Any stats on the screen resolution?

charliedigital

not bad...certainly better than Centro and 800. this will come with WM6.1 and then one would hope for a WM7 upgrade.

murph

@Simpsons-Movie-ruled: Perhaps the speaker phone button.

ErrantHero

Wifi and a 3.5mm headset jack are the two things I miss most in my Centro. GPS would be nice, too.

Does that back panel come off for battery replacement? It looks like one solid piece.

WebcoW

@dougm:

Uh, micro-USB is that shitty tiny connector that the Q9's started using, not mini-USB that is standard on just about every single other device in the world from external HDD's to digital cameras.

astrocramp

Hmmm, I wonder what the "Side Button" does. Any guesses?

Simpsons-Movie-ruled

@xxenclavexx: Uh, MicroUSB is the de-facto standard. You can buy or find the cables pretty much anywhere. Why would you want to ruin an otherwise good device by making people use a stupid proprietary, non-standard cable? (Nokia, Samsung, LG, Apple: are you listening???)

dougm

@xxenclavexx: What type of connector is it supposed to use? an Ipod dock connector?
I for one love the fact the industry is FINALLY starting to standardize the connector on both phone and PMP devices alike.

jeepingeek

@OGHowie: Thats the first thing I though also. Whats so good looking about it? Its the same as the other previous POS devices they have had out.

windows mobile FTF.

cloudnine

@OGHowie: Orbs, sir. Just look at them.

matt buchanan

Does anyone honestly use IR?

I've had 5-6 smartphones, all with IR. Never once used it for anything real.

5 years ago it might have made sense, because you probably didn't have a data plan, but when $20 a month gets me unlimited data, why on earth would I "beam" something when i could just email it?

bpatten

Best looking Palm ever, just because it is black?

OGHowie

what carrier is it coming to? any word?

Death throes

robpruitt

put it in white and it looks like the xbox 360 phone.

Neverkilled: The complete series

dear palm,

micro usb is for small phones.

xxenclavexx

This is a beauty - indeed.

The only flaw is the mandatory BLACK color.

Although Palms are considered more business accessories - they could still have a few more options for those in the creative fields who can accept a little more color

Marketing NYC

not bad not bad... If this came to market, my father's drone like love of his palm master might be halfway justified.

ALT

windows mobile? mmm... what best way to make it crappier....

Windows Mobile all the way.

waterdrop

PALM !! please go back to the basics !! NO WINDOWS MOBILE !!

Domogeek

Thing looks thick as fuck, Other then that it looks pretty sharp.... Too bad its too little too late for palm =/

Palm device w/ Windows Mobile = direct kick to the crotch.

Samifumi

No replaceable battery!? Looks like they are taking one from the Apple playbook

i could swear that sometimes the only way my first post will go through is if i type a second one... dunno if this will work.

bluemonq

@waterdrop:

OH, okay! Have fun with that

@Simpsons-Movie-ruled:

Same as all other Treos, Centros etc. you can assign it or it comes with a voicemail preset i think, they've had the side button for quite awhile actually.

@bpatten:

I beamed my "business card" once like 9 years ago LOL!!
No shi#!, why are they SO hung up on keeping IR???

;-)

Shame it runs Windows Mobile. It looks very cool.

But it's not enough. When they debut the new Palm Os (if?) it better be on something radically redesigned.

This is still so familiar looking.

karasu is my homeboy

@bpatten: I have beamed my PalmPilot business card to someone I just met a total of 1 time. And, given the model I just referred to, you can see how long ago that was.

Most of the time, the beaming feature didn't work. My Vx would only connect with other Vx units. My M515 would only connect sporadically with other M515s.

Now, the only use I have for it is the portable keyboard. And yet, that requires that I give up one of the nice features of earlier units. Typing on them would turn the Palm back on if it timed out. With IR, I have to physically turn on the TX if it shuts off.

dagwud

Windows Mobile = dealkiller. Fat = dealkiller.

Give me an LG Dare with a touchscreen and Palm OS!

blomster

As long as I can still press a dozen or more keys with one finger tip, that's what I want...NOT!

DWD

No...the best-looking Palm ever was the Palm V...an IDEO classic. This is nice, though...too bad about the OS.

craig

I love having an IR port. Novii Remote, one of my favorite Palm apps, would be useless without it! I have a Novii code base that controls everything from my XM SkyFi2 to practically any TV/Cable Box you can throw at it. This device looks like a solid contender for my next phone.

Terp4Life

@astrocramp: Uh, micro USB is also on the Palm Treo 800w as well as all of the recent and future HTC-manufactured phones, such as the Touch Diamond and the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1. And the USB Implementation Forum has been pushing for *all* manufacturers of small portable electronics that can hook up to computers to use this standard:
[www.businesswire.com]
@Marketing NYC: Only flaw? I see too much wasted space between the screen and navigation cluster that could have been used for a larger screen =(

bluemonq

I'm sorry but this is the best looking Palm ever! (the fact that it only exists as a photoshop image is Palm's slow boat to china)

Fox Mulder

@Simpsons-Movie-ruled: Is a free button to launch any app.

Domogeek

knowing plm, it will come to sprint first, and hopefully be cheap (not centro cheap, but $150?)

glaeven

@: Its whole back is probably removable. Like the Tilt.

Difference between micro and mini USB

[www.intomobile.com]

That phone screams "put me in a fanny pack".

dingus

@: That's what I thought. The problem with Windows Mobile, is not so much the OS, but the imposed UI. The UI just is not really designed for that sort of device. In fact it feels more shoe horned into the device. Rework the UI and the guidelines which go with it and maybe Windows Mobile would be a worthy contender.

twilight-arc

@jeepingeek: Probably still the "Athena" connector.

You know, the one that replaced Palm's "Universal" connector.

strider_mt2k

@: Alright, I'm not in the smartphone loop...

All the hate on Windows Mobile, I have no frame of reference for what a good or bad mobile OS is. For those who bag on the WM, what do you consider to be a good system?

yeahh i hope it comes out for sprint...i kinda want to upgrade

astrograph

After the craptastic Zire72 I got, palm can shove their handhelds up her bunghole

Shadowlayer

@: I'd consider a good phone OS one that can be used without a stylus...At least in this day and age. I shouldn't have to get out a stylus to do ANYTHING on the phone, it should be finger friendly.

I'm sure Palm can fit a miniUSB connector on that fat Treo (18mm is slimmest). If my Curve at 15mm can have a miniUSB connector, then this fat pig can have a miniUSB connector too.

Interesting design. Very attractive. Looks like very usable too. But would have liked more sleeker lines and squarish look at the back.

Vinod

Why is the stylus on the bottom?

smackswell

MicroUSB is the new platform-independent connector standard. Every major phone brand (save for Apple, for obvious reasons) will move to it.

Wow, what a surprise from Palm.

OMG i think i found my next phone. I've been using a sx66 HTC blue angel for 5 years, the standard battery still holds charge like the day i got it amazingly, so never needed to upgrade. But my contract ends in Nov so hopefully this comes out by then!!

HexiumVII

Looks pretty good, except it's still WAY too thick, for no good reason.

Jason

@bpatten, et al - according to my Realtor friend, al Realtors carry phone with IR ports as they can be used to unlock the lockbox with the house key hanging on the front door of houses for sale.

tfvdw2at

@bpatten: Not to mention Bluetooth for phone to phone stuff...

I was kinda wondering about the IR port myself (maybe someone could make a universal remote app for it?)

Josh_Geyer

Palm:
Don't give up the day job. You shafted all the Palm developers with Windows mobile devices.
And no, I don't care if it will blend.

EctoGamad

I was thinking mini usb. I likes it better. More people are more likely to have it. Almost any one with a digital camera will have an extra mini usb cable.

xxenclavexx

@Josh_Geyer - PalmOS has had software to use the IR port as a remote for years.

[en.softonic.com]

I haven't looked for Windows Mobile. The only issue in the past was the range was low - so some third party IR transmitters were sold to extend the range. Omniremote was pretty cool and totally programmable.

I love the redesign and the microUSB is so welcome. I'm sick of custom connectors and re-buying chargers, sync cables, etc. every time I upgrade.

Now if this was just running their new OS instead of Windows Mobile.

Nyle

The keyboard looks identical to the Centro, and considering Palm's history, I would bet that the footprint is almost identical, ala 700p/700wx 750w/755p.

sprintmgr

@Nyle, that was the beauty of the Palm OS. It was thumb friendly and wife proof. Windows Mobile is far from this. It was a dark day when Palm sold their soul to Microsoft.

EctoGamad

@aqtrans - I'd consider a good phone OS one that can be used without a stylus...

Funny, I can do anything I need to on my Treo without my stylus. Especially, and here is my favorite part is typing on the keyboard instead of the screen. I do find the stylus useful for playing some games that require detailed screen touch placement.

The new blackberry's without a touchscreen but what I like to call a mini-trackball a pretty cool. I like some of what that interface does - while I was playing with it I barely missed the touch screen.

Palm's Treo is still very functional and with this transitional changes they've addressed some of the major complaints that I had with the phone's design. If they make a few additional changes and run the new OS on them I think that they still have a very compelling smartphone.

Nyle

@smackswell:
Obviously, Palm's new profit model is to rely on sales of replacement styli from people losing the originals after they fall out of the bottom of the phone.

ackthbbft

@EctoGamad - True, true- Don't disagree at all - I'm still running Palm OS but even though there is a still a wealth of applications for it. I think we can both agree that it's showing its age. I can't wait for the new OS.

You have to admit that Palm was in a tight spot when they selected Windows Mobile and they did it as a stop gap and because many corporations require Windows synergy in the enterprise. Exchange Server, etc. I don't like windows Mobile but I understand why Palm "caved". Even if I wish they hadn't. ;^)

I for one will be running Palm OS until the new mid-range OS comes out. My Treos have worked very well for me. I still do have to say that RIM has really designed there new blackberries to be compelling.

Serious question though - Do they have as much 3rd party application support? ereaders, games, etc.? My Palm is my mini-computer. I read ebooks, listen to MP3s, watch videos, play games and all the other cell phone stuff on mine.

Nyle

Awesome i will have to read all about i on my IPHONE!

xethanolx

The Palm OS is dead. It was great in it's time. I loved it. But Palm does not maintain it's software well. You have to pray for an update, and when it comes, it breaks your phone. It's time to move on people.

jtwaverly

YAPPC - Yet Another Palm Power Connector. Can't Palm stick with ONE @#$%^&* power connector? Every Palm I've bought had a power connector different from that for my previous Palm device, obsoleting my @#$%^&* spare power chargers. At least my Treo 680 had a power connector compatible with Treo headset, so I needed to carry only one charger when traveling. Un-@#$%^&*-ing believable.

dnheller