BOTTOM LINE
Despite a few shortcomings, the Palm Centro has the price, performance and pedigree to induce cellphone and feature-phone users across the chasm to smartphones. Unfortunately, the cockamamie advertising will never resonate with the Centro's target audience.
WHAT'S GOOD
* The Centro is a full-blown smartphone for only 99 bucks
* Its sports the freshest, funnest design that Palm had produced in years
* Sprint's EvDO network is faster then Verizon's, just as wide-spread and a lot cheaper
* Battery life is pretty good for a smaller device
* Palm Garnet OS is still the lowest learning-curve on the block
* Palm and Sprint are doing heavy multi-media marketing for this product
WHAT'S BAD
* While fresh for Palm, the design isn't as sexy as its competitors
* The pygmy keyboard is too small for larger hands to use, and older eyes to read
* The screen is sharp, but too small for contact lens wearers
* The Centro looks and feels toy-like, compared to competitive offerings
* Palm's & Sprint's marketing campaigns are off-target and obscure
MAIN IMPRESSION
Palm's new Centro smartphone plays the role of Mini-me to the Treo's Doctor Evil: everything the original has, only smaller. Palm and Sprint claim to be targeting the youthful Razr/ Sidekick users, who have yet to step up to a true smartphone; and, the product they have produced has real potential to do just that. This review is going to focus on the device's real-world usability, its relevance to its targeted market, and its likelihood of success. There are already technical reviews ad nauseum already posted all over the web, and my re-hashing the Centro's specs will add no value to your time here on Palm Addict
The Centro sports the same processor, RAM and screen resolution as the Treo 650, 700p and 755p; along with a touchscreen and a full QWERTY keyboard...albeit in a somewhat smaller size.
Like its Treo siblings, it runs Palm Garnet OS' full suite of apps: PIM, Phone, eMail, web, multimedia; and, that is one of its two biggest selling points: the Palm OS. Although ancient by tech standards, Garnet is flat-out the simplest OS to learn on any available smartphone; and, perceived complexity of smartphone operation is what keeps most potential users at arm's length.
The second (and probably most compelling) selling point is the Centro's price: $99 (USD) with a 2-year contract from Sprint. For a lousy 99 bucks, you get broadband speeds, a nationwide network (you can add Canada for only $4 per month), and a damn good phone that does email, wireless web, takes passable digi-pix...and is a Palm Pilot, to boot!
Palm sent me a 'Ruby Red' Centro; which has a certain pizazz about it. The Centro is also available in a color that Palm calls 'Onyx Black'. Both have sparkles embedded in the plastic, which some find snazzy, and others cheesy. Personally, I think the plastic looks very toy-like, which is a disservice to the Centro. I have found the Centro to be a rather sturdy little device; in fact, it gave far fewer moans and groans in my grip then the Blackberry Pearl.
I especially liked the overall fit and finish of the device. All buttons and controls lined up with precision, and were flush with the Centro's surfaces (unlike the 'flagship' Treo 755p). The D-ring/button layout was cribbed from the LifeDrive, and is a stylistic and functional improvement over that on the Treos.
OPERATION & PERFORMANCE
The Centro gets data from Sprint's fast EvDO network for only $25 per month: unlimited data (in addition to your phone plan). I benchmarked the Centro's download speeds at an average of 550kbs (sometimes 400 kbs, sometimes 700kbs) with bursts of up to 2Mbps. That actually makes it faster then my Treo 755p.
Phone calls are handled the same as on Treo devices, with the same ease-of-use. In addition, the Centro has the same great Treo option of adding a new phone number (incoming or outgoing) to an existing contact; or, creating a new contact for it. The clarity and volume were actually superior to both the Treo 755 and 700p; and, people on the other end of the conversation said they heard me quite clearly...even when I was in New York City, Houston or downtown Vancouver. Another plus is the speakerphone: notoriously garbled on Treo devices (think McDonald's drive-through), the Centro's speakerphone is louder and produces a much cleaner sound then those 'higher end' products.
Those who had issues with Sprint's coverage going back 2 years-on, need to take another look: dropped calls in NYC (and other major cities) are a thing of the past, their coverage is as pervasive as Verizon's (without the 4-eyed geek and attitude), and their customer service is really spot-on.
Tactile feedback is good on the main controls, and the D-ring makes the stylus unnecessary for more savvy users. However, this smartphone is for the Great Unwashed; and, as such, the touchscreen is a major plus...especially for those with over-40 eyes or near-sighted contact lenses. That's because the keyboard is just too tiny for anyone without youthful vision at their disposal...so, the phone buttons on the Centro's screen are really necessary. About that screen: its smaller then that of the Treo (2.25" vs 2.5"); but, has the same resolution of 320 x 320. That makes for an extremely crisp, sharp image...and, you'll need it. The fonts are a bit smaller then those on the Treo, and are tough on my 51 year-old peepers. However, the Centro is aimed at a younger audience; and, its screen is a huge step up from that of the Sidekick, or those on most feature-phones. For those who can't live without a stylus, the Centro's plastic stick reminds me more of a swizzle stick then a stylus. It is the same incredibly 'bendy' stick found with the Treo 680 (and that's no compliment). Palm should have included the superior (but still cheap) plastic stylus that comes with the Treo 755p.
Battery life has been a pleasant surprise: I have experienced a comparable life to that of the Treo 755p (which has a larger battery); which, in turn, is only marginally less then that of the Treo 700p's MUCH larger battery. Power Users will need (at least) 1 extra battery. However, the younger crowd this device is aimed at will do quite nicely with just one.
Now, about that Lilliputian keyboard: unlike the 'true' keys on a Treo or Blackberry, the Centro features 'sticky pads' that are highly rounded; much like the keys on the old Treo 600. Although tiny and cramped, I found that my oversized mitts quickly acclimated to it; and, I was able to handle brief emails without any discomfort. On the other hand, I had other test subjects for the Centro beside myself: my wife (who's age I would not reveal to Torquemada, himself), and a few neighbors in their 40's and 50's. I picked this group, because they always ask about my Treos; but, back away in terror every time I try to show them how easy it is to use. All of these ladies said they really like the Centro's looks; and quickly grasped how to use it. However, they all had the same beef about it: they couldn't read the keyboard, and found it a bit small for comfortable usage; and that was a deal-breaker for them.
CONFUSION IN THE MESSAGE
Why do I keep reiterating that Palm is aiming this device at younger people, and keep testing it on older people? Simple: if you look at the marketing campaigns that Palm and Sprint have launched, the majority of people shown with the Centro ain't spring chickens. Palm Marketing says the device is for the young and hip...the people in the commercials and ads are closing in on hip surgery. Consider Sprint's snappy Centro slogan: "Multitask like there are more of you."
Wow! We're back to the Mini-me analogy, so I'm right on track. However, look at the graphic right above...I cribbed it from the Sprint Centro website. Does it say young and hip to you...or cloning? It reminds me of another image, but, I can't quite put my finger on it :-)
Rather then waste space re-writing a rant I've already published, just click here to look at my editorial on how mis-targeted the advertising for the Centro really is. If Palm wants to get the word out on the Centro, they should be in every major shopping mall around America between now and Christmas...having raffles for Centros, doing endless demos of Centros and putting them into the hands of weary shoppers.
Suffice to say that Blackberry, Danger, Motorola and others know their clients. Just look at the laser-sharp relevance of their ads. Compare that to the delta between Palm's stated target market; and the ads they have produced. Oh, well...I guess It's A Palm Thing.
CONCLUSION
If you want a full-featured smartphone that is fast, simple-to-use and cheap...look no further then the Palm Centro on Sprint. While it has its drawbacks, whaddaya want for 99 bucks (don't answer that)?
Palm has produced the first device that really fulfills (and exceeds) the needs of a currently untapped niche. The device is right, and price is nice. Its just a pity that the advertising(?) is so bloody lame.
That's it...I'm off the bloody soapbox!
PJ Arts, Smartphone Editor