Centro Unlocked and Loaded (with Google MyLocation)

You can now get an unlocked Palm Centro smartphone (no carrier contract required). The new GSM device, which comes in white and sports grey accents, is available at Palm's online store for $299.

As the summer travel season ramps up, Centro users in the U.S. will also appreciate a new version of Google Mobile Maps (GMM) that includes My Location, which uses cell phone towers to approximate* your location on the map. This makes it even easier to get driving directions, find a nearby coffee shop or check local traffic.

My location is compatible with Palm Centro smartphones running on the AT&T and Verizon Wireless networks. The Sprint Centro will have the My Location feature available through a software update expected this summer. Check out GMM's site for details.

Rob K. - Senior Product Manager, Consumer Smartphones

*Location is an approximation and is not GPS. Within wireless coverage area only. Messaging, email, web require data services from a mobile service provider at an additional cost. Google Maps for Mobile may not be available for certain areas. Please see Google Mobile Maps for more details.

Comments

[Ruta]

No support for Treos? I paid $600 for a Treo and Palm supports the $99 Centro with My Location! COME ON PALM!

[Jeremy]

Come on. You know the 755p questions are coming, so why not preempt it with an answer? I'll be the first:

When (if ever) will "My Location" be made available to the faithful-yet-forgotten 700p/755p family?

[dmm]

Will the unlocked Centro be available in other colors (in the US)? After all, AT&T had it in white before getting the black, and Sprint rolled out their colors one at a time.

I'm asking because I'm currently using an unlocked white Treo 680. While I'd like the smaller size of the Centro (though I'm not sure about the smaller keyboard!), I'm definitely ready for a change of color. Preferably one not in use by any of the US carriers, though I realize that's probably asking more than is likely.

Also, will Palm release a means to charge a second battery when outside the Centro? With my 680 (and 650 before it), I have two batteries, and swap them out as needed, charging the one not in the Treo at the time. (As I don't have a car, I have no use for a car charger; I'm on the go too much for a wall charger, and I often go without my laptop, so a USB charger won't help. While I'm open to other ideas, so far an external battery charger seems to be the only way I can come up with.

[Mike Maddaloni - The Hot Iron]

Excellent! Thank you for *finally* releasing the Centro unlocked. This is a huge move on your part. Palm is now up there with Nokia in leading the global move towards unlocked phones, and true choice for mobile phone users.

mp/m

[Cary]

Where is the "My Location" update for 755p users? This needs to happen as well! Don't leave us out....

[Jake]

Can you please explain why Treo users, especially those among us who have the newest in that line, the 755p, can't get this feature?

The reasons to drop Palm for Apple grow all the time...

[Cliff]

I want my...

I want my...

I want my Sprint Update!!

[Tom Schmidt]

PLEASE get the Centro on Virgin Mobile USA!!

[victorh]

for us, discriminated non-Centro users, we can use Razix's My Location:

http://www.razix.net/mloc/

[Stefan Baeurle]

Hi,
can you please advise when the new location feature for the Treo 755P (on Sprint) will become available? This of course assumes you will support this device which is still sold by Sprint and others.

I don't understand why you only seem to care to keep the Centro up to date.

Thanks,
Stefan

[Kevin Williams]

Google says the Treos (including my 755p) are not included in this update. From what I am reading, there is no update planned for the Treos. Google also says, The OS in the palm Treos do not have the correct API's to get the info from the cell towers. Well, the centros didn't either, now they do, and the treos don't. I have been a loyal treo user since the 600. I have been left out of SOOOOO many features available to other OS's for so long, I have had it. I don't care that other OS's are "different" than the palm in many features. They have GPS. some have wifi, and they ALL have contacts, calendars, and tasks.

Blackberry is looking mighty good now. When the new Blackberry comes out, if the Treos don't have the Location services for google, I am switching. I imagine, this will be the last straw for many.

[schnoid]

I just did the new googlemaps update on my Treo 755p and was shocked to see that MyLocation doesn't work on it! Is it just me or does it seem that there's no reason it shouldn't work on the Treo 755p other than the fact that Palm is trying to push for more centro users. By reading the above comments, it seems I'm not the only one confused by this decision.

[Paul Crawford]

Another person asking why no support for MyLocation for the Treo 755p (since mine was purchased new just two weeks ago)!?!? It should not be that hard to add support for that device.

[Richly Chheuy]

Thanks Palm for releasing the Centro unlocked. I actually ended up getting an AT&T Centro for full price for my girlfriend as a grad gift. She loves the phone (except this being her first Palm OS phone, she's not used to it yet).

I'm tempted to just get the unlocked Centro for the heck of it and use it as a backup phone.

Maybe.

http://ecommerce.mediachase.com

[Bob]

I would upgrade if there were additional color choices.

[Tony]

If the My Location update doesn't come to the 755p, I'm leaving Palm AND Sprint.

In a world where you guys should be doing everything and anything you can to compete with Apple's juggernaut and RIM's total dominance in the business sector, you guys do things that neglect your high-end customers in favor of the $99 guys?

It makes no sense for you to abandon your high-end customers in favor of the low-end.

Treo 800 / 850? Was I excited about them, sure. Now? No way - not after watching you ditch Treo users for the el-cheapo Centro.

News-Flash, Palm - we paid a lot for our Treos.

[Tim Holmes]

When will Palm make a CDMA/GSM Centro/Treo world phone? Then we can have good coverage in the US and well as being able to connect around the world!

[Ronald Quint]

That's such a good idea to sell your phones unlocked.You should sell the whole lineup unlocked. That's step1. Step 2 is marketing them for global appeal. EBAY, Craigslist, get them at BurgerKing. Buy a ____ get a treo! Virgin Mobile sells phones at 7-11.

[Jeremy]

I want to re-emphasize my point here on MyLocation and the Treo line. Who needs GPS the most? Business travelers. What do business travelers use? Treos. They don't use centros. Centros are for 13-year old girls. Please, palm, get with it.

[nitido357]

I have to concur with the previous posters. It does feel like a bit of slight in the part of Palm, who folks like are very loyal to.

I have a 755p and refuse to give into the peer pressure to get anything else because I truly believe in what Palm has stood for years. I even convinced the wife to get a Centro because I knew how good Palm really is.

You all should find a way to include your loyal customers into at least some of the updates.

[qrius]

anyone out there in palm listening? listening? listening? echo... echo... echo...

[disappointed]

Thanks Palm, for sealing the deal on my move to the Google Android Platform.

Only your inattentive attitude towards your treo customer could have made this possible. Without your complete indifference, I might still be under the impression you give a shit about your paying customers.

Moving On,
Your Business Customers

[Rob K. (Palm, Inc.)]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for your comments. Several people asked if the My Location functionality will be available for Treo smartphone users. While Google and Palm don’t have any current plans to offer My Location for Treos, there are other new Google Mobile Map features available for Treo users, like the satellite/street name hybrid view and improvements to the user interface for finding businesses, addresses and directions. There’s also a new route summary feature that lets you scroll through step-by-step instructions, which you can copy to the clipboard.

Also, as a previous commenter pointed out, Razix (http://www.razix.net/mloc/) provides My Location functionality on some Treo smartphones. Feel free to share if you know of any other useful third-party solutions.

Rob K.

[Tony]

Rob,

"My Location" and the features in maps isn't the issue. The issue is why my $589 Treo 755p isn't being updated with new features while the almost half price Centro is.

It doesn't make any sense as a consumer to continue buying Palm products for the Enterprise when it's cheap mass-market products getting the support.

If Palm is abandoning business users - please say so now rather than simply saying nothing.

[Jeremy]

So, there you have it folks. It's decided that 13-year old girls needs GPS more than traveling businessman. Palm must have invested millions into that research. Nice.