Pride Of Lions
11-23-2004, 01:28 PM
Dear All,
I've sent this message to TapWave today. I wanted to share this with you in case you had any additional questions or comments as a method of opening communication with TapWave and asking for more features.
Start message...
Things I'd like to see in future OS/hardware updates:
1) The ability to use the right-hand side buttons in the default browser to control the list of applications that the left-hand joystick doesn't cover in the "Home" view. Perhaps the Yellow button could let the user switch from joystick control to right buttons control and the Blue and Green buttons could let one scroll to the different programs, and the Red button could switch back to the joystick control for the selected 8 favorite programs. The center control on the joystick would open the selected program in the list view. It's a drag to have to tap the screento get to certain app's when one is used to using the joystick on their favorite app's, especially when the stylus is held on the back by those two little rubber thingies, and double especially when the Zodiac is in the Brando style case where to get the stylus out is a major pain.
2) I'd like the stylus to have the "Tungsten" like expansion and slot to fit into. Those 2 little rubber holders aren't professional and are a pain to use effortlessly. One must look to see if the rubber holders are grabbing onto the special grooves and it's not a smooth process, especially when the Zodiac is in it's Brando style case.
3) I'd like the latest Palm OS 5 version. I miss the updated PIM app's, the ability to write on the screen, the onscreen toggle for BT, and the onscreen menubar for the time (which also tells one of the battery and memory status.) Those are features that the professional user wants and if TapWave wants to grow in marketshare. they should consider marketing to the professional crowd who has the money to spend on a feature-rich PDA, and not just the gamer market who doesn't have the money to spend on a gamer PDA, but who does have the money to spend on any number of other gaming alternatives.
Also, the latest Palm OS 5 version includes the "Phone Link" app, which makes pairing a BT phone easy and painless. The current TapWave OS method is incorrect, esp. considering that there is no driver for my phone (Sony-Ericsson T637). PalmOne has drivers for my model. TapWave should let me use the drivers for my phone with their version of "Phone Link" (which will come with the ROM upgrade, right?)
4) I miss the voice-recorder of my Tungsten T|3. I think TapWave should consider installing one in a future Zodiac.
5) Wi-Fi is a must in today's society. The external card is a joke. Let's hope that TapWave considers imbedding Wi-Fi in the next Zodiac.
6) I think that the BT "Discovery" button on the top should also turn BT off. It's only natural and I'm surprised that TapWave hasn't considered this. It's a major pain to go into the "Preferences" to turn off BT when it should be as simple as just hitting the toggle button. If it gets in the way of BT gaming (ie: if TapWave is concerned that people might accidentally hit it off, then they should make using it as a BT toggle an option in the Zodiac set-up and have the software menubar toggle option.)
7) I want the default launcher to show which app's are on the card in normal launcher view and not make people have to go to the card to open their app's. I use Silver Screen as my replacement launcher (but they're still working on a Zodiac friendly version, so I use the default launcher) and SS lets one use the card app's from the normal view. It's a pain to have to go to the card, esp. in light of the not-let-the-right-hand-buttons-open-items-in-the-list-in-the-"Home"-view like we discussed in Feature Request #1.
TapWave is doing a number of things right with the Zodiac line of PDA's. I only ask these requests because I believe that TapWave is capable of making these changes which will in turn make a better, more attractive PDA for the Power Users who will then take TapWave Zodiac's seriously and choose them over the lackluster PalmOne offerings. On many of the forums I visit, Palm OS customers are sickened by the release of the T|5 and some are seriously considering buying another T|3 (with all it's known problems) to replace their current T|3 when it dies. I've had many members express an interest in the Zodiac2 as a viable replacement for their current T|3's, but also express trepidation with the non-power user features they've come to expect with the T|3.
With the rumors and rumblings of PalmOne using another OS in the future, the future of the PalmOS market is ripe for TapWave to make a great stride. If Palm OS customers (who are tied into Palm OS by virtue of not wanting to learn another OS and/or by having several paid-for third party app's) are going to be abandoned by PalmOne going to Linux or PocketPC OSes, then TapWave should leverage their marketability and step up as the Palm OS savior.
I'll be posting a copy of this e-mail on the forums I visit, and should TapWave choose to reply, I'll be posting their reply as well.
Thank you for your consideration.
End message...
So what do you guys/gals think? I sincerely hope TapWave responds and that they're at least considering some of these features.
POL9A
I've sent this message to TapWave today. I wanted to share this with you in case you had any additional questions or comments as a method of opening communication with TapWave and asking for more features.
Start message...
Things I'd like to see in future OS/hardware updates:
1) The ability to use the right-hand side buttons in the default browser to control the list of applications that the left-hand joystick doesn't cover in the "Home" view. Perhaps the Yellow button could let the user switch from joystick control to right buttons control and the Blue and Green buttons could let one scroll to the different programs, and the Red button could switch back to the joystick control for the selected 8 favorite programs. The center control on the joystick would open the selected program in the list view. It's a drag to have to tap the screento get to certain app's when one is used to using the joystick on their favorite app's, especially when the stylus is held on the back by those two little rubber thingies, and double especially when the Zodiac is in the Brando style case where to get the stylus out is a major pain.
2) I'd like the stylus to have the "Tungsten" like expansion and slot to fit into. Those 2 little rubber holders aren't professional and are a pain to use effortlessly. One must look to see if the rubber holders are grabbing onto the special grooves and it's not a smooth process, especially when the Zodiac is in it's Brando style case.
3) I'd like the latest Palm OS 5 version. I miss the updated PIM app's, the ability to write on the screen, the onscreen toggle for BT, and the onscreen menubar for the time (which also tells one of the battery and memory status.) Those are features that the professional user wants and if TapWave wants to grow in marketshare. they should consider marketing to the professional crowd who has the money to spend on a feature-rich PDA, and not just the gamer market who doesn't have the money to spend on a gamer PDA, but who does have the money to spend on any number of other gaming alternatives.
Also, the latest Palm OS 5 version includes the "Phone Link" app, which makes pairing a BT phone easy and painless. The current TapWave OS method is incorrect, esp. considering that there is no driver for my phone (Sony-Ericsson T637). PalmOne has drivers for my model. TapWave should let me use the drivers for my phone with their version of "Phone Link" (which will come with the ROM upgrade, right?)
4) I miss the voice-recorder of my Tungsten T|3. I think TapWave should consider installing one in a future Zodiac.
5) Wi-Fi is a must in today's society. The external card is a joke. Let's hope that TapWave considers imbedding Wi-Fi in the next Zodiac.
6) I think that the BT "Discovery" button on the top should also turn BT off. It's only natural and I'm surprised that TapWave hasn't considered this. It's a major pain to go into the "Preferences" to turn off BT when it should be as simple as just hitting the toggle button. If it gets in the way of BT gaming (ie: if TapWave is concerned that people might accidentally hit it off, then they should make using it as a BT toggle an option in the Zodiac set-up and have the software menubar toggle option.)
7) I want the default launcher to show which app's are on the card in normal launcher view and not make people have to go to the card to open their app's. I use Silver Screen as my replacement launcher (but they're still working on a Zodiac friendly version, so I use the default launcher) and SS lets one use the card app's from the normal view. It's a pain to have to go to the card, esp. in light of the not-let-the-right-hand-buttons-open-items-in-the-list-in-the-"Home"-view like we discussed in Feature Request #1.
TapWave is doing a number of things right with the Zodiac line of PDA's. I only ask these requests because I believe that TapWave is capable of making these changes which will in turn make a better, more attractive PDA for the Power Users who will then take TapWave Zodiac's seriously and choose them over the lackluster PalmOne offerings. On many of the forums I visit, Palm OS customers are sickened by the release of the T|5 and some are seriously considering buying another T|3 (with all it's known problems) to replace their current T|3 when it dies. I've had many members express an interest in the Zodiac2 as a viable replacement for their current T|3's, but also express trepidation with the non-power user features they've come to expect with the T|3.
With the rumors and rumblings of PalmOne using another OS in the future, the future of the PalmOS market is ripe for TapWave to make a great stride. If Palm OS customers (who are tied into Palm OS by virtue of not wanting to learn another OS and/or by having several paid-for third party app's) are going to be abandoned by PalmOne going to Linux or PocketPC OSes, then TapWave should leverage their marketability and step up as the Palm OS savior.
I'll be posting a copy of this e-mail on the forums I visit, and should TapWave choose to reply, I'll be posting their reply as well.
Thank you for your consideration.
End message...
So what do you guys/gals think? I sincerely hope TapWave responds and that they're at least considering some of these features.
POL9A