vB Easy Archive - Help me like my Treo...

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Help me like my Treo...
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Posted by: dhess83

Okay, everything I've ever read has told me that the Treo 650 was a great piece of hardware and would make a fine phone for me in the future. I am self employed and very much need to keep contact information, calendar data, and e-mails with me.

Up until this point I've had a Windows Smartphone- the Audiovox SMT5600. Nice phone but NOT a PDA- no QWERTY, no touch screen, etc. I've always loved the smartphone interface because it is easy to use, and highly customizable. However I was sick of clicking buttons and having to wait for the phone to open contact lists and such. It's a CELL PHONE, it shouldn't be lagging.

Fed up with the Smartphone platform I moved to the Treo 650 after reading rave reviews. I recieved mine two days ago and am desperately trying to like it. You all have probably had tons of experience with people like me-- smartphone converts.

There are so many things that I just can't wrap my brain around. I've read the FAQ that has been stickied, but the Palm OS platform still seems so crippeled to me. I can't figure out how to delete icons from my 'home screen', every time I turn it on it asks for the time and date,. I can't find a decent file manager to launch files from. Bluetooth syncing takes 5 minutes where it took about 8 seconds on my smartphone. I don't understand the file and folder structure that the device uses both on internal memory and my SD card. My list of questions go on, and I'm paging through old forum posts as we speak...

I'm not trying to be annoying, but those are a lot of questions I can't seem to find answers for. Anyway, I'm just figuring that a lot of smartphone converts end up here, and some of you experts can answer a few of those questions for us.

Posted by: anythingbutmine

You can't delete icons from the launcher menu (not without 3rd party apps anyway). If you have the app installed, you get an icon. If you delete the app, the icon goes away. There is a third party app called ChangeMe that will allow you to hide icons if that's what you're looking for. It can only hide apps that you installed, not ones that came preinstalled on the phone. I don't know why it's asking for you the time and date every time you turn the phone on -- mine doesn't do that. It should only ask you for the time and date if it crashes or resets. Filez is a nice file manager, but you don't launch files in Palm OS. You launch the proper app, then open the particular file from there. The apps keep track of what data is their own; there's really no need to know where it's saved in the memory. The internal memory is basically a flat file system -- there aren't really any folders there, just files. The data saved to the SD card goes into the "Palm" folder. About bluetooth syncing, I'm not sure what the problem is; I know it is slower than activesync in general, but you may be able to speed things up by right clicking the hotsync icon in your tray and selecting "Custom". From there, you can change settings for sync conduits. If you don't use one of them, shut it off. Versamail's conduit slows things down the most by checking your mail every time you sync; I keep it turned off on mine. You could also select not to backup your programs on every hotsync. Whatever suits your needs best.

Posted by: dhess83

Thanks for the tips! Right now I just got done installing ZLauncher (is that a good thing to use?) and am trying to customize a little. I'm looking for a theme to help make my interface look smartphone-ish. I've 're-categorized' all the apps I can't delete so they don't show up in my "Main" category.

Are there any 'Tweak' apps that are must haves- like a TweakUI equivelant for PalmOS 5?

Posted by: anythingbutmine

I can't say that I know of any tweak apps out there. There's really not much to tweak; Palm isn't big on customization, and the Palm OS doesn't have a registry to hack like Windows devices do. Zlauncher is your best bet for customizing your phone; some users have reported it's too slow, but some say it's fine. You'll just have to see what you like.

Posted by: Kabuk1

I dunno about a TweakUI, but there is a SkinUI, which I use. It 'skins' the whole interface of Palm OS.

SharkROM is good for hiding annoying icons, as well as ChangeMe for the 3rd party apps.

As for Hotsyncing, I haven't EVER had to sync my 700p. I found a way around it since it's such a pain in the butt. It involves FileZ, an app named ChangeName, and an SD card. Go here to check out my tech recipe about it. I need to edit that recipe though b/c I've found a way to improve on it even further. I found that Some apps won't accept a reg code unless your hotsync name is set, and unfortunately syncing was the only way to set the name. NOT. That's where ChangeName comes in, that little gem can change your HS name w/o syncing. Very useful.

Posted by: anythingbutmine

Many people would like to sync to keep their calendars/docs/contacts updated between their phone & their PC. Of course you can't really do that without hotsyncing :-) That's why I suggested disabling backing up your phone's data, etc. If you disable the backup & versamail's conduit, you can hotsync in about 10 seconds flat.

Posted by: Kabuk1

Oh I know, I just hate hotsyncing & I know lots of other people do too(those who care not about desktop synchronization), that's why I was trumping my 'method' :P

Posted by: dhess83

Thanks for your input, guys. I really tried to like it, I played with it for hours. Unfortunately PalmOS just isn't Windows Mobile. I've decided to return toe phone and buy a Cingular 8125 (HTC Wizard). It looks like a good phone and is roughly the size and weight of the Treo 650, plus it adds wifi.

Thanks for your help, guys.

Posted by: anythingbutmine

Palm OS isn't for everyone. Good luck with your 8125!

Posted by: Kabuk1

Quote:

Unfortunately PalmOS just isn't Windows Mobile

Yeah, that's what's best about it!

Hee hee, I keed, I keed... I like WM too(my baby is an iPaq HX4705), just not on phones. I just find Palm OS to be far more hackable & versatile than WM though, that's why I prefer it.

Posted by: tech no logy

Quote:

Originally Posted by KabukiAssassin

Me too I found that for myself the windows os seemed less playable and the Palm os easier to manipulate on a phone.

Posted by: Kabuk1

To me Palm just seems more FUN. It's like it was designed for hacker-nerds whereas WM was designed for purely business users or something. That's just my take on it anyway.

Posted by: mripguru

Wirelessly posted (TreoBerry: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows 98; PalmSource/hspr-H102; Blazer/4.2) 16;320x320)

Quote:

Originally Posted by KabukiAssassin

To me Palm just seems more FUN. It's like it was designed for hacker-nerds whereas WM was designed for purely business users or something. That's just my take on it anyway.

I agree - Treo's are a lot more fun

Posted by: fishera

I have to say that easy customization of the Palm OS is where it needs to be improved. I was hoping to see this in OS 6 Cobalt but I guess we will have to wait for Access Linux Platform.