Palm Eos - the Next GSM WebOS Phone?

Palm EosRumor: Moments after the first blurry-cam shot of an unknown WebOS based device began making the rounds, Engadget has obtained a host of new details and specs on the unannounced device. The device itself may be called the Palm Eos and could be headed to AT&T in the fall if the source is indeed correct.

Engadget's leaked rendering of the device shows it taking a similar form factor to the classic Treo and Centro design. Spec-wise is is said to be a a quadband GSM / HSDPA phone and will supposedly be only 10.6mm (.42" inches) thin. It will measure 55mm x 111mm (~ 2.1" x 4.3" inches), weigh 100 grams (3.52 ounces), and will sport a 2.63-inch, 320 x 400 capacitive display. Curiously absent at this time is any mention of WiFi, though without any official word everything about this unit is still very much up in the air.

Engadget lists the known specs at this time as:

  • 4GB storage
  • Price: $349 (pre-rebate)
  • Camera: 2 megapixel fixed focus digital camera and flash / video capture
  • Connectivity: Bluetooth 2.1 w/ A2DP and EDR, USB 2.0 via micro USB
  • Removable 1,150 mAh battery (4 hours 3G talk time)
  • Messaging: SMS, MMS (picture and video only), integrated IM client
  • Contact sync with AT&T Address Book
  • MediaNet
  • Cellular Video
  • Email: POP3, IMAP4, and EAS support
  • A-GPS
  • Audio: WAV, MP3, AAC, AAC+ ringtones
  • Video Playback: MPEG4, H.264, H.263

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Palm EOS?

mikecane @ 4/30/2009 10:42:32 AM # Q
I don't understand the 320x400 screen bit.

Given this has half the storage and, if true, fewer pixels, my initial excitement is gone.

RE: Palm EOS?
hkklife @ 4/30/2009 11:12:45 AM # Q
Looks nice and you've gotta love those svelte dimensions but there appear to be a number of formfactor guffaws compared to the Pre.

That 320x400 screen resolution is really bizarre and could end up being a problem for developers and bring about a repeat performance of the old Garnet days. The only way I can rationalize it is if they wanted to drop a few pixels to compensate for the smaller screen size (look at PC display manufacturers switching to 16:10 to 16:9 for cost-cutting reasons).

2.63" is NOT that big (many digcams nowadays have larger screens) and WebOS seems to scale better to physical larger screens with higher resolutions. After the better part of a decade with the same old cruddy 320x320, Palm should lay down the law and have nothing less than 320x480 on any future device.

Also, there seems to be an enormous amount of wasted space around the click button here that could be better utilized for a larger screen. I'd much rather see them move the click button (since it's not a trackball or a d-pad) to the side or top panel of the device to give as much space as possible to the screen and keyboard. I hated the BB Storm in the very brief time I had it, but there is no disputing the lovely screen (360x480).

And 4GB? That's a pittance nowadays. I bought a Class 6 4gbSDHC card a few months ago for something like $6 or $7 shipped.

Now, if they can bring this thing in at $100 or $150 at the high end, and eventually reach Centro-like $50 or "free" price levels then it might do reasonably well. But I don't see nearly as much of the "wow" factor here that we saw on the Pre. So is this the reason Sprint passed on the Treo Pro?

And the earlier comments about this being the "cheap" device now makes me reconsider the Pre being the "premium" device with a pricetag to match unless Sprint decides to heavily subsidize the Pre.
Pilot 1000->Pilot 5000->PalmPilot Pro->IIIe->Vx->m505->T|T->T|T2->T|C->T|T3->T|T5->Zodiac 2->TX->Verizon Treo 700P->Verizon Treo 755p->?

RE: Palm EOS screen size
erazer @ 4/30/2009 1:23:42 PM # Q
Re: 320 x 400, that 's about the aspect ration of the Zune screen (320 x 240) and I always thought the Zune would make a great phone with enough space for a keyboard. A bigger screen would make it impossible to have a fixed keyboard in a Treo-like form factor (which has become the defacto industry standard for good reason) without making for odd dimensions. I like everything about the Pre and the only thing that would make it better is the Treo form factor.
RE: Palm EOS?
abosco @ 4/30/2009 4:39:33 PM # Q
erazer wrote:
a Treo-like form factor (which has become the defacto industry standard for good reason)

Oh really? You should go tell all of those companies making touchscreen-centric devices. I don't think they got that memo.

-Bosco
m105 -> NX70v -> NX80v -> iPhone -> iPhone 3G

RE: Palm EOS?
mikecane @ 4/30/2009 6:21:16 PM # Q
>>>Also, there seems to be an enormous amount of wasted space around the click button here

DUH! That's the Gesture Area.

Next!

RE: Palm EOS?
hkklife @ 4/30/2009 7:23:27 PM # Q
Well,DUH right back at you. Of course I know what that it, Mike. I have SEEN a Pre in person, remember?

Let me restate my point of contention: The area round the button, also known as the "gesture area" seems unnecessarily large.

P.S. Radio/network/carrier/availability aside, which formfactor does Mr. Cane find more appealing--the Pre slider or the candybar Eos?
Pilot 1000->Pilot 5000->PalmPilot Pro->IIIe->Vx->m505->T|T->T|T2->T|C->T|T3->T|T5->Zodiac 2->TX->Verizon Treo 700P->Verizon Treo 755p->?

RE: Palm EOS?
mikecane @ 5/1/2009 6:33:55 AM # Q
We're looking at a render. One that I'm not even certain is from Palm itself, so you're getting excited over nothing.

The thought of a candybar Pre initially excited me, but 320 x 400, 4GB storage, and no WiFi killed that really quick.

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Palm Eos Naming Issue

Ryan @ 4/30/2009 10:50:05 AM # Q
Considering that Canon has a whole line of SLR cameras under the "Eos" brand, I find the choice of name here quite suspicious. It's certainly no worse than pre but who knows.

http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ProductCatIndexAct&fcategoryid=111

RE: Palm Eos Naming Issue
mikecane @ 4/30/2009 10:54:18 AM # Q
webOS -> eOS

They took out the WB.

How soon before kids get that phone, use it for sexting, and rebrand it as the Palm EROS?

RE: Palm Eos Naming Issue
Ryan @ 4/30/2009 11:51:20 AM # Q
...And then there is the Volkswagen Eos...

http://www.vw.com/eos/en/us/

RE: Palm Eos Naming Issue
LiveFaith @ 5/1/2009 11:17:14 PM # Q
Don't forget Eor either ...
http://www.freewebs.com/whitetigerz07/eor.GIF
Pat Horne
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Let's rename this sucker!

mikecane @ 4/30/2009 10:59:26 AM # Q
Just heard a great one on Twitter: The Palm Pixie

They could make it cool: PXE or PIXI

RE: Let's rename this sucker!
freakout @ 4/30/2009 4:19:53 PM # Q
Too girly! no self-respecting manly man is going to be caught dead with a phone named "Pixie".
RE: Let's rename this sucker!
BaalthazaaR @ 4/30/2009 4:24:40 PM # Q
Maybe they meant SOS rather than EOS.
RE: Let's rename this sucker!
mikecane @ 4/30/2009 6:22:57 PM # Q
Where's Gekko? Did the flood wash away his cardboard box penthouse under the expressway overpass again? This seems like the ideal upgrade for CentroBoy.

There's the name Gekko would suggest: SENTRO!

RE: Let's rename this sucker!
freakout @ 4/30/2009 6:28:10 PM # Q
I think Gekko may have migrated to Precentral. Last comment I saw from him was "NASCAR will be the first app I DELETE."
RE: Let's rename this sucker!
jca666us @ 5/1/2009 4:50:42 AM # Q
The Palm Pee - pissing all over the competition. :)
Reply to this comment

Eos, Pixie, Pre, Pro

Amroth @ 4/30/2009 11:52:58 AM # Q
I have been a Palm user since the old days and these new phones mean NOTHING to me unless one makes it to VERIZON. Come on Palm/Big Red, HELP ME!!!!!
RE: Eos, Pixie, Pre, Pro
hkklife @ 4/30/2009 12:09:28 PM # Q
Better run out to get a VZW Centro while you can! That's likely to be the last one on Big Red for a loooooong time (IMO).

Pilot 1000->Pilot 5000->PalmPilot Pro->IIIe->Vx->m505->T|T->T|T2->T|C->T|T3->T|T5->Zodiac 2->TX->Verizon Treo 700P->Verizon Treo 755p->?

RE: Eos, Pixie, Pre, Pro
hgoldner @ 4/30/2009 1:19:26 PM # Q
I disagree; if AT&T and Sprint have Palm devices and they are as successful as anticipated, Verizon will have to join the fray.

I'm finding the low-level buzz about devices on Verizon next year from Palm, Apple and even Microsoft somewhat promising.

We never track back and evaluate predictions after stuff hits, but fall behind on your podcasts, and you'll hear authorities announcing the Pre will be out by 3/15/09 on Sprint.

So, the only thing I see is a 'trend' and Big Red doesn't like to be behind trends....(and the ballyhoo over their Blackberry Storm has clearly abated).

RE: Eos, Pixie, Pre, Pro
sremick @ 5/1/2009 7:22:54 AM # Q
I've been a Palm user since the old days and these new Palm devices mean nothing to me until they're not phones and I can own them without having to pay money every month for a PDA.
RE: Eos, Pixie, Pre, Pro
BaalthazaaR @ 5/1/2009 11:21:25 AM # Q
Fat chance of that. Every manufacturer out there seems to be trying to tie up with service providers so that they can feed each other. Service providers subsidize the inflated prices with money they gouge out of us monthly. In a few years we won't see any non-service tied devices.
Reply to this comment

Underwhelming

wayne.treo @ 4/30/2009 1:13:05 PM # Q
Seems BlackBerry-like. If the specs are accurate, its too pathetic to be a SmartPhone.
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smart move

vetdoctor @ 5/1/2009 1:00:14 PM # M Q
Price it at $350 w/out contract so those who can't choke down a $600 Pre will have a second choice. And all those with Centros will find it an easy step into WebOS land. Like the Centro the price on the EO's will drop quickly again letting a lot of people buy cheap WebOS and upgrade when they like it.
Reply to this comment

Release

LiveFaith @ 5/1/2009 11:23:22 PM # Q
This is a marketing photo of the device. So it would be assumed to be released in the not so distant future. Probably leaked by Palm again. The news around here has really been good in the past few months.

I would rather have the Pre and the larger display, but I'll upgrade my 680 brick (tough tho) to this on ATT in a second.
Pat Horne

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