The kind folks at
Palm have sent us over a brand-spanking-new
Centro to take for a spin, and we'd thought we'd share that special moment when a phantasmagorical waking dream becomes cold, hard, metallic reality. At a first glance, it's pretty clear that the $99.99 price point will leave you hungry for accessories if you sink your teeth into the
Sprint-only (
for now) phone, as the box has the bare minimum included -- they don't even throw in a cheap set of earbuds. Other than that it's pretty standard fare. Check the gallery for all the views (including a size comparison with the
Treo 750, so you can see how they stack up), and stay tuned for a thorough review.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
t dot strange @ Oct 10th 2007 12:27PM
This smartphone intrigues me. Can't wait for the full review
mac snooper @ Oct 10th 2007 12:33PM
I had a 755p from sprint they told me that this would be comperable to my old ppc6700 minus the os. I had palm devices in the past so that did not bother. I got the unit and loved it for about half of a month i went on a business trip and started getting phone calles from people that i was not responding to their emails. I get on average 350+ emails a week so I had them set up in exchange to go to folders and palm cant sync folders.
That is a big step that palm needs to make
i love my new ppc6800
Brent @ Oct 10th 2007 12:39PM
To me, adding earbuds to gadgets is a complete waste. I have like 10 pairs of junk earbuds sitting around my house. Palm made the right decision to leave 'em out.
PhilR8 @ Oct 10th 2007 12:40PM
Great pictures, Josh. Looks like the black finish is a smooth, glossy finish instead of the rubbery soft-touch finish a lot of phones have nowadays. Is it slippery?
Stephen Lang @ Oct 10th 2007 12:42PM
It would have been nice if it was a bit wider for a larger keyboard and screen (same size as the Treo). They wouldn't need to make the Centro taller to accommodate the Treo screen, because there's extra space below the screen.
But I understand they were going for a certain price point.
harry.bartos @ Oct 10th 2007 12:56PM
No SD Flash Card Slot?
PhilR8 @ Oct 10th 2007 1:03PM
There's a micro-sd card slot on the side of the phone, as shown in the photo gallery.
Michael @ Oct 10th 2007 3:33PM
All you need is a microSD adapter to use microSD cards in an SD card reader.
PK @ Oct 10th 2007 1:21PM
Here's one photo with the slot plainly visible:
http://www.engadgetmobile.com/gallery/palm-centro-unboxing-1/433532/
Crystal @ Oct 10th 2007 1:35PM
when is this going to go on sale, and is the $99 after all those rebates that take forever to get back to you?
HineyWipe @ Oct 10th 2007 1:38PM
I wonder how it is with Mac OS X sync...
cliff @ Oct 10th 2007 2:59PM
If it's as bad as Palms last attempt at Sync'ing with Macs, then it should be a pretty horrific experience at best.
Bruce @ Oct 28th 2007 1:34AM
Seems to sync fine with my Mac.
Kevin @ Oct 10th 2007 2:01PM
Mind throwing this thing next to a Dash / iPhone / Blackjack for some comparison pics for size??
JJ @ Oct 10th 2007 2:52PM
You guys should start placing a ruler next to items in these pictures so we can get an idea of the scale. I know I can look up the dimensions, but it would be nice to just look at your picks and see how big an item is.
JayCaesar @ Oct 10th 2007 2:56PM
is the camera any good? is it 1.3 or 2.0 megapixels?
J @ Oct 10th 2007 3:04PM
1.3Mpx and it's got no Zoom nor autofocus. Just an average camera.
J @ Oct 10th 2007 2:59PM
I'm in love! Too bad I just renewed my contract for a 8525. Maybe I'll cancel it...
freakmarket @ Oct 10th 2007 3:42PM
I just held one yesterday for about 5 minutes ... it's smaller than the Treos ... but it's the same round heavy gumpy device with the weird docking port and charging port on the bottom.
Keyboard is usable. You have to take the battery cover off to access the MicroSD slot that is on the SIDE of the phone. Bad design.
This phone isn't anything new ... they literally just threw a treo in the dryer on high for 4 hours and shrank it. The stylis was cheap and didn't slide in and out very well. Call button layout is good and the directional pad is quite usable.
But like i said it's the same round LAME Treo form factor. Lame tiny square screen. It has a very sharp resolution though.
But for $200 minus $100 mail-in in rebate it's probably worth it.
RD Gibson @ Oct 10th 2007 4:45PM
The keyboard is actually quite usable, as shown on this video on Brighthand:
http://www.brighthand.com/default.asp?newsID=13377
I went to the Sprint store to replace my beloved Treo 650 with the Centro, only to discover that the phone doesn't drop until the 14th. A Sprint rep coaxed me into trying a Moto Q as an interim phone until the Centro arrived. The Q is a poorly designed, flimsy piece of junk with zero battery life. Motorola couldn't even center the screen on the device. Additionally, the Windows Mobile OS is complex, slow, and freezes frequently; the "aging" Palm OS is simple, snappy, and can be easily navigated with one hand.
I'm counting the minutes until my Centro arrives...
Craig @ Oct 10th 2007 4:52PM
looked great until I saw the stylus ... touch screens are yesterdays technology.
RD Gibson @ Oct 10th 2007 9:31PM
"touchscreens are yesterdays technology"
I suppose that means the iPhone is obsolete...
DP @ Oct 10th 2007 5:12PM
This shite is fugly, not to mention cheap and I don't mean a bargain. Just more garbage for the cell phones' apparently bottoless trash barrel.
Chris Przybycien @ Oct 10th 2007 7:47PM
Bluetooth 1.2... in 2007? pathetic :\
jeff @ Oct 10th 2007 10:11PM
I got to play with one of these a few weeks ago at the digitallife nerdfest in NYC. I must say, I was pretty impressed with the Centro. The touchscreen was super crisp and easy to see, and even with my hot dog-like fingers, I didn't have any issues with the keyboard. The guy running the display allowed me to put it in my pocket, and it wasn't bad at all. I don't know if it will convert any blackberry owners to convert, but I think the $99 price will convince a lot of regular-phone people to consider it. If Verizon had it right now, I would get it.
Tim @ Oct 10th 2007 11:57PM
Now if only they gave this thing bluetooth 2.0, Wi-Fi, that new OS they said is in the works, and made it on telus or rogers for us Canadians, i would get it in a heartbeat. In 2007 you just need to up the ante Palm, but alas they do not. oh well
Joshua Bowman @ Oct 11th 2007 4:32AM
Its about twice as thick as it should be. Send it back to 2005, it will do well there.
Baz @ Oct 11th 2007 7:46AM
Dinky screen, tiny keys thumbboard, chunky styling - this device is Palm's effort to appeal to younger users - but they've undershot.
Fisher-Price meets the Firefly....
antjones21 @ Oct 11th 2007 12:09PM
I think it's not a bad deal for the price. But why can't palm release the Palm OS and Windows Mobile OS versions of the phone at the same time. Why is there always a long time inbetween the release of the different OS's.
JeffDM @ Oct 11th 2007 11:15PM
You should look up "Missing Sync". I am using an old version, but it works pretty well with my Palm. It's a pay program though.
Tom @ Oct 18th 2007 10:15PM
Just picked up a Centro today to replace my Treo 700p. My work makes me have a (really cheap) cell phone and I used the 700p for personal use. Got tired of how big the Treo is when carrying 2 phones, but I LOVE everything else about it (internet, email, calendar, syncing, etc.). The Centro is the perfect size for my pants pocket. When I first saw the pictures, I didn't really like the style, but once you get it in your hand and feel how small it is, it really grows on you. And for $100This 40 year old says thumbs up for the new Centro!!
bones @ Nov 5th 2007 5:45PM
anyone know how to make songs you add on into a ringtone?