Living off the Grid with the Palm Pre 6
Fellow Pre users, meet Michael Bunker, aka Salty Off-Grid. Bunker has been using his Palm Pre for three weeks whilst being entirely off the electrical grid (discounting power to cell towers, of course). He uses his Pre to run his 40 acre ranch in Central Texas, powering his Pre and other electronic necessities via a solar array and a small generator when necessary.
How do we know all this? Bunker has written a great review of the Pre from his context in our forums, detailing how it helps him in his day to day work as a rancher. Definitely check it out.
The PalmOS Treo was a huge favorite amongst small business owners and we're starting to think the Pre could easily be the same. So for us, the story helps reveal all that fret and worry about Palm's target market was maybe a little overblown. A little urban hipster, a little downtown business, a little suburban soccer mom, and a little bit of ranch life can all add up to a pretty big tent.
6 Comments
Nice lookin longhorn Michael. Your story was a great read. Maybe you can get Sprint's attention and get us some EVDO here in Central and West Central TX!
We Texians Get'er Done in a very mobil way.
Personally I'm a Texan...what state are you from? :)
I'm not sure what's funnier from the Silicon Valley techie point of view, the cow, the beard, or the cigar, but overall it's just such an outstanding use of tools. Michael, Palm should use you in one of their ads...
Sounds like a Palm "Real Reviewer" to me...
I agree this would make an excellent commercial spot for the Pre. The Palm Pre for the salt of the earth.
I have used Palm products for years, I have had a Treo Phone or two and I just got hooked on the whole Palm way...then spring I shattered my Treo and in a moment of panic and impatience I went and got an iPhone as a replacement.
I felt I just could not wait for the Pre to come out and besides my sons were iPhone users and I was following the crowd.
I have felt underwhelmed ever since.
I wish I had waited.
I found this review incredibly helpful because I trim trees and landscape for a living and need the kind of access Salty Off Grid needs as well as durability. As I sit on a mowing tractor to clear a couple of acres I love to listen to audio books. I have push mowed through Ayn Rand books and Tim Keller books and recorded books of the Bible using an SD chip that went in my Treo 650.
But not any longer.
One of my greatest disappointments with the non palm product I have is it will not play audible books from Amazon.
After reading Salty Off Grid's review I am seriously thinking of gifting my wife with this iPhone and all the apps I bought and really rarely use so I can get back to the PalmOS.