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13 reviews
  • Reception and call quality
  • Display
  • Battery life
  • Camera
  • Ease of use
  • Design and form factor
  • Portability (size / weight)
  • Media support
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  • Ecosystem (apps, accessories, etc.)

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User reviews

8.1
100 reviews
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Engadget Jun 3, 2009

The Palm Pre. It's not just a phone, it's a myth, an idea, possibly a legacy... and a really, really long time coming. It's almost impossible to believe, but the crew at Engadget has been talking about a Linux-based Palm phone since way back in 2004. Through the now-distant years that...

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Gizmodo Jun 3, 2009

One last effort. A slow, but firm, shove of the chips. All in. Palm's only hope to save a company once synonymous with smart handheld devices: the Pre. Their eyebrow raised, daring you to call. They flip. Full house. Respectable. Decent. Impressive even. But not the highest hand.

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New York Times Jun 3, 2009

You’ve seen that movie, right? The one where a pair of lovable sad-sack losers team up to defeat the smug athletic golden boy? If not, you’re about to. It’s called “Palm Pre vs. iPhone.” The star of this summer blockbuster is Palm. Over the years, this once-great company lost its talent...

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AnandTech Jun 19, 2009

What do you do immediately after crowning a new king? Search for his replacement of course. This is the Palm Pre, both better and worse than the iPhone in the first package that can truly be viewed as an alternative. It's more functional, more affordable and truly usurps Apple's leadership...

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CNET Jun 6, 2009

Despite some missing features and performance issues that make it less than ideal for on-the-go professionals, the Palm Pre offers gadget lovers and consumers well-integrated features and unparalled multitasking capabilities. The hardware could be better, but more importantly, Palm has developed a...

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PC Mag Jun 4, 2009

The Palm Pre is the sexiest handset since the iPhone—and it also marks the dawn of a major new smartphone platform. Although it lacks third-party apps and has some battery life issues, it's much more fun than any other phone Sprint offers.

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PC World Jun 3, 2009

The long-awaited Palm Pre lives up to the hype with a responsive touchscreen and an engaging interface, but a few hardware design flaws keep it from being the perfect smartphone.

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Ars Technica Jun 10, 2009

Most of the gadget press is obsessing over whether the Palm Pre is an iPhone killer, but they're asking the wrong question. We've been testing one for the past few days, and it's clear to us that the real target of Palm's new phone is the BlackBerry. Here's how Palm will use...

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Ars Technica Jun 23, 2009

Ars reviews the Palm Pre, part 2: the webOS experience In this second installment of our Palm Pre review, we go in-depth on the software side of the device. Does Palm's webOS really live up to its promise as a "cloud" messaging mobile? More on this topic, as well as the calendar,...

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Computerworld Jun 11, 2009

It's just the right size, has a screen that's big enough for Web work and e-mail, and now that I've used the Pre's micro-keyboard I don't ever want to go back to a screen-based one again. For me, an even bigger step forward is the Touchstone charger and the way it...

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Pocket-Lint Jun 25, 2009

Watch out Apple! If Palm can ramp up its apps (and perhaps roll-out an OS update) the multi-talented Pre will poach users hunting for a smart, sexy iPhone alternative

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Phone Scoop Jul 2, 2009

After a long wait since the initial announcement at CES in January, the Palm Pre is finally here. Is it your type? Well, if you're the kind of person who wants the latest greatest thing? Yes. If you're the type who is a Palm fanatic. Yes. If you're on the fence about smartphones in...

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Boing Boing Jun 8, 2009

It's no giant killer, but it doesn't have to be. The only thing the Palm Pre has to do is be better than the other phones offered by Sprint. No problem there—webOS might be noticeably immature compared to the iPhone's operating system, but even swaddled in an underpowered chassis...

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8.0
krystleleanna

I bought it the very first day and have really loved the device the whole time. There have been a few hiccups with service and small phone defects yet Sprint is always great about replacing and working out the issues. I love how versatile the phone is and how many things it does. I really like...

9.0
acleve1

Just a few months ago, I too was using (and struggling) on a Windows Mobile smartphone. But then Palm, as a seemingly last ditch effort from total annihilation, unleashed the Pre into the market and since then then, I have yet to look back. The new WebOS is rather intuitive (after learning the...

7.0
AceFu

Like many, I waited a long, long time to get my hands on the Pre. Ever since it was announced at CES early in the year, I had my eye on it. Finally, it was released and I got a call from Best Buy that they had my Pre in stock and I could come and pick it up. I proceeded to leave work early to...

7.0
jeremydavis87

I really enjoyed the Palm Pre. From the intuitive wireless charging to the smooth operating system, I thoroughly enjoyed it. The only thing that made me ditch it was the lack of Apps. The HTC EVO came out and was much bigger faster and had many of the popular apps and was very appealing. Sorry...

7.0
jamiehs

I loved this phone. It was a joy to use. It's downfall was how slow it was and the lack of any compelling mainstream apps. There were also a few silly issues. The notorious "too many cards" error is basically what drove my wife and I to get Android phones instead. There were times where the Pre...

7.0
garfnodie

I have to reiterate how fragile a phone this is. The phone fell out of my shirt pocket, maybe a 2 foot drop and screen cracked in half. I also had problems with the slider as well. The form factor and interface were great, just really needed work on durability.

9.0
liveforfunnow

If it weren't for the hardware, this would be a perfect device. I love the software: webOS manages to focus my "digital life" in a manageable stream. Contacts and apps are easy to find, and there is usually more than one simple way to perform common tasks. The universal search is...

10
mrchnm

I love this phone. My best review would simply be to state that if Palm were to go away tomorrow, leaving no support or updates behind, I would still be happy with this phone. They got it right the first time and are miles ahead of the competition. This is what the iPhone will work like when it...

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