Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I've been craving the perfect smartphone for a few years now. Seems you had to sacrifice for either size or features. Finally, this little guy comes along and I literally can't put it down. I The features are great and the form factor is perfect. It barely takes up more space in my pocket than the Razr it replaced. First, as many have mentioned, yes the Palm OS is dated, however as dated as it seems, it still blows the doors off of most phones out there. I want it simple. I don't need a ton of useless apps and fluff bogging down my phone. My primary need was for the following: 1) Good sound quality, 2) Robust calendar and alarm feature, 3) email capability, 4) easy texting, 5) decent camera (because you never know when you'll need to take a halfway decent pic in an emergency (auto accidents, unexpected events, etc.) The Centro delivers on all fronts. Here's my pros and cons:
PROS:
PHONE: Nice clear phone with great reception (in my area anyway, southeastern Pennsylvania). Speakerphone is loud and clear. Buttons to toggle speakerphone on/off well placed and easily quickly found on touchscreen. The layout is well-executed and all buttons/features easy to find. Callers can be identified by picture and ringtone.
MESSAGING: I LOVE the fact that messages are sorted in a chat/IM format. It makes it so much easier to keep up with back and forth conversations. And since new messages from someone who has already texted you are appended to the chat log, it's very easy to find older messages from certain people. The icons are a nice touch too. I haven't used the email feature. I have a Blackberry for that (sorry, it's the undisputed champ. Besides, I don't need 24X7 access to my personal email, only corporate).
PIM: What can I say, it's Palm. It's been around for ages, so I won't bore you with repetitive info. It's very easy to add information, synch with PC, and backup data. Contacts is great. You can add a lot of extra info (such as anniversaries, birthdays, etc.) for contacts that will be automatically added to calendar. Several fields including customizable ones, ensure you can enter pretty much any info you desire. Pictures can be added to contacts. The Palm software will even ask you if you wish to optimize the picture for use on the Palm. That's great and saves you the time of re-sizing an 8MP picture so it doesn't gobble a couple MB's on your handheld. Haven't really used memo yet, but it's basically a rudimentary scratch pad for notes.
CAMERA: The camera is adequate. It's by no means great (I've yet to find that on ANY cellphone), but it's on par with the best that's out there now. Though only 1.3 MP, images are clear and free from blur. Even low-light images are fairly decent half the time. Video is OK, although not as robust as the still-cam. (see more on this below)
EXTRAS: There are a few little extras: Documents to Go, Versamail, PocketTunes, etc. that I haven't bothered to use yet. I did install a 4GB microSD card and keep photos and music on it. Desktop software is standard Palm fare. If you are unfamiliar with it, there are plenty of reviews and info sites on the web. It is extremely easy to install, configure, and use. Internet access is standard mobile phone fare. Speeds were pretty good on Verizon's network. Battery life is great! I keep it on all day (power down overnight). I make calls, use the camera, frequently use the messaging, calendar, and contacts, and I'm on my third day without recharging (although it looks like I may do so tonight)
The fit and finish are fine. Although you can tell this phone is geared towards the budget crowd, it doesn't feel "cheap". It's just not as fancy as it's bigger brothers, however, it definitely feels solid and well-built in it's own right.
CONS:
I love the keyboard and realize there was no way to keep the form factor this size and make them any bigger. Although I don't have big sausage fingers, I still sometimes have difficulty navigating the micro-sized keys. Someone with larger fingers should definitely try it out in a store first. You can also dial the phone with soft buttons on the touchscreen
Video is a crap shoot. Sometimes videos are OK, other times the movements are kind of jerky. Depends on lighting and how fast your subject is moving. Fortunately, my expectations weren't that high to begin with. Like 99% of the video phones, it's adequate, just not great.
The USB sync cable is difficult to remove . It almost feels like you're going to break it when you pull it out. There are no buttons or release switches.
The battery door is also extremely difficult to remove/replace. You have to push down on just the right place. The microSD card took a couple attempts to seat properly. The instructions said it should "click" into place, however mine didn't click, it just slid in until it stopped. My first attempt I failed to fully insert it and the card wasn't detected. You have to remove the battery cover to access the microSD slot, so I wasn't very happy about doing that again.
Other than these few minor annoyances, I having yet found any glaring cons with this phone. I love it and would highly recommend it if you're searching for a robust smartphone that isn't the size of a brick.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Palm Centro - Smartphone - CDMA2000 1X - QWERTY - Palm OS - Verizon
Life starts after five o'clock. Not coincidentally, that's also when the Palm Centro smartphone comes alive. Not only does the Palm Centro for Verizon handle all your favorite voice functions, but it also offers text, IM, e-mail, and web access, all in a body that's a lot smaller than you'd think. Add in such features as a 1.3-megapixel camera, 64 MB of internal memory, Bluetooth 1.2 support, a microSD memory expansion (up to 4 GB), and a full QWERTY keyboard and you have a terrific smartphone for all your messaging and personal needs. It also offers the Palm OS 5.4.9 platform and support for Windows XP and Vista and Mac OS X 10.2 and higher.
Verizon Service Options With support for the EV-DO high-speed data standard, you'll enjoy fast access to the Internet and Verizon's multimedia services (additional charges applicable), with average download speeds ranging from 400 to 700 Kbps and peak rates up to 2 Mbps. (Learn more about where EV-DO coverage is offered.) Getting on the Internet is easy using Verizon's Mobile Web 2.0 package, which allows you to read and send e-mails, exchange instant messages and view your favorite web content on your phone. Verizon's Get It Now wireless download service is also fully compatible with this phone. This pay-per-download service features application downloads, games and productivity tools. You can also personalize your handset with ringtone downloads using the Get It Now service.
With BroadbandAccess Connect (subscription required), you can use your smartphone as a modem for your notebook when you connect the two using a USB cable--or open a Bluetooth connection--enabling you to access the Internet or your company intranet. The tethered modem capability is ideal when you're traveling and need to use your notebook to check email, access corporate networks, or download large files like presentations and reports. And with BroadbandAccess Connect, you won't have to buy an extra PC Card or other devices.
Verizon's Wireless Sync always-on email service (subscription required), you can stay connected and get the job done while away from the office--without a delay and in a secure environment. Email is delivered to your device in real time across the National Enhanced Services Rate & Coverage Area, and you get the ability to forward large attachments via email as well as access both your personal and corporate emails on one device. Wireless Sync offers strong security with AES encryption (Advanced Encryption Standard) technology so that unauthorized parties cannot access or alter application data transmitted over wireless networks.
Phone Features The Palm Centro boasts a sleek, rounded housing that measures a mere 4.2 by 2.1 by 0.7 inches (HxWxD) and weighs 4.2 ounces. It's notably smaller than many competing smartphones, yet doesn't sacrifice functionality at any point along the way. It has a large 320 x 320-pixel touchscreen (up to 65K colors), which offers a crisp resolution for photos and videos. And thanks to the full QWERTY keyboard, you can say L8R to those tricky keys on your old cell phone.
The Palm Centro offers a ton of ways to stay in touch with friends, whether you're firing off a quick text, instant messaging, shooting an e-mail to the office, or using that old-school standby: a phone call. From a phone perspective, the Centro lets you dial people right from your address book, set up three-way calls from the touch of a button, or use the speakerphone to talk hands-free. The keyboard, meanwhile, makes it a breeze to type complete messages whether you're sending text, pictures, or even audio or video clips. Plus, the Centro keeps all your messages in a chat-style view, so it's easy to keep track of the conversation.
Want to keep up with all the latest gossip when you're away from the computer? Turn to the Centro's instant messaging functions, which support all your buddy lists on AIM, MSN, Yahoo, and others. Similarly, the Centro lets you access your personal e-mail accounts, such as Gmail, AOL, and Yahoo. As a result, you can reply to invites and answer e-mails when you're out and about.
Whether you're keeping up with friends on MySpace or looking up directions to the new bistro across town, the Centro's touchscreen and keyboard make it fun to navigate around the web. The Centro includes a fast built-in web browser that lets you check out photos on Flickr or watch videos on YouTube, with broadband-like speeds on the EV-DO network that are guaranteed to impress. No more waiting around for your favorite sites to load. The Centro is also compatible with Google Maps, making it simple to get directions or see which freeways are clear and which ones are parking lots. Google Maps shows you red, yellow, or green traffic routes in real time.
The Palm Centro includes a complete organizer for keeping track of all your daily, weekly, and monthly responsibilities. The contacts list gathers all your friends' phone numbers, addresses, and more, while the calendar keeps you from missing upcoming meetings, events, and parties. You can even enter a friend's birthday in the contacts list and will automatically show up in your calendar. As with the best organizers, the Centro also offers a to-do list that lets you check off items when they're complete. As a result, it's easy to keep track of what you did and still need to do. And should you come across a tidbit that doesn't have a logical home, simply turn to the memo function, which lets you store random information such as hot spots in Vegas or the names of movies you'd like to rent. Say goodbye to carrying around crumpled scraps of paper in your pocket or purse. Finally, it's possible to save a copy of all those names, numbers, appointments, photos, and videos on your computer thanks to the sync function.
Whether you want to take pictures, play videos, or listen to music, the Centro has got you covered. The 1.3-megapixel digital camera (with a 2x digital zoom) lets you shoot pictures and send them to friends, store digital albums, or shoot videos. The built-in MP3 player, meanwhile, lets you take your tunes everywhere you go. With 64 MB of storage, there's plenty of room for your playlists, plus you can add up to 4 GB more with an optional microSD card. And thanks to Pocket Tunes Deluxe, you can play the songs you downloaded from places like Rhapsody or Yahoo.
Other features include:
Download, view, and edit Word and Excel compatible files with Documents to Go
Rehearse PowerPoint presentations and consult important PDF files on the go
Palm Operating System 5.4.9
Bluetooth version 1.2 with the following profiles: HFP (hands-free car kits), HSP (communication headsets), DUN (dial-up networking)
Hearing Aid Compatibility = M4/T4
Vital Statistics The Palm Centro weighs 4.2 ounces and measures 4.2 x 2.1 x 0.7 inches. Its removable 1150 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 3.5 hours of talk time, and up to 300 hours of digital standby time. It runs on the 800/1900 CDMA frequencies as well as the 1xEV-DO r0 data network.
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