Palm Pre (Sprint)

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The notifications bar also seamlessly alerts you to incoming/missed calls, new messages, appointments, and so forth, and even displays them when you have your screen locked. The notifications are unobtrusive. E-mail subject headers and a single-line preview of text messages and IMs will appear in the bar. If a call comes in while you're working in an app, you get an alert along the lower third of the screen and you can accept or ignore the call without having the incoming-call screen overtake the app. You can also immediately open messages or, in some cases, you can interact with the app right from the notifications bar--for example, when fast-forwarding or pausing music tracks in Pandora and the music player. It's really a well-thought-out system and one of our favorite things about the Pre.

The limit on the number of cards you have open will depend on which applications you are using. The more memory-intensive ones, such as complicated Web sites, will take up more memory and consequently reduce the number of apps you can have open. A notification will appear if you've reached the limit and recommend you close other applications to open up memory. We got this alert twice during our testing period, and it was while we had several Web sites active and also had three or four other apps open, so you still get a good amount of multitasking. We even got up to 12 active cards at once.

With so many apps going at once, you're probably wondering how it affects performance, and we have to say that the Pre surprised us. There was some slight lag when launching applications (see Performance section for more), but the smartphone was still very responsive and didn't show any signs of freaking out, which was very impressive.

Wireless options
The Palm Pre is outfitted with all the wireless options you could need. It works on Sprint's EV-DO Rev. A network, which promises average download speeds of 600Kbps to 1.4Mbps and peak rates of up to 3.1 Mbps, and average upload speeds of 350 to 500 Kbps, peaking at 1.8 Mbps. Sprint's 3G network covers 18,600 cities and 1,832 airports, and reaches 270 million people, a wider coverage area than AT&T and T-Mobile's 3G network. Alternatively, you can get online using the Pre's integrated Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g with WPA, WPA2, WEP, 802.1x authentication).

Bluetooth 2.1 is also onboard and supports a number of profiles, including stereo Bluetooth, hands-free kits, personal area networking, phone book access, and audio/video remote control. While the Pre is capable of Bluetooth tethering, Sprint is not supporting the feature since the phone-as-modem plan is not eligible with its Everything Data, Everything Data Family/Share, and Business Essentials Messaging and Data plan.

GPS
The Palm Pre comes with an integrated GPS receiver for positioning and navigation capabilities. Google Maps is loaded on the smartphone, providing maps with satellite view, real-time positioning and text-based directions, business searches, and traffic data. However, for features like voice-guided directions and automatic rerouting, you will need to use Sprint Navigation. The use of the location-based service is included in Sprint's Everything Data plan, so you don't have to pay a monthly subscription fee or pay for day use. Also, let's not forget the fact that you're getting turn-by-turn navigation from the outset, whereas iPhone users are still waiting for this feature through iPhone OS 3.0 and third-party developers.

We were quite impressed with the Pre's GPS capabilities. Testing it in San Francisco, it got a read on our location within a minute and its positioning was almost spot on. We entered a trip from the Marina District to CNET's downtown headquarters, and within a few seconds, Sprint Navigation returned with directions based on the fastest route. Once on the road, the GPS accurately tracked our progress. We purposefully missed a couple of turns to test the route recalculation rate, and the first time, it was a little slow to realize we had gotten off track and barely provided us with new directions in time for our next turn. The other times, the route recalculations were fast. The audio quality of voice directions, in general, wasn't all that great.

Web browser
The Pre's Web browser is quite good. Based on WebKit, it renders sites onscreen as you would see them on your desktop, and pretty quickly at that. Of course, as we mentioned before, thanks to the multitouch screen, you easily zoom in/out on pages with a double tap or by pinching your finger together or apart (as with the iPhone) and you pan pages by touching a point on the screen and dragging your finger in any direction.

To enter a Web address, simply start typing the URL and an address bar will appear. You can bookmark sites, which will show up as a card when you first launch the browser and will be backed up to your Palm profile. For even quicker access to your favorite sites, there's also an option to add a dedicated shortcut to the Launcher page. If you'd like to open a new window, just select the New Card option under the drop-down menu on the left.

Overall, we were happy with the Pre's browser in terms of navigation and functionality, but there were a couple of misses. One was the lack of an onscreen keyboard. Without it, you can't type URLs or enter any text into relevant fields when you're viewing sites in landscape mode, so you'll need to switch back to portrait mode, which is annoying. Also, there's no Flash support at this time, so you can't view Flash videos within the browser. However, Palm announced its commitment to Adobe's Open Screen Project back in February and promised to bring the Flash 10 Player to its WebOS devices by the end of the year.

We ran a couple of quick tests on DSLreports.com just to give you some reference of Sprint's EV-DO Rev. A network speeds. For a 400K file, the Pre averaged 619Kbps for download speeds over three tests. Full versions of CNET's and The New York Times' Web sites loaded in about 26 seconds and 30 seconds, respectively, while ESPN's mobile site came up in 5 seconds flat.

CNET Labs also ran a similar browser speed test on the Pre as it did with the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS, using WorldofWarcraft.com as the control. The Pre loaded the bandwidth-heavy Web site in 1 minute and 7 seconds using 3G (26.4 seconds from a fresh boot). By comparison, the iPhone 3GS loaded the same site in 37.7 seconds and the iPhone 3G in 49.9 seconds. Using Wi-Fi, the site came up 37.6 seconds (21 seconds from a fresh boot) on the Pre.

Multimedia
The Palm Pre has got a solid set of multimedia features. The built-in media player supports a number of formats: MP3, AAC, AAC+, WAV, and AMR music files and MPEG-4, H263, and H264 video formats. The music player offers basic functions: play/pause, track forward/back, and shuffle and repeat modes. In addition to the standard forward/back buttons, you can swipe the album covers to proceed through songs. It's not quite as slick as the iPhone's Cover Flow feature, but it works.

There are several methods for getting media onto the smartphone. First, the Pre has the capability to act as a storage device, so you can sideload music and video by connecting the smartphone to your computer via a USB cable and selecting the USB Drive option from where you can then drag and drop files.

As we learned at the D:All Things Digital conference, the Pre also works with iTunes, so you can sync any non-DRM tracks (no videos) to the smartphone. Since the Pre's launch, it's been a cat-and-mouse game between Palm and Apple, with the latter disabling the feature through newer versions of iTunes and then Palm following up with an update to fix it. With the most current update, WebOS 1.2.1, the Pre works with iTunes 9.0.1. We synced the Pre with both Mac and PC iTunes versions by simply connecting the Pre to our laptop via a USB cable and selecting the Media Sync option on the Pre, which then automatically launched iTunes on our computer. The Pre is essentially identified as an iPod and from there, you can automatically synchronize your music library or manually drag and drop tunes.

The 8GB memory cap really became an issue when we were transferring our music library. We watched nervously as our storage diminished, so people with large libraries are probably going to have to cull their selections. Just as we said in our iPhone review, a microSD expansion slot really could have alleviated the problem (and potential complaints), but, according to Palm, it didn't fit with the design they were going for but did not rule it out for future devices.

While you can't purchase tracks from iTunes, the Palm Pre works with the Amazon MP3 Store, from which you can download songs over the air using your Amazon account. There is no support for Sprint's Music Store. You can download songs over both Wi-Fi and 3G. We bought a couple of tracks off the Amazon MP3 Store from the Pre and each song was downloaded within a couple of seconds over Wi-Fi. Once connected to our PC, we selected the USB Drive option and found our downloaded tracks in the AmazonMP3 folder.

There are several streaming-video options on the Pre. There's a dedicated YouTube app right on the device and access to Sprint TV, which includes programming from a variety of channels, such as CNN, Bravo, Comedy Central, and Sprint Exclusive Entertainment. A select number of channels also offer live programming, and there is a Sprint Radio channel for streaming music.

The Pre's music sound quality was quite good. Needless to say, we're happy that Palm included a standard headphone jack. We tested the phone with a pair of Radius Atomic Bass Earphones and Bose On-Ear Headphones, and while there are no audio settings or EQ presets, we thought songs sounded rich and we noticed a good amount of bass. Music is muted for any incoming calls or if you're using Sprint Navigation and it's currently providing audible directions. We also asked CNET's digital-audio editor Donald Bell to weigh in on the Pre's music capabilities, and he agreed that audio quality was decent, though he would like to see EQ settings and the headphone jack on the bottom of the device. He also found navigating the music player and the Amazon MP3 Store to be a bit unintuitive and not as smooth as iTunes Cover Flow.

Video was a mixed bag. YouTube and MPEG-4 clips played back smoothly, and we were actually impressed by the clarity of YouTube videos. However, we can't say the same for Sprint TV. Videos took a while to buffer and even then the picture would sometimes get all distorted and, consequently, mess up the synchronization of audio and video. Every once in a while, we'd get a smooth stream, but for the most part, we found it almost unwatchable.

Camera
The Pre comes equipped with a 3-megapixel camera and an LED flash. The camera functions are about as basic as you can get. Flash options include on, off, or auto. To take a photo, you can either press the green onscreen button or use the space bar. That's it; no effects or options to choose from various image sizes or resolutions. Also, there is no video recording at launch, but Palm has alluded to adding this feature in the future, which can be done through an over-the-air update. However, with the integrated GPS, the Pre can geotag photos.

To review your pictures, you can head over to your photo roll; from here, you'll also be able to share images with friends via e-mail, multimedia message, or by uploading them to photo and social-networking sites like Photobucket and Facebook. Of course, a picture can also be used as your background image or for photo caller ID.

Picture quality was quite impressive, though we thought otherwise at first. It takes a few seconds for pictures to render on screen, so immediately after taking pictures the photos looked extremely blurry. In reality, they were extremely sharp and colors were vibrant and rich, without any weird orange or grayish tones. Also, there was barely any lag from the time we pressed the capture button to the moment the photo was taken.

Applications
Because of the success of the iPhone and the iTunes App Store, applications are quickly becoming just as important as the hardware and operating system when choosing a smartphone. Google Android, BlackBerry, Nokia, and Windows Mobile have followed suit by launching their own app storefronts, and now so has Palm.

The Palm Pre App Catalog is still in beta. Much to the dismay of Pre users, title releases have been a little slow, but the app catalog is starting to fill out, You can now find titles, such as Yelp, OpenTable, and gDial Pro. In addition, Palm has launched its App Catalog e-commerce beta program in preparation for paid apps, However, for those who simply can't wait, there are hundreds of homebrew apps available.

We easily downloaded several apps over Sprint's 3G network and were impressed with the integration and the functionality of each of them. Pandora had many of the features of the desktop client, including the capability to like and dislike a song, bookmark tracks and artists, and buy songs/albums via the Amazon MP3 Store. All our stations were present when we logged into our account, and we love that you can still interact with the app via the notifications bar while working in other programs. We also like that Fandango and CitySearch used the phone's GPS to customize the app to pull in local theaters and other businesses. In addition, with Fandango, you can watch previews, buy movie tickets, and, once purchased, the Pre will create a calendar entry to block out that time--very smart.

Palm has touted the fact that developers can create apps based on standard HTML, CSS, and JavaScript technologies as one of the advantages of WebOS; and developers will be given access to the features of WebOS, such as the notifications service, to use with their programs.

Legacy apps
For old Palm users, there is support for legacy apps through a third-party application from MotionApps called Classic. It is said to run a majority of the Palm OS apps, and MotionApps said it will publish a full list of compatible programs closer to launch. Classic is available through the App Catalog and comes with a free 7-day trial. Afterward, you'll have to pay $29.99 for the full version.

Apps that come preloaded on the smartphone include Google Maps, DataViz's DocView for viewing Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files, a PDF viewer, a YouTube app, Sprint TV, Sprint Navigation, Sprint Nascar, a memo pad, a task list, a calculator, and a clock. On a side note, WebOS 1.0.3 fixed a bug where the alarm clock would go off on weekends even when only set to weekdays.

Call quality
We tested the dual-band (CDMA 850/1900; EV-DO Rev. A) Palm Pre in San Francisco using Sprint service and call quality was good. On our end, the audio was clear, with very little background noise. Voices sounded rich, not tinny or digitized as on some cell phones. Our friends also reported good results and more than once, we got an "I'm impressed" comment about the audio quality. We didn't experience any dropped calls during our review period, and we had no problem checking on a flight's status using an airline's voice-automated system.

When we used the speakerphone, it didn't surprise us that call quality diminished a bit. Voices sounded slightly far away, and in louder environments, you definitely need to have the volume set at the highest level. The problem then is that audio can sound blown out. That said, we were still able to hold a conversation and our callers didn't even notice we had turned on the speakerphone during the call. We successfully paired the Pre with the Logitech Mobile Traveller Bluetooth headset and the Motorola S9 Bluetooth Active Headphones. According to FCC radiation tests, the Pre has a digital SAR rating of 0.919 watt per kilogram.

General performance and battery life
Armed with a dual-band MSM6801a processor and a TI OMAP 3430 processor, the Pre's general performance was a bit of a mixed bag. Navigating through the menus and deck of cards was always swift, but at times, there would be a brief lag when launching applications. We wouldn't say it's any worse than a Windows Mobile smartphone, but it's something you will notice. That said, the WebOS was stable throughout our testing period. We didn't experience any crashes or freezes, and again, we can't say enough about the multitasking and notifications system.

Battery life is an issue and probably one of our biggest concerns. The Pre comes with a user-removable 1150mAh lithium ion battery with a rated talk time of 5 hours and up to 12 days of standby time. In our CNET Labs battery drain tests, the Pre delivered 5.25 hours of talk time. For multimedia, the smartphone offered 12.4 hours of continuous music playback in airplane mode with 3G turned off and 6.72 hours of video playback under the same conditions. With 3G turned on, the results were 10.5 hours for music and 4.7 hours for video. In comparison, CNET Labs found the iPhone 3GS offered 12.5 hours of talk time, 35.4 hours of music playback (with 3G on) and 9.3 hours of video (with 3G). During our initial testing periods, we weren't impressed with the Pre's battery life, and it was one of our chief complaints about an otherwise excellent smartphone. We noticed during our review period that by the end of the day we were often in the yellow or red battery zones (usually around 12 percent or lower, starting from 100 percent), and CNET editor at large Rafe Needleman had the Pre die on him twice in one day.

Palm seemed to be aware of the battery issue, since it sent out a battery optimization tip sheet later on in our review period. The company also acknowledged a problem in which the AIM client is drawing power, especially for users with a lot of buddies, and said it will issue a bug fix. While we're still awaiting this fix, battery life appears to have improved after Palm WebOS 1.0.3. Post update, we were able to get about a day and a half of usage on a single charge. We did turn off GPS to help conserve power, but were still using the Web and apps heavily and had our Exchange e-mail set to come in every 5 minutes. Though better, we still recommend that users, especially road warriors and on-the-go types, carry an extra battery since the Pre has the benefit of a user-replaceable battery.

Of course, there are also ways to optimize battery life, such as adjusting the backlight brightness and setting the phone to retrieve your e-mail less frequently. One of the recommendations from Palm was to turn on Wi-Fi, since doing so allows the Pre to send data over Wi-Fi, which is helpful where Sprint's coverage isn't so strong and puts more strain on the battery.

Accessories
The Palm Pre's sales package contents are similar to the Palm Treo Pro. The smartphone ships with an AC adapter, a Micro-USB cable, a wired-stereo headset, a soft-protective pouch, a recycling envelope, and reference material.

Watch a video of the Touchstone Charging Kit

Of course, there are additional accessories you can purchase for the Pre, including the Touchstone Charging Kit. The kit costs $69.99 and includes the Touchstone dock and Touchstone back cover (you can also purchase them separately for $49.99 and $19.99, respectively). A vehicle charger is also available for $29.99, and two types of leather carrying cases, though pricing was not finalized at press time. For more add-ons for your Pre, you can check our cell phones accessories, ringtones, and help page.

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Palm Pre (Sprint): $149.99 - $749.99

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