The Official Palm Blog

Palm VersaMail Compatibility with Gmail

There's been some discussion around Palm's VersaMail client being compatible with Google's Gmail. We wanted to clarify that currently Palm Treo and Centro smartphone customers can access their Gmail accounts using the POP email protocol. While VersaMail supports the IMAP protocol, there are some known incompatibilties and limitations with Gmail. For example, VersaMail does not support IMAP-IDLE, which is used by Gmail to deliver continuously updated email. For Gmail users on the Palm OS, there are aftermarket email solutions that support IMAP-IDLE on Treo and Centro like ChatterEmail.

-Jay Baik, Product Manager, Email

Is your Calendar up to Date?

As you have probably already heard by now, Daylight Saving Time (DST) has been pushed back until Sunday, Nov. 4. If you've noticed that the calendar on your Palm device is off by one hour, you'll need to download the DST software update to your device.

For those tech enthusiasts out there that want to know exactly what the DST software update does to help ensure your calendar is accurate, the software update:

• Replaces the old DST rule with new DST rule on your smartphone or handheld. Then it notifies the Date & Time application that DST rule change occurred.
• Replaces the old DST rule embedded in any Calendar events that occur after March 11, 2007 (when the DST change started). This allows events with the DST rule change window to remain at their original times.

For more information about the DST software update and how to install to your device visit:

• Palm OS devices
• Windows Mobile devices

-Dan Lavelle, Technical Support Engineer

Interview with Joe Fabris on Palm and Microsoft

Continuing from yesterday's news, I sat down for an audio interview to share my thoughts on Microsoft Center Mobile Device Manager 2008 and Palm's relationship with Microsoft in general.

Download palm/files/cf1011_final.mp3

Also, AT&T Treo 750 customers, an update to the WinMo 6 Professional operating system will be available later this year.

-Joe

Enterprise Alert – Another Palm/Microsoft Blog Post - Systems Center Mobile Device Manager & Treo 750

Last week I spoke up about Unified Communications and the Office Communications Server 2007/Communicator Mobile news we had with Microsoft. I also said there would be more to come. So here I am again for the second time in two weeks.

This post is all about how IT Pros and company management can roll out an increased number of Treo smartphones and feel confident that company data and assets are secured, managed, and loved.

Mobile Device Manager has three main pillars:

• Security: policies to keep devices and the network safe - remote wipe, camera control, Bluetooth security, etc.
• Management: inventories - how many devices, what level of OS, what software is installed, etc.
• Mobile VPN: the secure connection behind the firewall for accessing intranet, data, and a foundation for easier creation of Line of Business applications.

And Palm is here to say we support, applaud, and profoundly endorse this investment by Microsoft with our own investment by announcing that the Treo 750 on the AT&T network will be able to take advantage of Mobile Device Manager via a software update. The Treo 750 update will be available shortly after Microsoft releases the final product.

We will also make future Windows Mobile smartphones with Mobile Device Manager in mind, so companies and IT pros that Palm gets it and we will continue to drive our partnership with Microsoft to benefit customers.

-Joe

And the Winners Are...

Here are the winners from Treo Mobile Comedy Film Festival held last week in LA :

• Animation and Best of Festival - Who Turned on the Anti-Gravity Machine by Maya Dalinsky:

• Best Mobile Life - My To Do List by J.P. Chan:

• Best Re-Take - Cast Away...Permanently by Jas Batra

The festival was a great time and we'll chat about it more in the future. Thank you for everyone's video submissions and participation, including MobiTV for serving up the channel to view the films on mobile devices.

-Colleen Werner

Palm and Microsoft, the Partnership Continues...

I was there for the first announcement, two years ago, standing on stage with Ed Colligan and Bill Gates. It was a chance of a lifetime to share that stage and so cool to talk about things that had been kept secret for so long as the first person to demonstrate our first product to the world.

As such, I plan to work my way back into Palm's blog quite a few times this year with news on how Palm and Microsoft are working together to help companies solve business problems, increase efficiency and make it easier for their workers to take care of all aspects of their lives while on the go.

So today I'm on the soapbox about Office Communications Server (OCS) 2007 and how Palm Treo smartphones running Windows Mobile, the 500v, 750/v, and 700w/wx, all help people communicate within an organization.

Microsoft just announced their newest component in their Unified Communications strategy, OCS 2007. With regard to mobility, OCS brings corporate Instant Messaging and presence (fancy way of saying that you'll know when your colleagues are on IM at any given time) to businesses through Exchange Server. And low and behold, there is a client called Communicator Mobile that works on Treo to extend the same functionality on the desktop into people's Treo smartphones.

Many of use IM in our daily lives, and corporate IM serves the same purpose - to easily start an immediate conversation with someone. Often the message is simple - "can you talk now?" or "meet me in the conference room." But it is super effective for the people in your company who don't sit side by side. And with Communicator Mobile on a Treo, it now doesn't require them to be at their desk to be a part of the conversation.

Unless you are using something like OCS to manage the conversations, your company may run afoul of certain compliance laws, like Sarbanes-Oxley. That's why IT departments like OCS. It allows them to securely set up effective communications and be in compliance with The Man.

So if you're and IT Pro, check out the Microsoft announcement today. And if you're a manager or end-user looking to have better communication between people, you check it out, then tell your IT partner to check it out too.

Talk to you soon as Palm and Microsoft will have a lot to say over the next year about Business.

-Joe Fabris, Sr. Director of Wireless Solutions

Palm Centro Unboxed...and Availability

The Palm Centro smartphone will be available very soon (as in tomorrow) on Sprint's EvDO network for $99 (two-year contract, after rebates and instant savings). The Onyx Black version will be available in all Sprint sales channels, Palm stores, and online at www.sprint.com and www.palm.com/centro to start. Ruby Red will be out in Nov. through the same sales channels.

Initial Centros reviews are starting to hit and it looks like unboxing a new phone is still one of the "in" things to do - check some of initial reviews out.

-Palm Centro Team

Some of the first reviews on the Palm Centro and we'll update this post as more reviews come in.

Unboxing Reviews

Engadget Mobile

http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/10/10/palm-centro-unboxing/

GearDiary

http://www.geardiary.com/2007/10/10/the-palm-centro-review-part-one/

Gizmodo

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/hands-on/palm-centro-unboxed-verdict-yep-definitely-gonna-sell-loads-of-em-309196.php

TreoCentral

http://www.treocentral.com/content/Stories/1376-1.htm

UneasySilence

http://uneasysilence.com/archive/2007/10/12470/

More Reviews:

Computer World

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9042178&intsrc=hm_list

infoSync World

http://www.infosyncworld.com/reviews/n/8429.html?rfp=dta

New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/11/technology/circuits/11pogue.html?8dpc=&_r=2&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1192075842-33C2ts2cJRdvCmVvunAElg

SlashGear

http://www.slashgear.com/palm-centro-reviewed-at-oncentrocom-097884.php

Treonauts

http://blog.treonauts.com/2007/10/palm-centro-rev.html

Project Green...

A lot of us have drawers of old cellphones, chargers and other accessories that we have accumulated over the years. Nobody seems to know what to do with these old devices, so lots of people have asked me. I'm Ephi Banaynal and I'm responsible for Palm's Environmental Stewardship program. One of the primary missions of the program is to reduce waste and increase recycling and recovery.

To that end, Palm's recycling program is free and takes cellphones and handhelds in any condition, from any brand and also any old accessories that go with it. Recycling with us ensures that your devices don't end up in a landfill, but are responsibly reused or recycled. All you have to do is download a pre-paid mailing label here, or pick one up at a Palm retail store. (Don't forget to erase all your personal information before sending it in).

With your help, we keep electronics out of landfills and the proceeds fund this program, as well as the Palm Foundation, a charitable organization that supports educational programs.

Check out www.palm.com/recycle for more information, bulk recycling details and instructions to erase personal information from old phones.

-Ephi Banaynal

Treo Mobile Comedy Film Festival - Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

Updated

I'm back as promised to give a few updates on the Treo Mobile Comedy Film Festival. We've received a ton of great 1-minute films and are getting ready to judge the submissions. Comedians Penn & Teller, and Adam Ferrara have signed up to review and judge the films, so we have should have our finalists very soon!

Also, the festival is now live and running on the Treo Film Channel on MobiTV--so check it out. Even better--MobiTV is currently offering a free 30-day trial so Treo users can tune in and watch the festival channel and all of the other cool programming they offer at no charge. Plus, when you view the films, you'll notice that each film is tagged with a code so viewers can vote for their favorites. We're keeping track of the votes and the most popular films will be showcased on the treofilm.com site.

Speaking of the award ceremony, on October 18th, we're rolling out the red carpet to screen finalist films and award prizes at the Roosevelt Hotel in LA. Susie Essman from Curb Your Enthusiasm and John Henson, formerly of E! Entertainment's "Talk Soup" will be hosting, and ticket sales from the event are benefiting a very cool charity, Comedy Cures. Tickets are $10 and are on sale now, so if you're in the LA area or planning to be on October 18th, join us (RSVP: http://www.treofilmfestrsvp.com./). It should be a fun night celebrating this new form of filmmaking and supporting a great cause.

That's it for now. Stay tuned for more information on the winning films and a re-cap of our LA event.

-Colleen Werner

Oh and of course here's a short film submission to get the laughs rolling: http://treofilm.com/films/view/510.