Phil's Blog

Hi everybody !

I have bought a Palm Pixi Plus in France. The WebOS version is 1.4.1. No update to 1.4.5 version is available. I guess that all the following remarks can be applied on the palm pre , the palm pre plus, the palm pixi too, and any webos devices until version 1.4.1.

Previously, I was using a Nokia E71 smartphone. So, all the following comments are in comparison with this GREAT Nokia smartphone. I'm a nomade cell phone user. So, I need :
1. a working GPS,
2. contact synchronisation,
3. bluetooth file transfert,
4. internet brower.

So, everything is working smoothly, and the system is really efficient. I haven't notice any slow down.

As you can read every where on the web, the battery is just okay.

But, what you can't read on any other review is now!

Here are what you can't do with the palm pixi:
1. it is impossible to use the syncML protocol. So, if you used to keep a back up of all your contacts on a synml server, you are out! The solution : move to gmail,
2. basically, there are no offline (e.g. without DATA connection) GPS application. So, you can't use the palm pixi just to check your position. You must download application on the APP STORE;
3. the web browser DOESN'T SUPPORT the WAP protocol. To me, it is a shame! Here in France many website support a wap version and an iphone version. Usually, the WAP version is more efficient and it can be used faster than the iphone / regular version. Definitely usufull owith EDGE connection;
4. the SIM applications / SIM services are not working on the palm pixi! So, when you are using global sim card such as the gosim one, you can't send cheap SMS, or check your remaining credit...it is so bad;
5. when you are in the "plane mode" (so all connections are turned OOF (wifi, Bluetooth, GSM,etc.)) and you have no SIM card in your phone, the cell phone reboots often. Plus, the clock and the date are reset to March 20th 2010 (20/03/2010 or 03/20/2010) ! So, you can't be confident on the alarm feature to wake you up! That's crazy !
6. you can't transfert files from a laptop to the phone through the bluetooth protocol.....
7. you can't access to the APP STORE when you are in "plane mode" but with the WIFI turned ON,

EDIT: August 9th 2010
8. there is no "accuse de reception" when you send a SMS!

EDIT: August 10th 2010
9. with my current provider, Orange France, I used to send " #123# " to check my remaining time and SMS credit. Unfortunatelly, on my Palm Pixi + it doesn't work. The USSD code is sent, but I get no answer.

EDIT: December 28th 2010 (still using webos 1.4.5)
10. I have been very surprised to discover that you can pair the palm pixi plus with a laptop suing bluetooth. Thanks to that, thethering under bluetooth is natively supported.
11. The "mobile hotspot" application is very crappy. Tethering by wifi is VERY VERY slow (I have never tested it earlier).

I hope that I can help people before buying a palm pre / palm pixi phone. To my mind, it is first of all a google phone (works great with all the google services and google features).

EDIT: I am running under webOS 1.4.5. No bug has been corrected.

EDIT: February 10th 2013
I have upgraded my palm pixi plus to webos 2.1.0, using Meta Doctor scripts and the instructions available from install webos 2.1.0 on palm pixi plus. The result is :

• it takes a long time to download files from HP servers
• the first build outperform a lot the webos 1.4.5 on palm pixi plus. You can get more often "too much cards", but everything is far smoother. You really get a new phone!
• MS Exchange doesn't support device encryption policy,like on webos 1.4.5. Further details are available from the palm kb 58353
• wap protocol is still absent from the web browser
• hopefully you can get the SIM toolkit working

I'm not using this phone anymore, and my Nokia E71 died few months ago. I'm now using a blackerry 9320, and a samsung Nexus S. I'm not satisfied with both devices, and I'm considering moving back to Nokia, or waiting for a Jolla phone running sailfish.
Also, a nice Car navigation for webos is navit navigation. It is available from preware.
A tip to export and save all your contacts

Labels: browser, bug, france, french, internet, orange, palm, palm pixi, palm pixi +, palm pixi plus, palm pre, review, SIM, SMS, USSD, wap, webOS, webos 1.4.1, webOS 1.4.5, webOS 2.1.0

Hi all,

Tonight, I was looking for news about the ATARI scene, because a new clone is going to be released : The FireBee (previously naled the Aatari Coldfire Project ACP).

Here are few interesting websites :
1. http://alive.atari.org/index.php
2. http://dhs.nu/news.php
3. http://acp.atari.org/
4. http://aranym.org/
5. http://acp.atari.org/files/acptechEN1.pdf
6. http://highwire.atari-users.net
7. http://links.twibright.com/
8. http://lowresmag.wordpress.com/
9. http://myaes.lutece.net/
10. http://pagesperso-orange.fr/didierm/
11. http://pagesperso-orange.fr/patrice.mandin/en/index.html

Have fun!