Palm Pre trouble roundup
- T minus 2 hours: lines reach critical mass across the country; odds are you'll find some of us in those lines. Camaraderie amongst line-waiters is at a high, but it's a guarded emotion -- the scene'll turn ugly the second inventory runs out.
- T minus 30 minutes: for morning lines (particularly those where folks have waited overnight), store managers come out and offer coffee and pastries. Anything less is uncivilized -- don't hesitate to complain.
- T minus 0 minutes: the gizmo goes on sale.
- T plus 1 hour: the first teardowns and cost estimates hit the web.
- T plus 4 hours: mass (or at least loud) complaints of manufacturing defects, bugs, and shortcomings start cropping up.
- A good number of early adopters are reporting "splotchy," distorted, or discolored displays (we've seen reports of dead pixels, too, though we'd actually be more weirded out if there weren't). See examples here, here, and here.
- We've also heard reports of unexpected system shutdowns (like those reported in the LAPTOP piece above) that require a battery pull to resolve. We're hearing that you can also patch this up by holding down the power button and toggling the ringer switch three times, but your mileage may vary. If we had to guess, this'll be fixed up with a firmware update at some point, which really drives home the value of OTA capability.
- Text fields in the web browser don't seem to support symbols that aren't on the keyboard (that is, symbols you need to hold down "Sym" to access). We've independently verified this one, and it's nasty -- it'll be particularly bad once the phone launches internationally, so we'd also expect this to be patched sooner rather than later.
[Thanks to everyone who sent these in]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
anthony @ Jun 7th 2009 8:58PM
how about the fact thing over heats like crazy and the battery drains because of it? I already returned mine, I loved the phone itself, the webos, keyboard, screen. I had the screen distortion. I had insane over heating. No lie, Unplugged it from charger at 100 percent, 10 minutes later being idle, down to 80, and so on. This phone made me appreciate my storm, which is sad to say.
Casper @ Jun 7th 2009 9:18PM
To test the screen on The Palm pre, go to Device Info, more info, Preferences, Interactive tests, Screen, And it will show solid colors on the screen to make it easy to detect problems.
I got mine at the launch party and i havent had a problem yet, Love it! The touchstone does make it a bit warm, but not hot.
Screen is 100% on mine
Brandon @ Jun 7th 2009 9:49PM
I haven't had any problems with overheating. The battery life could be a little better but I think it drains because of all the background apps.
Stevey 1337 @ Jun 7th 2009 10:22PM
This is why you wait to buy these things.
mrbadduck @ Jun 8th 2009 4:34AM
cheers
EvilHomer @ Jun 7th 2009 10:28PM
Of all the posts so far, you are being the biggest bitch. And we are talking about the Palm Pre, not the palm you call your girlfriend.
EA @ Jun 7th 2009 10:27PM
Hey Engadget, how about getting official word from Palm on whether or not the Pre will be enabled to sync with Exchange servers requiring the ability for device PIN lock or remote wiping? Previous Palms had this capability (I believe), WinMo and iPhones both have this capability, and pretty much all major corporations require this making the Pre useless for ALOT of people. Seems like a pretty large customer base being ignored, no? How can they tote Exchange ready if most users won't actually be able to sync with Exchange?
paul @ Jun 7th 2009 11:17PM
My palm pre had a dead pixel. not a huge deal but I took it in to a sprint store to swap and they wouldn't swap it! They admitted having pre in stock but they were being saved for new customers and swaps will have to wait until they receive more. This has always been sprint problem. They focus on signing up new customers and neglect the ones they have. Palm will probably be around for a while but sprint, I'm not so sure about.
Chevy @ Jun 7th 2009 11:07PM
You can remote wipe the device. Its in the palm ID that you correct.
EA @ Jun 7th 2009 11:21PM
@ Chevy
You may have misunderstood me. When using ActiveSync to sync up with Exchange servers, most corporations require the mobile devices to be PIN locked and wiped remotely from the Exchange server for security. That way if it is lost or stolen, they can remove company data from there if the phone is on. The Pre does not have this Exchange capability, so anyone working for one of these corporations will not be able to sync with their company Exchange server.
partnerinflight @ Jun 8th 2009 8:55PM
Here's the response I got about this when I asked a sprint rep:
The Pre accesses the exchange server by using outlook web access (OWA).
If corporate is able to access the exchange server via OWA with out a VPN…then the answer is yes
I'm in one of those companies too, so really want to know the answer for sure before I shell out the $$.
Periks19 @ Jun 7th 2009 11:47PM
The battery does die up quite fast but compared to the iphone is about the same not to say the iphone is not running background applications I see why they don't do since their battery life is already bad. Also the phone does get warm but not hot like engadget says. So far slis good but there things that can improve we now just have to see how palm responds.
shyne2345 @ Jun 7th 2009 11:20PM
well, as much i was looking for this phone, im prob one of the 1st to RETURN it. the phone is great for many things, and is close as it get to
a treo-iphone. but when you make a device upgrade, it needs to have everything that was basic
from previous devices, or an improvment:
1.does not support test fowarding
2. does not supports cut and past texts in thread
3. does not support IM for anything except google or aol
4.call log does provide message abilty with 1 tap
5. no dedicated tap or button for texting, just for all messenging
BMore710 @ Jun 8th 2009 12:51AM
The battery is easily the most disappointing thing about the Pre. You would think Palm would've really tackled this issue since the main purpose of the Pre is to the "cards" aka have background apps continually running...
OH and tell me why when I purchased the Pre yesterday the representative told me IF YOUR PRE BATTERY FULLY DIES YOU MUST WAIT 2 SOLID HOURS BEFORE YOU CAN USE IT AGAIN--yes you can't immediately plug it for a charge once it dies and continue using it like you can do with 99% of the other cell phones in the world...
allen @ Jun 7th 2009 11:41PM
My dad just got one and 2 hrs into it the cellular networked stopped working. he would have to restart the phone over and over to have reception but 5-10 min later the phone would stop working and today his screen said " fatal error that can no be resolved. please contact palm" long story short, he had to return the phone and get a new one. lets see how this one works out. iPhone all the way!!!!
mingkee @ Jun 7th 2009 11:45PM
the situation is like G1
don't forget, Palm WebOS is a new platform, like Android, it takes time to grow
Blad3 @ Jun 8th 2009 12:08AM
ohhhh snap, owned.
Davie @ Jun 8th 2009 12:23AM
I honestly do not see anything in those pictures about the screen discoloration. But i do have a few problems with my Wanda (that's her name):
1. The 3.5 mm headphone port on the top has something wrong with it. When I put my headphone, either my personal headphones or the ones that came with the Palm Pre.
2. My music doesn't always play. When I have the Pre opened up then the music plays fine, but when I close the the keyboard its stops playing as if it's on mute or something.
3. I have no idea how to use the phone. I can dial but when i but it up to my face it opens up contacts and and I cant hear anything. But this is something that can be fixed all I have to do is just practice and mess around with it.
tnkgrl @ Jun 8th 2009 1:01AM
I had an interesting adventure with my Pre: http://tnkgrl.wordpress.com/2009/06/06/remote-erase-bricks-palm-pre/
t-pain @ Jun 8th 2009 1:03AM
The battery does heat up and drain a little quick but that's something that can be fixed with updates in the future. However, I did notice the "splotchiness" when I had the phone on in the dark-- it's a little annoying but not something worth returning the Pre over. This phone has A LOT of great features already and a lot of great potential through updates-- that is the benefit of buying an innovative device like the Pre. Overall, I am really really happy with the Pre-- it is definitely a revolutionary device not only for Sprint and Palm but for smartphones all together. Like the iPhone did, it is going to push other manufacturers and carriers to improve on the products they put out. Customers want unique all-in-one devices with style; and the Pre is exactly that.
Joey @ Jun 8th 2009 7:36AM
Have to agree with atlmetroguy. This video pretty much sums these people up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jETv3NURwLc
rob @ Jun 8th 2009 7:45AM
My touchscreen was screwed up and now I'm on the wait-list for a replacement phone. Randomly, portions of the touchscreen are non-responsive, especially the keypad for the phone (impossible to hang-up most calls without using the center button to reduce the window and flip it off the screen). The phone-lock icon is also non-responsive 90% of the time forcing me to open the keyboard to unlock the phone. Sprint store employees seemed surpised by these problems..... but didn't offer to move me upon the wait-list. Also, a few dead pixels on my screen and splotchiness on the screen in the lower left corner.
big_psirex @ Jun 8th 2009 8:59AM
How widespread are these issues?
isdpcman @ Jun 8th 2009 9:29AM
Got my Pre at Best Buy. Great thing about BB is that the rebate is INSTANT. No need to mail anything in. I like that. Rebates are such a scam anymore.
I like the phone. MUCH more responsive than my Mogul was. I love the keyboard (even with my fat fingers it's easier to use that the mogul). The screen is beautiful. Watching the intro video when I got the phone was just amazing. VERYclean picture. I'm not sure what the resolution is but it's better than the mogul was. My battery lasted me all day after charging overnight and I haven't noticed any heating issues so I'm not having any of the problems listed here.
I have two complaints for now:
1) Cannot connect to Exchange and send/receive email. My credentials work when it connects as I get no errors but it does not download email, contacts, tasks or calendars. Also cannot send mail. Need to fix this pronto.
2) There doesn't seem to be a way to scroll text horizontally! When setting up the exchange server the name of the server is wider than the text box. Well, if you make a mistake on an area that is either RIGHT on the border or off the screen there is NO WAY to scroll the cursor to the hidden text! This is a HUGE flaw in usability! No arrows on the keyboard. They'll need to fix this.
Good news is these are all OS/firmware issues so I'm sure they'll get this worked out. Just bums me out that I cannot use this for work yet. Have to have email on the road and my car uses MS Sync...no contacts in the phone, no voice dialing with Sync :-(
Ryan Schneck @ Jun 8th 2009 9:34AM
I have some splotchiness in the left corner of my screen. Touch screen could line up a bit better. Battery life has been very good. Used pandora for over an hour over my data connection and the battery only dropped 10% this is compared to my old touch pro which would give me about 2 hours of talk time and 1 hour of browsing before it would crap out. The biggest disappointment for me is the lack of applications, but I suspect this will be remedied as time passes. Overall I am pleased so far.
Achilles @ Jun 8th 2009 10:04AM
I'm liking it so far. The only problem I have is a bad proximity sensor mentioned in the article which makes it seem like it has shutdown. As soon as I get a phone call or make one, the screen goes dark w/o me moving the phone. It doesn't return to its normal state after the call has ended which can only be ended if the other party on the line actually hangs up (and not just switches to their call waiting by means to hang up with me). The screen stays dark regardless. I've had to pull the battery every time. The holding the power switch and toggling the ringer switch 3 times worked earlier but no longer works anymore. I have to pull the battery after EVERY call. Annoying it is. I'm waiting for a replacement.
Customization is limited on quite a few things but that will come in time. This is Pre 1.0 not Pre 3.0. Otherwise I'm liking it a ton!!!
Achilles @ Jun 8th 2009 11:46AM
Stupid plastic cover that comes with it was dirty. I left it on protecting the screen but during use, it had shifted a little bit just slightly over the proximity sensor. The plastic had become a bit grimy so I removed it and all is well again. This issue was driving me crazy but it's all good now!
Can't wait for more updates! This phone is a 1st generation so most of us should know what to expect (iPhone 1.0 had more bugs than a VW sales lot). It has a ton of potential and I'm already liking the feedback from Palm on their forums. They are actually listening. Looking forward to more apps in the future.
Most of us just need to have patience. Yes, they were some simple things that were either left off the device (alarm clock but was added in SW update, etc.) or have yet to be added. It will get there as they go through their development updates. iPhone and Android went through the same thing. RIM is still dealing with their Storm failures (which to me are bigger issues than anything I've found on the Pre).
Competition is a good thing for us whether or not Apple or Palm would like to admit.
I have nothing against the iPhone (great phone). My only problem is that it is on AT&T (and that terrible excuse for a 3G network). I'm good with the Pre on the Sprint network. Thank you Palm and Sprint. Finally Sprint has a phone worth buying.
Iphone killer? I'd rather say that the Pre is an iPhone stimulator and vice-versa. They will now each make better versions of both phones. It's a win-win for customers.
sergery @ Jun 8th 2009 2:12PM
When I set my alarm it doesn't matter if weekday/weekend is sellected. It goes off no matter what. No fun being woken up at 6am on Sunday when I didn't need to be up
Anon Imus @ Jun 8th 2009 5:57PM
Got lucky, Got to BB at 9:40 and got the last of 4 appointments.
Two of the activations in front of me went horribly wrong. One woman was out the store in 15minutes, Took me 3.5hours.
The keyboard backlighting is seriously uneven, the edge of the keyboard, lower part of the case, is pretty sharp.
I had one random reboot, a crash?, on on bought where the browser would only zoom in and out, like a multitouch zoom, when trying to scroll, Had to reboot. Rebooting BTW takes FOREVER.
Beyond that the phone is really nice so far. There's a lot of little details that are indescribable plus it works.
Multi tasking is great even apps like Pandors and SprintNav get along, My Touch Pro would never do that.
I was a little worried about "universal" integration of all my accounts and even that it has to use iTunes but all of that was put to rest.
They both have proved to be "better" than how I've done things before, sometimes you have to be dragged kicking and screaming to a "better" place.
Oh Yeah, I noticed the update while looking at the Demo, one of the first things I check, so I did it on mine right away.
WGR @ Jun 9th 2009 2:58PM
Email:
-Turn off SSL
-Email notification for each account taking you directly to that account rather than the general email program
-Be able to choose what folders to have shown in drop-downs of each email account
-In Email function, add a choice to "return to inbox" maximized or other views when replying/functions rather than only returning to the original message card
-Thread in emails are not fully readable upon reply. They get cut off due to size and it can’t be resized or “moved around” to read all of it.
-Ability to assign a specific email inbox/account to the email launcher or have separate launchers for each account if wanted
-Be able to attach Memos in emails/messages
Calendar:
-Cannot invite other attendees?
Alarm Clock:
-Remove notification at bottom for alarm clock or make it an option; move alarm/clock icon to top system tray like iPhone or choice of whether or not to show in notification or tray area
-Make alarm clock more customizable - choice for days, vibrate, minute by minute, not only in 5 minute increments
-Choice to turn on/off screen unlock when alarm clock is being utilized
Phone:
-Cannot “ignore” a call from the touchscreen when the keyboard is closed
-Add ability to “ignore a call w/text” like Treo’s
-Separate/sort outgoing and incoming calls, not just missed calls
Messaging:
-Timestamp individual messages in messaging
Launcher:
-Be able to adjust sizes of program icons in Launcher to fit more on one page.
-Need more launcher pages.
Customizability:
-Be able to customize coloration like old Palms/Treos
-More customizability for sounds and vibrate to distinguish the phone/email/messaging/notifications better
-Utilize gesture area LEDs & LED home button for customizable notifications when screen is off
Editing:
-Add a "select all" in the "Edit" drop-down
-Add a virtual keyboard for landscape use in 'typing' situations
-Text highlighting needs improving; better precision?
Martin @ Jun 10th 2009 10:25AM
The first day is gonna have battery problems. 1 the phone is getting to know the battery, you see it alot on all phones, 2 the device is sorting through everything you put into it, (if you synced it up) and also sorting everything out with the network. It is a smart phone and has a lot to do. Should really give it a few days (for the battery) to see what happens. I had the same problem with my winmo phone, and now its great... As for the screens, yeah thats expected, and you should swap it out right away if you have a dead pixel or some screen flaw cause you are paying for a perfect device with amazing display, not some leftovers.
josh @ Jun 16th 2009 10:32PM
Anytime I close the phone and it snaps shut, it turns the phone off. I have to turn it back on and wait forever before it loads up. Only way to prevent it so far is slide it shut very slow and easy
David Sandoval @ Jun 17th 2009 9:06PM
my phone does the exact same thing, i just dropped it off at sprint lets see what happens, if i dont get it fixed or a new phone soon, im canceling and going to at&t.
Dan Danford @ Jun 14th 2009 8:42PM
My Pre seems to have a problem with the car charger. The touchstone has worked fine all week, but this weekend I used the car charger with a 120 volt adapter. VERY erratic, and the phone locked up twice. I took it in and they rebooted by unhooking the battery and it SEEMED fine. But it wasn't. So far, I can't get it to charge correctly, and it still locks up with the "battery charging" screen. Back to Sprint in the A.M.
Vic Lynn @ Sep 2nd 2009 11:19AM
I have the power problem where it suddenly turns off. I had it for 5 or 6 weeks before I started having the problem. The power switch ringer sliding 3 times fixes it temporarly. Thanks for the tip. That at lest makes the phone usable again.