The Reviews Are In: The Palm Pre May Be As Good As The iPhone
The one big question haunting the wireless industry is this: “Can anything beat the iPhone?” And, now, it appears we have a contender. This evening, a flood of glowing reviews hit the internet, with most claiming that the Palm (NSDQ: PALM) Pre has a good chance against the iPhone. To be sure, the phone is not perfect, with all reviewers noting downsides, such as poor application selection and battery life. Not to mention, the reviews are comparing the Pre to today’s iPhone, and Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) comes out with a new one next week. To be sure, there’s never a dull moment.
Check out excerpts from some of the top reviews:
WSJ’s Walt Mossberg: “I consider the Pre to be potentially the strongest rival to the iPhone to date, provided it attracts lots of third-party apps, which it sorely lacks at launch. Its design is much better than that of the two other main iPhone-class competitors: the T-Mobile G1, which uses Android, and RIM’s touch-screen BlackBerry Storm. WSJ.
NYTime’s David Pogue: “So do the Pre
Aside from its great looking software, unfavorable provider and major hardware shortcomings, Palm PRE OS has two major weaknesses: 1st, it is based on WEBKIT. In Other words all apps are designed with web apps framework making it impossible for the PRE to handle advanced games and specialty apps. The other weakness is teh complexity of its interface, while undoubtly appealing, is a turnoff to a big demographic. My grandfather can use an iPhone.
The PRE's User Interface is second to none, its ability to simultaneously multitask has no competition, its qwerty keyboard is sufficient, its Touchstone charging ability is a nice innovative touch for a Smart phones and you have the ability to replace the battery. The phone apears to be lighter than an iPhone and feels as though it was designed for your Palm. Its limited available applications is fine when you consider most of Apple's applications are useless.
I just transitioned my firstt generation iPhone on Verizon MiFi 2200 and it is like having a brand new phone. Skype works like a charm and the Internet connection is as fast if not faster than a 3G iPhone. The virtual iPhone keyboard is still the one to beat.
While it is really exciting to Palm back in the game, and I want to try out the Pre as soon as I can, the Pre has a huge mountain to climb. The iPhone is a juggernaut. What I am really excited about however is what the Pre does in many respects: it forces others to raise their game. Multi-taking, integration with iTunes, connected OS…it makes others have to create new features to combat the fundamental approaches that Palm has taken. Regardless of the Pre's success (which I think will be significant, but will pale in comparison to Apple and RIM while Nokia, WinMo & Samsung take the beating) the Pre raises some elements of the bar so that Apple and RIM and Google will have to compensate for. This just makes the entire category better!
Palm is back! No doubt, very exciting features are built in this device! Many techie will surely love this!
Did David Pogue give the Palm Pre the Osbourne kiss of death, or did he give it to the iPhone?
"Verizon Wireless has announced that it will carry the [Palm] Pre 'in the next six months or so'."
Not sure why David said that, although I can guess why Verizon did. Verizon wants to wait and see before taking on the Pre. Meanwhile they want to freeze all potential switchers from leaving Verizon. Maybe they think that they can ring concessions out of Palm if the Palm is not an instant hit.
On the other hand, the iPhone's success is due, in part, to Apple's ability to break out of that box, and deliver the device they envisioned without caving into Verizon's demands.
To Steve W. Verizon won't get the Pre until 6 months are up because thats when it's exclusivity runs out with Sprint. No other reason…
I am going to get the Pre BECAUSE it is on Sprint.
I do have a soft spot in my heart for palm and dislike Apple's control freak attitude, but if iPhone was on Sprint and Pre was on AT&T, I would get an iPhone.
Sprint has much better coverage and much cheaper data plans – Especially when you find one of the readily available employer or credit union discount plans. Join Alliant Credit Union and 900 Minutes talk and unlimited data is just $68 (25% discount).
Sprint's CS sucked a few years ago, but they are a different company now – much better to work with and their coverage is amazing – at least where I live.
I have been with Sprint for 5 years – the last three without a contract. I will accept the 2 year contract to get the Pre.
I waited patiently in the Sprint store this morning for hours only to be told that I was only eligible for a $75 discount off the Pre's over-the-top price of nearly $500. I have been with Sprint for almost 4 years, and it's really sad to me that they're not offering me the full $150 discount they advertised for long-term customers like myself… they tell me I have to wait until August to get the $150 discount… well sprint, if you're willing to sacrifice my $2,500.00 of annual business between my handset and my wireless anywhere card lines, over $75? Goodbye sprint, hello NEW Iphone being released this month!
It blows my mind to read how truly ignorant people are out there as evident by some of the comments posted here. First to begin with the interface of the pre is as easy to work with as the iphone if not more elegant, second the os will be able to handle very complex instruction sets as does the iphone for games.third, sprint is the only network with four g actiive inworld (its in baltimore right now). Fifth, the pre will never have to "topple iphones throne" to succeed. Sprints price point for service 99.99 a month for unlimited everything…sms, data, and voice blows everyone else out of the water. Vorizone spends more on commercials than its quality control…they truly do suck….att is expensive. As for th guy who could only get 75 off a new pre you should have read your existing contract…sounds like you did not….that's not sprints fault…this comment was written on a palm pre btw…I own the iphone too and the hatdwired keyboard on the pre completely trumps the touch screen one on the iphone fyi