The hot word on the street is that Palm has all but confirmed the existence of two new phone models by ramping up a "launch developer" program for new applications. The devices, dubbed Zeppelin (a name
we've heard quite a bit of) and Skywriter (which is new to us) could be slated for a Q3 release, as Palm is asking devs to turn in their applications by May 30th. Rumor has it that at least one of the units is a "Centro-like" Windows Mobile phone -- if that date is close to correct, it could very well be the "Wanda" that
we saw back in January. The Zeppelin, on the other hand, is likely the WiFi equipped
Treo 800w we've been hearing about for what seems like a million years. A mockup of a device (above) was included in the email, though we're pretty sure not even Palm could create a phone that ugly.
posted May 7th 2008 11:06AM
same old crap, new package
Hopefully the Zeppelin's not made in China -- if it is we'll have to get the Led out.
that thing is ugly
Yeah....it looks like this Zeppelin is going to crash and burn
See what I did there?
Much like your attempt at humor.
YOU GOT TREVISOL'D
I'm thinking that's not the finalized look of the phone, just a simplified graphic to frame the keypad layout. I mean, it's just a flat, gray border without any dimensional depth at all.
Well it would be novel to have a phone thin enough so as to be two-dimensional ... but I think you'd have some serious cutting issues to deal with.
Though it could be useful to be able to decapitate someone with my mobile... :D
"Welcome to the past."
Wow, this is as retro as it gets.
If you had visited the link, you would have seen that it says "a mock-up of the devices has been included".
Honestly, what the fuck is that thing? Where does Palm keep getting money to stay in business? Surely there's no one out there who would be stupid enough to lend them money.
Gotta love people judging the phone on the roughest of prototypes, even when it's blindingly obvious that the finished product is going to look nothing like the thing Engadget's just posted up.
Way to go h8rs!
Just out of curiosity, which Palm are you using?
after how the centros look, I am not sure
To gene: I'm using a Centro seeing as you asked, and it's a great phone, thanks.
Ughh...my eyes. The ugliness....stopppp!!!!
"...though we're pretty sure not even Palm could create a phone that ugly"
LOL.
This is a mockup... so this is supposed to give us an idea of the size of the unit, not the appearance, correct?
Perhaps they should give us an idea of the DEPTH of the unit... which is the only feature Palm should invest engineering in, until it's thinner than a double whopper.
Why do launch developers need to see a poor mockup?
Gee Palm,
another square screened thumbboarded phone! What will you think of next?
you guys suck.
Personally, I am seriously missing my thumboard from my Treo 680, I can't type anywhere as accurately or fast on my new AT&T Tilt. Plus I loathe sliding the keyboard out, waiting for the screen to rotate, tapping the stupid screen to get back to the input box I was about to type into... Oh well.
i dont care if palm put the phone in my hands for free, and paid for my cell service for a year, as soon as the Android Platform is out for Sprint i'm switching. Palm hasn't innovated anything in decades besides putting a little color on top of outdated OS.
Aaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrgghhhhhhhhh..ak...akkk..kakk.. My eyes.
That thing looks like an engineer at Lego Designed it. Yeeeeech. For god`s sake just let palm die! I can`t watch this anymore. Someone needs to take old yeller for a walk behind the barn.
Wanna whole lotta love?
WHAT R THEY GOIN 2 THINK OF NEXT?!!!
If it's still running the old OS, and not the linux based one, I predict that this (wait for it):
will go over like a Lead Zepplin.
(yes, yes, I know, I'm not hte first to make a Lead or Zepplin joke, but I at least made the _actual_ original reference that gave the band its name)
To Palm:
You need coolin'. Baby, I'm not foolin'.
I'm gonna send ya back to schoolin'.
Way down inside, honey you need...
To sell off your IP and get out of the game. Just stop it. You're not fooling anyone anymore. Every time I see another article about how you continue to put your 10-year-old OS in another unimaginative box, I remember how much I hate my Treo 700p and how excited I am for my contract to expire so I can get ANYTHING ELSE.
I thought this was going to suck like everyone else, but a certain mobile-centric website posted a decent review:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBGIQ7ZuuiU
Disclaimer: This is a pre-release version!
Youtube is in the review biz now....Ric?
Looks nice. Too bad it's running WM.
Shoutout to you and Ric who apparently can read the entire article and catch the mock up part of the story. Just goes to show how geek does NOT always equal smart (or at least observant)
Wow it's a real Mensa convention up in here. Yeah that's totally a photograph of the actual device.
the final product cant be that far off from this muck up, but this muck up is far far off from being good, it in fact is shit
Maybe I've been out of touch with the PDA market, but... Palm producing a Windows PDA? I mean, I know they spun off their OS division, but producing a Windows PDA? What's up with that...
It's not a PDA, it's a Treo/Centro/Whatever.
You missed the Treo 700 and 750? They've done this before. It how they stayed in business apparently. :(
Alright this does not begin to show what the device really looks like, it is simply a kind of front view so you can se an estimated size, they have simply blocked most of the device except for the screen and the buttons with a flat image. If you want to have fun you could photoshop your own picture onto it, and make your own handset in a sense. They have simply blocked the "look" of the phone. But I do agree with everyone here 10 year old OS and uninspiring Handset design Palm has just become that other generic smartphone that everyone looks at as a last resort, doesn't really build excitement anymore. Although you'll have to hand it to them, they've lasted this long with basically the same handset. It's similar to selling a base car in monochrome and then the next year adding power windows and the next adding a colors etc. it'll only last so long no matter how good the car is. Good Luck Palm you'll need it once Android gets released in a consumer ready product.