Mountain View Cellphones

Sometimes the PRE screen will fade out when making a call or will flicker.  This is not a problem of the device.  This is actually a feature that is working correctly.

The reason we see this error is because a screen protector or the original protector is left on the screen.  My theory is that the screen is heat sensitive and the more you use it with a cover, somehow that heat is being saved/trapped by the cover and causing the screen to go dark.  The screen also goes dark when you put it up to your face (so you don’t dial/activate apps while on a call).  The screen protector is causing the phone sensor to behave like it’s up to your face.  Because the heat will disappate, it will return to a normal look an feel with the screen cover until you crank up some functions that heat up the phone (like talking on it). 

In conclusion:  don’t use screen protectors on the PRE.  Test them first and if you have problems after applying screen protector, then it’s the screen protector causing the problems, not the phone.

3/4/2009 by www.mountainviewcellphones.com

From Wireless Week: 

 But analysts from GC Research think that Palm’s new webOS, which will premier on the Pre, is all that matters.

“Our research indicates the platform is better architected – as far as developers are concerned – than Windows, Symbian/Series 60 or BlackBerry. We believe that the platform will provide much higher performance than generally believed, and that Web developers will find it extremely easy to develop or translate their code to webOS. We believe based on technical considerations that the webOS developer community will grow quickly, turning Palm into a major contender in the smartphone space.”

My initial thesis of Palm WebOS going after the larger web development community may actually come true.  The WebOS appears to be better than anticipated and better than the IPHONE.  Go PRE go…. 

3/4/2009 by www.mountainviewcellphones.com

There has been a rumor in the blogosphere about the PRE release date on March 15th by Sprint.  This is incorrect.  The release of Palm PRO is on the 15th of March. 

The blogosphere has gotten to hyper on the PRE release.  Sprint and Palm need time to make this a very successful launch, build up inventory, get as many bugs as possible out of the software, and to place promotion and ads with the major networks.  This all takes time to do it right.  The earliest we can see the PRE is May or June time frame this year.

The PRO is launching on the 15th not the PRE.     

2/16/2009  www.mountainviewcellphones.com

Palm released some great updates today on the anticipated Palm PRE.  Some cool video of what it can do.  The two core elements are the further development of Mojo SDK (software development kit) for WebOS and the showing of the UMTS version in Europe.

Apple changed the game…and Palm will give them a race for the money.  This is seriously an epic business story of Apple vs. Apple.  The teacher now faced with his former apprentice for mastery of the mobile smartphone market.  Read the rest of this entry »

This is going to be a very solid device and an incremental improvement on the 800w.  The launch is delayed till March.
Here are some notable upgrades versus the 800w.

1.  Styling:  more compact and better BIGGER keys.  The new keys are definitely more impressive.

2.  3.5mm headphone jacks..so you have a better quality listening experience.

3.   A battery of 1500mAh is more impressive, yet I was hoping for the previous 1800 mAh.  These devices just need more battery life.  It’s an improvement over the 1150mAh 800W version.

4.  A great sleek touch screen.  I think this is a major change of making a digitizer and LCD rather than a touch screen alone.  This allows for the sleek impression of the phone profile.

5.  Faster 400 mhz processor in PRO versus the 333 mhz processor in the 800w.

6.  Same camera:  2MP vs. 2MP.

7.  Larger memory capacity of 32GB in MicroSD vs 8GB in 800W.

8.  Convenience keys similar: a good WiFi convenience key on the outside like the 800W.

9.  Built in GPS.

10.  Sprint One Click?  Not sure if WinMo will support this on Palm or not, but according to Sprint One Click standards, it should be on all Sprint phones, so this will improve navigation for common functions over standard Windows.

Overall, a good step up in many attributes.  The black shell is a good step up, also.

2/9/2009 by www.mountainviewcellphones.com

From Wireless Week…

CEO: Palm Focused on Pre Launch
By Monica Alleven
WirelessWeek - February 12, 2009

Palm CEO Ed Colligan appears to be more concerned about getting the Pre successfully out the door than he is about any potential patent fight that might come with Apple.

Speaking at a Thomas Weisel Partners conference yesterday, the CEO acknowledged speculation in the media but said no legal action has been taken with regards to Apple. The whole area of patents is a complex one and Palm over the years has built a patent portfolio that is one of the highest rated. “If something does happen there, we do have the portfolio to defend ourselves,” he said.

The former Handspring executive also affirmed that there will be no more Palm OS-based products going forward, focusing instead on the new Web OS featured in the Pre. In addition, the company is about to launch a new Windows Mobile product.

Colligan emphasized the strong relationship the company has built with Sprint, which will be the exclusive U.S. carrier to offer the Pre. There are more Palm users on Sprint’s network than any other.

Colligan didn’t say how long the exclusivity period will last, but he said the hope is that with a successful launch with Sprint, other carriers will take notice. He said the place where exclusivity doesn’t apply is in the rest of the world. “We’ve gotten a lot of carrier interest in the product,” and will continue to work with carriers in North America, Latin America and Europe.

The timeframe for bringing additional carriers on board is 2010, and at some point, he expects a broader product line and additional partners in North America.

He also confirmed the company will offer an over-the-air apps store and said Palm has a huge community of developers. “We are just relentlessly focused” on getting the Pre out the door.

Summary Take Aways:

1.  Sprint will be exclusive carrier in USA till 2010.

2.  Resurgence of Palm will seem to help Sprint get a real iconic phone to define it’s services

3.  Palm has large patent portofolio to go after Apple if it wants to fight

4.  PRE is the laser focus of Palm…which is great to get the product out by summer selling season

2/2/2009 by www.mountainviewcellphones.com

We are expanding our service and repair business to start repairing more models of Smartphones.  We are first starting with a simple Blackberry Trackball repair for $35.00 and in less than 30 minutes (parts and labor).  www.phonemechanics.com

 We look forward to helping your business or personal needs.  Either mail or drop by your phone and we will repair your trackball issues quickly and efficiently. 

 We are working on getting a more formal site up and running that will be a large jump in service and convenience for customers nationwide for repairing their phones.  We will keep the world up to date on our progress and improvements to our service. 

2/2/2009  by www.mountainviewcellphones.com

Sprint’s fortunes have the opportunity to change dramatically this year.  Unfortunately, consumers are very conservative this year, so that alone may derail the come back.  However, there are four big things that are going for the company.

 1.  WiMax roll-out…this is critical to hitting Verizon and ATT where it hurts (local data service to homes) and growing volume dramatically for mobile data users.  This is a truly unique product Sprint and Clearwire have and they need to get the roll-out going as fast as possible.

2.  Palm PRE…just in time for the 1st generation Apple upgrade with ATT, so customers have a better choice versus the IPhone.  If the PRE lives up to the blogosphere hype, then this can start subscriber growth again for Sprint.  So, these first generation IPHONE users have for the most part, gotten a poor web experience and maybe looking for a better web experience.  They won’t find it with ATT 3G IPHONE as the data network speeds and capacity are still way below Sprint and Verizon.  I haven’t found a single IPHONE user who has loved the speed of the Internet on their devices (outside of WiFi).  The PRE has the opportunity to be the ONE phone you need for both business and personal uses.  I will even trade in my Blackberry 8830 for this upgrade.         

3.  A consistent message…come to Sprint for saving money and use your phone for all that it can do.  The hokey CEO messages are finally getting thru to people.  We are having more people from ATT and Verizon come into our stores and wanting to save money and seeing what Sprint has to offer.  This combined with the economic environment will continue to favor the rate structure advantage Sprint has. 

 4.  Independent consumer tests and gizmodo data speed tests have confirmed Sprint is improving and is the most dependable and fastest data network around.  This will take time to show up in the sale results, but people are beginning to take a look at Sprint again.

Sprint literally has a 2 year window now to really turn things around and get better execution going forward for sales and retention.  These few dramatically differentiated and unique products Sprint can offer this year will be able to leap frog the competition and give consumers more for less. 

 By: www.mountainviewcellphones.com 5/7/2008

 Realtors are some of the heaviest wireless users.  Not only are they constantly mobile, but they need information at the point of use.  Many customers now have smartphones and can fine similar information that the realtor has for basic searches, but this means that customers expect to communicate with realtors using their smartphones.  Communication for realtors is now expected to be instant or with very narrow delays.

There are several applications for Realtors that run predominantly on Palm OS or Windows OS environments.  These allow for MLS listings and researching specific real estate information.  These applications can also help with CRM functions by allowing you to save your  contact information in an organized fashion on a database to track transactions. 

The Palm TREOs and the ecosystem around this device has built up several unique traits that help realtors more than most professions. 

1.  GE Supra has introduced the best lock box system in the industry to help with key management and security for showing homes.  This requires an infrared port on the devices that only Palm and Windows devices has.  This is a great time saver for realtors and helps with key management (a big time suck).

2.  MLS Listing applications are specific for every region.  This is a critical piece of information for seeing what has been listed and is on the market.  This helps with comps and allows realtors to show the most “recent” listings to customers before everyone else.  Speed is key for many possibilities to help realtor clients get the best deals. 

3.  Treos and other devices have been cracked to do phone as a modem downloads without the use of a phone as a modem data plan.  This can help save money and improve time savings for realtors with computers and having a wireless mobile device. 

4.  Cameras are critical to taking pictures and quickly sending them.

5.  Voice recorder is a great application to help with many day to day recordings.  This can help take notes and to personalize communications of realtors with their clients.  

6.  With Windows devices, GPS is a critical tool and built in function that will allow for turn by turn directions to different locations.

7.  Touchscreens.  Many realtors aren’t the most tech savvy buyers and don’t have time to learn all the nuances of a device.  The touchscreen has been the most user friendly form factor for learning and working quickly.  This is a great advantage of Palm and Windows devices for realtors. 

Lastly, the plans with Sprint have never been more affordable.  As most realtors are commission based, fixed costs are a definite concern.  Now with the $99.99 plan for everything, this is definitely the best deal for getting the most done with the phones.  This plan will allow for GPS navigation, texting, web, email, and TV/radio for one flat rate.  It’s a sea change in the business and this will allow Sprint to service realtors better than other carriers. 

By: www.Mountainviewcellphones.com  4/24/2008

You make a call and the speaker phone icon is not there.  The person you call can’t hear you, and your blood pressure just shot up a few notches as you desparately try to make your TREO work.  You plug in your headphone jack and you can maybe hear them but they still can’t hear you….what do  you do?

The easiest thing to do is to come to our service center and we will fix this for you. 

Read the rest of this entry »