Palm Pre first hands-on with live updates!
By Paul Miller 
posted January 8th 2009 4:18PM
posted January 8th 2009 4:18PM
1:19PM - First photos are up. They're running us through a demo of the phone, so we haven't gotten to touch it just yet -- the tension is killing!
1:38PM - They let us play with it a bit -- while they held the other end, of course. The keyboard is Centro-esque, with shallow presses and cramped spacing. The actual keys are rubbery and easy enough to find with the fingernails of our massive man hands, other folks might have better luck using the pads of their fingers. The touchscreen isn't quite as responsive as the iPhone or G1 -- or it could be the OS, there seems to be a tiny lag between a tap and an action -- but it's still pretty great. We spent mere seconds toying with the OS, but all the actions seem ultra-intuitive.
Update: You can watch some video after the break!
I would point out she carefully navigates to a particular Blue Man Group page that has zero Flash content. Dangit. Can we get some more digs on browser capability/performance?
Odd question, does it support graffiti 1 or 2?
It won't support a stylus (capacitive touchscreen), so no handwriting recognition of any sort I guess...
Is hand writing recognition for Pre?
F*ck off, spammer!
Where is the slot on a laptop you can stuff $200 into to get one of these today?
You see, instead of saying somebody is wrong, you might consider putting forth evidence?
Of course, that assumes you are mature enough to have surpassed your teen years where name-calling is the norm.
And nobody cares what your cute screen name is. Try using your real name. It is how adults converse.
"It is how adults converse"
So why are you here. People have no time for trolls like you shugg or Paul chapel.
i don't know how all you adults with your real names do it, but here on the interwebs we converse by clicking on the reply button so that somebody actually knows who you are talking to.
Man alive some of you people are annoying...
Application dock - Palm invented that, not Apple.
Accelerometer - as far as I know, HTC were the first to start using that in phones, not Apple.
That cool thing with the scrolling - Apple didn't invent that. Although I'm doing myself no favours by not being able to recall any specific apps that have used it in the past, I know I've seen it done and have never used any Apple products.
Intuitive gesture control - Apple didn't invent that, evolution did. That's why it's intuitive.
Big, clear icons - Apple didn't invent that, Microsoft did.
Capacative touch-screen - now you're just being silly. You can't seriously be suggesting that manufacturers use sub-par technology because the alternative is already in the iPhone.
Awkward keyboard orientation in widescreen - personally, I don't do much typing when I'm browsing the web, except to reply to morons on blogs. Given how fast this device seems to be in re-orienting the screen, I really wouldn't mind having to turn in back to vertical for 10 secs while I type something.
I could go on, but I think I've made my point. Unless Nokia blows my mind before this comes out in the UK, I believe I have just found my next phone.
Just a note, capacitive screens are neither new nor better. Just different. Resistive screens allow for stylus input. Now that finger touch is the rave, capacitive screens are more apropos.
Anyway, as I said above, it isn't the individual techs that made the iPhone unique--it was the convergence. I for one am glad they came on the scene 1) it brought "smart" phones into the public eye/fancy and 2) it gave the traditional handset makers some pretty good ideas. For me, I don't think the iPhone will ever evolve into something that I want. Apple's philosophy is simply incompatible and the device far too limiting. However, I think others (hopefully now with Palm) will take what is good and make it truly useful.
I agree with you Paul...I dont know why they say resistive touch-screens are not that responsive
I use a P1i and its screen (resistive) is as responsive as any capacitive.
Also, you have handwriting recognition with resistive screens..I dont think they do it so well on capacitiove screens
Yes,.phone not out till another 5 months n already finding flaws. Plus taking all iphonesque technology ,.n cloning on palm. Let's be honest who gonna pay $350 for this,,,?????
You should learn to not get involved in big boys toys. A lot more people will buy this over a media phone such as the iPhone.
For many, the keyboard = win over the iPhone already, but for others the 3.5" of the iPhone wins.. (or 3.8 of my Touch HD ^_^)
Do not click this. It is an attack site...
Very excited for this device. I can't wait to play with it. I agree with others, I hope that's a glass screen!
Engadget: seriously, why did you spend half the video looking at the back of the phone?!? The apps in action are far more important.
not crazy about the lack of an onscreen keyboard. i like the way it slides (probably my favorite part) but i would much rather browse using a widescreen format and i would have to keep turning the device to get that and type. i dont know though, i guess once i get to the site i want, i can just browse without doing much touch entry. either way, i dont think an onscreen keyboard option would hurt, maybe someone can code one for it.
So they have a device that is available at an unknown future date. Reminds me of the story of the Palm salesman's wife who was still a virgin - all he did was stand at the end of the bed with a Powerpoint deck and tell her how good it was going to be. I didn't see anything about migration of my current Palm apps or enough detail of anything to tell if this device is really any good - and the devil is in the details. In addition, I bought my 700P when they first came out and Palm was promising Blackberry mail on it "soon" and then waited months for the fixes to get the bugs out of it. Before Palm will suck me into another of their future promises they have to deliver it, make it work and make it work well. And by the time they do that, who knows where the rest of the market will be, ahead of Palm is a good bet, but we'll see.
And I still use a Palm based standalone PDA, a Garmin, that I have yet to find anything to beat in total function and capability. Wish it had Wi Fi, but for what it does, like the song says, nobody does it better.
so is it a slider? or does it just look like one and they have no pics of it closed yet
yes, this is a slider.
This phone is amazing can't wait in till it comes out with sprint palm came back and it might just be the i phone killer.
the main problem I have been having with these new gen phones is the inability to operate them comfortably with one hand .. I have had a treo 650 and now 700 for several years now .. and I can do just about everything except type a longer than 50 character line with only one hand .. the new gesture based phones make it difficult to navigate with a single paw. any one else have any similar experiences? between the options of the 5way navigator, the option/key board shortcuts and touch screen buttons just within reach of my freewheeling thumb .. there is little need for occupying my other 5 digits.
I tried the G1 for about a day and inability to comfortably operate with one hand was one, among several, of my big reasons for turning it back in. Chattermail on the palm OS simply runs circles around the G1 email app and that was one of my other main reasons for the G1's shortlived life with me.
I'd appreciate other feedback before I get too excited about another gesture based phone built for those that don't seem to be power users. But rather whimsical finger draggers.
I'm quite happy about the multitouch. Especially the pinching part. It actually looks like the thing that's going to replace my E90. Good job Palm!
Looks like palm actually nailed the OS, but the hardware might have a little catching up to do. Hope it's not to late for them.
Weird to type when the keyboard is like 90 degrees rotated.
Sticking to iPhone for now.
There is a reason RIM (until the Storm) only made devices with front face single hand keyboards. Also a reason why every connected device from Palm has always had the same. Business users want a single hand qwerty. I don't know why it's taken sooo long for this design to come out. Too bad WM and RIM do not have a device like this for their OS.
I wonder if this device is made by HTC like the Treo Pro? If so, will XDA folks have a WM Rom for it at some point?
I have a palm centro, I like the keyboard so this phone is a definite must purchase in the first 3 months of it being out.. I hope it is sub 300 as an upgrade.. for me it is the Iphone with a keyboard.. what I always wanted.
Who the hell was holding the camera? I wanted to see the phone's interface in action, not the person's hands damnit.
YAWN. She spends the first half of the video explaining a functionality which already exists in the iPhone google app, then she goes on to show how you can zoom the browser by using two fingers! Wow, I've never seen that before either!! Thanks, but I'll keep my iPhone.
To the critics of the lack of an on screen keyboard.
I seem to recall Steve Jobs saying that one of the main benefits of an on screen keyboard is that it can be changed after the product has shipped. If it can be changed, then it can be easily created if the user demand is there for a landscape keyboard.
"There's no onscreen keyboard?"
"Nope, you'd never need it."
*Awkward silence as the phone is in landscape mode*
Yeah, let me just turn it sideways and start typing sideways. Nice one, Palm.
Why talk about business users at all? Sure, palm had its day in the business world. Minus the kiddie posts here I know there are plenty of professionals out here that had a palm a long time ago, and now have a blackberry. Not an iphone, a blackberry. It's the only option for a business phone anymore. And the storm is great as a business phone, so palm comes out with something shiny, but it's not gonna be a huge market mover.
Also, it's on sprint. Who uses sprint anymore? It's superverizon or at&t.. not the out of money, almost bankrupt, losing way more customers than it gains sprint! They are almost dead, and a phone isn't gonna keep them alive!
Cant really see Apple taking this lying down. Expect everyone else to be playing catch up in 09-10 when the 3rd generation iPhone get released. Apple sets the pace, others follow, hate it or love it, thats a fact.