Unconfirmed details flow about Palm's CES-bound Nova phone

Bear in mind that this could be complete rubbish, but unconfirmed reports from "trusted sources" have reportedly stated that Palm's first Nova-based handset will tout a full QWERTY keyboard that slides down beneath a touchscreen (is your imagination running wild yet?). Moreover (and more importantly), the fresh operating system is being described as "amazing," and we're also told that "a ton" of software will be pre-loaded to provide multimedia playback as well as traditional functions such as calendar, email, and contacts. We can't help but say that we're pretty jazzed to hear positive vibes flowing just before CES really gets in gear, but we'll attempt to remain placid until something a touch more concrete is revealed.

Update: Ricky from MobileBurn wrote in to tell us that his sources are pegging the first device to be a Sprint exclusive -- for how long, no one knows -- and will feature a high-spec cam of some sort. It's all rumor and speculation at this point, but yeah, we're definitely still stoked.

[ProfessorDex @ Jan 4th 2009 10:18PM]

Sounds like Palm has their broken record playing again. Hopefully something pans out this time.

[Kris120890 @ Jan 4th 2009 10:18PM]

I can't wait to see what they've got planned. IMO this is their last chance to turn things around.

[shugg @ Jan 4th 2009 11:24PM]

i cant wait till u STFU.u aint buying no palm. u already carry samsung glide in 1 pocket ,n ipod in other, remember.,dee dee deee!!!

[Cameron @ Jan 5th 2009 2:39AM]

@ shugg:

You could not possibly sound any dumber.

[Abdel @ Jan 4th 2009 10:19PM]

That is Palm needs to bring on the table. Despite all their troubles I know they will get through. Only Hope that this is true.

[banned @ Jan 4th 2009 10:21PM]

im on t-mobile and was about to get a g1 but decided to wait, hopw palm can make it worth it. or the gsm storm.

[Nik @ Jan 4th 2009 10:35PM]

Palm's not coming to T-Mobile, your best bet is getting one unlocked.

[banned @ Jan 4th 2009 11:07PM]

then it better come under $400 unlocked

[sndmn23 @ Jan 5th 2009 10:30AM]

Guess you're not getting a Palm then.

[Timmay @ Jan 4th 2009 10:22PM]

I think I'm more excited about Palm's Announcement then I was about the iPhone!

As a Palm user since the Handspring Visor Pro, this day is going to be the most important day in the history of Palm.

[Craig @ Jan 4th 2009 10:27PM]

+1

This is truly make-or-break time for Palm. Thursday will determine if Palm keeps me, a veteran of every version of Palm OS since it first came out in April 2009, or I sever the relationship forever.

Fingers crossed...indeed.

[chefgon_ign @ Jan 4th 2009 10:36PM]

I adored my Visor Pro, I may never have made it through College without the thing. I just found it in a box a couple weeks ago, actually. I was all excited about playing with it again, but I fried the battery by attempting to charge it with the wrong AC adapter :(

[banned @ Jan 4th 2009 10:37PM]

wtf april 2009 how long have i been asleep?

[Craig @ Jan 4th 2009 11:57PM]

sorry...scratch "April 2009" and replace with "April 1996"...I need sleep.

[Bryan @ Jan 5th 2009 9:01AM]

Yeah, I've still got mine and its usable, and I too am semi-excited about this announcement. I'm hoping that the device is as it is being said, or else they may have some issues staying afloat...

[paulo @ Jan 4th 2009 10:22PM]

It would be nice to see Palm out of the ICU. I used to love my Palm way back in the stone age.

[Craig @ Jan 4th 2009 11:58PM]

loved your palm, eh?

*snort*

[paulo @ Jan 5th 2009 12:50AM]

Craig you smart ass LOL

[Derek @ Jan 4th 2009 10:24PM]

This better be good. I'd love to hand Palm the money to replace my Treo 755p, as I've yet to see anything on Sprint (don't flame me, it works great here and is cheap) that really gets my juices flowing.

Fingers crossed!

[thepenguin @ Jan 4th 2009 10:24PM]

Wow! I hope these details are true. Its time I upgrade my Centro and this already sounds awesome. But what carrier will pick it up? Or the more important question: is it US bound?

[dcoaster @ Jan 4th 2009 10:41PM]

It's going to be more than one device.

[Freakin Ijit @ Jan 5th 2009 6:38AM]

Why does a change of form-factor to a vertical slider "sound awesome"?

[Colonel Kernel @ Jan 5th 2009 12:37PM]

Multiple devices will be coming, of course, but that hasn't been confirmed (or denied) for Thursday. It would be SWEET, 'though.

[1234321 @ Jan 4th 2009 10:30PM]

maybe Nova has Zii support

[Hackettman @ Jan 4th 2009 10:40PM]

Id like to see Palm come out of left field with something awesome.......

[chefgon_ign @ Jan 4th 2009 10:41PM]

Color me excited. I'm no Palm fan by any means (I haven't owned one since my old Handspring Visor) but I'm always excited about a new mobile OS.

Will it be good enough to compete with iPhone and Android? Will it be exclusive to Palm or will they push it as an OS for third party manufacturers like they did with the old Palm OS back in the day? I'm eager to see some details.

[Bash2cool @ Jan 5th 2009 4:26PM]

no way, this new os is gonna have to be for palm phones only because they ain't gonna make any money that way unless their company was HTC where they don't have an os and must sell their phones with other companies os's.

[digitallysick @ Jan 4th 2009 10:45PM]

This will really change things if true!! i can't wait to see

[Johan S @ Jan 4th 2009 10:46PM]

I am preparing to be underwhelmed.

[DP @ Jan 5th 2009 12:55PM]

I hope not.

[A.R. @ Jan 4th 2009 10:51PM]

Even if the hardware is average but Palm's new OS is amazing as they say, I will be ready to fork over some cash for it. Like Apple says - "it's all in the software."

[chefgon_ign @ Jan 5th 2009 6:46AM]

I really hope Apple doesn't actually say that. As a Windows user, I consider Apple to be one of the crappiest software companies in the world. I'm sure Quicktime and iTunes work just fine on OSX, but the Windows versions are totally abysmal, and it's not the OS's fault.

[loosely_coupled @ Jan 6th 2009 8:45PM]

"I consider Apple to be one of the crappiest software companies in the world."
That would make you an idiot, considering how well known they are for creating good software like OSX, iPhoto/iMovie, Final Cut Pro,Logic, Shake, iTunes, Quicktime, etc.

I use iTunes on XP all the time. Seems to work just fine, if a tad slow at times. Regardless, iTunes on Windows is a port, and probably uses some funky libraries...

[Supersonicdarky @ Jan 4th 2009 10:51PM]

I hope it's as they say, but I have a bad feeling I will be very, very disappointed.

[TareX @ Jan 4th 2009 10:57PM]

Don't be. With everyone looking at Android, WM7 and Nvidia's Tegra, you can expect the Palm Nova to be the MWC's Wii.

I remember how everyone laughed at the fact Nintendo was competing with Sony and MS for next-gen console supremacy. If the NOVA has an innovative "angle", it could be a winner.

[TareX @ Jan 4th 2009 10:54PM]

Full Palm QWERTY under a touchscreen, with an "amazing" OS.

W.A.N.T.

Same concepts:
http://forum.treonauts.com/palm-smartphones/future-treo-smartphones/7786-treo-900-concept-design.html

[a ham sandwich @ Jan 4th 2009 10:57PM]

well that was just GUSHING with details...

[StalkerZERO @ Jan 4th 2009 11:01PM]

Actually, I'd be a bit underwhelmed if all it turns out to be is another iphone clone but with a Querty keyboard. Hello? Nokia N97? Where is the revolutionary stuff? Palm had better impress the hell out of the industry or its curtains for them as a handset company!

[banned @ Jan 4th 2009 11:11PM]

ya this is a n97 that doesnt cost $1200.

the n97 is no comparison, n97 wins. palm-reasonable price

[John P @ Jan 4th 2009 11:05PM]

I'm very excited about seeing the operating system in action. I imagine Sprint will pick up the phone and so perhaps when I get back from Europe I will have the chance to pick one of these gems up. If it pans out. As much as I enjoy Palm and its devices, I want to see them truly innovate before I invest in another of their phones.

[Sam @ Jan 5th 2009 1:40AM]

One thing I know about Palm is that they are innovators. They invented Palm OS (original). They mess up financially and stretegically. But they were the one who brought is im-like chat, hardware slider to mute sound (ringer). Many tried but Palm OS built-in calender still kick other OS .... One hand use, many shortcuts to access apps or other useful functions. There are many ways Palm management sucks big time. But innovation is still in Palm DNA. I still think if Palm never gave Palm Source away when they were above any other smartphone (remember treo 600 days?) they would be among leaders right now. Their management messed up and they had to start from scratch with new OS. Now the debate of Palm trying to get their engineers time to innovate by going to devils pond (windows mobile) and still beat other numerous smartphone manufactures. Or their bringing Palm OS on Viagra to get Centro out, I still have my faith in Palm engineers and their interest in small details that make them still the best user friendly smartphone on earth (before Iphone). I don't know how the new OS will be but I know this, it will be user friendly, easier one hand useable, feature rich, and few small innovations that will Apple and Nokia think why the he'll they didn't think of this. Good luck Palm.

[Fred Durst @ Jan 5th 2009 1:55AM]

Palm m515, Tungsten T3, Treo 700p, and now currently using the Treo 755p. I've been out of contract with Verizon since September, and have just been holding onto the 755p in hopes that the new PDA phones are awesome. Plus, the 755p is a great phone and don't see any reason to get rid of it.

[Aaron @ Jan 5th 2009 2:45AM]

The problem for Palm is that their main market has always been North America. Historically, they've only had to battle Microsoft in this key market for them. Now we've got RIM, Apple and Google in the ring too and I can't see how they're going to cope against such financial giants.

[Daddio @ Jan 5th 2009 2:46AM]

I have used a Palm for well over 8 years now. I agree, they have always been on the cutting edge. The new app store is a sign of things to come from Palm. They are getting ready to hit the ground running. If they are bringing a full size touch screen (like the iphone) and a "slide out from the bottom" keyboard. Then they have brought today's craze with the traditional one handed Palm experience. Using a real qwerty keyboard rivals over a virtual anyday. Going to a open source OS like the Android is a smart move. The people(s) like it and it keeps cost down. GO PALM!!!!

[jmg_bt21 @ Jan 5th 2009 3:23AM]

I have mixed feelings:
Will I be left with the Sony Clie feeling that SONY had the potential to develop the best PDA (I am a former NX-70 user)... but always found a way to ignore customers and fall-short (for USA customers who did not receive the European TH-55)...

Or the Palm Pilot / Handspring (ORANGE) Visor feeling of a very cool, do it all PDA device???

I would NOT Like a pull-out keyboard... but I may compromise of the device finally provides Palm OS with WiFI capability...

I can only hope... and hope for the best...

(don't forget... Palm presented the FOLEO (even I did not believe)... yet, what has been the rage lately???)

[bryan @ Jan 5th 2009 4:19AM]

go palm, go! it has been a LONG wait but the excitement is still there for you and i am on the edge of my seat for the NEWnewness you're debuting today. seriously, today at CES - hit it out of the park!!

[bryan @ Jan 5th 2009 4:40AM]

and by today, i mean thursday of course *facepalm* :)

[f3rg @ Jan 5th 2009 6:09AM]

I just bought my first Palm--a Centro--last week, and I love how quick Google searches net me all the free (and cheap) apps I can get my hands on, often things that go back years, and are still useful. I wonder how long it will take for the new OS to catch up to that.

[chefgon_ign @ Jan 5th 2009 6:54AM]

One day if it's backwards compatible, which I assume it will be.

[miles @ Jan 5th 2009 10:52AM]

Go Palm! We need more options other than iPhone & BB's!