I thought you guys might like to hear my experiences with actually using my 770 on a trip I just did. I just spent 2 weeks up in the states in Manhattan, Washington DC and Florida and I was using my 770 as the primary form of communications device. It was a lifesaver but also a royal pain in the neck at the same time. Funnily enough I was up being best man at the wedding of the friend in the US who originally had to buy it for me and mail it down to NZ since we can't get them here so in a way it was going home. Still had his home network saved in the connections!
I would have written all this last week while up in the states but it is just too painful using the onscreen keyboard (either of them) to type long messages. All my emails were therefore rather short.
The thing did work well when it was working. I was able to connect to various networks and download emails and do my normal web browsing when everything was working well. However it often didn't work well. Many, many times the web browser would just stop working. For example I could be in Google and tapping in the text box or the search button just wouldn't do a thing. You'd have to kill the browser then try again. Sometimes things would lock up completely. The entire device. On a two week trip I had to remove the battery three times to reset the device. Other times you'd be happily browsing then it would simply vanish. All the browser windows would just vanish I mean.
The email could also be flakey. Sometimes it would try to connect then fail and say someone else was connecting at that time but I suspect that could be more to do with the connection and/or my mail provider?
The other problem was trying to connect to various access points. I was lucky that in the hotel I was in in Manhattan someone had an open network nearby (thanks Lauren whoever you are!). I found often I would try to connect to a AP and it would connect but with the "Connected via local IP link" (or something similar) message. I had never seen that message before and don't know what it means. You'd get a little question mark on the web status icon but there wasn't really a connection. The other annoying thing is when there are lots and lots of networks. It goes and updates the list before you can even scroll down to see all of them there. Sometimes you'd click on one just as it was updating and it would try to connect to the wrong one.
The whole thing was great when it was working properly but so frustrating when it wasn't. I wish bluetooth keyboards weren't so damn expensive too as I think if you are really trying to send long emails you need a proper keyboard. I should add I never tried the handwriting recognition. I have tried in the past and have never had any luck with it. I used to do so much better with the original Palm graffiti.
I am running the 2006 FW which I think is still the latest? I am a bit out of touch I must admit. The device is brilliant but still a little slow and still buggy.
Oh, I should also add I can see why they aren't selling many of the things. I saw one 770 on display in a Comp USA store and it was unusable as the display case it was on (with it on one side and a Nokia phone on the other) had it displayed sideways! I did however have one random stranger come up to me and start asking me about it in a cocktail bar in DC. He said he was going to go out and find one.
I am glad I had it there but it really did piss me off at times!
I would have written all this last week while up in the states but it is just too painful using the onscreen keyboard (either of them) to type long messages. All my emails were therefore rather short.
The thing did work well when it was working. I was able to connect to various networks and download emails and do my normal web browsing when everything was working well. However it often didn't work well. Many, many times the web browser would just stop working. For example I could be in Google and tapping in the text box or the search button just wouldn't do a thing. You'd have to kill the browser then try again. Sometimes things would lock up completely. The entire device. On a two week trip I had to remove the battery three times to reset the device. Other times you'd be happily browsing then it would simply vanish. All the browser windows would just vanish I mean.
The email could also be flakey. Sometimes it would try to connect then fail and say someone else was connecting at that time but I suspect that could be more to do with the connection and/or my mail provider?
The other problem was trying to connect to various access points. I was lucky that in the hotel I was in in Manhattan someone had an open network nearby (thanks Lauren whoever you are!). I found often I would try to connect to a AP and it would connect but with the "Connected via local IP link" (or something similar) message. I had never seen that message before and don't know what it means. You'd get a little question mark on the web status icon but there wasn't really a connection. The other annoying thing is when there are lots and lots of networks. It goes and updates the list before you can even scroll down to see all of them there. Sometimes you'd click on one just as it was updating and it would try to connect to the wrong one.
The whole thing was great when it was working properly but so frustrating when it wasn't. I wish bluetooth keyboards weren't so damn expensive too as I think if you are really trying to send long emails you need a proper keyboard. I should add I never tried the handwriting recognition. I have tried in the past and have never had any luck with it. I used to do so much better with the original Palm graffiti.
I am running the 2006 FW which I think is still the latest? I am a bit out of touch I must admit. The device is brilliant but still a little slow and still buggy.
Oh, I should also add I can see why they aren't selling many of the things. I saw one 770 on display in a Comp USA store and it was unusable as the display case it was on (with it on one side and a Nokia phone on the other) had it displayed sideways! I did however have one random stranger come up to me and start asking me about it in a cocktail bar in DC. He said he was going to go out and find one.
I am glad I had it there but it really did piss me off at times!
Simon