Palm Eos: super-thin, 3G, and headed to AT&T?
By Joshua Topolsky 
posted April 30th 2009 12:52PM
posted April 30th 2009 12:52PM
Update: Oh boy -- looks like we just got the full spec list. And yes, it's definitely coming to AT&T (if it's really coming).
- 4GB storage
- Price: $349 (pre-rebate)
- Camera: 2 megapixel fixed focus digital camera and flash / video capture
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 2.1 w/ A2DP and EDR, USB 2.0 via micro USB
- Removable 1150 mAh battery (4 hours 3G talk time)
- Messaging: SMS, MMS (picture and video only), integrated IM client
- Contact sync with AT&T Address Book
- MediaNet
- Cellular Video
- Email: POP3, IMAP4, and EAS support
- A-GPS
- Audio: WAV, MP3, AAC, AAC+ ringtones
- Video Playback: MPEG4, H.264, H.263
Nice render.
Actually, for a render, its pretty bad...
M
That's a nice looking handset. 10X better than those Centros. It looks sweet for a low-end smartphone. If the cost is low enough, it might even sell better than the Pre.
Yeah... I kinda agree. Looks quite fishy to me.
The render throws me for a few reasons.
1. WebOS isn't fully rendered on there. Was this a phone designed before the software was totally finished or something?
2. The keys have really weird depth of field to 'em, like they're just textures
3. Seems perspectively incorrect
It's still no iphone
Pre lite?
As much as I'd love to see a WebOS candy bar on ATT, this render looks extremely fishy for a number of reason.
Nerdtalker brings up good points, despite the misuse of the term "depth of field." :-)
320x200 for the fail
I agree that the render looks fishy for the above-mentioned reasons. The keys look like they're texture mapped on, without depth, and that home button actually looks bigger than on the Pre (also lacks depth).
Even if the Eos IS going to be a real device, this render screams 'early mock-up', and the 320x400 screen res doesn't sound right either.
Delving into conspiracy land here, but...
Maybe it's a plant by AT&T to retain some of the iPhone users who might be considering jumping ship. :)
Interestingly, I think the Centro is the same dimensions 4.3 inches x 2.1 inches (of course the centro is much thicker). I could definitely see palm going with this form factor. Looking at the Centro, if you get rid of the center navigation buttons, and extend the screen down further, you end up with a phone looking like the Eos. well, use your imagination a little....
@JohnTitor
"320x200 for the fail"
Well that would be a fail - thank goodness it clearly says in the article that it is 320x400 huh?
Can't RTFA for the fail...
Multiple WebOS devices FTW
Not digging that giant button, however. Kill the button, shorten the device, and deal.
My bad. Bad render, great concept.
My inbox begs for relief.
Welcome back, Palm. We missed you these last few years.
yep...
guess I'll hold on to that PALM stock for a little longer now
Yeah, no crap. I had written off Palm a couple years ago. I saw the Centro as their last failed attempt at saving the company, and classified their next-gen OS as vaporware.
Kudos to the great leadership team that has given the company a complete 180.
Don't celebrate yet; they've yet to get these products out the door. Don't get me wrong. I'm considering jumping ship from tMobile (after 5 years) for the Pre, but it _might_ end up being a dud (Blackberry Storm). I really hope it does well, because I want Palm to do well and because I'd love to get some seemingly awesome tech like the Pre into my hands, but I won't count my chickens before they hatch.
You know, some people love the BlackBerry Storm. A couple million by this mark anyhow.
I'm ecstatic that Palm has gone back to its roots of being an innovative and exciting company and I have no doubt that this phone will be a hit. @moog, I would say that at least a few million of those people went on hype alone and realized that the Storm didn't turn out to be what they thought. Let's hope for Palm's sake that's not the case when it comes to the Pre.
will take it with some wifi, and reality please.
Thing looks better than the pre... & i like the pre... sliders just suck...
The main thing I don't like about the Pre, hardware design-wise, is that the slider is portrait instead of landscape. Otherwise, it's quite fetching.
There seem to be plenty of people who agree that this thing looks nice, but I don't get it. Whatever virtues it has, it ranks near the very bottom for me on aesthetic appeal for a qwerty smartphone. Different strokes I guess.
@mian, I think it's mostly due to its small size and the way it appears to fit smoothly into the hand (as seen in videos). Still have to wait to actually test it, which shouldn't be too long.
So why buy a Pre now?
Because Sprint has a faster network, cheaper plans, and they don't bend over for the NSA.
The Pre also looks nicer too!
So you can be all "First!"?
Keyboard, bigger, inductive charging?
Plus, it's coming out sooner.
Pre looks better and is better spec wise. This looks like a lower end Pre.
Still, it would be funny for ATT to release a Palm WebOS based phone before the Pre!
Because the pre has the 320 * 480 display, however I assume that the 320 *400 mentioned here is an error...
Cause the pre exists.
@neodorian: No, but as the -only- wireless carrier to do so, Sprint -does- bend over to suck off the federal government for a bailout.
Truth's a bitch, boy.
I think someone just put together a render based on the blurry phone pics we saw earlier?
If it was a render of the blurry photo, wouldn't they have pasted in a screenshot of WebOS from the Pre? I haven't seen a Pre screenshot like the one on the Eos.
If the rumors are true, and this is going to at&t, what the hell is verizon doing? Do they even know Palm still exists? Yes, they have the centro, but come'on!
I just want a smartphone that is awesome! :(
As soon as my contract expires (1 year), I am switching if Verizon doesn't get anything cool. Knowing my luck, they will get something cool, and then charge an insane amount for it. $349 HTC Touch Pro anyone? Or how about a $299 Touch Diamond.
Sigh.
Verizon always gets smartphones last. The good ones at least.
Verizon gets it last because they have to spend even more time than other disable capabilities. Also, most of the good smartphones start off as GSM based except for the ones Sprint shells out big buck to have an exclusivity agreement.
Verizon isn't will to go all exclusive upfront with pretty much anything.
Verizon is the last to come out with the new devices because it takes their engineers longer to lock down all of the phone's useful features and tie you to their Pay Per Use features.
If I wasn't so obsessed with the Pre, I would consider getting the Eos. I'm glad Palm is getting back in the game.
No Wi-Fi, only 4 GB of storage, and more expensive than the iPhone. Pre wins.
I bet that's the unsubsidized price, cause those specs are pretty lowend. Will sort of. A year and a half ago I would have been really excited. Now I would be if it's $99 on contract.
No keyboard, multitasking, or choice of networks. iphone loses.
It's eyo before subsidy. That doesn't tell us anything about the price after.
The lack of wifi is the real bummer.
One big question is whether it will run on the same OMAP SoC as the Pre or if palm chose one without the SGX.
No WiFi when you have a massive 3G network like Verizon's is somewhat forgivable..
No WiFi when you have AT&T's tiny 3G network is a massive fail. Though maybe on a low end device like that you have to make that sacrifice to avoid super battery draining...
Is there any word on touchstone support for the Eos? Also can the storage be extend with SD cards?
Yay I really wanted a palm WebOS device and I have At&t.
Keep the news coming.
Given how thin that thing is, and how much Palm insisted that the Pre is missing an SD slot to keep it thin, I doubt it.
pre-rebate dude. that means that it will be sold for between $100-150.
If they include a memory expansion slot then this is a total win. Otherwise I think 4 gigs is a little on the low side.