Want a Broken Palm Pre or Pixi? Go to Verizon Wireless!

One of the worst customer experiences I ever had was through Verizon Wireless when I purchased a Palm Treo 700P back in 2008.  Verizon loaded up so much absolute crap software on that OS in order to ‘control’ the phone through Verizon’s proprietary system designed to get you to pay for things most phones and gadgets provide for free, that it rendered my brand new Treo useless. 

The phone could barely make or receive phone calls.  It took months to get email setup and once it was setup, then the phone really got buggy.  Long story short, I had the phone replaced 5 times under warranty in 7 months.  I still have the new one in the box sent the last time.  I’ve never used that last one.  It was such a bad phone, I wouldn’t even sell it on ebay when Verizon Wireless advised me to do just that.

“This phone doesn’t work worth a damn” me

“we know.  We can replace it again, or you could sell it on ebay and get a new phone” Verizon Wireless rep

“I would never sell a lemon to someone like that” me

‘we sold it to you’ unstated by Verizon Wireless

summary of my conversation with their customer service and technical service folks.

So today, when I saw the announcement that Palm was going to offer the Pre Plus and Pixi Plus through Verizon, I had to laugh and cringe at the same time.

I’ve had a Palm Pre on Sprint since about June.  Its a great phone and the service from Sprint has been surprisingly good (note I’m trying to get my Pre replaced under insurance today as I can’t hear people speaking on it unless I wear the earbud or use the speaker phone), but aside from mechanical breaks, the phone and service rock.

I cannot imagine gambling with a Verizon Pre Plus.  Aftre my Verizon Treo experience, I’d never get another smart phone through a carrier that overlays an OS with their own proprietary nonsense.  Sprint has some on the Pre, but it doesn’t interfere with functionality.  I wouldn’t even give Verizon a 6th chance, and I don’t recommend anyone else do the same.

I really like Palm devices, have for years.  Sure, its a royal pain to deal with Palm support if you have to (oh my god, that’s ugly!), but their devices are very good. 

You may note a number of ironies in this article.

So its painful liking Palm devices and Palm in general (I’m no longer a stock holder).  I’m sure making an offering through Verizon will help their business, but you won’t catch me getting suckered by Verizon again. (I still have 2 lines with Verizon but no smart phones on those lines, and I’ll likely switch those to Tmobile or Sprint soon). 

So there you have it, my advice if you are a Verizon customer and you have been waiting for the Pre to come to Verizon, congratulations! Now go switch to Sprint, save some money and get a phone that works. 

Addendum: the only mobile phone carrier that has been worse to me than Verizon Wireless is at&t hence the reason that I don’t use an iPhone.  You may think I’m not to keen on Verizon Wireless after a bad experience, that’s nothing compared to how much I despise at&t who ripped me off for over $1k when they slammed me into a mobile calling plan charging me $2.5 – $3 per minute without telling me or getting my consent. at&t sucks in my opinion, Verizon Wireless is just misguided.