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Look and Feel
The Palm Centro for AT&T (henceforth, in this review, the “Centro,” for convenience’s sake) is a wonder of a little phone. It packs all the power of traditional PalmOS Treos into a tiny, holdable package that’s remarkably easy to use. With all the complaining about the PalmOS getting long in the tooth (myself among that throng), it’s easy to forget: the PalmOS is both surprisingly powerful and easy to use.
When Palm recently revealed some sales data indicating that 75% of their buyers were new to the smartphone market, I fully believed it. If you’ve never owned a smartphone, the Centro is an easy decision to make. Without adding too much bulk or complexity to the device you carry in your pocket or purse, you can open yourself up to a new world of communication without needing to become a smartphone nerd like myself.
…Regular TreoCentral readers may be wondering: this seems like an awfully rosy picture to paint for a device that is, truly, almost nothing more than a Treo 680 repackaged into a compelling new form factor (although the Centro does have a better camera at 1.3 megapixels). This is true — if you’re a Treo 680 owner and are wondering “should I upgrade,” my answer is simple: “Yes, but only if you want a smaller form factor.” Regular readers may want to revisit the conclusion of our original Sprint Centro review, where I covered some of the ins and outs of the “upgrade decision.”
» Read the rest of "Review: Palm Centro for AT&T - by Dieter Bohn"
Palm’s new Centro comes equipped with a post, set into its bottom right corner, that accommodates a lanyard for carrying. Although the package doesn’t include one, Mobi Products and some other vendors have rushed in to fill the void. The growing array of products includes this 5.5-inch wrist lanyard.
One nice thing about it is: it comes in colors. My Centro is red, naturally, but tempted as I was with the red lanyard, I picked the black one, for contrast. Besides, from looking at the picture, I wasn’t sure the lanyard’s red would be the same as the Centro’s. The blue looked like it would go well with the black Centro, but clash with the red.
Whatever color you choose, here’s the thing about lanyards: they allow you to “wear” the Centro like a piece of jewelry. Wouldn’t it be nice if they added some bling? But maybe that’s coming eventually.
Aside from hanging the Centro on your wrist you can loop it back through itself to hang it on a book bag strap or belt loop. Retrieving it to answer a call might be less convenient, but there’s always Bluetooth headsets, if the Centro stays in close range.
» Read the rest of "Review: Mobi Products 5.5 Inch Wrist Lanyard - by Jay Gross"
All cell phone cases involve some tradeoff. As a rule, the more protection they offer, the more cumbersome they are to wear. Thicker materials add bulk, often making the phones they sheathe awkward or unwieldy in use, not to mention more conspicuous than may be fashionable for non-geeks. Those attracted to their phones’ unique form factor usually have to choose between case designs that compromise or change the contouring beyond recognition.
As the company’s brand name implies, Body Glove’s métier is preserving their host products’ unique form factors. The Scuba Case is their first attempt at skinning the Centro in the style consistent with the rest of their product line. Let’s see how it fares.
» Read the rest of "Review: Body Glove Scuba Case - by Andre Kibbe"
The very first thing you need for your Centro is a protector for its all important screen. This Smartphone Experts kit contains three of them already cut to size.
The most important thing on the Centro to protect from harm isn’t its ego, but the touchie-feelie screen. Gleaming brightly, it faces forward and bravely invites touches. That means it suffers from Indiana Jones syndrome - constant exposure to hazard. Take those coins and keys that rattle around in the bookbag, pocket or purse you store it in. Wham, scrape, smush. All day.
The “touch” in touch screen means potential abrasion from the stylus, as well as from your fingernails, which by the way work fine for operating the Centro without yanking out its stylus.
Although it’s not all that fragile, there are many opportunities for the Gremlins in Charge of Mayhem to wreak their dirty deeds, if only with dirt. The screen is also a Centro’s most expensive replacement part. Fortunately, there’s a simple and inexpensive solution: a screen protector. Disposable and replaceable, they take the scrapes and scratches instead of the screen.
A screen protector doesn’t add anything to the Centro’s weight, either. My kitchen scale won’t discuss anything under a gram, so I’ve pegged the product’s weight at zero.
» Read the rest of "Review: SPE Screen Protectors (3-Pack) for Palm Centro - by Jay Gross"
The Centro is quite possibly the most important smartphone release from Palm since their foray into Windows Mobile with the Treo 700w. This seems like a strange thing to say given that, except for its form factor, the Centro doesn’t represent anything especially new in the smartphone field. In fact, it is so nearly identical in function and use to the Treo 755p that in our testing we have yet to find any significant differences. No, the Centro is important because it represents a two “firsts” for Palm:
- Their first smartphone to retail at $99 (after rebates, it’s a hefty $399 before)
- Their first smartphone with genuine mass-market appeal
Read on for the full review!
(note: originally published at our sister site, TreoCentral)
» Read the rest of "Review: Palm Centro"
Posted by Dieter Bohn on October 18, 2007 5:27 AM
Filed under Featured, Reviews, Smartphones; centro, review
| 
|
Look and Feel
The Palm Centro for AT&T (henceforth, in this review, the “Centro,” for convenience’s sake) is a wonder of a little phone. It packs all the power of traditional PalmOS Treos into a tiny, holdable package that’s remarkably easy to use. With all the complaining about the PalmOS getting long in the tooth (myself among that throng), it’s easy to forget: the PalmOS is both surprisingly powerful and easy to use.
When Palm recently revealed some sales data indicating that 75% of their buyers were new to the smartphone market, I fully believed it. If you’ve never owned a smartphone, the Centro is an easy decision to make. Without adding too much bulk or complexity to the device you carry in your pocket or purse, you can open yourself up to a new world of communication without needing to become a smartphone nerd like myself.
…Regular TreoCentral readers may be wondering: this seems like an awfully rosy picture to paint for a device that is, truly, almost nothing more than a Treo 680 repackaged into a compelling new form factor (although the Centro does have a better camera at 1.3 megapixels). This is true — if you’re a Treo 680 owner and are wondering “should I upgrade,” my answer is simple: “Yes, but only if you want a smaller form factor.” Regular readers may want to revisit the conclusion of our original Sprint Centro review, where I covered some of the ins and outs of the “upgrade decision.”
» Read the rest of "Review: Palm Centro for AT&T - by Dieter Bohn"
Palm’s new Centro comes equipped with a post, set into its bottom right corner, that accommodates a lanyard for carrying. Although the package doesn’t include one, Mobi Products and some other vendors have rushed in to fill the void. The growing array of products includes this 5.5-inch wrist lanyard.
One nice thing about it is: it comes in colors. My Centro is red, naturally, but tempted as I was with the red lanyard, I picked the black one, for contrast. Besides, from looking at the picture, I wasn’t sure the lanyard’s red would be the same as the Centro’s. The blue looked like it would go well with the black Centro, but clash with the red.
Whatever color you choose, here’s the thing about lanyards: they allow you to “wear” the Centro like a piece of jewelry. Wouldn’t it be nice if they added some bling? But maybe that’s coming eventually.
Aside from hanging the Centro on your wrist you can loop it back through itself to hang it on a book bag strap or belt loop. Retrieving it to answer a call might be less convenient, but there’s always Bluetooth headsets, if the Centro stays in close range.
» Read the rest of "Review: Mobi Products 5.5 Inch Wrist Lanyard - by Jay Gross"
All cell phone cases involve some tradeoff. As a rule, the more protection they offer, the more cumbersome they are to wear. Thicker materials add bulk, often making the phones they sheathe awkward or unwieldy in use, not to mention more conspicuous than may be fashionable for non-geeks. Those attracted to their phones’ unique form factor usually have to choose between case designs that compromise or change the contouring beyond recognition.
As the company’s brand name implies, Body Glove’s métier is preserving their host products’ unique form factors. The Scuba Case is their first attempt at skinning the Centro in the style consistent with the rest of their product line. Let’s see how it fares.
» Read the rest of "Review: Body Glove Scuba Case - by Andre Kibbe"
The very first thing you need for your Centro is a protector for its all important screen. This Smartphone Experts kit contains three of them already cut to size.
The most important thing on the Centro to protect from harm isn’t its ego, but the touchie-feelie screen. Gleaming brightly, it faces forward and bravely invites touches. That means it suffers from Indiana Jones syndrome - constant exposure to hazard. Take those coins and keys that rattle around in the bookbag, pocket or purse you store it in. Wham, scrape, smush. All day.
The “touch” in touch screen means potential abrasion from the stylus, as well as from your fingernails, which by the way work fine for operating the Centro without yanking out its stylus.
Although it’s not all that fragile, there are many opportunities for the Gremlins in Charge of Mayhem to wreak their dirty deeds, if only with dirt. The screen is also a Centro’s most expensive replacement part. Fortunately, there’s a simple and inexpensive solution: a screen protector. Disposable and replaceable, they take the scrapes and scratches instead of the screen.
A screen protector doesn’t add anything to the Centro’s weight, either. My kitchen scale won’t discuss anything under a gram, so I’ve pegged the product’s weight at zero.
» Read the rest of "Review: SPE Screen Protectors (3-Pack) for Palm Centro - by Jay Gross"
The Centro is quite possibly the most important smartphone release from Palm since their foray into Windows Mobile with the Treo 700w. This seems like a strange thing to say given that, except for its form factor, the Centro doesn’t represent anything especially new in the smartphone field. In fact, it is so nearly identical in function and use to the Treo 755p that in our testing we have yet to find any significant differences. No, the Centro is important because it represents a two “firsts” for Palm:
- Their first smartphone to retail at $99 (after rebates, it’s a hefty $399 before)
- Their first smartphone with genuine mass-market appeal
Read on for the full review!
(note: originally published at our sister site, TreoCentral)
» Read the rest of "Review: Palm Centro"
Posted by Dieter Bohn on October 18, 2007 5:27 AM
Filed under Featured, Reviews, Smartphones; centro, review
| |
Look and Feel
The Palm Centro for AT&T (henceforth, in this review, the “Centro,” for convenience’s sake) is a wonder of a little phone. It packs all the power of traditional PalmOS Treos into a tiny, holdable package that’s remarkably easy to use. With all the complaining about the PalmOS getting long in the tooth (myself among that throng), it’s easy to forget: the PalmOS is both surprisingly powerful and easy to use.
When Palm recently revealed some sales data indicating that 75% of their buyers were new to the smartphone market, I fully believed it. If you’ve never owned a smartphone, the Centro is an easy decision to make. Without adding too much bulk or complexity to the device you carry in your pocket or purse, you can open yourself up to a new world of communication without needing to become a smartphone nerd like myself.
…Regular TreoCentral readers may be wondering: this seems like an awfully rosy picture to paint for a device that is, truly, almost nothing more than a Treo 680 repackaged into a compelling new form factor (although the Centro does have a better camera at 1.3 megapixels). This is true — if you’re a Treo 680 owner and are wondering “should I upgrade,” my answer is simple: “Yes, but only if you want a smaller form factor.” Regular readers may want to revisit the conclusion of our original Sprint Centro review, where I covered some of the ins and outs of the “upgrade decision.”
» Read the rest of "Review: Palm Centro for AT&T - by Dieter Bohn"
Palm’s new Centro comes equipped with a post, set into its bottom right corner, that accommodates a lanyard for carrying. Although the package doesn’t include one, Mobi Products and some other vendors have rushed in to fill the void. The growing array of products includes this 5.5-inch wrist lanyard.
One nice thing about it is: it comes in colors. My Centro is red, naturally, but tempted as I was with the red lanyard, I picked the black one, for contrast. Besides, from looking at the picture, I wasn’t sure the lanyard’s red would be the same as the Centro’s. The blue looked like it would go well with the black Centro, but clash with the red.
Whatever color you choose, here’s the thing about lanyards: they allow you to “wear” the Centro like a piece of jewelry. Wouldn’t it be nice if they added some bling? But maybe that’s coming eventually.
Aside from hanging the Centro on your wrist you can loop it back through itself to hang it on a book bag strap or belt loop. Retrieving it to answer a call might be less convenient, but there’s always Bluetooth headsets, if the Centro stays in close range.
» Read the rest of "Review: Mobi Products 5.5 Inch Wrist Lanyard - by Jay Gross"
All cell phone cases involve some tradeoff. As a rule, the more protection they offer, the more cumbersome they are to wear. Thicker materials add bulk, often making the phones they sheathe awkward or unwieldy in use, not to mention more conspicuous than may be fashionable for non-geeks. Those attracted to their phones’ unique form factor usually have to choose between case designs that compromise or change the contouring beyond recognition.
As the company’s brand name implies, Body Glove’s métier is preserving their host products’ unique form factors. The Scuba Case is their first attempt at skinning the Centro in the style consistent with the rest of their product line. Let’s see how it fares.
» Read the rest of "Review: Body Glove Scuba Case - by Andre Kibbe"
The very first thing you need for your Centro is a protector for its all important screen. This Smartphone Experts kit contains three of them already cut to size.
The most important thing on the Centro to protect from harm isn’t its ego, but the touchie-feelie screen. Gleaming brightly, it faces forward and bravely invites touches. That means it suffers from Indiana Jones syndrome - constant exposure to hazard. Take those coins and keys that rattle around in the bookbag, pocket or purse you store it in. Wham, scrape, smush. All day.
The “touch” in touch screen means potential abrasion from the stylus, as well as from your fingernails, which by the way work fine for operating the Centro without yanking out its stylus.
Although it’s not all that fragile, there are many opportunities for the Gremlins in Charge of Mayhem to wreak their dirty deeds, if only with dirt. The screen is also a Centro’s most expensive replacement part. Fortunately, there’s a simple and inexpensive solution: a screen protector. Disposable and replaceable, they take the scrapes and scratches instead of the screen.
A screen protector doesn’t add anything to the Centro’s weight, either. My kitchen scale won’t discuss anything under a gram, so I’ve pegged the product’s weight at zero.
» Read the rest of "Review: SPE Screen Protectors (3-Pack) for Palm Centro - by Jay Gross"
The Centro is quite possibly the most important smartphone release from Palm since their foray into Windows Mobile with the Treo 700w. This seems like a strange thing to say given that, except for its form factor, the Centro doesn’t represent anything especially new in the smartphone field. In fact, it is so nearly identical in function and use to the Treo 755p that in our testing we have yet to find any significant differences. No, the Centro is important because it represents a two “firsts” for Palm:
- Their first smartphone to retail at $99 (after rebates, it’s a hefty $399 before)
- Their first smartphone with genuine mass-market appeal
Read on for the full review!
(note: originally published at our sister site, TreoCentral)
» Read the rest of "Review: Palm Centro"
Posted by Dieter Bohn on October 18, 2007 5:27 AM
Filed under Featured, Reviews, Smartphones; centro, review
| |
Look and Feel
The Palm Centro for AT&T (henceforth, in this review, the “Centro,” for convenience’s sake) is a wonder of a little phone. It packs all the power of traditional PalmOS Treos into a tiny, holdable package that’s remarkably easy to use. With all the complaining about the PalmOS getting long in the tooth (myself among that throng), it’s easy to forget: the PalmOS is both surprisingly powerful and easy to use.
When Palm recently revealed some sales data indicating that 75% of their buyers were new to the smartphone market, I fully believed it. If you’ve never owned a smartphone, the Centro is an easy decision to make. Without adding too much bulk or complexity to the device you carry in your pocket or purse, you can open yourself up to a new world of communication without needing to become a smartphone nerd like myself.
…Regular TreoCentral readers may be wondering: this seems like an awfully rosy picture to paint for a device that is, truly, almost nothing more than a Treo 680 repackaged into a compelling new form factor (although the Centro does have a better camera at 1.3 megapixels). This is true — if you’re a Treo 680 owner and are wondering “should I upgrade,” my answer is simple: “Yes, but only if you want a smaller form factor.” Regular readers may want to revisit the conclusion of our original Sprint Centro review, where I covered some of the ins and outs of the “upgrade decision.”
» Read the rest of "Review: Palm Centro for AT&T - by Dieter Bohn"
Palm’s new Centro comes equipped with a post, set into its bottom right corner, that accommodates a lanyard for carrying. Although the package doesn’t include one, Mobi Products and some other vendors have rushed in to fill the void. The growing array of products includes this 5.5-inch wrist lanyard.
One nice thing about it is: it comes in colors. My Centro is red, naturally, but tempted as I was with the red lanyard, I picked the black one, for contrast. Besides, from looking at the picture, I wasn’t sure the lanyard’s red would be the same as the Centro’s. The blue looked like it would go well with the black Centro, but clash with the red.
Whatever color you choose, here’s the thing about lanyards: they allow you to “wear” the Centro like a piece of jewelry. Wouldn’t it be nice if they added some bling? But maybe that’s coming eventually.
Aside from hanging the Centro on your wrist you can loop it back through itself to hang it on a book bag strap or belt loop. Retrieving it to answer a call might be less convenient, but there’s always Bluetooth headsets, if the Centro stays in close range.
» Read the rest of "Review: Mobi Products 5.5 Inch Wrist Lanyard - by Jay Gross"
All cell phone cases involve some tradeoff. As a rule, the more protection they offer, the more cumbersome they are to wear. Thicker materials add bulk, often making the phones they sheathe awkward or unwieldy in use, not to mention more conspicuous than may be fashionable for non-geeks. Those attracted to their phones’ unique form factor usually have to choose between case designs that compromise or change the contouring beyond recognition.
As the company’s brand name implies, Body Glove’s métier is preserving their host products’ unique form factors. The Scuba Case is their first attempt at skinning the Centro in the style consistent with the rest of their product line. Let’s see how it fares.
» Read the rest of "Review: Body Glove Scuba Case - by Andre Kibbe"
The very first thing you need for your Centro is a protector for its all important screen. This Smartphone Experts kit contains three of them already cut to size.
The most important thing on the Centro to protect from harm isn’t its ego, but the touchie-feelie screen. Gleaming brightly, it faces forward and bravely invites touches. That means it suffers from Indiana Jones syndrome - constant exposure to hazard. Take those coins and keys that rattle around in the bookbag, pocket or purse you store it in. Wham, scrape, smush. All day.
The “touch” in touch screen means potential abrasion from the stylus, as well as from your fingernails, which by the way work fine for operating the Centro without yanking out its stylus.
Although it’s not all that fragile, there are many opportunities for the Gremlins in Charge of Mayhem to wreak their dirty deeds, if only with dirt. The screen is also a Centro’s most expensive replacement part. Fortunately, there’s a simple and inexpensive solution: a screen protector. Disposable and replaceable, they take the scrapes and scratches instead of the screen.
A screen protector doesn’t add anything to the Centro’s weight, either. My kitchen scale won’t discuss anything under a gram, so I’ve pegged the product’s weight at zero.
» Read the rest of "Review: SPE Screen Protectors (3-Pack) for Palm Centro - by Jay Gross"
The Centro is quite possibly the most important smartphone release from Palm since their foray into Windows Mobile with the Treo 700w. This seems like a strange thing to say given that, except for its form factor, the Centro doesn’t represent anything especially new in the smartphone field. In fact, it is so nearly identical in function and use to the Treo 755p that in our testing we have yet to find any significant differences. No, the Centro is important because it represents a two “firsts” for Palm:
- Their first smartphone to retail at $99 (after rebates, it’s a hefty $399 before)
- Their first smartphone with genuine mass-market appeal
Read on for the full review!
(note: originally published at our sister site, TreoCentral)
» Read the rest of "Review: Palm Centro"
Posted by Dieter Bohn on October 18, 2007 5:27 AM
Filed under Featured, Reviews, Smartphones; centro, review
| |
Look and Feel
The Palm Centro for AT&T (henceforth, in this review, the “Centro,” for convenience’s sake) is a wonder of a little phone. It packs all the power of traditional PalmOS Treos into a tiny, holdable package that’s remarkably easy to use. With all the complaining about the PalmOS getting long in the tooth (myself among that throng), it’s easy to forget: the PalmOS is both surprisingly powerful and easy to use.
When Palm recently revealed some sales data indicating that 75% of their buyers were new to the smartphone market, I fully believed it. If you’ve never owned a smartphone, the Centro is an easy decision to make. Without adding too much bulk or complexity to the device you carry in your pocket or purse, you can open yourself up to a new world of communication without needing to become a smartphone nerd like myself.
…Regular TreoCentral readers may be wondering: this seems like an awfully rosy picture to paint for a device that is, truly, almost nothing more than a Treo 680 repackaged into a compelling new form factor (although the Centro does have a better camera at 1.3 megapixels). This is true — if you’re a Treo 680 owner and are wondering “should I upgrade,” my answer is simple: “Yes, but only if you want a smaller form factor.” Regular readers may want to revisit the conclusion of our original Sprint Centro review, where I covered some of the ins and outs of the “upgrade decision.”
» Read the rest of "Review: Palm Centro for AT&T - by Dieter Bohn"
Palm’s new Centro comes equipped with a post, set into its bottom right corner, that accommodates a lanyard for carrying. Although the package doesn’t include one, Mobi Products and some other vendors have rushed in to fill the void. The growing array of products includes this 5.5-inch wrist lanyard.
One nice thing about it is: it comes in colors. My Centro is red, naturally, but tempted as I was with the red lanyard, I picked the black one, for contrast. Besides, from looking at the picture, I wasn’t sure the lanyard’s red would be the same as the Centro’s. The blue looked like it would go well with the black Centro, but clash with the red.
Whatever color you choose, here’s the thing about lanyards: they allow you to “wear” the Centro like a piece of jewelry. Wouldn’t it be nice if they added some bling? But maybe that’s coming eventually.
Aside from hanging the Centro on your wrist you can loop it back through itself to hang it on a book bag strap or belt loop. Retrieving it to answer a call might be less convenient, but there’s always Bluetooth headsets, if the Centro stays in close range.
» Read the rest of "Review: Mobi Products 5.5 Inch Wrist Lanyard - by Jay Gross"
All cell phone cases involve some tradeoff. As a rule, the more protection they offer, the more cumbersome they are to wear. Thicker materials add bulk, often making the phones they sheathe awkward or unwieldy in use, not to mention more conspicuous than may be fashionable for non-geeks. Those attracted to their phones’ unique form factor usually have to choose between case designs that compromise or change the contouring beyond recognition.
As the company’s brand name implies, Body Glove’s métier is preserving their host products’ unique form factors. The Scuba Case is their first attempt at skinning the Centro in the style consistent with the rest of their product line. Let’s see how it fares.
» Read the rest of "Review: Body Glove Scuba Case - by Andre Kibbe"
The very first thing you need for your Centro is a protector for its all important screen. This Smartphone Experts kit contains three of them already cut to size.
The most important thing on the Centro to protect from harm isn’t its ego, but the touchie-feelie screen. Gleaming brightly, it faces forward and bravely invites touches. That means it suffers from Indiana Jones syndrome - constant exposure to hazard. Take those coins and keys that rattle around in the bookbag, pocket or purse you store it in. Wham, scrape, smush. All day.
The “touch” in touch screen means potential abrasion from the stylus, as well as from your fingernails, which by the way work fine for operating the Centro without yanking out its stylus.
Although it’s not all that fragile, there are many opportunities for the Gremlins in Charge of Mayhem to wreak their dirty deeds, if only with dirt. The screen is also a Centro’s most expensive replacement part. Fortunately, there’s a simple and inexpensive solution: a screen protector. Disposable and replaceable, they take the scrapes and scratches instead of the screen.
A screen protector doesn’t add anything to the Centro’s weight, either. My kitchen scale won’t discuss anything under a gram, so I’ve pegged the product’s weight at zero.
» Read the rest of "Review: SPE Screen Protectors (3-Pack) for Palm Centro - by Jay Gross"
The Centro is quite possibly the most important smartphone release from Palm since their foray into Windows Mobile with the Treo 700w. This seems like a strange thing to say given that, except for its form factor, the Centro doesn’t represent anything especially new in the smartphone field. In fact, it is so nearly identical in function and use to the Treo 755p that in our testing we have yet to find any significant differences. No, the Centro is important because it represents a two “firsts” for Palm:
- Their first smartphone to retail at $99 (after rebates, it’s a hefty $399 before)
- Their first smartphone with genuine mass-market appeal
Read on for the full review!
(note: originally published at our sister site, TreoCentral)
» Read the rest of "Review: Palm Centro"
Posted by Dieter Bohn on October 18, 2007 5:27 AM
Filed under Featured, Reviews, Smartphones; centro, review
| |
-
The Centro is quite possibly the most important smartphone release from Palm since their foray into Windows Mobile with the Treo 700w. This seems[...]
