 A Palm Pre with keyboard extended on the home screen. | |
| Manufacturer | Palm, Inc. |
|---|---|
| Successor | Palm Pre 2 |
| Related | Palm Pixi |
| Form factor | Slidersmartphone |
| Dimensions | 100.53 mm (3.958 in) (h) 59.57 mm (2.345 in) (w) 16.95 mm (0.667 in) (d) |
| Weight | 135 g (4.8 oz) |
| Operating system | Palm webOS |
| CPU | 600 MHz (underclocked to 500 MHz)Texas InstrumentsOMAP 3430 (ARM Cortex A8 +PowerVR SGX) |
| Memory | Original: 256 MB 166MHzDDRDRAM Pre Plus: 512 MB 166MHzDDRDRAM |
| Storage | Flash memory Original: 8 GB Pre Plus: 16 GB |
| Battery | 3.7V 1150 mAh Internal rechargeable removablelithium-ion battery |
| Rear camera | 3.2megapixel camera withLEDflash, "extendeddepth of field", andgeotagging |
| Display | 320 × 480px, 3.1 in (79 mm)HVGA, 24-bit colorLCD |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi (802.11b/g),Bluetooth 2.1+EDR,MicroUSB,A-GPS CDMA version:Dual bandCDMA2000/EV-DO Rev. A 800, 1900 MHz GSM version:Quad bandGSM850/900/1800/1900 MHzGPRS/EDGE Dual bandUMTS850/1900 or 900/2100 MHzHSDPA |
| Data inputs | Multi-touchtouchscreen display,volume controls, proximity andambient light sensors, 3-axisaccelerometer |
| Hearing aid compatibility | M4[1] |
| Website | palm.com at theWayback Machine (archived 2011-02-13) |
ThePalm Pre/ˈpriː/, styled aspalm prē,[2] is amultitaskingsmartphone that was designed and marketed byPalm with amulti-touch screen and a sliding keyboard. The smartphone was the first to use Palm'sLinux-basedmobile operating system,webOS.[3] The Pre functions as acamera phone and aportable media player, and haslocation and navigation capabilities. The Pre also serves as apersonal information manager, has a number of communication and collaboration applications, and hasBluetooth andWi-Fi connectivity built-in.[4]
The Pre was launched in theUnited States of America on June 6, 2009, withSprint, and later in Canada withBell Mobility. AGSM version of the original Pre was launched later in 2009 on a number of networks in Europe and in Mexico. A revised model, the Palm Pre Plus, which doubled the availablememory and internal storage, was launched on January 25, 2010, forVerizon Wireless and later released onAT&T Mobility on May 16, 2010. The third generation of Palm Pre, thePalm Pre 2, which uses HP webOS 2.0, was announced October 2010. The Palm Pre became the fastest selling phone in Sprint's history,[5] and it has been a widely praised device.[6]
Apple accused the Pre of copying elements of theuser interface, withApple then-COOTim Cook stating that "we will not stand for people ripping off ourIP" and Palm responding that they "have the tools necessary to defend [themselves]", hinting at Palm's large portfolio ofpatents.[7][8]
On May 19, 2009, Sprint and Palm announced the Pre would be available beginning June 6, 2009.[9]
On May 28, 2009,Verizon Wireless announced that it would also carry the Palm Pre in "about six months."[10] A later comment from a Sprint spokesperson indicated that the launch carrier would have US exclusivity rights to the Pre "through 2009."[11] Sprint's CEO,Dan Hesse, commented that his company and Palm had agreed not to discuss the length of the exclusivity deal, but remarked that "it's not six months."[12]
On July 7, 2009,Telefónica announced that they would exclusively carry the Palm Pre in the UK, Spain, Ireland and Germany on their O2 and Movistar networks, with availability "before the winter holidays".[13]
On July 27, 2009, during the company's second quarter conference call, Verizonchief operating officerDenny Strigl announced that Verizon Wireless would begin selling the Palm Pre in early 2010.[14]
News coverage of the launch noted that the sales quantity was a record for any Sprint phone launch, and estimated sales of approximately 50,000 units for the day, and up to 100,000 for the week.[15] However, reports stated that sales of the Pre in July and beginning of August were much lower than expected.[16][17][18]
On November 11, 2009, Palm announced that the Pre would be available in Mexico, namingTelcel the exclusive carrier for the Pre in the nation. Sales in Mexico began on November 27.[19]
A new version of the smartphone, the Palm Pre Plus, was announced at CES 2010. Differences included removal of the center button, 16 GB storage memory (8 GB on the original Pre), doubling the RAM from 256 MB to 512 MB, and the back cover is now alreadyTouchstone compatible. The keyboard and slider mechanism were also refined.[20] In the US, it was initially sold exclusively along with thePixi Plus by Verizon Wireless. On March 22, 2010, Palm announced that it would be releasing both the Pre Plus and thePixi Plus on theAT&T network in the "coming months".[21] O2 launched the Palm Pre Plus on May 16, 2010, forUS$149.99 with a free Touchstone charger for new customers.[22]
On October 19, 2010, HP announced[23] the third generation of Palm Pre, the Palm Pre 2, which used HP webOS 2.0. The device had a 1 GHz processor, 512 MB RAM, a 5-megapixel camera, Adobe Flash Player 10.1 Beta and more durable hardware including aGorilla Glass screen.[24][25] The phone was released to consumers in France (2010 October; SFR), Canada (2010 December; Rogers), and the U.S. (2011 February; Verizon) and was also available unlocked from HP. HP stated that Verizon Wireless customers would be able to use Skype Mobile for Skype-to-Skype calls and messaging[23] when webOS 2.0 is released for consumer use. In December 2011 HP provided a firmware update to 2.2.4.[26]
The HP Pre 3 was a touchscreen smartphone by Hewlett-Packard, announced in 2011 alongside the Veer and TouchPad. It featured a 3.58-inch touchscreen, 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, and a 5MP camera. Briefly available in the UK, it was discontinued shortly after release, with limited US availability through employee sales.
The original Pre has a 3megapixeldigital camera withLEDflash.[27]
The Pre is available with high-speed connectivity on eitherEVDO Rev. A orUMTSHSDPA, depending on location. The Pre also includes802.11b/g WiFi and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR with support for A2DP stereo headsets.A-GPS with support forturn-by-turn navigation is also included, though access toaGPS features remains locked forVerizon Wireless users.[28] For charging and data-transfer, the Pre uses amicroUSB connector with USB 2.0 support, and audio output is supported by a standard 3.5 mm headphone jack.[27] While the phone reports support for the BluetoothDUN protocol, Sprint has not permitted use of the Pre intethered (or "Phone as Modem") mode. Verizon does support tethering via their Mobile Hot Spot support. But the "homebrew community has many "patches" and apps that allow you to change settings on the Pre, one of them includes a free hotspot app for the Sprint users.[29]
The Pre has 8 GB of internalflash storage (approximately 7.4 GB of which is user accessible). The Pre does not have aflash memory card slot. The Pre Plus has 16 GB of internalflash storage.[27]
The Pre can be charged either using the suppliedMicroUSB cable, or by using an optional accessory forwireless charging using a proprietaryelectromagnetic induction charging dock, dubbed the "Touchstone Charger." The Touchstone Charger requires a compatible back cover, which was sold separately from the Pre but included in subsequent models.[30]
The webOS interface is based on a system of "cards" used to managemultitasking. webOS also supportsmulti-touch gestures, enabling most navigational input to be made using the touchscreen. The Pre does not include avirtual keyboard, only a portrait-oriented slide-out keyboard. An onscreen, virtual keyboard is embedded in the code and can be made available through a third party patch.[31]
webOS includes a feature called Synergy that integrates information from many sources. webOS allows a user to sign into accounts onGmail,Yahoo!, Facebook,LinkedIn, andMicrosoft Outlook (viaExchange ActiveSync). Contacts from all sources are then integrated into a single list. Synergy was highly innovative, and was regarded by many as a highlight of the new operating system,[32] but received some criticism for being undiscerning in what it included in the contacts application. For example, Engadget commented that it had contacts that were simply Birthdays extracted from Facebook.[33]
The device makes use of thecloud based services model, but uses no desktopsync client (in the style of Palm'sHotSync synchronization method).[34]
However Palm has referenced a number of solutions for users who need to sync with their desktop software likePalm Desktop,Microsoft Outlook, orIBM Lotus Notes. Additionally,Mark/Space, Inc. has announcedMacintosh desktop sync software, andChapura such software for Windows.[35] Palm has offered anonline guide to help customers.
According to (now former)Debian developerJoey Hess, the Palm Pre periodically sends users' information to Palm. Palm gathers users' GPS information, along with data on every application used, and for how long it was used. This information is uploaded to Palm on a daily basis. There is an "opt-out" when the user first uses the GPS system and this is common for all mobile carriers and with Google Maps. There is also an opt-out on GPS data being sent to Google.[36]
When showcased in January 2009, five months prelaunch, the Pre received positive reviews, winningCNET's Best in Show, Best in Category: Cell Phones & Smartphones,[37] and People's Voice forCES 2009.[38]
The Palm Pre suffered from numerous quality issues. The slider mechanism felt loose and could wiggle, an issue that became known as the "Oreo Twist" by users.[39] Palm aimed to address the issue in the Pre Plus, making the slider mechanism stronger. The curved plastic screen seemed delicate, sometimes cracking from being in a pocket, and there were reports of faulty headphone jacks. On the Palm Pre Plus, characters sometimes appeared twice when typing, although the user has only hit the key once.[40] Many reviews noted the poor build quality of the phones.[41] In Engadget's second open letter to Palm, they cited "hardware issues which plagued the Pre, with no outward acknowledgment or rush to correct."[42]
Overall sales were modest from the outset.[43] Users expressed intense concern about the slow pace of new webOS releases and the absence of substantially improved hardware.[44] Comments were critical of the lengthy delay in releasing the promised Flash application, dysfunctional document handling, speculation of what could be underlying the technological or business reasons for the slow release of the webOS 2 upgrade for existing phones, and a concern that when eventually released, the webOS 2 upgrade would be incompatible with Palm OS emulation. Media opinion in 2010 December was not enthusiastic.[45][46] While it was the fastest-selling cell phone in Sprint's history, the Pre has been described as Palm'sswan song since the sales were not enough to keep the company afloat, leading to its acquisition by HP.[47][48][49] Nonetheless, one journalist wrote that he still regarded the Pre as innovative even ten years after its launch, since it pioneered features later found in iOS and Android, plus webOS could easily be modified without jailbreaking nor unlocking the bootloader in contrast to iOS and Android.[50]
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