Motorola Droid Pro - the Android smartphone for ex-BlackBerry and Treo users

If you've been a long-time BlackBerry user and you're thinking about switching to Google's Android OS, it's time to seriously consider the Motorola Droid Pro on Verizon Wireless. This smartphone reminds me of the old Palm Treo because it has both a touch screen and a hardware QWERTY keyboard. This is not a slider. The keyboard will be familiar to many Blackberry users because the buttons and layout are very similar to those found on most BlackBerry devices.

I went to the Verizon store the other day and I played with the Droid Pro. I admit that I was more impressed than I thought I'd be. In fact, if I had to buy a new smartphone today, I'd probably get the Droid Pro. I currently use the Droid X and I like it, but it would be nice to have a QWERTY keyboard that I could use while the phone is in portrait mode. I rarely rotate the phone to use the on-screen keyboard in landscape mode. I think I developed most of my smartphone habits with one of my first smartphones: the Palm Treo. In many ways, the Droid Pro reminds me of a slim version of the Palm Treo.

Well, I'm not planning on selling my Droid X to get a Droid Pro. However, I will recommend the Droid Pro to those who are familiar with BlackBerry or the old Palm Treo. The Droid Pro is nice and slim and it's a World Phone for those of you who travel internationally. It's built like a pure business phone, but you'll still find some great multimedia features plus a 5 MP camera with a dual-LED flash.

The DROID Pro reminds me of the Palm Treo

Some of you lived in the era of the Palm Treo. I did. Well, the upcoming DROID Pro is a candybar smartphone running Android 2.2 (Froyo) and it has a hardware QWERTY keyboard that looks like the types of buttons you would find on a BlackBerry. So, if you're thinking about switching to Android, this could be the device for you if you're a former Treo or BlackBerry user who really wants to have a QWERTY keyboard that doesn't slide out.

Have you tried the BlackBerry Torch 9800?

I think the BlackBerry Torch 9800 may be the best BlackBerry smartphone yet. I've used the Bold, the Storm, and many other BlackBerry devices. The Torch combines the best of both worlds: a touch screen with a hardware QWERTY keyboard. I'm not sure why they chose the vertical slider orientation as opposed to the horizontal slider. Maybe they felt that the majority of their users would prefer the vertical orientation.

Personally, I'm a big fan of the vertical slider. Why? You can type you're holding the device in one hand. All you need is a single thumb that can move across that QWERTY keyboard. You can try that on a horizontal slider, but you'll have some difficulty balancing that phone if you're only using one hand.

If you're a former Palm Treo user, the BlackBerry Torch 9800 could remind you of the old Treo (except the Treo wasn't a slider). 

It's too bad that the Torch is only available on AT&T.

Do you remember your first smartphone?

What was your first smartphone? Some of you were early adopters and you may have purchased a Palm Treo 180 back in 2002. Maybe you waited until 2002 so that you could have a color screen and you bought the Palm Treo 270 or 300.  Do you remember the name of the company that made these devices? Handspring.

If you were a true early adopter, then maybe you had the Nokia 9000 Communicator.  The Nokia 9000 Communicator was used by Val Kilmer when he played Simon Templar in the 1997 remake of The Saint

My first smartphone was a Palm Treo 700wx. I had been a long-time Pocket PC user and I was migrating from an HP iPaq. Your first smartphone was probably running Palm OS, right?

There are so many young people who will remember the Apple iPhone 3GS as their first smartphone. What a difference to compare that device to some of these old devices! Wow, I used a smartphone back in the dark ages.

Is Palm dying (or almost dead)?

Some experts are reporting (and blogging) that Palm is dying. Is this true? How many people still use a device running the original Palm OS? I think the number is quite substantial in the health care industry. Perhaps the critical question is: what device will these individuals get when it's time to upgrade smartphones?

Many doctors still use a Palm Treo (or even the Palm Centro). OK, maybe it's not really that many, but there are some. If you're still using a Palm Treo (or even a Palm PDA), then you're not alone. Doctors generally tend to be late adopters of technology because they're so busy saving lives and keeping up with the high volume of patient care (although this trend is changing. see: Docs cut work hours)

In any case, is Palm dying? What about all the excitement around the Palm Pre and webOS? Has Android, iPhone, and BlackBerry swept webOS into the ocean? Will Windows Phone 7 Series add some additional pressure on a dying Palm? webOS was built as an entirely new OS and it doesn't represent the original Palm OS (which is both good and bad). For many doctors, if they're going to learn a brand new smartphone OS anyways, why not get the iPhone, BlackBerry, or Android? Why choose webOS?

Authors at PC World and the Wall Street Journal seem to think that Palm is dying. What do you think?

Top 10 smartphones according to PC World (and my thoughts)

According to PC World, the Motorola Droid running Google's Android OS is the #1 "top smartphone." Surprised? The Apple iPhone 3GS is #2 and the Google Nexus One (Android OS) is #3.

• There are no Windows Mobile phones on that "top 10" list.
  
• Also, the BlackBerry Storm2 didn't make that list.
• 5 out of the 10 run Android
• 2 out of the 10 run webOS
• 2 out of the 10 are BlackBerries
• There's only one Apple iPhone
  

Speaking of the iPhone, many people will argue that the iPhone 3GS should be #1. For 2010, I could make a very compelling argument that the iPhone is the #1 medical smartphone. However, I'm also a strong believer that this could (and probably will) change over the next few years. Having said that, let me say that I still highly recommend the Apple iPhone to physicians who are interested in getting a new smartphone. Many physicians still use older devices like the Palm Treo and they're accustomed to the original Palm OS. They have a Mac at home and all their colleagues in the hospital have an iPhone. Should they get an iPhone? Yes! Should they get an Android smartphone? Not unless they're willing to wait for the release of additional medical software like Epocrates or PEPID.

If you're planning on getting a new smartphone in 2010, go with the iPhone (unless you can't switch to AT&T). If you can wait, then wait and see what happens with Android. You may also be fairly happy with webOS as long as you can wait for software, but why would you want to choose webOS over Android?

To view the PC World list of the "Top 10 smartphones," click here.

My wife needs a new smartphone

My wife is a family physician in private practice and she needs a new smartphone. Let me give you a bit of background on her:

• One of her first PDAs was a Sony Clie running Palm OS (remember those?)
• Then, she switched to Pocket PC/Windows Mobile. She used an HP iPaq for a while.
• Then she upgraded to a smartphone. Her first one was a Palm Treo 700wx running Windows Mobile.
• Her most recent smartphone has been a Samsung i760 (pictured above). 
• Now, she planning on an upgrade with her "new every two" program on Verizon Wireless. 

She could leave Verizon and switch to AT&T to get the Apple iPhone, but she's "stuck" on Verizon since the overwhelming majority of our friends and family are on Verizon.
She could get another Windows Mobile smartphone on Verizon, but she wants something different.
She also uses a Mac, so she's more inclined to get a non-Windows Phone this time.

So, which smartphone will she end up getting? Stay tuned to find out! (Although at one point we were both using a Palm Treo 700wx running Windows Mobile, I don't think she would get the same phone that I would get.) Will she go with Android? BlackBerry? Or back to Windows Mobile?

Palm Pixi (webOS) at a bargain price

The Palm Pixi is a "budget" smartphone for those who insist on having a smartphone running webOS. If you can't afford the Palm Pre, then you can probably afford the Palm Pixi. Circulating rumors are suggesting that you can purchase the Palm Pixi for only $30. Visit your local Walmart this holiday season and good luck finding one. You'll need to be on the Sprint/Nextel wireless network to use this CDMA smartphone.

The Palm Pixi is like an ultra thin and slim version of the old Palm Treo. Did you own one of those? Many people are actually still using a Palm Treo (either running the original Palm OS or Microsoft Windows Mobile). It's coming to Sprint on November 15 for $99.99, but look for some rebates (or simply go to Walmart) if you're on a tight budget. Ah, those good old medical school days when I used to be on a really tight budget...

Palm Eos this fall?

The Palm Eos will be the next smartphone running webOS and it may get released this fall. This won't be a slider. Instead, it will roughly resemble the old Palm Treo candybar model. However, it looks like the screen will be larger and the keyboard won't be curved. I think of the Eos as a bigger, but thinner Palm Centro. I still think the Palm Pre will be more popular than the Eos, but maybe the Eos will appeal to those who want a really thin device.

Best Windows Mobile smartphone on Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless has some new smartphones coming out this fall. For now, they have a limited selection of touch-screen smartphones running Windows Mobile. Their best smartphone (and well-kept secret) may be the Samsung Saga. This slim smartphone resembles the old Palm Treo. It has a square screen, built-in keyboard on the bottom half of the device, and several hardware buttons. Why do I think it's currently the best smartphone for healthcare professionals stuck on the Verizon network? I say this because the Palm Treo was such a success among medical students, residents, and attendings who needed a smartphone. I miss my old Treo 700wx running Windows Mobile.

The keyboard buttons are small and the battery life is limited, but you can get an extended battery. The device also has a built-in GPS so you can use this as a GPS navigator.

The new Windows Mobile phones running Windows Mobile 6.5 should be really nice. I know that we'll be seeing updated versions of the HTC Touch Pro, the Samsung Omnia, and probably a few others. If you're able to wait, that's the best option (in my opinion). As for me, I'm still trying to figure out what to do since my current phone needs to be replaced.

Palm drops the price on the Treo Pro

It looks like the new Apple iPhone 3G S is putting the heat on other smartphones. Palm is lowering the price on the Treo Pro (running Windows Mobile) by $150. Did you know that HTC makes the Palm Treo Pro? I also heard that the T-Mobile G1 running Google Android is being reduced by $50 (probably because new models are right around the corner).

I'm glad that Apple didn't introduce the iPhone 3G S at a super high price, only to drop it after a few months (and penalize the early adopters and loyal customers). Apple would never do such a thing, would they?

As the smartphone pricing battle wages on, I hope that we'll see better phones at lower prices.

Are Sliders the Way of the Future?

Don't you just love these simple terms? In my mind, smartphones come in 3 different designs:

• Smartphones that slide open a keyboard are known by some as "sliders." (not to be confused with the television show). They may slide open in a horizontal or vertical position. Some even open both ways. In some cases, the screen may rotate away to expose the keyboard (like the T-Mobile Sidekick).
  
• Phones that flip open are called "clamshells." (do they really look like clams?) Like sliders, they may open horizontally or vertically and some even open both ways.
  
• The standard phone that lacks any sliding or flipping parts is often called a "candybar." Plain and boring. No moving parts except for keyboard buttons. Care for Snickers anyone? The iPhone reminds me of a flat Hershey's chocolate bar.
  

One of my first phones was a Motorola StarTac (which was a clamshell). So, I used to have a Palm Treo 700wx that ran Windows Mobile. This was a rather thick candybar but I really enjoyed using this phone. I currently have an HTC slider that opens to reveal a keyboard. Sliders typically open either vertically or horizontally. Some even open in both directions. Newer clamshells also are being designed to open in both vertical and horizontal directions. Have you seen the Samsung Alias 2? That's a clamshell that opens in both directions.

So my original question was: are sliders the way of the future for healthcare professionals who need to use their phones for both professional and personal applications? Sliders offer a hardware keyboard plus a large screen. The major downside is that sliders are thick. However, the Palm Pre is a new slider that has a sleeker body and may set the standard that other manufacturers will try to emulate.

My Wife Hates Her Smartphone

I hope I get to test-drive the Palm Pre because my wife hates her smartphone. She used to have a Palm Treo and now she has something else. I don't wish to get into details, but having a Palm Pre will be me a great excuse, err, I mean reason to give her my current phone so that I can use the Pre. Image source: iStockPhoto

Get a Free Palm Pre as a Reviewer

Want to review the Palm Pre and get a free phone plus service for 6 months? Then go and apply to be a reviewer (by going over to the Palm Blog). They will announce reviewers on May 8th.

I was a beta tester for the Dash GPS service and I got a free GPS out of that experience. I hope to get the chance to test the Palm Pre through this reviewer program. It's an ingenious idea to market their product. I had a Palm Treo, but now I use the XV6800. Image source: Slashphone

Do You Love or Hate Your Smartphone?

My friend hates his smartphone. I can't say that I love mine, but I also don't hate it. It does its job and every time I get a new smartphone, I think about which features I liked and disliked about my old one. This way, I can almost imagine what my next one "should" be like.

For instance, I started with a Treo 700wx (Windows Mobile). It was a "candybar" design. Nothing slides in or out. No flips. It was a nice phone, but it was bulky. It had a small screen and the buttons were small, but I could use it with one hand. No Wi-Fi, slow EV-DO speeds. No GPS.

Now, I have a slider phone (the Verizon XV6800, AKA Sprint Mogul or HTC Titan or PPC6800). This phone is roughly the same size. It has a larger screen and since the keyboard slides out, the buttons are larger. This one has Wi-Fi (which I hardly use), fast EV-DO speeds (great for tethering), and has a built-in GPS (if you load a custom ROM and radio).

I'm hoping that my next phone will be more like the Treo in terms of design/form/function. I hope it's thinner than the Treo, but it will need an internal aGPS (I've grown to depend on this so much, especially when I travel and drive in a new city). Fortunately, there are currently several phones that I can select that would meet my "requirements." However, I'm not in the market to purchase a new phone, so I'll wait patiently.

When is the Palm Pre Coming?

When is the highly-anticipated Palm Pre coming? I want to get my hands on this device and see what all the fuss is about. Is WebOS really that great? Cloud computing on a smartphone. Are you excited about the Palm Pre? I like the hardware keyboard buttons. However, I'm bummed that it's only going to be available through Sprint. Image source: Palm Info Center

Smartphones and Swine Flu

The potential swine flu epidemic has everyone scared. Everyone's talking about swine flu. There are interesting discussion on Sermo. It's almost like SARS all over again, but this time it's on our continent. It's not thousands of miles away in Asia. How will smartphones and other mobile devices impact how healthcare professionals communicate regarding outbreaks? My guess is that if this really turns into an epidemic, then it will be imperative for healthcare professionals to remain constantly connected via smartphones and other Internet-connected mobile devices.

Thank You PalmDoc Chronicles

Thank you PalmDoc Chronicles for adding this site to your blog list. I've done the same here at MedicalSmartphones.com and I hope you'll help me spread the word about how smartphones are changing the landscape of medicine. I remember when the Palm OS was the dominant operating system among medical students and physicians. I'm talking about the days before the ubiquitous Palm Treo even came out. We had devices running the Palm OS made by Palm, Handspring, Sony, and a few other companies. They were called PDAs or handhelds because they weren't phones at the time. How technology has changed things! We now have one less item to carry in our pocket.

What's the Best Smartphone for Physicians?

This is one of those topics that gets debated endlessly (unless you're in a room full of Apple lovers). What's the best smartphone for a medical student, resident, or attending physician?

Several years ago, the answer would have been simple: Palm Treo. Then, the answer may have evolved to: Treo (either Palm OS or Windows Mobile). After the Apple iPhone came out, the resounding consensus among young physicians was: iPhone. Now, we see doctors carrying the BlackBerry Storm (among other BlackBerry devices). There's a newer version of the BlackBerry Storm that's coming out. The Palm Pre running Web OS is a hot new phone that has many people excited, but will it beat out the iPhone? The Palm Pre has a hardware button keyboard, so that may be a very attractive feature for people who want to type quickly. What about all those Windows Mobile users out there? I admit that I'm still one of them and I use an older HTC Windows Mobile device (the xv6800 which is also known as the Sprint Mogul and HTC Titan).

So which phone is the best? It's so difficult to answer because technology evolves too quickly. We can't keep up with the advances and as soon as you buy what you think is the "best" phone, a new mobile device pops up that's faster, cooler, and better.