27
Feb
2009
Palm announced the iPhone «killer» – a Pre smartphone with new webOS OS
At CES 2009 debut long-awaited new Palm, which, without any exaggeration, are associated all the hope for the future of the company.
It is a smartphone called Pre, equipped with touch screen and sliding keyboard. The device is running the new operating system webOS, based on Linux.
Outwardly novelty reminds smartphone Apple iPhone, which it will compete in the market. At the front of Palm Pre, almost entirely devoted to 3.1-inch screen resolution of 320×480 pixels, is only one button. Black Pre body has faired shapes. Unlike the iPhone, includes the construction of Pre sliding keyboard QWERTY. The size of the device comprise approximately 101 x 60 x 17 mm, weight – 135 grams.
Oriented to a wide range of consumers, the apparatus is equipped with support for Wi-Fi (802.11 b / g), Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR (stereo), and GPS, the interface is USB 2.0, 8 GB internal memory and the camera resolution of 3 MP. In addition, Pre is equipped with a variety of sensors: the orientation sensor, which allows you to automatically rotate the picture on screen, ambient light sensor that regulates the brightness of luminescence of the screen, and a «close» sensor, tripping the screen when the device presented to the person.
The main feature of webOS described is the Internet use orientation. It is oriented for viewing a web pages with support for technologies HTML, XHTML, CSS and JavaScript; work with e-mail on protocols POP3, IMAP and Outlook EAS; messaging, including support for online customers, SMS and MMS; sync contacts with the lists in Facebook, Gmail, and Outlook. Supports multitasking and the ability to play multimedia. Applications designed for other Palm devices will not work on Pre.
Pre Delivery will begin in the second half of the year. We know that the first devices will be available only to subscribers of the wireless network Sprint Nextel. There isn’t any Price information yet.
As of October last year, the Palm devices in the United States was approximately 15,6% of the smartphones market. Part of the Palm devices running Palm OS, and a part – Microsoft Windows Mobile. The news about the Pre and webOS instantly raised the rate of the company’s shares.