Back on the course of the Palm Pre. Presented to the European press in early February 2009 at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Smartphone Palm we had packed. Its pebble-shaped design, the presence of a multipoint capacitive screen, so it was not yet the norm, Palm Pre capitalized as an operating system on brilliant accessories such as trends charger wireless operator technology induction.
At that time, the iPhone 3G was not released yet, and supply at the Google Phone was confined mainly to the HTC Dream HTC G1 and Magic, the road to success seemed clear for the manufacturer in California.
But everything goes very fast in mobility. If in 2009 the Pre was innovative and took advantage of some serious competitors, the situation is completely different for its release scheduled for Allen May 11 in SFR shops. The smartphone industry is now very crowded with many products that have common qualities. These include the recent HTC HTC Legend Desire and above, it will also be a competitor for the Pre …
Brilliant interface
The highlight of the Palm Pre Plus is undoubtedly its Web interface OS. Capitalizing on good ideas ergonomic Web OS is brilliant simplicity, the navigation pane and multi-tasking are all implemented and is simple to use. At startup, a tutorial is to explain the basic gestures.
In practice, the Web OS host a control bar so Apple dock allowing you to access basic functions such as phone, contacts, messages, calendar and application shortcuts.
At any time, it is possible to enjoy this launch bar by dragging your finger from the sensor surface under the screen upwards. To make a return, you slide your finger on the sensor surface from right to left and to remove a component, simply drag it up. Ergonomics is instinctive approximating experience in iPhone OS.
Multitasking is also interesting by offering the ability to handle multiple applications / components simultaneously still using the sensory surface or below the screen showing the control bar.
The function Synergy, particularly innovative in the presentation of Web OS in early 2009, is much less now. The competition largely invested in the convergence of information and all manufacturers and mobile platforms now have identical solutions.
However, the aggregation of different information such as contacts and calendars from Outlook message kindness, Facebook, Twitter in a single component easier to use. It also appreciates the opportunity to update your Palm Pre Plus “over the air and automatically. Again, the ease of use is present.
To buy an app, we must leave the CB
Like any good smartphone, Palm has its Pre kiosk application download. App Catalog baptized, he did not blush at the face of an ergonomics or even Android Market App Store. There are the classics by new classifications, categories, popular applications, application launches, research tab.
The Market is obviously poorly supplied, but wisely uses Web OS standards appreciated by developers such as CSS, XHTML, or javascript. Overall we found the main applications on the App Catalog. Note that some applications iPhone OS could easily be worn on Web OS and the California manufacturer could offer tools to simplify these ports.
If management standard format is a good thing for the software upgrade from Palm Meadows Plus and its Web OS, it is still necessary that the business model is attractive to the developer as to the user …
Income redistribution is similar to other platforms, 70% for the developer, 30 for the manufacturer but Palm has chosen a payment solution impractical. Where iPhone OS and Android rely on simplified payment solutions with iTunes or PayPal to purchase an application on the Palm Pre Plus, it will each time out his credit card!
A curious choice, which slows the act of buying as opposed to solutions that are more “transparent” proposed by the competition where the purchase does not hardly see.
Shortcomings in the design and a keyboard difficult to use
Palm Pre Plus see properly equipped. There are classics HSDPA, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, accelerometer, proximity sensor and light, jack, 3 megapixel autofocus sensor supported by Flash, USB microphone. Unfortunately, there is no memory card slot, you can count on the 16 GB of internal memory.
First remark concerning the network device, the Palm Pre sometimes more difficult to hook the 3G and the user is often found in EDGE or even GPRS (particularly at SFR, which is passed directly to the GPRS 3G/3G + and no EDGE network is not as large as its two competitors hexagonal). It is hoped that this case is software problem and not hardware.
More Palm Pre finishing ahead advantageous quality plastic that does not crack under the fingers, solid feel, no problem that side. In contrast, the more we seemed Pre fairly heavy and thick, 135g for a mobile home to a screen of 3.1 inches is enough. By comparison, the same weight as a HTC Desire yet benefiting from a screen of 3.7 inches.
The origin of this overweight is obviously looking toward integrating a full QWERTY mechanical keyboard. Alas, this keyboard is difficult to use, if the buttons are well spaced, they are also too small. In addition, no keyboard therefore impossible to make entries when the Pre Plus is in landscape mode.
Despite a significant weight, which would suggest that the Pre has a nice battery, touch the Californian does not shine on endurance. Day use, it is not catastrophic, but simply in the current standard for a smartphone.
Too bad, because the screen of 3.1 inches with resolution of 320 x 480 pixels Pre Plus is comfortable despite its small size, the multicast (or multitouch zooming with two fingers) is well managed, the color rendition is correct. Web browsing is more comfortable, the addition of Flash 10.1 this summer will be a plus and the multimedia part is quite complete.
Difficult to rid herself of the mind that if the Palm was released one year pre earlier in the hex it was a cardboard box. Its intuitive interface, its true multitasking well thought out and effective, its screen and multipoint Thoughtful design makes the terminal more Palm Pre attractive. Unfortunately, the payment system will limit the act of purchase of application, the mechanical keyboard is not the most practical and autonomy seems a bit tight. Too bad, but the qualities of the interface are not everything.
Plus : Screen-multipoint interface brilliant and intuitive, Palm Synergy inventory data, implementation of the next Flash 10.1
Less : Keyboard little exploitable hangs 3G network improvement, payment model application prohibitive, heavy weight, just self-correct
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