Palm debuts new phone and operating system
Lots of interest out here at Consumer Electronics Show in the new phone and operating system accounced by Palm. It was almost like standing in line at a hot nightclub - literally, there was a doorman standing there with a clipboard letting in people who had been invited to preview the phone.
The Palm Pre looks to be a significant new player in the touch-screen smartphone category, boasting a long-awaited new operating system.
I didn’t get to put my hands on one of the phones and I’ve never been a fan of touch screens. But this one looks intriguing. You can control many of the phone’s functions from the touch screen only, but if you need to do more, it has a full-querty keyboard that pops out the bottom.
I’m sure we’ll be hearing a lot more about this new phone in the coming weeks and months as it goes up against the Apple iPhone and Blackberry Storm.
Tim has covered a wide range of topics, including tourism, crime, aviation and gambling, since becoming a reporter in 1990. The Oklahoma native joined the Post-Dispatch in 2007 after spending nine years in Orlando. In his spare time, he's often exploring one virtual world or another. He can be reached at tbarker@post-dispatch.com. 
Wow! It’s a touch screen phone with a full keyboard?! That’s so ground-breaking.
Oh.
Wait.
T-Mobile, HTC, and Google already did that back in September.
When will you ever start including Android-based devices as part of the competition? T-Mobile G1 is a direct competitor of the iPhone, Storm, and Pre. Also, the biggest plus to Android is that it won’t have just one handset.
I think it’s time you read a little more about a platform that these 3 phones should fear. Please, for your own sake, check out sites such as androidguys.com, phandroid.com, and androidforums.com.
Oh, here’s another freebie…Motorola announced that ALL of their smartphones this year will be Android-based. http://androidguys.com/?p=3344
Oh…and here’s a list to the members of the Open Handset Alliance. http://www.openhandsetalliance.com/oha_members.html
These are the members who have FREE access to Android. There’s no OS overhead with it.
Let’s take a look at some of the companies and the possibilities.
HTC: T-Moible G1 and I’m sure at least one of the 10 Phones they are releasing this year.
Garmin: http://phandroid.com/2008/12/22/garmin-android-phone-coming-in-2009/
ASUS: http://phandroid.com/2009/01/07/asus-confirms-considering-android-netbook/
Also, check out Lenovo’s OPhone. It’s not going to be in the US, but you can’t argue with the name behind the phone. http://phandroid.com/2009/01/10/lenovo-ophone-coming-soon-to-worlds-largest-carrier/
How about something other than a phone? Maybe something that can compete directly with the iTouch? Done! http://phandroid.com/2009/01/08/androids-ipod-touch-giinii-movit-mini/
Looks like Skype cared more about producing software for Android first as they got a Lite edition of their software out the door for Android handsets before iPhone. http://phandroid.com/2009/01/10/skype-hits-android-market-demoed/
How about a smart desk phone? http://phandroid.com/2009/01/11/nimble-desk-phone-land-lines-of-the-future/
There’s some more reading for you on a technology that you either know nothing about or choose to ignore. Either way, unlike the cliche says, ignorance is not bliss.
Looks like the Pre is going to have some tough competition from HTC and Android yet again. http://androidguys.com/?p=3348