Palm just got official with its Pre. Peep the galleries below for some sexy product / webOS shots in addition to our liveblog pictures. Video sure to jerk tears from all you neo-fanboys after the break.
Agreed. It's one of the best looking phones I've seen in a while. Simple and uncluttered. Would be perfect if it's a tad thinner. But if it ever goes to AT&T, I may seriously consider it once my iPhone (2G) contract is up.
just remember before you give up that iphone that this isnt running a proper os, these apps are like local webapps, not much power or performance and dont even think about games etc.
It is running a proper OS, its linux based. As for any iPhone comparisons, all I have to say is thank God, people will finally have a glitzy phone to choose from that actually has REAL features.
I don't have all the answers, but I was looking at some info on Palm's developers page, and it definitely doesn't sound like web apps to me. These are actually real Palm apps that can call the system's API to do anything you'd expect an app to do, they just use HTML and CSS for the presentation layer.
I don't think I'm convinced that's the best way to go, I personally can't stand web development because it's such a huge pain in the ass to make it work compared to a real programming language. But regardless, saying that these are simply locally saved web apps is hugely oversimplifying the situation.
As much as I like the concept, phones with sliding joints will not last as their competitors. I will never buy a slider. Revolute joints are the only way to go if a joint is necessary.
I had a Mogul and the slider on that fell apart within a year - all the springs came out and the screen would not stay up... I'll be curious to see how strong the slider is and how it's connected, and how well it holds up a year from now.
@Steve: That is odd. I have had a Mogul for about a year and a half and it's still solid. I just want something more up to date where I don't need to sacrifice features. Thankfully this looks like a contender.
This isn't some POS motorola phone here, you're looking at a genuine Palm product. Their devices are solid as a rock, they aren't going to cut any corners on the slider mechanism.
uhhmmm... I supported a lot of people at my organisation who had Palm T3's (which I still find one of the most beatiful PDA's ever) and those were notorious for failing sliders, the screws would just fall out. Nevertheless I think the Pre looks very good and I dare to say they ignited some love from me... too bad we totally went blackberry in the meantime.
Finally. I've been waiting for something decent from Palm since 2004 when I got the Treo 650 (BTW still have it as my main phone) Everything beyond the Treo 650 has just been a rehash of it, and I'll tell ya' there's no way I'm getting a Palm phone that runs WM!! I was going to jump ship and get the X1 when it came out (what yesterday officially in US? Haha) but decided against it because of the ridiculous price. I'm hoping, for my sake and Palm's, that this will be their entry into the new handset league.
The universal software/services integration/search is the killer app here.
Palm's been really smart dropping the Foleo (which would have now looked ridicolous) , quickly going back to the drawing board and coming up with this gem.
I'm curious how it competes with the QWERTY/Navball-driven experience on the BlackBerry and the Multi-touch driven interface on the iPhone. Does it match up to either or is it a comprimise? Even if it was a comprimise, it deserves serious consideration from people who only want one device. Palm may have earned their success with this one :)
I'm still hoping for a Foleo with the hardware that's become available since they 'scrapped' it (Atom), well executed bluetooth tethering to their phones, and this OS tuned to it's form factor. I really think they could rock the netbook world with something more business/student oriented than existing offerings, and probably out live the fad.
How did Sprint pull off exclusive rights on this one? They are a sinking ship. Now it looks like a sinking ship that just got hooked up to a huge A$$ balloon that may give it a chance to rebuild and fix all of it's problems.
Plus they just got a #1 rating for customer service somewhere. Didn't think it would happen. Plam + everything plan = nice phone on fast network at decent monthly rate.
It's looking pretty sexy to me!! Palm needs this. I'm pulling for them. I'd never change carriers just to get it. But I want to see them do well with this one.
Finally a 1up for Dan Hesse :) Looks a lot like the HTC Touch when its closed. .which my big hands have dropped many times. I'll have to slide the keyboard out to hang on to it :)
Well they where the ones with the Treo and it is sad they are now playing catch up. I agree it is good to have competition but man where have they been while the Blackberry, iPhone and Android have been eating their lunch. Oh and Symbian and Windows Mobile. Yeah there is plenty of competition these days. They seem to be taking cues from one phone.
Blackberry is really the only one eating their lunch, but they hardly left scraps. None of the others have really been able to crack the business market that Palm forged with their PDAs.
The first image from the press conference with the battery shows a sim card slot, yet Sprint doesn't use sim cards... I wonder if that means Sprint is going to copy Verizon and use sim cards for dual band world use?
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I'm getting it.
Beautiful. Thank god for competition!
Agreed. It's one of the best looking phones I've seen in a while. Simple and uncluttered. Would be perfect if it's a tad thinner. But if it ever goes to AT&T, I may seriously consider it once my iPhone (2G) contract is up.
just remember before you give up that iphone that this isnt running a proper os, these apps are like local webapps, not much power or performance and dont even think about games etc.
@Bob,
It is running a proper OS, its linux based. As for any iPhone comparisons, all I have to say is thank God, people will finally have a glitzy phone to choose from that actually has REAL features.
@ Chris. Amen brotha! This phone is going to have more apps developed in the first 2 years than the iPhone.
Cost, now that is another question....
@ Bob
I don't have all the answers, but I was looking at some info on Palm's developers page, and it definitely doesn't sound like web apps to me. These are actually real Palm apps that can call the system's API to do anything you'd expect an app to do, they just use HTML and CSS for the presentation layer.
I don't think I'm convinced that's the best way to go, I personally can't stand web development because it's such a huge pain in the ass to make it work compared to a real programming language. But regardless, saying that these are simply locally saved web apps is hugely oversimplifying the situation.
Not bad.
Has Palm mentioned compatibility with previous apps?
As much as I like the concept, phones with sliding joints will not last as their competitors. I will never buy a slider. Revolute joints are the only way to go if a joint is necessary.
I carried an HTC TyTn for well over a year, and that slider felt as good on the last day as it did the first.
I had a Mogul and the slider on that fell apart within a year - all the springs came out and the screen would not stay up... I'll be curious to see how strong the slider is and how it's connected, and how well it holds up a year from now.
@Steve: That is odd. I have had a Mogul for about a year and a half and it's still solid. I just want something more up to date where I don't need to sacrifice features. Thankfully this looks like a contender.
This isn't some POS motorola phone here, you're looking at a genuine Palm product. Their devices are solid as a rock, they aren't going to cut any corners on the slider mechanism.
uhhmmm... I supported a lot of people at my organisation who had Palm T3's (which I still find one of the most beatiful PDA's ever) and those were notorious for failing sliders, the screws would just fall out. Nevertheless I think the Pre looks very good and I dare to say they ignited some love from me... too bad we totally went blackberry in the meantime.
This looks like the phone that will fit all of the accessories that were supposed to be for the iPhone Nano.
sprint....boo
"Palm Tree"?
*groans*
Heh. engadget removed the comment after i commented on, um,...the comment.
*drooling*
If I didn't have an iPhone I'd take a serious look at this. It is beautiful. I like the on screen dialing and a separate keyboard.
Did anyone notice the Arrested Development call outs in the CES announcement?
Contact Michael Bluth
Email: arrested@bluth.com
IM: voiceofreason@gtalk.com
Web Demo: Blue Man Group
Hilarious!!! Palm you had me @ this screen!!
contacts picture: http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2009/01/palm-pr-2009-01-08_83.jpg
Blue Man Group Demo: http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2009/01/palm-pr-2009-01-08_88.jpg
Yes... I also saw this right away. Hilarious. Too bad no one else seems to care :( Such is Arrested Development
Haven't been able to get their site to display galleries. Would really love to see some videos.
Finally. I've been waiting for something decent from Palm since 2004 when I got the Treo 650 (BTW still have it as my main phone) Everything beyond the Treo 650 has just been a rehash of it, and I'll tell ya' there's no way I'm getting a Palm phone that runs WM!! I was going to jump ship and get the X1 when it came out (what yesterday officially in US? Haha) but decided against it because of the ridiculous price. I'm hoping, for my sake and Palm's, that this will be their entry into the new handset league.
this is awesome news! im so thrilled palm didnt dissapoint! dissapoint...hell! they exceeded expectations with flying colors! way to go palm!
The universal software/services integration/search is the killer app here.
Palm's been really smart dropping the Foleo (which would have now looked ridicolous) , quickly going back to the drawing board and coming up with this gem.
I'm curious how it competes with the QWERTY/Navball-driven experience on the BlackBerry and the Multi-touch driven interface on the iPhone. Does it match up to either or is it a comprimise? Even if it was a comprimise, it deserves serious consideration from people who only want one device. Palm may have earned their success with this one :)
Don't say those words!
I'm still hoping for a Foleo with the hardware that's become available since they 'scrapped' it (Atom), well executed bluetooth tethering to their phones, and this OS tuned to it's form factor. I really think they could rock the netbook world with something more business/student oriented than existing offerings, and probably out live the fad.
Video privileges won't allow it to play.
Fix the video!
Is this video private?
that's what i get :(
Palm website presentation doesn't work - screen gets darker but nothing comes up.
Now I know why the video is titled "Palm pre tearjerker". It's because it's a big tease ;)
Does anyone know the screen size and resolution of this? I'd love to see how it compares to the iPhone and Storm
3.1-inch 320 x 480 multitouch display for pre
3.25-inch (480 x 360) touchscreen for Storm
480 x 320 3.5-inch multitouch display for iPhone
(copy & pasted from other Engadget articles, obviously not from an iPhone :P)
3.1 is such an odd number...I wonder why they didn't just round it down or do 3.5/3.25?
Oh. My. God.
Palm are back! And ready to kick some butt!
Just two more things I need to know to decide whether this is my next phone: Europe and Price.
How did Sprint pull off exclusive rights on this one? They are a sinking ship. Now it looks like a sinking ship that just got hooked up to a huge A$$ balloon that may give it a chance to rebuild and fix all of it's problems.
Plus they just got a #1 rating for customer service somewhere. Didn't think it would happen. Plam + everything plan = nice phone on fast network at decent monthly rate.
Thanks Dan Hess. You listened to my emails.
Wouldn't it be great if two sinking ships managed to save each other?
So, can I upgrade my Centro to the webOS? Pretty please?
LAME, the video is just straight from the Palm website.
It's looking pretty sexy to me!! Palm needs this. I'm pulling for them. I'd never change carriers just to get it. But I want to see them do well with this one.
Read my full, boring review here:
http://blog.xtego.com/2009/01/08/the-new-palm-pre/
Aw lame video. I really want to see the OS in action.
Finally a 1up for Dan Hesse :)
Looks a lot like the HTC Touch when its closed. .which my big hands have dropped many times. I'll have to slide the keyboard out to hang on to it :)
Well they where the ones with the Treo and it is sad they are now playing catch up. I agree it is good to have competition but man where have they been while the Blackberry, iPhone and Android have been eating their lunch. Oh and Symbian and Windows Mobile. Yeah there is plenty of competition these days. They seem to be taking cues from one phone.
Blackberry is really the only one eating their lunch, but they hardly left scraps. None of the others have really been able to crack the business market that Palm forged with their PDAs.
The first image from the press conference with the battery shows a sim card slot, yet Sprint doesn't use sim cards... I wonder if that means Sprint is going to copy Verizon and use sim cards for dual band world use?
hot, hot, hot....and I'm as attached to my iPhone as a mother is her child.
but even I'd take a second look...