Top 20 Palm Pre Feature Requests
Preonauts Share Ideas, Feature Requests To Improve The Palm Pre
Although I’ve had my share of issues (nothing really major) with the Palm Pre I have to admit that I have been very (pleasantly) surprised to see just how overwhelmingly positive the general feedback has been to date – it appears that the vast majority of Preonauts are either extremely or very satisfied with their purchase.
The Palm Pre webOS is still far from perfect in its v1.0.4 iteration but it does nonetheless seem to offer a veritable wealth of possibilities – something that until now only the iPhone appeared to provide.
The overall excitement surrounding the Palm Pre has naturally awakened the passion of many to get involved and help make this smartphone even better. Below is a list of the Top 20 Palm Pre Feature Requests as voted by Preonauts:
1. Blinking center button for notifications [698 Votes]
Enable the option for center button LED to blink or stay lit (based on user preference) as a visual notification indicator when screen is off.
I had not really thought about this but I guess that the idea is for it to function just as it already does on the Palm Treo Pro. [The functionality is apparently in the Palm Pre ROM but not yet enabled.]
2. Improve battery life [588 Votes]
As I had already outlined in my Palm Pre Battery Life Tips post, there are many ways that you can improve battery life with some simple tweaks. Having said this, what Preonauts evidently _really_ want is for Palm to figure out a way to either build a higher capacity battery for the Pre and/or to figure out ways to further optimize the OS to deliver longer battery life.
3. Customization of system sounds [475 Votes]
Enable the ability to customize control over all system sounds and events, i.e. separate sounds for New SMS, New Email, New Voicemail, etc.
Clearly, the matter of “personalization” via unique systems sounds is something that would be absolutely great to have…
4. Improve copy/paste functionality [362 Votes]
Extend copy/paste functionality to non-editable text, images (i.e. webpages)
Although the Palm Pre does have a copy/paste functionality the fact is that it’s “messy” and needs much improvement still. As this feature request also notes, there is currently no way to copy text from webpages, SMS messages and other places…
5. Visual Voicemail [310 Votes]
Enable visual voicemail feature, with a position slider to move back and forth within the voicemail.
I have a feeling that the lack of visual voicemail has less to do with Palm than it has to do with Sprint but hopefully they’ll both eventually figure this out since dialling into my voicemail is becoming rather old-fashioned…
6. Video Recording App [251 Votes]
I have to assume that Palm did not add video recording simply because it did not have the time to complete this function in time for launch but that it will become available soon.
7. SDK (Software Development Kit) [250 Votes]
The release of the Palm Pre SDK (Software Development Kit) is probably inevitable, but vote this one up if it's of interest for YOU.
The main benefit to you of the webOS SDK release is simply that this means that there will be a lot more apps available so evidently this is a rather important major request…
8. On-screen keyboard [234 Votes]
Allow the optional ability to toggle an onscreen keyboard, which would be especially useful in landscape mode.
I absolutely love the physical keyboard on the Pre but it’s also true that sometimes I wish that I didn’t have to slide the keyboard out and could simply type on the screen. The main implementation limitation is likely going to be that the screen is too small to fit a virtual keyboard in portrait mode but a landscape mode should be feasible.
9. Improve signal strength [187 Votes]
My coworkers with their Blackberry's and their Palm Treo's have no problem getting good signal strength in my area. Why should those of us who have adopted the Palm Pre suffer with poor signal reception?
I have personally had the opportunity to test a Sprint Palm Pre and a Sprint Treo Pro to determine their relative signal strength and the fact is that they both performed _exactly_ the same so not sure what this issue is about…
10. Optional "Today" screen as home screen [145 Votes]
Allow customizable "Today" screen as optional homepage replacement, which could include the latest two emails or text messages, the next two calendar events, etc.
This definitely gets my vote – I would love to have a Today screen with modules from apps such as weather, email, calendar, messaging and more all integrated in one view (much like on my Treo Pro).
11. Data tethering (Phone as Modem) [139 Votes]
Allow the use of the phone as an internet connection via USB or Bluetooth.
Considering how much you’re paying for the phone, voice and data plan it’s kind of ridiculous that the Pre does not offer tethering. Please note that this is _entirely_ an issue related to Sprint and not Palm though.
12. Add a good spell checker and autocorrect. [134 Votes]
I hate making “speling miztaques” when writing on my Pre… ;-) Would be nice if it could help me avoid the embarrassment…
13. Make it so you can filter Gmail and Facebook contacts. [92 Votes]
My understanding is that most of the filtering issues are caused by the Google and Facebook API’s but it would certainly be nice if “someone” could fix them…
14. Turn off backlight for touchstone (option) [91 Votes]
Need the option to disable the backlight when using the Touchstone charger. For both conservation of LEDs and excess ambient light at night.
I found this issue particularly annoying since I like to sleep with the Pre next to my bed overnight resting on its Touchstone. The problem is that the backlight is so strong that I kept waking up to it…
15. Slide-out keyboard answers and hangs up calls [84 Votes]
Allow the user to set a preference to slide out the keyboard to answer a call, and slide in the keyboard to hang up a call.
There are some usability difficulties in enabling this but as long as it’s set as a user preference I really don’t see why Palm could not implement…
16. Email Search [76 Votes]
I never knew how much I depended on this feature! I get tons of emails every day, and the ability to search the inbox is greatly needed.
Considering how much effort has gone into the Pre “Universal Search” functionality it is indeed more than annoying that you can’t search/filter your emails…
17. Voice control [76 Votes]
Add the ability to dial contacts and control music settings with spoken commands.
If Palm can’t do this themselves I very much hope that they will allow existing voice command solutions to be installed via 3rd party apps in the future…
18. Stronger Vibrate [63 Votes]
I would add not only stronger vibrate but also louder speaker since I regularly cannot hear my phone ringing…
19. Touchstone car charger [47 Votes]
A Touchstone charger for the car would be mighty handy, especially for extended trips that require the Pre's excellent GPS Navigation App!
As I pointed out in my Palm Touchstone For Pre In Your Car post, you can install it to power your Pre but it would indeed be ideal if Palm could provide a Touchstone _specifically_ designed for in-car use…
20. Open PDF’s in web browser [36 Votes]
Although you can view PDF’s already saved within your internal Pre memory there is (quite annoyingly) no way to view PDF’s from within your browser as you get an error message stating “Cannot find an application which can open this file”… Another thing is that there is also no option to “Save target as…” within the browser either…
Overall, aside from the above Top 20 Feature Requests, I have to say that my own top request is: Please find a way for me to sync multiple Outlook Contact folders with my Pre. [I’m told that a couple of developers are actively working to make this happen but for now at least I’ve only been able to transfer 100 of my 3,000 contacts…]
Make A Difference. Get Involved.
The starting point for any future improvements on the Palm Pre is YOU. If you have ideas about how you would improve the overall Pre experience then I suggest that you get involved by visiting this Palm Pre Feature Requests feedback forum and either create a new idea or vote for one or more of the existing ideas that you would most like to see implemented. As they say, “If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem…”
Preonauts always get involved… 
TrackBack
TrackBack URL for this entry:
https://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d8341c71a953ef011571e67a3f970b
Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Top 20 Palm Pre Feature Requests:
Comments
it should allow you to save jpegs off the web.
Also, internet radio.... I love my talk shows.. would be nice.. just like I do with Pocket tunes in the 700p.
My gripes so far:
-slow. Slow to switch between calendar screens (month to day). Slow to answer a call. Sluggish response.
-email is terrible. There are no options for sorting, searching, filtering, even making a new folder for emails you want to manually sort. Can't select multiple emails.
Can't copy text from an email, can't copy pictures from webpage. I can't find a way to copy a podcast from a webpage (I can't right-click to save).
Overall, the phone is pretty amazing though.
To copy a picture from a webpage, at least for now, you can do a screen capture. Hold down the orange key, then the symbol key, and press the P key. This will do a screen capture and you will have a new category in your picture folder entitled "screen captures".
My biggest complaint is the signal quality and battery life. I've done the battery tips and still get poor battery life. I think it in part has to do that my signal fluctuates so badly. In one spot without moving, I can go from 5 bars and suddenly drop to 1. What's up with that?
I was playing around with Pre at a Sprint store and was struck by two problems: (1) when trying to press the keys on the top row of the keyboard, my thumbs would bump up against the plastic rim (I have normal to small hands), (2) the user interface of the calendar program was not intuitive at all, and (3) the text message program was not nearly as neat as the one on the Treo.
I bought the Pre for my 20 year old son, but I'm waiting for the GSM version.
They really need to work ASAP on the notification issue. We should be able to cutomize the notifications for text, email and calendar. it is too quite and I cannot hear it half the time
What about being able to Search within the Calendar application. Also "Select, Cut, Copy, Paste" - all horrible - Should be able to do with one hand, as it is two handed is even difficult, and often ends in deletion of what you were trying to Select, also there is no "Undo"
Emails also disappear, they show up in Notification Area, but when I click on it there is nothing in the email application. Another issue is when I look at my email on my PC there are emails I never saw notifications about...
I'd like the ability to start typing and have the ability to save the comment as a note or to-do item. This would be a very cool and easy way to take quick notes on the Pre. Currently, you can type and it resolves to a web search (e.g. google, maps, wikipedia, twitter). Just add "Notes" to the panel that slides down.
How about the ability to sync with iTunes?!?!?! What the heck happened to that?
The screen lock needs to be fixed. User has no option to turn it on/off. There needs to be a one-touch answer when the screen is locked.
Allow the center button to activate the camera instead of an on-screen button or the spacebar. How about a zoom feature?
Sue Apple over disabling iTunes download! This is an anti-trust violation.
Alarm clock needs a dedicated volume control. Right now if system sounds are off, the alarm is silent. This is idiotic!
Cut/Copy and Paste sucks. I can't even click on a page URL and copy it. You can't copy text in a web page.
How about programming the center button swipes as a 4-way nav?
Enable removal of the Launcher button. An upward swipe does the same thing.
Calendar: enable a preference for a default view.
BTW, why does it take so long to come up? It should load the empty calendar immediately to the screen and then add the events later. Sometimes I actually just want to see a monthly calendar.
1. SPEED SPEED SPEED..its quite slow to launch any applcation
2. There should be an LED light for notifications
3. Too slow to go from one application to another.
4. Answering and hanging up a phone call should be done through sliding up/down the keyboard slider
5.Cut and paste is an absolute joke.
6.Quite difficult to type in the browser..would be nice to have the expanded text box appear when typing...Apple has this.
Overall Phone is good. Hopefully it will be a lot user-friendly in version 2.
Just bought a PRE. I like it but the battery life is half of what my Treo use to have. I am unable to transfer any of my games I have on the Treo, and I o not want to pay again for the same applications. I signed up for another two year contract but the lack of applications, the small battery life and inability of transferring applications from my old palm is forcing me to rescind the newly signed contract and move to another carrier when my current contract expires. Pity. I liked this better than the iPhone.
George
Another couple of things: Charging the PRE with the standard recharger is quite difficult. There is another recharger out there but THAT IS EXTRA... And since we are talking about rechargers: What was wrong with the Treo and Centro rechargers? ...and what was wrong with the usb cable from the Centro and Treo? It seems to me that Palm is not really concerned with saving their clients money or saving the environment for that matter, but more concerned with more sales and more money out of my pocket and I am getting increasingly disgusted by that. Second matter: Although I am impressed with being able to play music and have turn by turn GPS in the same time, not being able to use the phone as I see fit due to reduced battery life is like driving the Titanic with a small engine and rudder. I am going to turn back on, my old Centro or Treo return the Pre and live to the end of my contract with Sprint, and decide what next then.
Umm, shouldn't this thing have Nextel Direct Connect?! Wasn't the purpose of Sprint buying Nextel to make Direct Connect across ALL OF THEIR PHONES?!?!
I probably would like to have powered IR port.
Still my all of appliences (TV, DVD, Radio even Mac) reley on IR for remote control. For Treo Novii is ideal even though limited range.
Since iPhone also doesn't have one I guess Palm should add this small diode circuitery to Pre
I would like to be able to do everything and more that I can currently do on my Treo. I would like to also be able to use Yahoo messenger as I currently due on the Treo. Pre needs more apps and easy ability to convert from treo to pre. I love the potential of the Pre but I am not ready for it yet. I am hanging on to my treo until they get the pre right, which I hope is soon.
It look like a useful one for all palm users. Thanks for linking it.
Hey great post, I just (finally) got my hands on a Pre today. I love it and cannot put it down.
A very simple solution to your outlook contact, and what I did was exported to a CSV file and imported them into my GMAIL account.
Now my pre syncs with gmail for contact and email there
I have it talking to my domain for 5 email addresses
And To solve outlook calendar issues, I activated my free google calendar account and downloaded googles free google sync app. Its small and runs on the desktop and sync every 15 min (adjustable) outllok and google cal.
so now my pre is totally up to date on all my contacts and email and cal events, the only thing i have yet to find a "free" app for is outlook tasks.
I may after the holidays scratch all of this and for $50 get a google biz app sync which will do alll of this.
Hope this helps someone!
Ever since I bought the Palm Pre I have regretted that day. I have been a loyal Palm user for 10 years and this new phone is a real loser. Granted it can get on the web but with a tiny keyboard, slow response switching to calendar and into programs as well as the complete disregard from Palm on how to transfer all the old data from my old Palm phone is so maddening. The company needs to go under..just like GM for being so slow to respond to the market and for not listening to it existing customers. I do not recommend this phone to anyone and when I switch to another phone I will take a hammer to my Pre!
I have had a few palms, 755p,centro(which was a cheap pice of plastic) and a palm pre. all with sprint and anways upgraded when i could. I hate to say it but i just changed to ATT and got an Iphone, so i will be leaving this site and I wish all the other palm owners the best of luck. Thanks for all the good times and products palm,but somtimes you just need to move on.
the palm pre's a cool phone but I can't download free songs off the web like I can do on the blackberry and droid instead it streams the music and my battery life sucks even when I turn the screen brightness down. scratch resistance is ok though
Slow to switch between calendar screens. Slow to answer a call.To copy a picture from a webpage, at least for now, you can do a screen capture. A very simple solution to your outlook contact, and what I did was exported to a CSV file and imported them into my GMAIL account.
The comments to this entry are closed.
