Palm Centro action shots emerge

Hot off the French press, we bring you brand-spanking-new pictures of Palm's next smartphone: the Centro. Here you see the new entry in its natural habitat, running the tired, tired Palm OS, with what appears to be zero changes in either looks or functionality. Come on guys -- you couldn't even update the graphics a little bit? Of note here otherwise is its striking similarity in size to the BlackBerry Pearl (obviously not a coincidence), and the fact that Palm is bringing over the 680's phone app, which hasn't surfaced on any other Treo yet (including the post-680 entry, the 755p). It's a start -- but you've got to lose that white finish.

[Thanks, Cellenin]

[Nathan Finch @ Sep 5th 2007 8:47AM]

Correct me if im wrong, but wasnt it going to be called just the Palm Centro, and not have the Treo branding, well dont I see treo on that phone there, just cuaght my eye

[Nathan Finch @ Sep 5th 2007 8:48AM]

ooops correction on wat i types, i mean i do see treo, didnt make sense to me

[derF @ Sep 5th 2007 8:52AM]

Centro is still a full 25% thicker than the Pearl! Palm just can't get the thin thing going.

[Mac Dub @ Sep 5th 2007 10:20AM]

Yeah, they had the whole 'thin' thing going with the Foleo. xD

[Harry @ Sep 5th 2007 8:53AM]

newsbreak! Palm changed their mind and cancelled the centro.

J/k
LOL

[Xzavier @ Sep 5th 2007 9:10AM]

Come on Palm, I want you guys to produce something GOOD so badly! I know that the cell phone industry is getting immensely fierce however, there's still some hope left in me that you guys can pull something off.

[tartis99 @ Sep 5th 2007 9:31AM]

No new OS...No purchase for me when it hits the USA.

[LegendZ28 @ Sep 5th 2007 9:39AM]

Agreed. If the form factor and controls aren't going to be revised and updated, the least they could do is update the OS. They are trying to do what Motorola does, producing the RAZR over and over again till it makes people sick.

Get a clue Palm.

[bombastinator @ Sep 5th 2007 10:16AM]

I understand that for all it's other problems the folio did have the palmOS on top of Linux thing going, so one would assume that this may have that too.

I'm not sure how new palm should make their OS as their main advantage is their software base. They are still the only non-microsoft maker who has a really good full featured PIM available from third parties for instance. Blackberry's entries on this front are decidedly rudimentary, and of course the microsoft stuff is barely usable.

A *nix underlayer though would help greatly with a lot of the palm's main problems including lack of a wifi stack which is problem numero uno. Also if the solution they are using is anything like the Rosetta/cocoa/carbon thing from Apple, it will mean that most Linux apps will run natively, opening up a world of possibilities.

[Shane @ Sep 5th 2007 11:50AM]

I would have to respectfully disagree with the OS comments...Yeah, the Palm OS isn't the prettiest thing in the world but it WORKS.

I have used both Windows Mobile (2003, 5 and 6) and Palm (OS4, OS5). My Palm devices were far less crash prone than the Windows Mobile devices.

Specifically, I have a Verizon XV6700 running Windows Mobile 5 that is pretty bad. Many times when I go to answer a call the phone locks up. I have not had this issue with my Treo 650.

In fairness I have had other Windows Mobile devices (earlier Compaq/HP iPaq PDAs and a Samsung i730 smartphone) that ran Windows Mobile 2003 and were relatively reliable.

A shiny new OS is fine as long as it doesn't come at the cost of reliability...

[William @ Sep 5th 2007 9:33AM]

Palm is getting really realy boring...when will they wake up their f**king idea and design something exciting????

I was a hardcore Palm supporter when they just made pda. Even back then, Sony was better than them in that business. Donkey years later, they are still stuck with the same interface. Even WM looks better than them now.

[Jason Stewart @ Sep 5th 2007 9:36AM]

Yes, the graphics and look is very tired. But on a bigger note, I've been wondering: the world has moved on from Palm OS. Without a major change in the smartphone paradigm, shouldn't Palm just move on and fuggetaboutit?

[dudeInAmerica @ Sep 5th 2007 9:38AM]

Palm,

Put this on the shelf until you spruce up the OS.

[Steven @ Sep 5th 2007 9:39AM]

I think we should start a Palm death clock.

[Eric @ Sep 5th 2007 10:02AM]

seems odd for engadget to ask a company to loose the "white finish"

[JAson @ Sep 5th 2007 10:23AM]

A very lackluster entry in an increasingly crowded field.

[Smudger @ Sep 5th 2007 9:44AM]

Looking at the "leaked" pics of the Centro, you will notice that the qwerty keyboard layout, volume control, earpiece and mic all sit in the same relative posistions as the Treo 680. The soft buttons look different but have the exact same functions. The screenshot showing tabbed mult-IM client coudl simply be a web app as other have noted. Link all of this with the rumoured low entry price and sudden EU appearance and it looks and smells like a repackaged treo 680. I wonder if this will now only have a quarter day battery life :-(

The centro leaks, EU new smartphone teaser, looooong running new linux operating system and now the recent "Foleo dumped" to concentrate on new platform make me wonder if Palm have any developers or engineers left on their staff. Repurposing the same old Palm OS Treo with no innovation and 20th century battery life and packaging can't take much effort and will surely guarantee Palm demise.

Having said that, despite the Treo 680 bulk and poor battery life, I find it far more useable than my Blackjack, so a smaller, cheaper and lighter model would appeal to wife and kids who like the qwerty, but not the corporate Blackberry or hard to use WM devices.

IMHO RIM or Apple though could, however kill this tiny window of opportunity dead.

[ETL408 @ Sep 5th 2007 10:27AM]

I agree with you guys too... we want Palm to come out with something wicked pretty badly... and so far they are not coming through. A bunch of my peers have Treos and we heart the touchscreen. I tried to like the Pearl but I just don't like the mini trackball. A nice, thinner, faster Treo would be cool with updated GUI but I don't necessarily want to 'step down' for it. Don't make me root for a losing team

[Michael @ Sep 5th 2007 10:43AM]

Personally, I am still interested. I use a Treo 650 and the main reason for picking up this phone would be the reduced footprint. The one hump that I would need to get over before purchasing would be the keyboard. This thing looks DIFFICULT to use. If that is gravy, then I think I will go for it.

[Ali @ Sep 5th 2007 10:46AM]

Nathan Finch - you're right. The presentation said no Treo branding. I guess that means we should all scream FAKE now :P

[Mike @ Sep 5th 2007 10:54AM]

I absolutely hate the 680 phone app over the 650 phone app. They tried to simplify it and instead made it harder to use.

[strider_mt2k @ Sep 5th 2007 10:58AM]

The only thing Palm has been innovating lately is ways to shoot themselves in the foot.

[Motorola 3G Victim @ Sep 5th 2007 11:11AM]

Palm Centro: Yeah she's spent too much time in cheap tanning beds and never met a Big Mac that didn't whisper "eat me" in her ear, but she's cheap and loyal!

[Gus Jenkins @ Sep 5th 2007 11:30AM]

The screen ooks like every other Palm made since 1997

[lanejasper69 @ Sep 5th 2007 11:44AM]

WOW!!!!! Same old BORING interface!!!!! Great Job Palm!!!

Faslane

[JCD @ Sep 5th 2007 11:53AM]

Am I the only person on the planet who likes the Palm interface? I suppose they could doll it up a bit with purdy wallpapers/high res icons, but really, who cares? Who cares if their PDA/smartphone has fancy pants graphics?

The beauty of the Palm OS has always been its simplicity and tiny use of system resources. Would you rather use the processing power of your new smart phone for running increasingly complex apps, or for running . . . a pretty OS?

[Dave @ Sep 5th 2007 2:08PM]

OK, I expected way more then just the Treo 755 with different styling, yes that is even what Palm has said at a Sprint technology event. Palm could at least skin their OS to make it 'look' better and not so dated. I'm still using my 650 and it's taken one heck of a beating through the years and it has held up through many drops, rarely ever crashes, etc. But 1997 is gone, and my Treo isn't holding up on the technology front. Unless I see 'something' soon, anything from Palm besides a new shell on an old phone, Blackberry will get my business.