In a move welcomed by loyalists, critics and analysts, Palm Inc. today unveiled the Palm Pre, its much awaited smartphone based on the new webOS platform.

Palm pre

Palm said the new phone's specifications are:

  • High-speed connectivity (EVDO Rev. A or UMTS HSDPA)
  • WIFI 802.11 b/g
  • Integrated GPS
  • Large 3.1-inch touch screen with a vibrant 24-bit color 320x480 resolution HVGA display
  • Gesture area, which enables simple, intuitive gestures for navigation
  • Slide-out QWERTY keyboard
  • Email, including Outlook EAS (for access to corporate Microsoft Exchange servers), as well as personal email support (POP3, IMAP)
  • Robust messaging support (IM, SMS and MMS capabilities)
  • High-performance, desktop-class web browser
  • Great multimedia experience and performance (pictures, video playback, music), featuring a 3-megapixel camera with LED flash and extended depth of field, and a standard 3.5mm headset jack
  • Bluetooth® 2.1 + EDR with A2DP stereo Bluetooth support
  • 8GB of internal user storage (~7.4GB user available)
  • USB mass storage mode
  • MicroUSB connector with USB 2.0 Hi-Speed
  • Proximity sensor, which automatically disables the touch screen and turns off the display whenever you put the phone up to your ear
  • Light sensor, which dims the display if the ambient light is dark, such as at night or in a movie theater, to reduce power usage
  • Accelerometer, which automatically orients web pages and photos to your perspective
  • Ringer switch, which easily silences the device with one touch
  • Removable, rechargeable battery
  • Dimensions: 59.57mm (W) x 100.53mm (L, closed) x 16.95mm (D) [2.35 inches (W) x 3.96 inches (L, closed) x 0.67 inches (D)]
  • Weight: ~135 grams [4.76 ounces]

The Pre is scheduled to be available exclusively from US network Sprint in the first half of 2009.

But Palm assured fans outside of the US, who mostly use the GSM standard, that a UMTS version will soon be made available for other regions.

Palm also said that it will produce the Touchstone, the first inductive charging solution for phones, which would charge the Pre wirelessly.

The company said the Touchstone would be sold separately.

In its official press release, Palm said that:

Pre has a breakthrough interface and hardware design that makes it the most integrated and user-friendly phone for mobile users. Featuring a smooth, rounded ergonomic design and a physical keyboard that slides out only when needed, Pre is engineered to feel natural in the hand and comfortably small in the pocket. When closed, the phone is ideal for phone calls, web browsing, music, photos and videos; when open, Pre is optimized for email and text messaging. With its curved slider and gesture-controlled touch interface, Pre fuses exquisite design with the revolutionary webOS software for fast access to anything on the device or web. It's an instinctive user experience that seems to anticipate your needs.

Those who wish to get additional information about Pre and who wish to be notified when it would be available can now register at www.palm.com or www.sprint.com/palmpre.