After one week with the Centro

[chckhbrt]

In two words.....Freakin Nice.

The form factor and screen alone is worth getting this new Palm devise. Colorize colors are so much brighter on it's 320 x 320 screen.

Blazer is quite a bit faster in loading and you can exit Blazer almost immediately with 'Clear Cache on Exit' enabled. (I wish my 700p exited Blazer as fast)

pTunes 4.0.4 Deluxe in the ROM is nice. No need to upgrade to a Deluxe version with the Centro.

The VersaMail app will 'Get' and 'Send' mail in the back ground.

You can play videos with Kinoma 1.0.4 in the ROM and of course, Google Maps 1.2.0.9 is in the ROM too.

My data access speed is a constant 931% to 940% and with the same applications in the hede, the Centro is faster than my old 650 and currently used 700p at 319 ticks in 3 seconds.

The Centro has never missed reading the SanDisk 2 gig micro card. Both of my Treos read this card with the adapter too.

Streaming Net radio with pTunes at 96 or 128 kbps and listening on a Moto HT820 bluetooth stereo headset with Softick Audio Gateway 1.16 is simply fantastic.

I have not had  one bluetooth connection drop out yet with a Moto H700 or Samsung WEP 500 noise canceling headset yet.

I have read some comments and reviews where some think the Centro is not a business tool, some think it is a entry level devise, and some said the Centro is for kids.

The Centro, in my opinion is far from it. It does everything my 650 did and 700p does. And does everything faster. The OS is very stable and all the apps I used on my old 650 and current 700p, that I have loaded so far, work. Except Phone Disconnect. Phone Disconnect is looking for a Treo with a phone. I understand the Centro is suppose to be a Treo 690. CardReader 1.07  works.

The battery cover removal and replacement is not an issue for me. It gets easier with removing it a few times. I wish you could remove the micro card without removing the battery cover, but I know there is no way for the card to be ejected and lost with the Centro.

The Centro is definately an upgrade.

Chuck

[BrianFX]

Blazer is quite a bit faster in loading and you can exit Blazer almost immediately with 'Clear Cache on Exit' enabled.

Sorry for the silly question (I'm a new Palm user with the Centro), but how are you actually closing Blazer?  I thought you don't actually close Palm apps, you just move on to the next.  Or is the process of moving to the next app the same as closing the previous app?  That doesn't seem to be the case b/c Sprint IM and Sprint Mail are always running in the background for me.

[chckhbrt]

Sorry for the silly question (I'm a new Palm user with the Centro), but how are you actually closing Blazer?  I thought you don't actually close Palm apps, you just move on to the next.  Or is the process of moving to the next app the same as closing the previous app?  That doesn't seem to be the case b/c Sprint IM and Sprint Mail are always running in the background for me.

Hey...

You need to understand that smurfing the net in Blazer and VersaMail, ChatterMail, SnapperMail,  Sprint Mobile EMail, MuduiM and SprintIM running in the background, and streaming pTunes in the background are 2 different things.

You close Blazer by hitting Phone, Calendar, Messaging or Home buttons. Hitting the red power button will only turn the screen off.

Chuck

[BrianFX]

You close Blazer by hitting Phone, Calendar, Messaging or Home buttons. Hitting the red power button will only turn the screen off.

So why aren't other apps closed out by hitting the Phone, Calendar, Messaging or Home buttons?

[chckhbrt]

So why aren't other apps closed out by hitting the Phone, Calendar, Messaging or Home buttons?

The peviously mentioned applications are designed (coded) to run in the background.

Chuck

[cj morin]

I agree the Centro is really a much better unit.  I have a 650 and got 2 of the new Centro's last Tuesday I find myself on the Centro 99% of the time.  My brother also has a 700p and he has the other Centro and feels the same way.  Considering upgrading the 700p and 650 to the Centro.  All on one Sprint account.

[ColonelKernel]

So why aren't other apps closed out by hitting the Phone, Calendar, Messaging or Home buttons?

- If Sprint IM were totally closed after you moved to a new app you would not be able to receive messages until you re-entered the Sprint IM app.  The same holds true for Phone calls, alarms of various types, pTunes background mode, etc.

  If you only want IMs to come in when you're in that app there should be a way to set it up in preferences.  I don't know how to do that, however, because I'm not a Sprint customer.

[airbuss]

I have had mine since day one.  the Volume was very weak sepecially outside in traffic.  I downloded Volume Care and it completly fixed the problem.  It souds great now hopefully Palm will provide an update so everyone does not have to spend $15.00 to be able to listen to a call.

[BrianFX]

- If Sprint IM were totally closed after you moved to a new app you would not be able to receive messages until you re-entered the Sprint IM app.  The same holds true for Phone calls, alarms of various types, pTunes background mode, etc.

  If you only want IMs to come in when you're in that app there should be a way to set it up in preferences.  I don't know how to do that, however, because I'm not a Sprint customer.

It sort of works that way now.  However, sometimes I'll switch to the IM app (which I didn't close) and it will say "Connecting to Power Vision" and I'll get a whole slew of IMs (since my AIM name was never signed off). 

Other times, IMs come through all the time, regardless of what app I have open (as it should work).

[Tekara]

The Sprint IM program does like the old Verichat did, when you close the program it uses an external server to keep maintain your status and sends your phone a text message when you receive an IM.

[phil12210]

My wife has a Centro now and I must say I am quite jealous.  I'm on a 650 now and there is no comparison.  Everything seems so quick and snappy.  I can't wait until the red one comes out so I can buy it and trade her for her blackone.

Now, about SprintIM and programs running in the background.  Without going in to too much detail I'll see if I can clarify what's actually happening.  When you exit a program it *is* closing.  *All* palm programs must exit.  What happens is those programs can register to receive notification when something happens (data is received, phone call comes in, new text msg, etc).  When the program receives that notification it then *reopens* but doesn't display anything.  It processes the data then closes out again so you can keep using the program you're in.  (it happens so fast you don't notice it usually)

Anyway, the Centro is a great device.  I think if Palm can keep going in this positive direction we may see some really nice new devices!

[Perry Gonzalez]

What's amazing about the Centro is how, just the overall change
in a device and stability of it's softare has seemed to revitalize
the Palm OS experience.

[2TONE82]

I've completed day two with my Centro.  I've gone through two 600s since 2004 - I don't like change 

Yes the Centro is lighter, smaller and feels more plasticky than my 600.  I can't imagine the difference with a newer Treo as they always seemed to get bigger, bulkier, heavier from new model to new model.  The stylus feels like a q-tip but that's my only complaint.

The look, feel and function of the Centro is straight up Palm as compared to my 600...seamless transition for the most part.

I hit my first hic-up last night trying to sync the Centro with my old 600 data - most everything went smooth but none of the outlook contacts or calendar items moved over.  I worked on it from both the outlook and Centro for a couple of hours and finally decided to beam my data over.  This worked fine for contacts and the calender (one calender item at a time  ).

Other than that all is well starting day three 

[EazyE]

i gotta satisfy my curiosity and of course i know "in theory" everything should work fine if not better on a newer device but we all know the trials and errors of palm devices. has anyone strapped a BT GPS receiver yet and which nav software?

also, does anyone see a use for PXA Clocker on the centro as well (i use it for ljp with udmh as well as with dialbyPhoto) i'd like to continue using what i've paid for in the future but if not then im fine with that too.

pretty sure i'll be researching a large mem card, a SERO plan, and wait for the Red Centro before i switch so i have some time.

[Perry Gonzalez]

E. I used TeleNav just three days ago. I downloaded the 700P version,
(I have the receiver from the mtdn store), and everything performed as
well as on my 700P. The only thing I don't care for is the "3D view"
in TeleNav's software. I really loved the top down view. BUT...I'll get
used to it.