Palm upgrades Pre with cool features

SAN FRANCISCO — Palm tried to reinvent itself with the release of the stylish Pre and Pixi smart phones last year. Now, it’s hoping to woo more consumers with updated versions of the handsets, the Pre and Pixi Plus.

Both phones remain sleek and sport Palm’s easy-to-use, attractive WebOS software. Both also get a nifty new feature — the ability to act as a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot for up to five devices. And both switch from Sprint Nextel Corp.’s wireless network to the one from Verizon Wireless, which costs smart phone customers more each month but has better coverage.

It’s really the Pre that benefits from the changes, though, while the cute-but-annoyingly slow Pixi continues to lag behind.

Smoother keyboard

With the Pre Plus, the first thing I noticed was the absence of a white button near the bottom of its shiny black face. That button had been helpful for expanding open applications or viewing them like an array of small playing cards across the screen.

Instead of the button, which the Pixi never had, you now have a glowing, touch-sensitive white dash that makes the phone’s face more like an uninterrupted slate — all the better for swiping your fingers to open the main menu or switch from one application to the next.

The keyboard on the Pre also felt smoother and less sticky than the previous version, which made it easier to type instant messages and e-mails.

Wi-fi anywhere

The coolest feature on both phones, however, is a mobile hotspot utility you can download from Palm’s App Catalog. It lets up to five devices connect to Verizon’s wireless network through the phone, acting as a Wi-Fi hotspot.

Once installed, the application was super easy to use. I just slid a little on-screen toggle to “on,” set a password for devices to connect to my network and started connecting gadgets. In a few minutes, I was watching Hulu clips on my laptop and browsing news Web sites on another smart phone. I could also use the Palm phone at the same time.

Generally, this worked well with Web surfing, but sometimes my devices seemed kind of pokey: Downloading a song onto an iPhone that was connected wirelessly to the Pre Plus seemed to take much longer than it should, for example.

Not surprisingly, the sweet Wi-Fi hotspot feature will cost you. Verizon charges $40 per month for it, and this is on top of the voice, data and texting tab you’ll rack up each month for using the smart phone on its network. Still, it could be worth it if you want to be able to connect a bunch of gadgets to the Web while on the go.

Double the storage

I was also jazzed to get double the storage on the new Pre, for a total of 16 gigabytes, as I tend to take lots of photos and rarely erase them or move them to a computer or external hard drive. I would still love a slot for a memory card, though, so I could have the option of storing more, and larger, files such as movies on the phone.

The Pre Plus also seemed a bit zippier than the previous Pre, which makes sense as Palm doubled the amount of RAM on the phone (though it won’t say how much it had then or now).

Overall, the Pre Plus packs a number of new features and is a little easier to use than the first one — just what you’d expect from an updated device.

Pixi too slow

Sadly, the Pixi Plus wasn’t as lucky.

Despite a few nifty changes such as the aforementioned Wi-Fi hotspot capability, as well as the ability to connect the phone through a Wi-Fi hotspot at a coffee shop, the Pixi Plus is as irritatingly slow as the original Pixi Palm released in November.

The Pixi Plus, available for $100 after a rebate and with a two-year service contract, may appeal to some users looking for their first smart phone, but for another $50 — $150 — the Pre is a lot more fun to use.

Regardless of which handset you have or covet, more features are coming soon: Palm plans to roll out a software update for both the new and old Pres and Pixis this month that will enable video recording and sharing, video and photo editing. It will also include a way for the phones to play Flash videos on Web sites like Hulu, a feature missing from Apple Inc.’s iPhone and upcoming iPad.

It may not be starting a smart phone revolution, but the updated handsets and upcoming changes show Palm is definitely stepping up its game.

Talk to us

More in Herald Business Journal

A man walks by Pfizer headquarters, Friday, Feb. 5, 2021, in New York. Pfizer will spend about $43 billion to buy Seagen and broaden its reach into cancer treatments, the pharmaceutical giant said Monday, March 13, 2023. (AP Photo / Mark Lennihan, File)
Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer to acquire Bothell-based Seagen

Pfizer announced Monday it plans to acquire Seagen in an all-cash deal for $43 billion.

Lacie Marsh-Carroll stirs wax before pouring candles in her garage at her home on March 17, 2018 in Lake Stevens. (Kevin Clark / The Daily Herald)
Women business owners in Snohomish, Island counties make their mark

In honor of Women’s History Month, we spotlight three local business owners.

x
Edmonds International Women’s Day takes place Saturday

The Edmonds gathering celebrates women and diversity with this year’s theme, “EmbraceEquity.”

Owner and CEO Lacie Carroll holds a “Warr;or” candle at the Malicious Women Candle Co workspace in Snohomish, Washington on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023. The business is women run and owned. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Malicious Women Co: She turned Crock-Pot candles into a sassy venture

Lacie Marsh-Carroll is rekindling her Snohomish candle company with new designs and products.

Kelly Matthews, 36, left, Tonka, 6, center, and Nichole Matthews, 36, pose for a photo in their home in Lynnwood, Washington on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023.  The twin sisters work as freelance comic book artists and illustrators. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Drawing interest: Twin sisters never gave up on making their mark

Lynnwood sisters, Kelly and Nichole Matthews, got their big break a decade ago and now draw comics full time.

Willow Mietus, 50, poses for a photo at her home in Coupeville, Washington on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023. Mietus bought a former Frito-Lay truck to sell her dyed yarn out of. She calls it "The Wool Wagon." (Annie Barker / The Herald)
The Wool Wagon to hit the streets of Whidbey Island

A self-described “professional yarn temptress” from Coupeville is setting up shop in a modified truck.

IonQ will open a new quantum computing manufacturing and research center at 3755 Monte Villa Parkway in Bothell. (Photo courtesy of IonQ)
Quantum computing firm IonQ to open Bothell R&D center

IonQ says quantum computing systems are key to addressing climate change, energy and transportation.

Nathanael Engen, founder of Black Forest Mushrooms, sits in the lobby of Think Tank Cowork with his 9-year-old dog, Bruce Wayne, on Friday, Jan. 27, 2023, in downtown Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Growing green mushrooms in downtown Everett

The founder of Black Forest Mushrooms plans to grow gourmet mushrooms locally, reducing their carbon footprint.

Barb Lamoureux, 78, poses for a photo at her office at 1904 Wetmore Ave in Everett, Washington on Monday, Jan. 23, 2023. Lamoureux, who founded Lamoureux Real Estate in 2004, is retiring after 33 years. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Barb Lamoureux, ‘North Everett’s Real Estate Agent’ retires

A longtime supporter of Housing Hope, Lamoureux helped launch the Windermere Foundation Golf Tournament.

Bothell
AGC Biologics in Bothell to produce new diabetes treatment

The contract drug manufacturer paired with drug developer Provention Bio to bring the new therapy to market.

Funko mascots Freddy Funko roll past on a conveyor belt in the Pop! Factory of the company's new flagship store on Aug. 18, 2017.  (Dan Bates / The Herald)
Dumpko? $30M worth of Funko Pop! collectibles destined for landfill

The Everett toy maker has too much inventory, making it cheaper to toss the figurines than sell them.

A Value Village store is seen Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2017, in Edmonds, Wash. The company that operates 300 Value Village, Savers and other thrift stores in the U.S., Canada and Australia is suing Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson, saying his office has violated its rights by demanding $3.2 million to settle a three-year investigation. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Court rejects deception charges against Savers Value Village

The Washington state Supreme Court handed the thrift store chain Savers Value Village a unanimous win Thursday.