a specific date for when the 700p MR will be available for Verizon Wireless users at this time."

I read the initial May 18th msg and recall no mention of this. So, now I check back and now see that the original msg was updated. Why was this not said back in April? I get my hopes up and then I check this morning for an update and read... Oh... by the way...

I do not mean to tell you how to run your business, but... If you are going to offer a release, DO NOT set a date or actually mention it if it is not ready. It will only set your self up for failure.

I really feel for the actual programmers on this. I understand that building code is a difficult puzzle. it is not always (actually... ever) a straight forward process. No predefined recipe to make part "a" work with part "b". I hope you "corporates" at Palm are not killing your employees with tons of overtime cracking a whip telling them that they must have a solution by "the week" of May 28th.

I have been patient. I have waited like the rest of the 700 world. You have answered previous questions, I would like an answer these two questions.
1. Are the programmers on this project the same as all these other projects that are being released?

2. Why the 700? Why is this the product you have chosen to ignore for so long? Is it one that you wished had not been released and you will get to it when you have nothing else to do, or is it a project for your entry level engineers or what? I really just do not understand.

If I can not get decent support for this product, why the heck would I want a "palm top". Or, will the folks that purchase THAT product actually get the support that WE ALSO deserve. I paid a lot of money for my palm. I paid way more money than if I had left the palm brand and bought a Q or Blackberry. I paid the same value dollars that others have paid for other models. I have not slighted you. I have been loyal to palm and have bought several products from you.

Ok, why I am ranting... I had an emergency. I pulled out my trusty palm and tried to call for help. I pressed the phone button and unlocked it. Then, I waited... and waited... and waited. I pressed it again and again. I had to stop, do a soft reset, and had to wait for the thing to come up. At this point every second feels like an eternity. Not safe or acceptable.

As you have read, there have been a LOT of folks that have been very vocal about feeling like the abused stepchild for purchasing the 700.
I hope you understand that it is because of these type of shenanigans (and I do mean this in the truest sense of the word). In olden times, you'd be run out of town by a mob of folks with torches and pitchforks for trying to sell snake oil.

REALLY BAD FORM FOLKS!!!

[JD]

Q crashed for me, far less than the 700p but still not acceptable to me so i got the blackberry 8830, seems solid, main gripe so far with it is how RIM makes you send all your email through their servers in canada, totally insecure and I'm surprised nobody talks about it, all I need is a way around that....

[pump142]

Palm,
In regards to the verizon MR realease, Why not?

[Mark Whitcombe]

What about the 700P MR for Bell Mobility users in Canada — and for other 700P users elsewhere?

[Blykes]

Its ok Palm, take your time. I dont really care if it comes Monday or the Monday after that. You have lost me and alot of other people by dropping the ball time and time again on this one.

HTC has proven to me that they can put out updates to their devices in a timely fashion; so when their new device hits my carrier, I'll be picking one of those up. The only thing left for me to decide is do I call and complain to Sprint and see how they will help me out or do I just bite the bullet(again)and outright pay for it.

[Chip]

I appreciate the update, but can you tell us Verizon 700p users why there's been an unscheduled delay for our Treos?

Yeah right!!!! Then, another week, then another week, and then another week, c'mon....Palm you lost me, I'm going win mob 6, sorry but you did it!!!

Faslane

[Thomas P.]

I hope Palm is happy with itself for screwing their loyal customers yet again. I learned my lesson - I'm switching to a WM device (and NOT the 700wx after this fiasco with the 700p).