Palm introduces the new Palm Pre smartphone!

By on Jan 8, 2009 at 2:59 PM
CES January 8, 2009

Palm logo

Pretty huge news from Palm today as the company used CES to announce a new integrated solution based on cloud computing called the Palm Web OS that built on top of CMS, HTML and XML. The company also introduced a new phone, as we all knew would be the case, dubbed the Palm Pre! A black oval shaped touchscreen phone with a portrait slide-out QWERTY keyboard. The handset will have the latest TI3 OMAP CPU, EV-DO Rev. A, 802.11b/g, GPS, Bluetooth, 8GB of internal storage, a 3MP camera with LED flash, MicroUSB connection, mass storage support, 3.5mm headphone jack and Bluetooth A2DP support. This thing is a Palm? The phone will also have a 3.1-inch multitouch display with a 320 x 480 resolution.

Among the Pre’s unique features, a touchscreen gesture area right underneath the main display allows for gesture controls and makes common tasks a breeze. The UI leaps and bounds beyond the Palm of old, sporting flick scrolling and swiping and a quick launcher available throughout the UI for apps, contacts and more. Palm’s tie-in service, Synergy, allows for one log in for multiple online sources, bringing Google, Outlook and facebook into your phone without duplicating entries. The same applies to the calendar, which displays color-coded entries indicating each separate sync source. The email app and IM also feature integration of multiple accounts into one location on your phone.

Last but most certainly not least, the Pre makes use of wireless conductive charging that Palm has dubbed Touchstone – a very cool finishing touch. Palm is shooting to make the handset available as soon as possible in 1H 2009, and it will be available in the US exclusively through Sprint. Hit the jump for some pics while you try and figure out how in the world you’re drooling over a Palm handset.

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  • JMB

    Actually looking forward to seeing this in person. For those of you who are of the carrier basher mentality I am sorry to inform you that after having unlimited plans with Sprint, Verizon and ATT there is very little difference between in my travels through North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama. I have tested all 3 extensively indoors, outside and in various buildings, when they are good, they are good, and when they suck they all suck (weird isn’t it?) However Sprint with the Airrave made the difference since building considerations were moot, 99.00 upfront sucked but the 5.00 per month on the unlimited plan was a bargain, especially when I needed it. So stop bashing Sprint, at least in the southeast as there is no difference.

  • John

    There’s a lot of comments on how it was a bad choice for Palm to go with Sprint for this phone. In case you’ve been under a rock the whole, Palm has had the closest ties with Sprint for years. It comes as no surprise that they would do that.

    Why not make a gsm version for att right away. Perhaps its because of direct competition with the iphone. They don’t seem to be trying to be an “iphone killer” so much as a completely different solution of its own. Also AT&T sucks pretty hard. I mean $50 for a data plan add on is kinda retarded.

  • Deb

    Where in the world do you find out details about the features on the Pre…how many contacts will it allow?

  • nicole

    josh????

  • patricia

    I cant wait for this to hit the stores, sprint has really had some imperfect equipment these last couple of years. Thank goodness with palms innovative technology sprint has a fighting chance! I am really excited about this phone because they really embarassed the company with the htc touch pro, diamond and instinct poor excuse for a smartphone and definitly overpriced.

  • jp

    damn!!! i want this phone, but i want it on VERIZON Network NOT THE CRAPPY SPRINT network, Sprints Network is like a 3rd world country and there customer service sucks big balls, i will never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever switch to Sprint did i say ever ever ever ever, why do these phone makers become hookers/Prostitutes
    to these phone companies and set up exclusive contacts with them, WHY!!!

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