Comments on: Palm Centro Photo Gallery

PIC was on-hand today at Palm's press conference for the new Centro smartphone. The Palm Centro is the first new Palm phone design in some time and features a slimmer , more pocketable size along with broadband wireless speeds. The Centro not only sports a new look but is also targeting a younger audience with an attractive $99 debut price.

Read on for our hands on photo gallery of the Palm Centro...

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Wow, that screen is really small

Gazpacho @ 9/27/2007 6:25:21 PM #

I was already squinting when moving from a TH55 to a Treo 650. Now the screen is even smaller on the Centro.

This thing better sells as well as the original Zire....

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FoleoCentral is the news, opinions & review blog about the Palm Foleo Mobile Companion

Looks good in Onyx

freakout @ 9/27/2007 7:48:42 PM #

I've warmed to it. Would still like to try out that tidget keyboard first to see if it's actually usable. UMTS version, please!

Size

4s @ 9/27/2007 8:30:52 PM #

Ryan,

How does it feel in your hand? Is it significantly (however you define that) smaller and lighter than the 650?

I'm out of contract with Sprint in January and very sick of my 650 brick, but if this is nice and small, it might be worth it. My 650 syncs nicely with Entourage without using Missing Sync, so this could be an easy swap. Besides, Sprint has a pretty cheap data plan.

Of course, I'm sick of Sprint and would love a Blackberry Curve.

(and man, does that red Centro look like a 1970s bike seat).

<><

RE: Size

Ryan @ 9/28/2007 9:46:42 AM #

Yes, it's defiantly significancy lighter. The weight and pocket factor is pretty big difference from the 680 & 700/650, which I think is the biggest difference. It's width and thickness are smaller, but that doesn't make as much difference as the g-factor.

10 questions for Ryan

hkklife @ 9/28/2007 9:58:07 AM #

Ryan;

1. Is it so slick that it seems like it'd slide out of your hands if they were sweaty? Or is it narrow enough that you can get a solid "grip" on it even with average-sized hands?

2. What's the stylus like?

3. Did you notice any UI/launcher/PIM/core app differences? Is the "hold home button for quick launch" feature from the 755p and patched 700p still there?

4. Is VersaMail really up to version 4.0 and did you notice any major difffernces?

5. What version is Blazer? Are its improvements anything related to rendering or speed or just the lame Youtube/Kinoma integration for streaming?

6. Did Palm say or did anyone notice if the Centro battery is the same physical size/shape as the 500v's battery?

7.How does the d-pad feel? Does it seem decent enough to at least passably play games on?

8.Any lag with the unit you used?

9. Any idea yet on the question of the RAM (64mb available/ 64mb total)? Is NVFS still present? Any word on DBheap/cache sizes?

10. Are all of the various bundled apps in ROM or do some of them have to be loaded into RAM off of the included software CD?

Pilot 1000-->Pilot 5000-->PalmPilot Pro-->IIIe-->Vx-->m505-->T|T-->T|T2-->T|C-->T|T3-->T|T5-->TX-->Treo 700P

RE: Size

mikecane @ 9/28/2007 5:27:04 PM #

Just in case you don't read names, this is not Ryan replying...

>>>1. Is it so slick that it seems like it'd slide out of your hands if they were sweaty? Or is it narrow enough that you can get a solid "grip" on it even with average-sized hands?

It's fine for adult hands, in terms of grip. I didn't think it that slick. Not like, say, past iPods.

Overall it felt solid. I was impressed with the build quality. The buttons felt good too me. No rattle or movement beyond what they're supposed to do. They didn't feel cheap.

I'm not interested in it beyond seeing it and touching it, so I didn't delve into things like version numbers and such. I even forgot to pull out the stylus.

Forget those keyboard buttons, though. I have slim fingers. They were too small even for me. This is for kids.

Good luck wooing all those Sidekick owners, Palm!

RE: Size

SeldomVisitor @ 9/28/2007 5:38:56 PM #

> ...Good luck wooing all those Sidekick owners, Palm!

Yup yup yup.

processor speed?

drw @ 9/27/2007 10:47:35 PM #

What is the speed of the CPU?

---
David

RE: processor speed?

freakout @ 9/28/2007 1:49:09 AM #

312mhz - same old ARM we've had since the Treo 650.

RE: processor speed?

zullnero @ 9/28/2007 4:57:31 PM #

It's a PalmOS phone, what do you need? It's not sporting WM6 with .NETCF 2.0 v2 here...

Palm III->Palm Vx->Palm m505->Palm m515->Tungsten T->Tapwave Zodiac II->Treo 700p

No backlighting keyboard ?

ob1 @ 9/28/2007 12:46:59 AM #

Anyway, looks nice to me.

RE: No backlighting keyboard ?

Ryan @ 9/28/2007 9:41:35 AM #

Yes, the keyboard and the app keys are backlight, and they look nice in person. It's a usual white smooth backlight on the keyboard. It kept shutting off early on me while snapping the pics.

RE: No backlighting keyboard ?

ob1 @ 9/28/2007 12:04:40 PM #

OK, so I'll check the battery life and the availability in France.

Too bad there's no technology for a larger screen

adamsmark @ 9/28/2007 10:52:29 AM #

If Palm gets rid of the screen altogether, they can boast the smallest screen. What consumers really want is something the size, gee, let's see, the size of an iPhone. Though I am a 700p user, I'm using my old T3 as well.

"I believe in the atomic bomb."

Blogging at http://agabus.com">Agabus.com.

Palm V > Vx > Clie Peg T615C > T3 > Clie TH55 > T3 > Treo 650 > Treo 700p & T3!

RE: Too bad there's no technology for a larger screen

TreoAnon @ 9/28/2007 5:45:16 PM #

The Centro is shorted and narrower than an iPhone, but thicker. It has a replacable battery and a hi-res touch screen, both of which contribute to the thickness.

RE: Too bad there's no technology for a larger screen

Hazniet @ 9/28/2007 10:14:14 PM #

treoanon,

I'm not an iphone fan, but doesn't it manage to have a hi-res touchscreen that's at least twice the size of the centro screen.

________________________________________
If you feel like you're under control, you're just not going fast enough.

RE: Too bad there's no technology for a larger screen

retrospooty @ 9/28/2007 11:26:05 PM #

At the expense of losing the keyboard... and an extra $300 higher price.

RE: Too bad there's no technology for a larger screen

LiveFaith @ 9/29/2007 1:13:25 PM #

iPhone vs Centro comparison is like comparing a Mercedes S600 to a Chevy Cobalt sedan. It's a bit pointless. They both make phone calls, web, and other apps, just like they both drive on public roads, have 4 doors, and seat 5.
:-
Pat Horne

RE: Too bad there's no technology for a larger screen

TreoAnon @ 9/29/2007 2:45:14 PM #

The iPhone has a low-res touch screen. You can't use a stylus with it and have to use your finger. You can't even use your finger nail or a pen, you have to use your finger. That may account for the missing cut-and-paste capability if the touch screen doesn't have enough accuracy to select what to cut.
The display pixel resolution on the iPhone is the same as the 755/680, but lower than the Centro. The iPhone's advantage is the 480x320 screen instead of the 320x320 screen on the 755, 680 and Centro.
What I was saying is the better touch screen technology on the 755, 680 and Centro is one of the reasons the units are thicker.

RE: Too bad there's no technology for a larger screen

adamsmark @ 9/29/2007 9:05:20 PM #

I don't think the comparison between the iPhone and the Centro (or Treo for that matter is faulty). Why can't Palm create a cell phone with a screen the size of the T3, T5 or TX? Granted, the keyboard is a great option... if you really want it.

Look, I'm a 700p user. I like my cell phone a lot, but that's all it is, a cell phone with a highly interactive screen interface. But if I want to read text, watch videos or scan the internet, I won't do it on my 700p.

Truth is, Palm could make a large-screen cell phone, and looking at the iPhone, I can't see why the heck they won't.

"I believe in the atomic bomb."

Blogging at http://agabus.com">Agabus.com.

Palm V > Vx > Clie Peg T615C > T3 > Clie TH55 > T3 > Treo 650 > Treo 700p & T3!

Where's the real man's next PalmOS Smartphone?

bushmaster2000 @ 9/28/2007 2:31:32 PM #

There are some things i do really like about the Centro. It's sleeker, has way more memory than my 650 does and ptunes deluxe and the latest DocsToGo are stellar add-ons and the 1.3 megapixel camera is significantly better than what i have.

But what's up with making the screen smaller? I guess women do want things as small and 'cute' as possible. If that's the market they want, it seems like this design could succeed. It's also good to break that $100 price point for the budget minded people.

But seriously, what about the people who have Treo's now? We've been stock on the Treo 750 PalmOS powered treo for a while now. Where's the real man's upgrade to the smartphone we already believe in?

I might have gotten a Centro if they didn't shrink the screen so much. The screen is already too small on a full sized treo. They need to do a wide screen 320x480 screen, i want bigger with a better camera. Those are the features i'm looking for in a new Treo.

RE: Where's the real man's next PalmOS Smartphone?

hkklife @ 9/28/2007 2:41:26 PM #

It doesn't matter what you or I are looking for in the next Treo. It's whatever Palm decrees we should have. The carriers (err, basically just Sprint by this point) are Palm's new masters and THEY make the call.

Other than actual number of pixels, the ancient old 650 camera is still superior in many ways to what I've seen on a 755p and 700p. Unless the Centro's camera difffers significantly from the 755p's, you'd still have a number of situations (low-light for one) where the VGA camera on the 650 would yield superior performance.

Pilot 1000-->Pilot 5000-->PalmPilot Pro-->IIIe-->Vx-->m505-->T|T-->T|T2-->T|C-->T|T3-->T|T5-->TX-->Treo 700P

RE: Where's the real man's next PalmOS Smartphone?

zullnero @ 9/28/2007 10:27:48 PM #

Yup, just like...most companies that make phones. And really, there's nothing wrong with that. If you don't like what's coming out of Palm, start your own company and get venture funding. I can honestly say there is a fine niche out there for a new company who can get it "right". I've been writing enterprise apps for mobile devices for a long time now, and I can honestly say that no company I've worked for has ever been absolutely satisfied with the hardware platform they chose...unless they made their own mobile device.

Palm III->Palm Vx->Palm m505->Palm m515->Tungsten T->Tapwave Zodiac II->Treo 700p

RE: Where's the real man's next PalmOS Smartphone?

LiveFaith @ 9/29/2007 1:16:44 PM #

Where's the meeting zullnero? I'll bring my Visar to help get er' started.

Pat Horne

More Centro size comparison pics

mikecane @ 9/28/2007 5:22:16 PM #

I have one next to my LifeDrive and next to my crappy-assed Nokia Tracfone.

Photo Album: DigitalLife Expo 2007
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