Palm Pre

amazon Palm Pre reviews

Introduction

The Palm Pre, introduced in June 2009, marked a significant moment in the smartphone landscape. Known for its innovative design and unique features, the Palm Pre aimed to compete with established players like Apple’s iPhone and Google’s Android devices. As a flagship model for Palm, the Pre sought to demonstrate the capabilities of Palm’s new webOS operating system and reinvigorate the company’s presence in the market. This review provides an in-depth analysis of the Palm Pre, examining its design, performance, user experience, and overall impact on the smartphone industry.

Design and Build Quality

Ergonomics and Aesthetics

The Palm Pre’s design is a hallmark of innovation, featuring a distinctive and sleek form factor. The device’s curved, pebble-like shape is designed to fit comfortably in the palm, providing a smooth and ergonomic user experience. The Pre’s dimensions are 59.5 x 100.5 x 16.9 mm (2.34 x 3.96 x 0.67 in), and it weighs 135 grams (4.76 ounces), making it compact and relatively lightweight.

The Palm Pre’s design is characterized by its soft-touch plastic back, which offers a comfortable grip and helps prevent the device from slipping out of the hand. The glossy finish and smooth edges contribute to its modern and sophisticated look. The device’s unique physical form factor, including the curved screen and rounded edges, sets it apart from its contemporaries.

Build Quality

The Palm Pre’s build quality is solid, with a robust construction that feels durable in hand. The soft-touch plastic used for the back of the device provides a pleasant tactile feel and helps absorb minor impacts. The device’s sliding mechanism, which reveals the physical keyboard, operates smoothly and with a satisfying click. Overall, the build quality reflects Palm’s commitment to delivering a high-quality and well-engineered product.

The screen of the Palm Pre is 3.1 ich capable of multi-touch control with a convenient QWERTY keyboard when writing mail or compose messages. The Pre appearance is shorter but thinner than the Apple iPhone 3G.

At the bottom of the screen you will see a “motion area” where you can tap or swipe your fingers to control the content. In iPhone style, Palm Pre can also zoom to resize content.

The Palm Pre is capable of high-speed Internet connectivity thanks to support for EV-DO Rev A, 802.11b Wi-Fi networking. The Pre also comes equipped with GPS, support for stereo playback via Bluetooth 2.1 with EDR connectivity and 8GB of storage, though there is no memory card slot. On the back, Pre owns a 3 MP camera with auto focus and integrated LEDs.

Pretty much the same features on the iPhone as the light sensor, accelerometer and proximity sensor. Imagine when the iPhone is on the face, the device screen will automatically darken and rotate when you shake the phone.

WebOS, Pre’s operating system is pretty showy and simplified with a centralized development direction that supports touch control. In addition to supporting personal data privacy, Pre also removes duplicate information, organizes digital photos, and allows you to connect with friends in a variety of ways: instant messaging, IM, Email, voice or Facebook. If you are still not comfortable with Pre, please use the third application as the plug-in expansion.

WebOS is built on the idea of ​​”tags”, which means to align the screen to similar applications on the Windows desktop. You will feel the control card application on the screen quite easily from writing mail to browse contacts.

Pre features a full-featured web browser, multi-platform IE, and regular video and audio player. There are also a number of built-in applications such as calendaring, notes, photo album, calculator and GPS maps.

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The music player displays songs as an art album and runs in the background. You can listen to music through headphones or thanks and Bluetooth connectivity for high surround sound. Pre support MP3 and ACC but “say no” to WMA. With video, you can enjoy the MPEG-4, H.263 and H.264 formats but with WMV, the “Pretend”.

Apple’s Safari-like WebKit-based web browser and a host of expensive features like the ability to save bookmarks into thumbnails. Currently not supported Flash browsing, but the future not so far, Palm promised to “carve” more “wings” for this potential device.

You can buy more apps through the App Store similar to the App Store. Some software has offered “TeleNav” for GPS navigation, MobiTV for online TV viewing, Pandora for digital music, Amazon MP3 store, Google, Facebook and Dataviz’s MS Office compatible software. Pre will not run Palm OS’s old applications, but any third party software can write emulator.

Pre will not attach themselves to desktop applications. You can use a regular PC or a Mac with a USB cable to transfer music, videos or use Pre as a modem. According to the manufacturer’s introduction, Palm will support a variety of ways of receiving data from Outlook, Palm Desktop or older Palm devices.

Friendly, easy-to-use keyboard. The ability to manipulate multitasking is great. The new OS is ready to save your contacts when you upgrade your device. WebKit-based browser.

User Interface and Features

Physical Keyboard

One of the key features of the Palm Pre is its physical QWERTY keyboard, which slides out from underneath the device’s touchscreen. The keyboard is designed to provide a tactile typing experience, with well-spaced keys and a satisfying click. The physical keyboard is a significant advantage for users who prefer traditional typing methods over virtual keyboards.

Software and Applications

The Palm Pre supports a range of applications available through the Palm App Catalog. The device includes a variety of preloaded applications, such as:

• Email and Messaging: The Pre offers a robust email client that supports multiple accounts, including Exchange, IMAP, and POP3. The messaging application supports SMS and MMS, providing a comprehensive communication experience.
• Web Browser: The device includes a web browser that delivers a satisfactory browsing experience, with support for standard web technologies and features. The browser supports HTML5, enabling users to access modern web content and services.
• Media and Entertainment: The Palm Pre includes a media player for playing music and videos. The device supports various media formats and provides basic playback features, allowing users to enjoy their media files on the go.

Gesture Area

The Palm Pre features a dedicated gesture area located below the touchscreen, which allows users to perform navigation gestures. The gesture area supports actions such as swiping to return to the home screen or accessing the application launcher. This innovative design element enhances the user experience and provides a seamless way to interact with the device.

Battery Life

The Palm Pre is equipped with a 1150 mAh lithium-ion battery, which provides adequate battery life for typical usage. The device offers around 6-8 hours of talk time and up to 300 hours of standby time, depending on usage patterns and settings. While the battery life is reasonable for its time, it may be considered limited by modern standards, where higher-capacity batteries are common.

Charging and Battery Management

The Palm Pre uses a micro-USB port for charging and data transfer, providing a standard connection option. The device also supports wireless charging through the included Touchstone charging dock, which allows users to charge the device without plugging it in. This feature adds convenience and enhances the overall user experience.

Connectivity

Network and Connectivity Options

The Palm Pre supports a range of connectivity options, including:

• Cellular Connectivity: The device supports 3G networks, providing reliable mobile data access for web browsing, email, and other online services.
• Wi-Fi: The Palm Pre includes Wi-Fi support, allowing users to connect to wireless networks for fast internet access. This feature is useful for data-intensive tasks and reduces reliance on cellular data.
• Bluetooth: The device features Bluetooth 2.1 support, enabling users to connect to compatible devices for wireless audio streaming, file transfer, and other purposes.

GPS and Location Services

The Palm Pre includes built-in GPS functionality, providing users with location-based services and navigation capabilities. The GPS performance is generally accurate, allowing users to utilize mapping applications and location-based services effectively.

Camera

Rear Camera

The Palm Pre features a 3-megapixel rear camera with an LED flash. The camera is capable of capturing decent quality photos, though it lacks advanced features found in later smartphones. The image quality is acceptable for casual photography, but it may struggle in low-light conditions or when capturing fast-moving subjects.

Camera Features

The camera includes basic features such as autofocus and image stabilization. The device supports video recording at a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels, which is suitable for simple video capture but falls short of higher-quality video standards.

Front Camera

The Palm Pre does not include a front-facing camera, limiting its capabilities for video calls and selfies. This omission is a notable drawback compared to later smartphones that include front-facing cameras as a standard feature.

Software Updates and Support

Software Updates

The Palm Pre initially shipped with webOS version 1.0, but subsequent updates were released to improve performance, add new features, and address bugs. Notable updates included webOS version 1.1, which introduced various enhancements and improvements to the user experience.

Support and Ecosystem

The Palm Pre was supported by the Palm App Catalog, which offered a range of applications and games for users to download and install. However, as Palm faced challenges in the competitive smartphone market, the app ecosystem and support for the Pre became limited over time.

Impact and Legacy

Market Impact

The Palm Pre represented a bold attempt by Palm to reestablish itself in the smartphone market. The device’s innovative design, physical keyboard, and webOS operating system garnered attention and praise from industry critics and users. However, despite its strengths, the Pre faced challenges from competitors and struggled to gain significant market share.

Legacy and Influence

The Palm Pre’s influence is notable in the context of smartphone history. The device’s webOS operating system introduced several innovative features, including card-based multitasking and gesture-based navigation, which influenced future smartphone designs and operating systems. The Pre’s physical keyboard also served as a distinctive feature that appealed to users who preferred tactile input.

End of Life

Palm eventually faced difficulties in the competitive smartphone market, and the company was acquired by HP in 2010. The Palm Pre was succeeded by other devices and operating systems, and support for the device diminished over time. Despite its relatively short-lived presence, the Palm Pre remains a memorable and influential device in the history of smartphones.