In Palm Pre News, Apple has squashed directs syncing on the Palm Pre ; a study shows app catalog confusion, and the Palm Pre is still selling well
No Mo' iTunes Syncing
The direct iTunes syncing feature of the Palm Pre was both coveted and controversial, many thought it wouldn't last. The Palm Pre tricked iTunes into identifying the Palm Pre as an iPod, cutting out the need for any special software.
Apple updated iTunes to version
8.2.1, that "addresses an issue with verification of Apple devices."
"As we've said before, newer versions of Apple's iTunes software may no
longer provide syncing functionality with unsupported digital media
players," an Apple spokesman said.
There are some of work-arounds for Palm Pre owners, don't update iTunes on your computer and or only buy music from DRM free sources such as Amazon.com. Probably the best soultion is super open-syncing doubleTwist which works well with the Palm Pre. DoubleTwist automatically recognizes the device and will sync everything for you.
App Catalog Needs Mo' Apps
Strategy Analytics found that the Palm App
Catalog has a visually appealing storefront with an
intuitive user interface and straightforward search feature, and a
simple download process.
"While the App Catalog contains
desirable and recognizable content, the volume of content overall is
lacking" commented Paul Brown, Senior Analyst in the Strategy Analytics
User Experience Practice.
"The download process is logical,
allowing users to get content in one click," added Christopher Dodge,
Analyst at Strategy Analytics. "However, the purchase details of
content are not clearly defined, leaving users unsure if they are
downloading a trial version of the item or the complete version."
The study of dozen mobile-savvy users in San Diego showed that most of testers seemed to gravitate to the familiar: Pandora
Radio, Good Food -- Restaurants Near You, AccuWeather, AP News and
Craigslist.
Another confusing aspect of the Palm Pre App Catalog was due to currently everything in the App Catalog is a free trial. No prices are listed along with apps, nor length of trial periods.
Palm Pre Smartphones Still Selling Well
Last week, analyst James Faucette from Pacific Crest revealed that according his own "checks" show that "sell-through of the Pre remains
robust," with adequate supply at Sprint stores. However, there were weaker sales at Best Buy and
RadioShack that had almost no inventory available.