Palm crisis....please help me decide what's next

J

Jamie Elis

0
My Palm Centro is failing to recharge properly, its life is coming to an end. I have used it for my N/A list, project descriptions, contacts (with gobs of notes) and calendar, and of course the phone. I have never activated it for internet use. As we all know, any smart phone available now requires a data package, and its monthly fee. So here is the choice I think:

Transfer everything to a new Palm Pixie or Pre and get the data package.

or

Transfer my contacts to a very basic phone and everything else to an I-touch.

Unless I am mistaken, a data package for a year for a smart phone will cost t about the same as ah I-touch.

My work involves minimal e-mail at this time. To get everything off the Centro to either the Pixie or the Pre requires several transformations:first to Outlook (which I do not use), then Google synch, then to the new Palm. It seems about the same number of steps to take everything off the Palm and put it on an I-touch.

So, I am asking what I-touch Aps might work for GTD nicely?
And, has anyone used the Pixie or Pre for GTD? Any assets or liabilities here?

Finally, anyone have any issues with transformations across platforms?

Thanks in advance. Jamie
 
I have a Palm Pixie (used to have a Centro) and I love it. I didn't get the Pre because I wanted the smaller size and I'm OK with the small screen. I'm on Sprint and I have the "Everything" plan (the $79 a month one) and that includes data. The Pixi from Sprint doesn't have WiFi capability.

My Pixi syncs automatically with my Outlook Calendar, Contacts, and Email (we use Outlook at work), and will also sync my Google Calendar, Gmail, and Yahoo Mail without any additional apps. It has a Tasks app that it comes with that apparently syncs the Outlook tasks, although I don't use Outlook tasks. I have not tried Google tasks or contacts. The Pixi also meshes together contact information from Outlook, Facebook (because I have the FB app), Google, and Yahoo (because I use those email accounts) so I can type in one name and see their contact info from different programs. It's rather interesting sometimes...but you can tell it not to link them up if you want. Most of the time I know the Outlook contact info is correct because I keep it updated and don't rely on Facebook contact info.

Once I had the Pixi set up and all the account info entered (and after I had backed up the Centro just in case!) it automatically synced everything up with the Pixi, although it took several minutes. It did this "over the air"...I don't have to plug it into my computer, but I do have that option.

For tasks, I use Toodledo.com (free account). I use the "Done" app on the Pixi to sync my tasks from Toodledo to the Pixi. It works well for me, but I don't really enter tasks on the Pixi...I tend to enter them at my computer, so I use the Done app to look at and check off tasks when I'm out and about. (Toodledo also has an app that syncs with the iTouch, which I have as well. I sync them all up).

I keep notes on my computer, and I take notes on paper instead of my phone so I can't comment on any note apps for the Pixi. I do have Docs to Go on my iTouch and it works fine, but I don't do any notetaking on the iTouch either...just reading.

I actually still have my red Centro in my drawer. It's got a couple of cosmetic scratches on the case, but it should still work (haven't charged it in forever). If you're dying to keep a Centro for the time being send me a message.

PsychTau
 
Re: Palm crisis....please help me decide what's next - Palm Pre 2 experience

I have just taken delivery of a Palm Pre 2. It's a nice device but fails terribly at the moment for easy implementation of GTD - and as David says, you need a device to attract you if it is going to work, not repel you!

Here are the most immediate and significant problems I've faced:

1. Does not sync categorized tasks in Outlook - only allows a single list of uncategorized tasks to sync and due to the poor Tasks application on the Pre 2, you can't use 'codes' in the task subjects to use as filters or for sorting as a workaround
2. Although it claims to sync Outlook Notes during the one-off data transfer during setup, mine didn't work so I don't have most of my reference notes transferred
3. Does not synchronize Outlook Notes with the Palm device during regular sync
4. Palm Pre 2 Task Lists application does not allow for customization (e.g filtering/sorting as mentioned above, changing fonts)
5. Supposed to sync with Exchange so corporate users can use it but the designers seem to have spent more time getting it to work 'in the cloud' as they call it but means via Google - this is causing a LOT of people to complain as they really only want a local sync to their desktop. It claims bluetooth will do this but I haven't got it to work yet. Connection with a usb cable does not give sync facilities.

I'm currently investigating 3rd party applications which may help solve these problems but as the developers were not granted pre-release access to the webOS 2.x code, they are playing catch up. For example, Chapura PocketMirror will probable fix most of these issues when a compatible release is issued. They have said they are workig on it but have no date for release.

I have to use the Pre 2 as it is my employers choice but it is really frustrating & disappointing when suppliers issue devices which take a massive step backwards from where things used to be.

Overall it is a nice device & if they can get the apps up to expected standards it will be very nice one to use. In the meanwhile, it just means early buyers have to figure workarounds & hacks to use their GTD setups which may have worked well for them for years.

If anyone has any suggestions for hacks/workarounds or alternative apps (which must be compatible with webOS 2.0 and above), I'd appreciate hearing about it.

Kind Regards

S
 
The above posts are worryng for those of us who also have a Centro and who area also asking "what next?". I thought Chapura PocketMirror dealt with Tasks, Notes etc already. I was supposing I could go with the Palm Pixie and PocketMirror in around six months time.

My plan would be sync from my Centro to Outlook, then sync Outlook with PocketMirror on the Pixie.
 
Hello S
You may want to consider using PocketMirror by Chapura. I have a Palm Pre and have been using it for a few years to synchronize calendar, tasks, contacts, and notes to Outlook on my home PC for GTD. It adds alot of functionality beyond the base Pre applications to search, sort, view, etc. Best regards, Bill
 
One possibility for GTD on webOS is Outline Tracker (http://outlinetracker.com/outlinetracker/index.html)

It syncs with Basecamp (http://basecamphq.com/) rather than Outlook.

If you have outlines in Natara Bonsai, CodeJedi ShadowPlan or Ultrasoft BrainForest, you can export them and import them into Outline Tracker: http://outlinetracker.com/outlinetracker/migration.html

Under webOS 2.0 (currently on the Pre 2, and coming to older devices in the next month or two) you can create new items from Just Type (universal search). This requires Outline Tracker 2.0, which should be released this week.
 
PocketMirror & WebOS 2.0 & Palm Pre2

Veritas;84685 said:
Hello S
You may want to consider using PocketMirror by Chapura. I have a Palm Pre and have been using it for a few years to synchronize calendar, tasks, contacts, and notes to Outlook on my home PC for GTD. It adds alot of functionality beyond the base Pre applications to search, sort, view, etc. Best regards, Bill
Click to expand...
Thanks for taking the time to reply but, as I said in my post, PocketMirror does NOT currently work with webOS2.0 and the Pre2. Chapura are working on a new release but have no idea when it will be available.

S
 
Outline Tracker

DougReeder;84709 said:
One possibility for GTD on webOS is Outline Tracker (http://outlinetracker.com/outlinetracker/index.html)

It syncs with Basecamp (http://basecamphq.com/) rather than Outlook.

If you have outlines in Natara Bonsai, CodeJedi ShadowPlan or Ultrasoft BrainForest, you can export them and import them into Outline Tracker: http://outlinetracker.com/outlinetracker/migration.html

Under webOS 2.0 (currently on the Pre 2, and coming to older devices in the next month or two) you can create new items from Just Type (universal search). This requires Outline Tracker 2.0, which should be released this week.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately, I am tied to Outlook as it is my company's platform for email etc.

S
 
PocketMirror

tominperu;84683 said:
The above posts are worryng for those of us who also have a Centro and who area also asking "what next?". I thought Chapura PocketMirror dealt with Tasks, Notes etc already. I was supposing I could go with the Palm Pixie and PocketMirror in around six months time.

My plan would be sync from my Centro to Outlook, then sync Outlook with PocketMirror on the Pixie.
Click to expand...
You might be OK in 6 months time. Chapura have told me that they are working on the PocketMirror release for webOS2.0 but haven't said when it will be ready. Hopefully it will be in less than 6 months!

S
 
Palm Pre user here, moved from a Centro.

This is my current setup:
- Pre calendar to Google calendar
- Pre mail or web to GMail
- Done! on Pre to Toodledo for action lists, projects, goals, etc
- Memos for quick notes (to be processed later)
- Photos of notes emailed to myself when I want to capture scraps of paper
- Scratch Word Processor for work when I need to type stuff @anywhere (but I would prefer to work with pen and paper)

If you use Outlook extensivly I don't know if the Pre does all the cool features. I moved to Toodledo because of the web interface.

The tasks app that comes with the Pre is a joke compared to the classic Palm Centro one. I use it for quick check lists such as things to buy at the market or frequently used lists (getting into office, getting home, etc).

When I moved from my Centro to my Pre I had to re-invent my GTD process. Toodledo didn't work that well on the Centro, nor did the Google apps. I'm very happy with the current setup because I can access it on the Pre if I'm on the go but also on any computer I have to use so I don't have to have one setup for home and one for the office.

Very happy with the Pre but I could not get GTD to work with the built in applications. $10 of registration fees and I was flying.
 
Outline Tracker

I also use the outline tracker/basecamp combo, and love it. I remain a paper person, because I'm one of those people who has to write things down, and use this as my backup, but this combination is the only thing I've found that's tempted me to move to electronic lists full time.
 
Chapura PocketMirror now available for WebOS2.0

Just received an email from Chapura to say that PocketMirror is now available for WebOS2.0, so this should allow better GTD implementation on these devices.

Why HP/Palm took such backward steps with the basic applications for which Palm were famous is beyond me. At least with PocketMirror it looks like we now have a solution.

S
 
iPod Touch was my solution

My solution to the Palm issue was to buy an iPod Touch. That way I still keep my Sprint cell phone (best service and coverage in my area) but have all the benefits of an iPhone including the killer app Omnifocus. The size is small enough that I can replace the palm with 2 smaller devices so not much more space in my belt pouch.
 
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