Palm Centro Review

Palm Centro

The Palm Centro from Sprint broke onto the smart phone stage in the fall of 2007 with a price point of $99, the lowest for the Palm line of devices. The Centro combines the versatility of a full Palm OS smart phone with a size that has been unmatched in devices with a full qwerty keyboard. Add in the Sprint high speed EVDO network and this device is a phone that many can appreciate.

In the Box

· Palm Centro handset

· 1 Standard 1150 mAH Lithium Ion Battery

· Palm AC charger

· Stylus (in slot on phone)

· Palm Charging Cable

· Various guides and CDs

Specs

This 850/1900 MHZ CDMA phone has EVDO (though no Rev. A) for the Sprint network. Readers should note that the device is also available by other carriers that use GSM such as AT&T, which only take advantage of the EDGE network, not HSDPA. The dimensions of the Centro measure 4.22” by 2.11” by .73” and it has a weight of 4.2 oz.  For comparison, the Treo 750 measures 4.37” by 2.28” by .87” and has a weight of 5.4oz.

The battery is the same as the one found in the new Treo 800w, 1150 mAH. Having used the Treo 750 for about six months with the extended 1600mAH battery, I was concerned that it may not be enough for a typical day. However, I’ve found that the Palm OS seems to manage the battery efficiently. I have not been using push email for exchange (more on that later) but have had the Sprint mail program push out my Gmail messages as they arrive. Doing this, I am able to easily get two days of use out of the device. Reports from others say that with Exchange Push active, plan on one day of use. The 1.3MP camera is the same poor quality as the other Treos out there. I would only use it to display a concept, don’t plan on taking your vacation photos with it. The phone has a MicroSD slot on the side that supports cards up to 4GB. The card is almost accessible without taking of the battery cover, but doing so makes installation much easier.

Phone

As a phone, the Centro functions as well as the other Sprint devices I have used. Signal strength is strong and consistent most places I go. Palm has placed the microphone on the bottom of the phone, which is what I have seen with many candy bar style phones. This isn’t my preference as it picks up lots of extraneous noises, but it works just fine under normal conditions.

Data/Internet

With every Windows based phone I have used, the built in Activesync application allows for easy and seamless integration with an Exchange server for email. In the Palm OS, setting up syncing with an exchange server through the Versamail client is relatively easy. However, I had a problem that involved the certificate that needed to be installed to authenticate the sync. I attempted to use a program recommended by the Palm website, but had issues and it never worked. In the end, I decided to HotSync my data to get the contacts and calendar over to the device.

For internet access, Blazer Browser is the built in program. Compared to some other built in browsers, Blazer works surprisingly well. By choosing either Optimized or Wide Page Mode, and Normal or Fast Mode, you can access almost any page out there. And when using fast mode, graphics are removed and accessing sites like Google Reader was a pleasure. The ability to read through my RSS feeds quickly is a big plus in my world. Sprint TV is also included on the phone, allowing for great access to certain live and pre-recorded television over the phones data connection.

Hardware

The Centro design is something new from Palm. Compared to the prior Treos, the Screen is smaller, the keyboard is more compact and the device has more rounded edges. The screen has a resolution now of 320 by 320, and even with the smaller footprint, definitely looks nice.

The 35 key keyboard on the front has a rubberized feel to it, making up for what some consider too cramped to use. The usability of it however is very high, and after just a few days of constant typing, I found myself proficient with it. Some will find that fingernails are the easiest way to hit each of the keys, but fingertips work as well. It is important to note that the keys are also responsive to each press, and I didn’t find myself missing letters like the Treo 750 is prone to do.

The backside of the phone has a smooth finish that while comfortable, was very slick. The raised area on the top third of the phone houses a mediocre speaker, 1.3MP camera and self portrait mirror. Also, a rubber cap hides access to insert an external antenna port, a constant fixture on Palm devices.

On the top, the typical ringer/vibrate switch found on all Treo smartphones, as well as a flimsy plastic stylus. I wish Palm hadn’t gone the route of the plastic for the stylus, the old metal ones had a much better weight and were easier to use.

On the left side, volume rocker buttons and user definable button. On the right, an IR port, and access to the MicroSD card slot, hidden by a cover. The bottom houses the microphone hole, the 2.5mm headset jack, the HotSync cable connection and the power port. Connections are all standard so your accessories from older Palm devices will work.

Software/Features

The Palm Centro is running Palm OS version 5.4.9. Pre-installed now is the popular Google Maps application, allowing for fast access to both graphical and satellite mapping. The pTunes (Pocket Tunes) application is one that many have raved about for years on Palm. pTunes gives you access to hundreds of Internet Radio stations of all genres and tastes. The ability to paste URL’s of nearly any audio format also gives on demand streaming access to content such as podcasts. Sprint TV is available as well, one of my favorite ways to spend a few minutes when I have some downtime.

Overall

The bottom line on the Palm Centro from Sprint is positive. From the person who is just getting into smartphones for the first time, to the long time palm user and many in-between, the Centro is a device for many audiences. A great value at $99 gives the Centro a big advantage over its competitors.