I went to a press event in New York City last week just to see the new Palm Pre 2. I have to say that I was very impressed.
The new Palm is very fast, has a very bright, crisp and clear screen and feels wonderful in the hand. It has a 320x480 screen resolution and better brightness and contrast than the earlier version because of the Gorilla Glass front.
According to Palm the hinge has been beefed up - this is the third design change to the hinge, and it is a evolutionary imporvement over the earlier model. The processor speed has been doubled and there is vastly improved multi-tasking and an improved Just Type search. Additionally, the tactile feel of the keyboard has been increased.
I've been getting rather fed up with my iPhone 4 lately. It's a wonderful appliance, but it's not a very good phone. As a matter of fact I've started using the iPhone as an iPod and have gone back to using my Nokia E72 for phone stuff. I was so impressed by the Pre 2 that I may very well pick one up when they are released. According to Palm they will have an unlocked GSM version. No release dates were given, but they indicated that the Pre 2 might start appearing on US carriers next month. It is currently, they said, undergoing the carrier certification process.
Here is a video I took at the event. Unfortunately, the video isn't too good as the bright screen washes some of it out, but you can get a general impression and hear what the Palm rep has to say about it. I'm really looking forward to seeing this hit the market. It's nice to see the Palm name still alive!
