Palm Centro Unboxed...and Availability

The Palm Centro smartphone will be available very soon (as in tomorrow) on Sprint's EvDO network for $99 (two-year contract, after rebates and instant savings). The Onyx Black version will be available in all Sprint sales channels, Palm stores, and online at www.sprint.com and www.palm.com/centro to start. Ruby Red will be out in Nov. through the same sales channels.

Initial Centros reviews are starting to hit and it looks like unboxing a new phone is still one of the "in" things to do - check some of initial reviews out.

-Palm Centro Team

Some of the first reviews on the Palm Centro and we'll update this post as more reviews come in.

Unboxing Reviews

Engadget Mobile

http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/10/10/palm-centro-unboxing/

GearDiary

http://www.geardiary.com/2007/10/10/the-palm-centro-review-part-one/

Gizmodo

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/hands-on/palm-centro-unboxed-verdict-yep-definitely-gonna-sell-loads-of-em-309196.php

TreoCentral

http://www.treocentral.com/content/Stories/1376-1.htm

UneasySilence

http://uneasysilence.com/archive/2007/10/12470/

More Reviews:

Computer World

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9042178&intsrc=hm_list

infoSync World

http://www.infosyncworld.com/reviews/n/8429.html?rfp=dta

New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/11/technology/circuits/11pogue.html?8dpc=&_r=2&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1192075842-33C2ts2cJRdvCmVvunAElg

SlashGear

http://www.slashgear.com/palm-centro-reviewed-at-oncentrocom-097884.php

Treonauts

http://blog.treonauts.com/2007/10/palm-centro-rev.html

Comments

[Nathan Youngman]

Sounds like a great replacement for my now defunct Tungsten T. Very nice to see Bluetooth in a $99 phone as well. But, will it become available in Canada?

[Ricardo Hernandez]

PoderPDA already has the UnBoxing in spanish lenguage in:

http://www.poderpda.com/content/view/3946

[Chris]

Can someone explain the interactivity between this device and Rhapsody? I see the product description briefly mentions Rhapsody, but could I use Rhapsody-to-go with this device?

[rpa]

when will we see an unlocked GSM version for international users?

[lIN]

Can't find the Centro in any local store. Can't determine if the Centro even has a way to have a virtual on screen kayboard like the TX. Centro doesn't have WiFi - we don't have high speed levels of data service around here very often...no wifi means I need to carry two devices not one. Centro's user manual says I would have to delete my existing user profile and rename it so Centro can have it. That means I lose access to the DRM of my ebooks. That is not playing nice!!

REALLY REALLY WANT A TX PHONE. PLEASE MAKE A TX PHONE AND UPGRADE THE TX!!

[lIN]

Can't find the Centro in any local store. Can't determine if the Centro even has a way to have a virtual on screen kayboard like the TX. Centro doesn't have WiFi - we don't have high speed levels of data service around here very often...no wifi means I need to carry two devices not one. Centro's user manual says I would have to delete my existing user profile and rename it so Centro can have it. That means I lose access to the DRM of my ebooks. That is not playing nice!!

REALLY REALLY WANT A TX PHONE. PLEASE MAKE A TX PHONE AND UPGRADE THE TX!!

[Carl W. Brooks]

My wife loves her Centro. She would have never carried a Treo, so way to go Palm on helping her retire her flip phone and allowing her to enter the Smartphone phone arena. She's caught on quickly and with my Essential Palm Centro Freeware apps loaded, she is rolling along.

[Lin]

I'm sure I could say something nice if I could only find one to demo. I tried this weekend but no such luck as all local stores were still waiting for their orders. Still don't believe it will have a virtual keyboard and I know it does not have wifi so I am not going to order one unless I can demo it.

[CWaite]

When is Palm going to market a Palm OS Treo/Phone to a provider other than Sprint? Like ATT or Verizon? I have been a Palm user for close to 10 years and am wondering about the future of your OS.

[Amy W]

Why can't they come out with a palm software flip phone like they had in the Samsung i500 for Spint or the Kyocera 7135 for Verizon, a few years back. I am so tempted to upgrade to this phone but I dislike the kwerty keyboard palm has decided to stick us with. It is so, so cramped. Sprint almost had the Samsung i550 and that would have been a definite upgrade for me. The sticking point to not upgrading now is they didn't pull all the stops, no wifi? I really love my palm but...

[Kent Morwath]

I was waiting for a new Treo bringing the latest technology (especially wifi, bluetooth 2.x and GPS) to replace my current one, but I see that Palm is wasting its time in Fooleos and other devices with little hopes. I've see already many company going down because they stubbornly followed the wrong pat, and were unable to see the chasm ahead.
Also I do not like locked devices because I travel a lot and usually I use local SIMs abroad to keep expenses low.
I've got an HTC this morning, couldn't wait more because my Treo was weared out. I liked it, really, but it was old now. Sorry you were not able to deliver a real upgrade yet.

[BenJoeM]

When are we going to get Versamail upgrade for the 755p

[Jeremy]

Has anyone heard any word on when/if the Centro will be available with Windows Mobile. My work requires Windows Mobile. Thanks!

[Alan White]

The phone works well, but the web does not. It takes multiple attempts to get on line and will disconnect frequently requiring to resign on. I cannot use it to connect via bluetooth to my Macbook and it reboots often as well. I replaced it at the Sprint store. The replacement had similar problems. I'm going to return the phone and go back to my Treo 650.

[Colin]

I used Palm PDAs for many years before anyone knew what a PDA was let alone a Palm Pilot. I used to be one of Palm's greatest supporters. I could sell anyone on a Palm PDA in a few minutes but now...not so much.

This "new" Centro phone that is more "make-over" than "new" is a disappointment to me. I have to conclude that Palm does no market analysis and does not care about it's future.

Want to sell me a Palm phone? All you have to do is make it usable for my big fingers and make it under 1/2" deep and you've got me.

Look at the Motorola Q. OS and lack of touch screen wise, the Q is not my ideal phone but I can use the keyboard on it and so it is my phone. If Palm came out with a phone the same depth and width as the Q (with a useable keyboard like the Q) I'd buy it this morning. I'd shell out $500.00 to get it and then I would brag to all my friends about my new Palm, Palm OS enabled smart phone. Heck, if you included Wi-Fi and a better than 2.0 Mega pixel camera you could probably get me to part with $750.00 after a couple of days of lusting after the phone. You could have $1,000.00 for a stupid phone from me if you could make one that has huge bragging rights attached to it. Remember the Motorola Startac phones? When they came out I happily paid $1,100.00 for mine just for the bragging rights and to see my friends lust after my phone. Hahaha it was worth it.

I can’t help but wonder what Palm is thinking given the products it is coming out with. Palm could regain a position as a market leader in smart phones and even PDAs but the path Palm follows now can only result in the ultimate failure of Palm.

[CarleyD]

I love my new Palm Centro. I've been with Sprint for four years and I wasn't eligible for any upgrades but I was able to get my Centro for $100! This has restored my faith in Sprint. Besides that, this is my first PDA and I am IN LOVE! The only annoyance is how small the keypad is, but I'm sure I will adjust!

[Tim]

I second the; when are we going to get the Versamail upgrade for the 755p?

[Diane]

Why did you guys decide to take off the led for alerts? That is a big minus for me and lots of others because it is a great feature that us Palm users love on previous treos. Please bring it back to the centro!

[Angelica]

Palm Centro is a good phone, and the sound quality is solid. Came across something similar on palm centro at
www.g2bux.com/myaction.do?product=403

[Jay]

If the Centro had Voice Activated Dialing I would have bought it. So now I still wait for the Palm Linux-based phone.

[Tom Schmidt]

How about getting the Centro on Sprint's pay as you go partner, Virgin Mobile USA? Some of us want a phone like this but won't spend $50/mo to have it.

[ackrite55]

I want to say I like this phone, but the fact that I cannot load Fantasy Football Companion or Flash Player just ruins the whole experience for me.

[Adam]

I couldn't be happier with my new Centro. Switched from a Blackberry Pearl. I've read some of the other reviews, but I have had NO problems. Connects to Internet without problems, synced to Macbook without a hitch. The thing is like a polished gem. Now all we need is an upgraded OS, and it is perfect! But, the OS is admittedly a tried and true one. But, it just looks dated.

Great job...

[Jack]

My wife has the red and I have the black Centro. I have retired my 700p because of the Centro. I totally love this device. It is fast and stable, for starters. I've had ZERO problems with it. I am getting to where I can type faster with it due to the sticky feel of the keys (my thumbs don't slip on them). The external speaker has a nice full sound to it, way better than the 700p. The screen retains its sharpness and brightness, albeit slightly smaller. Would I like to see wireless in it? Sure,and I hope when the Linux based Palm OS is released that is addressed. But for now, this is the best phone I've ever owned, which includes the HTC Mogul I sent back to Sprint, getting the Centro as the replacement. It's funny, because the Centro is probably considered the low end smartphone for Sprint (at least due to price), but to me I feel like I just got the high end one! Way to go Palm. Home run in my opinion.

[Patrick]

Does the Centro support voice dialing with a Bluetooth headset?