Palm Centro: A New Beginning?

[skoenig]

Welcome to the Centro Forum.

Palm's new Centro has created quite a bit of excitement for Treonauts new and old.

If you have one please let us know your experiences especially if you previously owned a Treo

Official Images


Un-official Images

BASIC SPECIFICATIONS:

• Form factor: Candy bar; slimmest form factor with full QWERTY keyboard, five-way navigation button and internal antenna design
• Colors: Ruby Red and Onyx Black
• Dimensions: 2.1” W x 4.2” H x .7” D
• Weight: 4.2 ounces – 119 grams (with battery)
• Operating System: Palm OS 5.4.9
• Power: Intel XScale processor 312 MHz
• Memory: 128 MB of ROM / 64 MB RAM
• MicroSD Card Slot: Accommodates up to 4GB SD card (sold separately)
• Digital Dual-band: CDMA (1900mHz and 800 MHz)
• Data: Sprint 1x-EV-DO (Rev. 0) and 1XRTT
• Web Browser: Blazer v4.5.8
• Battery Specifications: Standard rechargeable Li-Ion (1150 mAh)
• Talk time: Up to 3.5 hours continuous digital talk time
• Full-color touch-screen: Vibrant 1.56” x 1.56” TFT display with 65K colors and 320 x 320 color pixel resolution

FEATURES:

• Sprint Mobile Broadband with Power Vision: Experience EV-DO Rev. 0 data speeds averaging up to 400-700 kbps and peak speeds up to 2.0 Mbps when accessing Sprint Power Vision services and content. Supported Power Vision applications include:

• On-Demand: Retrieve customized, up-to-date web content such as sports, weather, news, money and movie information with the push of a button.
• Sprint TV: Sprint Power Vision allows you to watch live TV – from channels you know - on the go with full-motion video and vivid sound at broadband-like speeds
• Sprint Picture Mail: Take, save, publish and share quality digital pictures and videos.
• 1.3 Megapixel Camera/Camcorder: 1.3 MP camera with 2X digital zoom and video capture.
• Phone as Modem: Take advantage of Sprint Mobile Broadband on your laptop by using your smart device as a wireless modem (USB cable included). Requires appropriate service plan.
• Built-in Bluetooth Wireless Technology (v. 1.2): When used with your Sprint Phone and compatible accessories, Bluetooth allows fast, secure transmission without cables or wires, even though the two devices are not in line-of-sight. Bluetooth wireless accessories sold separately.
• Software Applications: Includes standard Palm OS productivity tools such as calendar, contacts, memo and tasks. Also includes a world clock, calculator, memo pad and alarm clock.
• Google Maps Mobile: mapping application so users can get directions, perform local searches and view moveable/scalable maps, location satellite imagery and traffic updates while on the go.
• Instant Messaging: Sprint’s IM client delivers Yahoo!, AOL IM and Messenger IM available on the go. This is in addition to the SMS text messaging that is always included on Palm Smart Devices.
• Enhanced Attachment Viewing: Documents to Go (version 10) offers Microsoft® Office compatibility. Download, view and edit Word and Excel compatible files; rehearse PowerPoint® presentations anywhere; consult important PDFs on the go.
• Data Transfer Mode (DTM): Set in the default position allowing users in an active data session to be notified of incoming voice calls, rather than having them go automatically to voicemail. Data session is suspended when incoming calls are picked up.
• Wireless Email: Supported email clients include Sprint Mobile Email and VersaMail. Send and receive email from multiple corporate and personal email accounts. Get wireless email access to popular commercial POP3 and IMAP accounts like AOL, Gmail, Earthlink and Yahoo! Versamail application right out of the box allows wireless access to Outlook email with a direct connection to Microsoft Exchange Server 2003.
• On-Device User’s Guide: Located in the Quick Tour and My Centro sections, customers can view the full User’s Guide right from their device, providing convenient access to tips, troubleshooting techniques and how-to instructions.
• Pocket Tunes Deluxe: Gives users more ways to access their favorite tunes on your Treo no matter where you are. Seamlessly integrated with your phone, users will find Pocket Tunes intuitive and easy-to-use.
• Mobile Voice Control: Use the Nuance voice control to respond to email, text messages, look up a contact or browse the Web.
• Voice/Memo Recorder: Record verbal reminders and ideas with built-in voice recorder.
• Built-In speakerphone: Hands-free operation made easy
• TTY Compatible: This phone connects to a TTY device, allowing anyone who is hearing impaired the ability communicate.

More info on Palm's Centro info pages.

All our blog entires on the Palm Centro

How many people are tempted? I am..

~ Steph

[TazUk]

Originally Posted by skoenig

How many people are tempted?

Whilst I can see it making a great phone for family and friends I wouldn't want one myself as it lacks the oomph I require, or at least I tell myself I require

[forgot]

Once we get a GSM version, I'll be tempted to try. I'll be at the Sprint store checking them out as soon as they are there.

[LotusLord]

I do want to play with one. Next time I'm at the mall, I'll stop in at the at&t, tmobile and sprint store and play with one.

[comiken205]

I went to the Sprint store. They don't have them yet. I was told that on Sunday they will have them for play.

[clamknuckle]

The Centro will have Versamail 4.0. I hope they release 4.0 for other phones as well.

The Centro's battery will have 1150mAh, compared to the 1600mAh of a 755, or the 1800 of a 700p.

I got to play with one. I'm 6 foot 5, and I have large hands. The keyboard is not for me. I realize it's not a treo, and it's goal is to be someone's "first smartphone", but I can see people complaining a lot about battery life, especially under heavy texting/email usage.

I think it will sell like mad, just because of the fact it's a palm phone for $99 dollars.

[forgot]

Hmm..cool to hear another persons thoughts. Good to know that they're not quite for big handed folks.

[skoenig]

@clamknuckle On the keyboard side I heard from Andrew it's got a softness and platsic stickiness to it that allows you to just use your nails or finger tips when typing. My 700p's keyboard keys are smooth and hard which actually makes using it harder than it should be because my finger tips slip down.

I'm gonna check it out. Maybe I can upgrade and donate my 700p my wife (who wouldn't carry something so big or heavy).


~ Steph

[dsaroff]

If I hadn't just purchased a 680 (June) and it wasn't on Sprint, I would have purchased it instead of a 680. I really like the look and packaging of it (though I would want to play with the keyboard first).

[JackG058]

I am definitely wanting to go to Sprint and check this one out too. I've got a Mogul, but it has several major bugs right now so I'm thinking of selling it on eBay. Maybe with the money I get from it I could get a Centro. Of course, my Treo 700p, now that I got it replaced this week due to a true hardware problem, is working like a champ for the most part. Maybe I'll just buy an iPod Touch. Oh man, decisions, decisions...