Unveiled today at CES 2009, Palm’s [PALM] Pre certainly caught my attention. As you may know, my adventures with the Palm Centro has yet to reach its one-year anniversary, but I’ve been a long-time Palm device user (like the original Palm Pilot and Palm III, and then the Treo 650), so while I’ve certainly thought about acquiring an Apple [AAPL] iPhone 3G, I’ve been able to live quietly and comfortably with my Centro and its WiFi companion, an iPod touch.
It’s a slider smartphone, running on the new Web OS (the new replacement for the venerable Palm OS Garnet), and with a convergent messaging method (they’re calling it “Synergy”, but it’s still convergent messaging, folks!), built-in WiFi access and GPS, and a 3 megapixel camera (finally!). It will start as a Sprint exclusive device, with EvDO Rev.A access, so people like me may actually be happy with the performance. Tethering? No word yet on pricing, but Bluetooth tethering is touted to be available.
Check out the details list on the Palm site. 
The device is advertised to be available “sometime” in the 1st half of 2009… so there are several months to go.
More Reading
In case you missed the epic saga of my smartphone selection process that culminated with the Centro, in chronological order:
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One thing nobody has mentioned yet: will Java be available on this new “Web OS”?
BTW, some of you may remember the Web OS as the codenamed “Nova OS” that was discussed last year.
Here’s an update:
Because of both its “premium” and “premiere” nature, the Palm Pre will most likely have the same plan associated with it at its Sprint launch that the Samsung Instinct had.
Obviously, then, loyal Sprint SERO fans will be disadvantaged again. In the business management terms, this would be a Very Bad Thing for Sprint, since it is these very same Sprint fans who would otherwise evangelize for the flailing service carrier.
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