So it turns out Palm is still hopeless when it comes to customer support. Windows 7 was released ages ago, and there is still no option to download a Windows 7 version of Palm Desktop.

I thought I'd call Palm support and ask them about it. Oh, that'd cost $12. How about I email them? Nope - they have discontinued email support in favour of live chat. Well, that's alright ... except that it's a Windows-only solution that only works properly in IE. According to Palm:

Palm uses a secure chat application from LogMeIn Inc.. This chat application downloads and runs automatically in most browsers. Firefox and some other browsers prevent running of applications from the browser for security reasons. We will be changing to a seamless solution for Firefox users shortly. Thank you for your patience.

So I have to pay to call them, can't email them, and their online chat solution requires me to download and run a Windows executable. I tried that, and nothing happened ... I ran the executable, got a wait cursor, and nothing else for over half an hour.

Right, time to try a different route ... maybe I could call their Australian press contact, and ask whether there's any news about an upcoming Windows 7 release? I took a look at the Australian contact details:

So I called Recognition PR and asked for Sarah. I was told that she no longer works there, and besides, Palm no longer maintains an Australian PR presence and it's all handled from the US.

So far: no Windows 7 download, paid phone support only, online chat broken, obsolete Australian contact details.

I thought I'd try calling the US office. I did so, & went through to sales. I was greeted by an automated message which informed me that "sample administrator is not available" and asked me to leave a message. Second time around I went through to hand-held technical support, which politely informed me that I'd have to pay for the privilege of asking a human being when Windows 7 support was planned.

So, my next step was to try the Palm forum. However, my login was denied - I assumed I'd forgotten my password. I requested an email password reset, only to discover that I'd remembered my password correctly. Palm has changed their forum software, and is manually migrating accounts upon request:

Hello XXXXXXXXXXXXXX,

Your account information is listed below.

If your password has a value of 0, please reply to this message stating that you'd like your account updated for our current forums. This process should take less than 1 business day.

Login: XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Password: 0
E-Mail: duncan.bayne@fluidscape.co.nz

So, now I'm waiting for Palm to turn on my forum account, so I can ask about Windows 7 support. I thought Palm displayed bad customer support in the past, but now I can see that they were just warming up for the current crap-fest.

According to Google Analytics, many visitors to this site arrive after searching for Palm Pilot related keywords. If you're one of those people, please accept my condolences on having purchased a Palm in the first place.

Update 19th January 2010: I originally bought the Zire from Dick Smith Electronics, so I just sent them an email in the hopes they might know. Fingers crossed ...

Update 19th January 2010: I re-downloaded the Windows chat client, and this time it worked (perhaps I missed the security dialog the first time around?). According to the CSR, the Palm Desktop software works on all 32-bit Windows 7 versions, but not 64-bit. Palm is working on 64-bit drivers but won't be drawn on whether they'll be released, let alone an actual date.