#PalmCrew Spotlight: Q&A with Alex Glass

January 22, 2020

The key to success for any company today begins and ends with its customers. Who are they? How are they using your product? What else do they want to see from your brand? Answering these key questions will help you learn and grow so that you can better serve your customers.

We already know that the #PalmCrew is special. We have absolutely loved hearing from you over the past few months and learning about how you’re using Palm—where you’re taking it, how it helps you disconnect and how it enables you to spend more time outside your screens.

We love following the #PalmCrew on social media to see how users are finding so many unique ways to get the most out of their Palm. People like Alex Glass, a tech-enthusiast, athlete and family man, are showing us just how versatile and helpful Palm can be. Here is Alex's Palm story:

What caught your eye about Palm? What was the motivation for wanting to purchase one?

I run 4 times a week and use an app. I found using the app on my normal cellphone a bit cumbersome, as it’s a tad on the large side and was therefore looking for a smaller phone that I could use the app on and also use as a phone for personal use. I came across the Palm in a “latest mobile tech” review, and, having investigated further via YouTube and other online media sources, decided to give it a try.

What are the main ways you use Palm today? What do you use it for most?

I have a Samsung which doubles as a work and personal phone.

What are the main ways you use Palm today? What do you use it for most?

In addition to using it for managing my running app, I’ve found it pretty easy to use as a phone and for emails, SMS, WhatsApp, etc., so I have actually started using it as personal phone as well. Because the shell and bezel are pretty slim, it’s small enough to pop in my jeans pocket, but the actual screen size is really not much smaller than an iPhone SE that I used to use.

What are the first apps you downloaded on Palm? What are your favorite apps to use on Palm?

I just duplicated all my apps over to the Palm from my other phone. This includes a bunch of music apps – TuneIn, Amazon Music, HEOS, Shazam, plus all the usual media apps; LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and YouTube and some fitness apps including Couch to 5K and MyFitness Pal. I also had my Garmin app on it until recently, but have now moved this to my Samsung Pad, as the visuals are better on a larger screen. The Palm is great for fitness apps as it’s so compact. I’ve also loaded my work email plus the mysms mirror app and linked this to my work number, so can still pick up emails/SMS’s and be notified of work related calls if I want to go out without my work phone, but need to keep an eye on what’s happening.

Have you noticed an overall impact on how and when you’re using your Palm compared to your old smartphone?

I would say that I don’t spend anywhere near as much time staring at my screen, and, as it’s so compact, can just pop it in my pocket when I go out, rather than thinking where I can put it so it’s not overly visible to any potential pickpockets!

What is your favorite thing about Palm?

The fact that it’s small!

What would you like to see different or improved about the product?

With it being small, battery life is limited, as there’s clearly not much space inside the shell to contain much of one, and, if I were to have all my apps emails etc. constantly syncing in the background, it wouldn’t last more than a few hours. However, you can set it so that background updates are not constantly running, which saves battery. Additionally, if you really want to get away from everything and save battery, then switching to Life Mode stops everything (including calls/texts) until you next look at the screen. I can pretty well get a full day out of my Palm if I keep it on Life Mode.

What, if any, accessories are you using with Palm?

As I’m using my Palm most days/all day, I’ve I got a Mophie Juice Pack. This doubles as a case and (in my experience) more than doubles the battery life. With this combination I can almost get a complete days use out my Palm without using Life Mode.

How often do you use Life Mode on Palm? What are your experiences with using this feature?

I tend to use Life Mode when I’m in any situation where I don’t want to be disturbed e.g. attending meetings, at the gym, etc. Or if I want to conserve battery. Or indeed if I just want some peace!

Would you recommend Palm to others? Why or why not?

Yes I would. No hesitation. Does everything a full size cellphone does, but in a really neat little package.

Unless you also get a Mophie Juice Pack, be prepared to carry a booster battery with you, to allow for the short battery life. You’ll need to master the touch screen keyboard, as its smaller than you’ll be used to. Also be prepared for people to ask you questions about it...especially at check-outs. I keep all my store cards in an app and when I get the Palm out to swipe at the till, cashiers will often ask me if it’s a “real” phone and when I say yes, they’ll ask where I got it from!

Huge thanks to Alex for sharing his feedback with us. We want to hear your Palm story - submit yours today: https://www.palm.com/your-palm-story