As with every new electronic device I purchase, I have many ideas on how they can
be improved to provide the user with more information, and an easier way to understand
what the device is doing!
Here is a list of some of the improvements I have come up with that would help me
like the XDA II more!
-
Bug with call waiting
The XDA II has a bug when you try to switch between two callers.
When you are one a call to John and another call comes in from Hannah, the XDA II
automatically puts the first caller (John) on hold. However, the second call from
Hannah is not picked up.
You need to press 'Hold' and then 'Swap' to talk to the second caller (Hannah).
This is a bug that needs to be fixed!
-
Active sync issues -
fixed with Active Sync 3.8
There are active sync issues with the XDA II that need to be fixed.
-
Auto Suggest Numbers
The Smart Phone has the ability to recognize phone numbers whilst you are typing
in the number. It provides a list of phone numbers that match the current digits
you have already entered. This capability is a nice feature that makes dialling
easier in the XDA II also.
-
Increase Sound
Even the loudest sound is not loud enough on the XDA II !
-
UI on "Settings
Under 'Settings' on the UI there is no option to view the power remaining on the
device.
Add a Power check box that shows the meter on the title bar when it is less than
40%.
-
UI on the Phone
The button Talk/End should change colour depending on the current function. For
example:
- Green when Talk
- Red when End
- Grey when "Disabled"
-
Call History
In the Call History options, add a right click item to Lookup Contact.
-
"Current Suburb" option
On the front Today page, add a section called Current Suburb eg. Chatswood.
I cant believe a modern day phone doesnt have this! The phone should be able to
pick this up easily from the nearest base station.
-
Record the suburb
On Call History record the suburb I was in when the call was made or taken.
-
Show the number of running programs in title bar
Too many programs open can mean problems when taking a call. So in Programs - Running
Programs add a check box [x] Show Number of Running Programs in title bar
-
Use of the "Country" field in Contacts
When you are calling a contact in another country, what is the first thing you need
to know? Their local time. Please display the current time when you open a contacts
in a different time zone (use the Country field to show this)
-
Turning off the phone
Sometime you need to turn off the phone sometime to conserve battery sometime because
the Qantas staff dont believe the Flight Mode and want it completely off! The current
method for turning off the phone is not obvious as the UI is unclear. There needs
to be a clearer method to do this (say in a plane). I would add it to the Phone
UI.
Currently a user has to pull out the battery to turn off the phone. Later they learn
they lost their contacts, songs etc.. I would add a Start / Shutdown option and
then have a confirmation screen that confirms that they will lose all their data.
-
UI needs to give more help
The UI needs to give more help to understand Settings / System / Permanent Save.
Users need a text description to understand the different way a PDA works compared
to a PC with a Hard Disk. Also why is the default not set to on for these checkboxes?
-
Add a world map and world time
The XDA II should have a world map! You should be able click anywhere on the
world map and it will tell you the current time. Yes this utility is great:
http://www.mobimate.com/ppc/worldmate/pro/index.shtml but it should be built
into in like it is with Palm Trios.
-
There should be a cancel button not just an ok button
I dont understand this UI at all. How does a user say I don't want to save any changes
I just made.
-
-
Figure: There shoud be a 'cancel' button
-
In "Contacts" there is no option to NOT save your changes
When you change a contacts record, then change your mind, how do you say I want
to cancel these changes. I expect Outlook Contact behaviour, therefore there should
be the standard question. Do you want to save changes? Or at least an option in
"Contacts to turn it on.
-
Make the device work like a wireless modem for your
Laptop
It's a better way to make the device work like a wireless modem for your Laptop.
Here is more info on that:
-
-
Figure: PDAnet for Windows Mobile
Software to drive your Windows Mobile Smartphone or PocketPC Phone as a Wireless
Modem for your PC - PdaNet allows your PC to go online by connecting to your Windows
Mobile Smartphone through the ActiveSync cable/dock. If you own a Treo 700w or PPC/XV
6700 with any data plan, PdaNet will make it your high speed wireless Internet Service
for your laptop/desktop computer instantly - no extra hardware or setup necessary,
no need to kill ActiveSync or perform any tricky hacking to your device whatsoever.
Check out what Treo users say about PdaNet.
Due to the none-user-friendly nature of Bluetooth and the vast variety of Bluetooth
devices/drivers, we only offer the Bluetooth DUN feature as a courtesy and cannot
guarantee it will work for all users, though we are confident that it works for
most users based on user feedbacks. Since most issues actually come from the Bluetooth
devices or drivers, we will keep the feature under beta stage and will not provide
support.
Here is the home page http://www.junefabrics.com/pdanet/
And here is the Bluetooth info http://www.junefabrics.com/pdanet/bluetooth.htm