[Zyphlin]

Lets see if I can answer any questions. Mind you only had it for a few days and haven't done everything with it so some things may be a bit off.

Originally Posted by searcher61

I though about it...but am going to wait and see what happens.

One of the reviews I read said there is no way to tell if you missed a call or message without turning the screen on. There are not any LED's, lights or sounds that would tell you. And I also read the keys are very very small....to small for my fat fingers.

Sadly, this is correct. Now there ARE LED's on the thing, one in the little middle button and one on each side of it in the gesture area. The hope from the Pre community right now is that sometime in the future they may allow these LED's to act as notification lights when the phone is off but currently there is none. When you turn the phone on all your various notifications show up on the lock screen and its the only way to know.

The keyboard however is good from what I've found. I have fat thumbs yet don't have any real issue typing on it. Infact, I find it LOADS better than trying to type on my Touch Diamond, iPod Touch, or my old Vogue. I will say however the Touch Pro/Mogul/PPC 6700 keyboards were better and faster, but at the same time the Pre's size compared to them is amazing.

Does anyone know if you have to open the keyboard to answer a call?

No. Actually, I don't think you CAN answer a call by doing that yet (I may be wrong). Slide open to answer, slide close to end is something that I think has been requested and hoping for in an update.

When someone calls it does a few things. If you're in card view (viewing the desktop) it comes up full screen I believe. If you're in an app it shrinks the app (but its still active and doesn't stop your flow of working) and shows a notification at the bottom asking for answer or ignore. If you're in the lock screen you essentially unlock to answer.

Originally Posted by badchad

I'm considering it. My major concern is the keyboard. I've never had a hard kb and don't particularly care for one. Also, with the amount of texts I send I'm really hoping there is an on-screen kb so I don't have to open it all the time.

No onscreen keyboard, though there is hopes that a 3rd party will develop one soon enough to essentially work in the notification tray. Sliding open is fast and rather simple however. I also find it very nice, as opposed to my diamond, to be able to have a large area to see all my text while also having a large area to read the conversation all while still being able to type.

My second concern is syncing with a PC. Anyone heard anything about interaction with outlook?

I THINK (I say think because i haven't used it) there is a Palm information manager thing it comes with that essentially allows you to upload your outlook stuff to Palm's little cloud which then gets put onto the Pre. Inelegant, but its one way. It also syncs OTA with Exchange. Finally, there are a number of 3rd parties already announcing they're making syncing programs.

Also, like someone else said, I'm not dumping SERO for it. WHy are they selling these off-contract if you have to go with the expensive plans?

Because, most likely, while SERO helped save Sprint its now eating away with it. They're not going to be complete ****s and strip these plans away from everyone straight out. What they are going to do, like an intelligent business (look at GM for a wonderful example of what happens when you let legacy things just drain you dry), are attempting to phase it out if you start wanting to upgrade to the best and newest technology. This allows those with SERO a choice...to keep their good plan but accept they're going to have to use older tech, or to finally allow it to be phased out but upgrade to modern things. I imagine Sprint may try this with more and more phones that come out and frankly I can't blame them (And I was on a $16.00 + $15.00 data plan before having to switch to the 450 SE to get the Pre so I feel you).

They're selling them off contract because some people aren't eligable for an upgrade but want the phone anyways.

I guess there are some hurdles, but i might go check it out today. The guy at the Sprint store last night said they have some in stock so......

They say the warehouses are still pumping out production and they're hoping new stock should be arriving weekly if not daily to all sprint locations.

Also, in regards to the App catalog, we must remember its a First Generation OS whose full SDK hasn't even been released yet (rumors say sometime in the next few months it should hit in full). It had somewhere around 15 or so at launch, with another 8 or so hitting on Monday. It shouldn't really be THAT long before it has a relatively decent little app foundation. Not to mention it looks like Full Flash will be coming at the end of the year, which should usher in a whole new level of potential apps.