1 Month In… The Palm Pre.

Admittedly I am not a fan of Apple products (the iPhone) but wanted to upgrade to something sleek and modern… Then the G-1 came out. I was under contract with Sprint for another year and didn’t want to shell out the $200 it would cost to cancel and move to a whole new network… So, I waited and like magic my prayers were answered when Palm announced a multi-touch phone that was being dubbed “The iPhone Killer” for the Sprint Network. I got my Pre the second week it was out, excited and thankful my wait was over. Now that the “honeymoon” phase is over, here are my impressions of this elegant handheld.

Design: The viewing area is slightly smaller than the iPhone (as brought to my attention from an iPhone user). The slide out keyboard is nifty, although at times I feel as though I might break it; the action isn’t as fluid as one would hope (perhaps because of the way it curves upward). I would disagree with some people who have complained about the size of the keyboard and how “sharp” the edge of the keyboard is. The keyboard seems just about right, I do think the edge should be rounded; however, it would take away aesthetically from the “closed” position. Another common problem with the Pre is that in the closed position the screen is wobbly and twists slightly from the body. A 3.2MP camera and a L.E.D. Flash on the Pre is outstanding and clearly a winning feature.

The Touchstone: The wireless charging base, works very well and is the primary way I charge the phone (the Pre also chargers via a usb but the door to open the port is very flimsy). The only drawback from this is the lack of a “sleep” screen. When you place the Pre on the touchstone, the time and the “lock” icon are always displayed. The Touchstone comes with a replacement battery cover which is made specifically for use with the charger. Personally, I like this cover more than the one that comes shipped with the Pre. This cover doesn’t have the glossy appearance of the Pre and feels sturdier than the original cover.

Palm Pre Screenshot

OS/Interface: Simply Beautiful. The only complaint I have is that it does have a tendency to lag from time to time when I scroll through the list of apps and click on one randomly (a problem with every operating system I would imagine). It is extremely easy to get accustomed to the interface; it almost seems to come naturally. The ability to multi-task is also a huge advantage and gives it more of a desktop experience.

Wish list: Like every other reviewer of the Pre out there, I want more apps to play with. A video camera app, is one of the tops on my list, second to a word processor (which I hear DataViz currently has in the works) and image editor.

My Rating: 8.5 out of 10. Definitely the best phone I have had or used, and don’t see anything toping it anytime in the near future.

Edit: List Price for the Palm Pre: $199.99 after rebate and service agreement.