We’re declaring the Palm Pre Plus as the 2010 Phone of The Year.
First, we’re bumping up our timing of the award this year to be in-line with CTIA Wireless expo. Why? A couple of months ago, we started contacting every phone manufacturer with a simple offering; show us what you’ve got, and we’ll see what’s best. By announcing the award now, you’ll know you’re getting a phone that will last you for the full year at the top of the heap. It also gives us the latitude to pick a old phone, a current phone, or even one that isn’t shipping yet.
Why’d we chose the Palm Pre Plus? Read more to find out.
Learn more about the Palm Pre Plus at Verizon Wireless
Times haven’t been very fair to Palm, but this award was not given based on sympathy. The Palm Pre Plus simply has more built-in functionality than any other phone we’ve seen. In addition to answering the featuresets of iPhone and Android, there isn’t any major features that even Windows Phone 7 Series can claim as beating Palm’s webOS. From an always updating push notification service, to comprehensive (and free) sync services, webOS is on top.
That wasn’t true almost a year ago, when webOS first shipped. Without Palm’s PDK, the webOS platform was really in a similar position to the original iPhone’s standing. Users were asking why there wasn’t any native code on the platform, and getting a lot of non-answers in response (Palm, like Apple, was pointing to how the web browser is the end-all-be-all of everything, which nobody really buys).
With that taken into account, the Palm Pre Plus builds on the original Pre in key areas, though the Pre benefits from most of the benefits via updating. From Unreal 3 gaming, to improved charging port compatibility. Big or small, the Palm Pre Plus defines what you should have in a modern smartphone. In addition, Mobile Hotspot service is simply unparalleled.
Yes, we have stated time and time again that tethering is legal, and no, you don’t need a new plan. But for Palm to embrace both tinkering and mainstream users is key. For a mainstream user to have the convenience of paying an extra $1 per day, and being able to turn their phone into a Wi-Fi hotspot (supported by the carrier, no less), is unprecedented in America. It gives the average mobile user the ability to demand more from their carriers, and ask why they should ever buy an aircard, MiFi, or any other unconverged device again.
So why did the Palm Pre Plus beat out the HTC Supersonic and Motorola Droid, the other two phones contending? Couple reasons there.
First, the HTC Supersonic does have 4G. And since we were the people who coined WiMAX 4G almost five years ago (long before most people had even heard of 3G), you’d think that would be a lock. Well, here’s the problem. By the end of 2010, only about one in three Americans will have access to WiMAX on Clear/Sprint 4G service. That means, to most of you, Supersonic is simply a fast Android phone. And, with 4G just getting started, we suggest waiting for 4G to be in your area before upgrading to a 4G phone. That means, for most people, HTC’s Supersonic just isn’t the solution.
The Motorola Droid on the other hand, is an excellent all-around runner up. However, Motorola’s choice to force the Droid to carry “with Google” branding, the loss of MOTOBLUR availability (which much cheaper Android phones from Motorola carry) as well as the lack of multi-touch in nearly every application is what pushed us to the Pre Plus. There are some tradeoffs, the Droid carries a microSDHC slot, while Pre Plus has Mobile Hotspot service built-in.
In short, the Palm Pre Plus is likely to stay on top for 2010, and we think it’s the best buy out there. The Palm Pixi Plus is also a great choice, though it has a smaller screen, and comes down to personal preference for many. When gaming or going into a rugged environment, the Pre Plus is worth the extra fifty dollars, especially when staring down a two year contract.
Palm’s troubles may have also created some of the most attractive pricing options for smartphones of this caliber to-date. Not only is the Palm Pre Plus priced below the likes of Motorola Droid and iPhone 3GS, it does so without dreaded mail-in rebates. This also makes it a prime candidate for upgraders on Verizon, who often are prohibited from taking advantage of mail-in rebates.
@greg
Just because a phone has access to thousands of apps doesn’t make it a better phone. Like christopher said many times, not one thing made this phone the phone of the year. I used both an iphone,hero,pre and touch pro 2. iphone is overrated. The pre can multitask,tether and has a great os. The iphone has a great os and thousands of apps. That is it for the iphone! When the iphone can multitask and tether without having to jailbreak it then come back and complain. At this point there are plenty of phones out there that can match or beat the iphone when it comes to features. The iphone has a great os that doesn’t crash but what is a great os unless you can use it to its fullest. You guys are just morons.
By the way, i currently use Touch Pro2 and can do way more than any iphone can, just ask my friend who didn’t have 3g speeds and couldn’t tether when we needed it. Oh but I don’t have access to thousands of apps(I guess that makes my phone obsolete)
The major problem that I have is the alluring to the point that the Pre beat the Evo because the EVO is a 4g phone and thatservice won’t be available until the end of the year; thus making the EVO useless. Since the EVO is a 3G/4G phone this is a misleading statement , because he failed to mention thae fact that many markets will have 4G, and those that don’t have4G can still use the EVO’s 3G service. That said with a better over all software package on the EVO than the Droid with Android 2.1, and all the features the EVO has harware wise like video chat capeabilities should put it way ahead of the Pre period. Go to any other online sight and all of the online media phone reviewers and the world seems to agree that the EVO is now the leader in cellular technology.
I handled the pre personally, and OS wise and picture wise its a great phone. Hardware wise it “sucks”. It has a cramped keyboard, and surfing the net in portrait view isn’t the most optimum way to surf the web with such a narrow screen view. I owned palm in the past and hated it and traded it in for a Mogul touch pro older generation phone. If he didn’t discredit the EVO, and the give a poor reason for discounting without a hands on evaluation of it I might just say maybe he’s not biased to the Pre! Just read my post above then answer me as respectful as I have been. I don’t discount that the Pre has promise, but I do say that it’s keyboard and lack of touch features, and portrait web veiwing, and less than ergonomic hardware design leaves a lot to be desired compared to a Droid I Phone EVO or Google N1! The people around the world agree, and you can’t deny this because their less than stellar sales says that no one is really in love with the Pre except hardcore Palm lovers. The EVOS, tethrering of 8 devices, video chat, larger display, 8 meg camera, 720p video playback, and Googles Android 2.1 over all blows the Pre away period! I am not hating, but I am talking from a performance point from EVO reviews, and my personal interaction with past Palm devices and the Pre.
Quickstrike,
The Pre has portrait web viewing… Lack of touch features? It has as many or more than any other phone (and they don’t just work in a few apps, like Android 2.x). I think your “personal interaction” may have missed a few things…
And you are complaining about its cramped keyboard, vs. phones that don’t have one?
As mentioned earlier, we are discussing phones out now, vs. announced ones.
Have you bought and received your EVO yet? No, I guess not, no one has. Have you received your 4G coverage yet? Probably not. Do you know the price plans? Do you know for sure Video Chat will be turned on? Iphone had the capability, but not a network in the US that supported it…
Look, the EVO WILL BE a great phone. There will then be a better phone after, and a better one after that.
Make comparisons with the Droid and Nexus One and iPhone and Pre. The author did, and decided to go with out-of-box experiences, not hacks/mods/etc.
Sorry, I meant to say it DOESN’T just have portrait web viewing, you can turn it sideways and watch it immediately flip everything.
@ VoiceOfReason
Yes, we know the EVO will at least do video chats using the front camera, and probably video calls.
And yes, we also know the 4G plans won’t cost any extra.
And even if we’re aiting for 4G, we still have 3G. The Pre doesn’t have 4G, and won’t ever get 4G, so I don;t see how 4G in the future is considered a bad thing for the EVO.
The nexus one should be phone of the year.
Voice of reason you may want to reread this article. Chris does include the EVO in his comparison, and even made reference to having privy to have had the opportunity to have evaluated it before it was launched in one of these threads. He goes on to eliminate the EVO because 4G service isn’t launched throughout the US…..why, it still works as a 3G phone! The Pre’s cramped key board is a complaint of most every review on the web, and I did not compare it to any other phone. I make reference to it because Palms keyboard definitely feels cramped when I handled it. I owned a Palm 3 years ago, and returned it for a Mogul becaues of the keyboard. Comparing a Palm to a phone that has no keyboard…….well the HTC virtual key board is the largest virtual key board on the market per all the reviews. I haven’t had an EVO but I did get my hands on a HD2. As a virtual keyboard phone the HD2 key board is way better than Palms smaller cramped physical key board IMHO. The best physical key board is also made by HTC by honor of the Touch Pro.
Whether I have bought the EVO, or not does not take away from the many raving hardware design reviews that regard it as the best phone in the world at this time period. Not owning an EVO doesn’t take away form the fact that the phone has all of those capeabilities that you mention. Not owning an EVO dosen’t take away the fact that it is video chat capeable. Just because I at this moment don’t personally have 4G coverage would not stop me, nor any one from purchasing this phone because it works with 3G coverage, as well as 4 G coverage. Do you think I should buy a 3G phone, and upgrade a few weeks/months later when 4G is announced paying 2x for a phone that I could get both 3G/4G service without losing any thing. Getting a 3G phone with 4G capeabilities to “me” is a perk when I know that I am supposed to get 4G service here in NY by the phone’s release date, or shortly there after! If the EVO was not personally reviewed as I mention in my earlier threads it can not be disregarded, or discarded because 4G service isn’t everywhere, because this statement infers that the EVO is only a 4G phone, and will not work unless there is 4G service; which is false.
Also the I meant to say that surfing the web on the Pre in portrait view would be harder than surfing in landscape view because the web page would display lessof the page in landscape view.
I also gave the Palm OS credit and failed the hardware, and so do most on line media reviews and analyst, and most importantly so does the consumer who ultimately decides a products fate.
R2D2 here:
Listen up earthlings! The A855 Droid model is the rock! It’s got lots of memory & card memory for those Android apps we need and the deathstar plan data C3PO keeps downloading. Visuals are great and MOTO isn’t on the verge of BK. So your Droid will get good service-even if you are on Chazwa. Sliding keyboard and the entire device are rock solid; unlike cheap plasic competition from the Federation.
Droids rule here on Tatooine! And in less time than it takes for the Millennium Falcon to jump to hyperspace, Droids will rule earth. Our hardware, op sys and apps will overtake all competition in one more of your earth years!
I’m R2D2 and I know my Droids.
As a correction to the last statement the portrait view would display less content on a page as opposed to surfing or typing in landscape view with a physical landscape structured keyboard. To “me” this presents a slight situation when texting and viewing web pages, and may not affect anyone else. I love the HTC touch Pro physical keyboard for texting and interacting on the web. If I were using the Pre to answer this articale on the web it would be a bit more challenging than a larger key board with a wider screen…..again that’s my preference, and since ita about all around harware and OS it may add or take away from it being a true multimedia phone.
The PRE may be a great phone with lots of features but its really cheaply made and feels like a cheap piece of plastic in the hand. The Pixie or even the Blackberry is a much better designed and sturdier feeling device. Guess it depends whats important to you, tons of features or a good, sturdy, nice looking design. My wife ended up getting the Pixie because the palm slider screen felt loose and cheap; like it would break in very short order
Palm Pre plus is a cool phone. I think WEBOS is the best mobile OS to-date.
You picked Pre plus over Supersonic/Evo because it’s just 3G?????!!! Evo is both 3G and 4G paid moron! And it would tether up to 8 devices, plus the HD video capture and playback, and then there’s 8mp/1.3mp dual camera.
Now what do you think would last more than a year? Palm Pre Plus or HTC Evo?
@Ron,
not sure if anyone else answered this. Google marketplace basically takes $.30 + 2% of the price of a app i.e. $4.99 = $1.50 for google marketplace and $3.49 for the developer.
A Apple ITunes app that cost $4.99 = $3.49 for the developer and $1.50 for Apple. Google = $.30 + 2% of the price of the app where Apple does 30% of the app price. Google is equal to Apple for $4.99 apps.
Google developers make more per sale at $5+ while they make less of the sale at <$5. Google also adjusts price for number of sales, More sales = cheaper Google Android Marketplace charge. Not sure about WebOs app priceing or Blackberry app priceing.
I think the Studebaker Avanti was the best car of 1963.
What Bullshit, this article was written more like a commercial for this phone other than telling it like it is. The news should be dropped from your website name. The Vega was also voted best car of the year and like this phone it wasn’t and this surely isn’t. 4G it isn’t rally here yet,maybe in a year but not now. Sprint is clutching at Straws to try and save its self but in the long run their roll out of 4G at this time is simply a gimmick trying to get some customers,maybe they should ask NASCAR for a refund.Now back to Palm Pre Plus. The keyboards on these phones are junk,touch screen is so much better. I have had several Palms and they have all been JUNK,they may be OK for you wimps that don’t get your hands dirty but in the real world,JUNK. All these IPhone replacement wannabe’s! Last thing, why is Google even referring to this site on their news page? Must have cost these Jerks a pretty penny! Now don’t go away mad,just go away!
ALL OF YOU ARE DUMBASSES AND KNOW NOTHING ABOUT PHONES. I AM SORRY THAT I AM TAKLING WITH A BUNCH OF MORONS WHO DONT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT PHONES. LOOK AT THE PROCESSOR YOU FOOLS LOOK AT THE ONE AND ONLY AMAZING IPHONE
I’m eternally grateful that Apple selected AT&T instead of Sprint because no matter what make of phone you use, it will only be as good as the network it’s on. When you consider that Sprint still hasn’t figured out how to afford it’s customers a contiguous blanket of coverage right here in thier home town of Kansas City, much less one that covers the lower 48, any phone you shackle to such a crappy network is going to be percieved as a suck phone, Palm Pre included.
Rohan you are out of order here….I for one definitely am not a “dumbass” as you so eloquently put it. How old are you Rohan 13 you talk big shit behind a key board you disrespectful punkass! The I phone isn’t that damn amazing. It can barely make phone calls, and can’t multi task. So asses like you tout it as the be all end all to a cell phone when it’s just a over glorified Ipod imitating a cell phone, and failing. Having lot’s of apps but cant make reliable phone calls is a problem reported around the world…..so sell your apps and go get a phone that works, and buy an I pod. Let’s see if the new version can at least do what cell phones are suppose to do….make calls so people can hear you speak……then get back at me. Iphone is a great multimedia device for surfing the web, but at the moment it’s got a ways to go to become a great “phone”.
Let me also say that some of you can express yourselves just a bit better. Even if Chris and others appear biased in their ratings of the Pre doesn’t give you the right to start calling names here…..let’s be respectful of one another….okay!
Hey QWIKSTRIKE you are dumbass and lets just get over that part. So stop denying that you know squat and go to hell. Its the best phone out there dumbass yes I said it, you dont know how to use the iPhone. Btw if ur so dammned in explaining why the iPhone is not the phone to buy why dont u spell it iPhone instead of I Phone. You are the most despicable moron I have ever seen so besides that i think it wraps up the point
RDNZL…I was an AT&T customer, and their coverage sucks…..I have friends that must go outside their homes to make phone calls. Hell people are complaining about the call service while on AT&T, and AT&T is losing customer base. When I phone comes to Verizon the jig for AT&T is up. I also used to have to go outside to make phone calls with AT&T. One of my friends cheap Company joined AT&T, and the whole company complains about the poor service. She has to use her Verzion phone to make business calls. AT&T only got so big by the Cingular merger….they havent got it right either. As a Sprint customer I have coverage where I need it, and pay the best price for it, but I recognize that the best game in town coverage wise is Verzion….so get your head out of the clouds.
Verizon doenst have coverage evey where either….when my company went to a certain part of Massachusettes….they didnt get any Verizon service where as my Sprint service worked all over the place. So in fairness it all depends on where seervice exist for any carrier, but AT&T service sucks even when you are in a service zone from my personal experience here in NY, NY. Imagine that you can’t receive calls inside your home with out continully dropping even inside a service zone. rofl That’s why AT&T is dropping phone conttracts, and offering free phones to get unsuspecting suckers to join. Not to mention the fear that Verizon, and Sprint will steal market share when I phone contracts end this year, and the new EVO rolls out.lol
No, Rohan you are the dumbass….I don’t want a crap I phone, iPhone, IPhone, or how ever you care to spell it. I sometimes meet assholes like you, and the low level intelligence that you offer fom that pin point that you call a briain isn’t worth adressing. As I mentioned earlier anyone can talk crap behind a keyboard. Get over yourself you big mouth jack ass, and get a life! Just listen to the dribble that you offer as intellectual conversation…..Grow up lil bwoy or daddy may have to come spank your fowl mothed ignorant ass!
there are only so many dumbasses in the world like you and to be quite frank you are the biggest dumbass out of all of them. Your IQ can be compared to that of an orphan living in Africa with no knowledge of the outside world. You are a pompous foul mouted filthy piece of shit thats what you are. And you want to take me bring it you no good sorry ass loser sitting behind the keyboard making threats. Its because of assholes like you that this country hasnt gotten anywhere. I have an iPhone you dumbass yes i said it again because you are one and to put it bluntly you are the one with the pea brain here who doesnt even have an iphone and is arguing with someone that does. You are simply put a extremely stupid dumbass with a big mouth nothing else. YOU were speaking of intellecutal converstion how can I speak to a dumbass who doesnt even have an iPhone. I have a 3GS and I can multitask quite successfully. So go show your knowledge I mean bullshit somewhere else. You come within fifty paces of me and I swear I will rip ur guts out u ignorant bastard
Is it just me or do othe people feel that all QWIKSTRIKE or w/e the hell his name is just plain bullshits all over the page. HE thinks he is some type of nerd when I actually work for atnt in the RND department and actually test the iphones and have one myself. There is no point in listening to a dumbass who has nothing to do but bullshit and make threats when all he is a pathetic loser with no life. I apologize to Christopher Prince here and have to say that QWIKSTRIKE doesnt know squat. All he does is talk and bullshit out of that pea sized brain he has.
I just have to laugh at you, and the great conversation that you offer. Everyone here knows that an orpahn living in africa has more intelligence in their feet than an asshole like you have between your ears. As far as bring it if I were standing in your face I’d make you my little B#%@h! A back woods corn pone eating ignorant lunatic asshole wanna be gangster with a 3GS as your only resaon for existing get a life. rofl
ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS : JAILBROKEN IPHONE 3GS (THE BEST)
WOW nice QWIKSTRIKE you are really funny. THank you for agreeing with me tom and not that dumbass. And QWIKSTRIKE you can go suck one and grow a pair because you seriously need to. YOU are the stain on this websites good name all your bullshit all over the place. ANd you in front of me you beter be kneel down in front of me bitch, bow to your master asshole
The iPhone sucks. The fact that you have to jailbreak it in order to make it act like a REAL smartphone should tell you all you need to know.
I like having the ability to install 3rd party apps like Opera Mini, the ability to tether using a WiFi Router app, the ability to watch my slingbox over a 3G connection without having to get the FCC to force it.
Get out of here with that iPhone crap. It fooled the ignorant with their massive media blitz but we know what’s really going on around here.
SALTYDAWG I respect ur arguments a bit better than some of the above. And the point of getting a iPhone is to break it in the first palce if u dont THEN u are stupid.
SALTYDAWG I respect ur arguments a bit better than some of the above. And the point of getting a iPhone is to break it in the first palce if u dont THEN u are stupid.
Coming from a proclaimed genius rofl….certain kids should be banned from posting on the internet, but then again where would our intellectual stimulation come from. Your intellect, and reasoning precede you for sure! I guess you missed the point where he said iit fooled the ignorant with their massive media blitz….oooooops….that would include you, but you’re too smart to realize that aren’t you!
once again QWIKSTRIKE u keep proving what kind of dumbass. We all know that most people who have an iphone not dumbasses like you go on to jailbreak or unlock it. The full potential of the iPhone can only be unraveled with doing both those. I am not saying that I am saying that I am a self proclaimed or any of that bullshit u brought up but I can say with confidence that I am smarter than a dumbass like you who has a pea sized brain.
And is it my fault u decided to take it personally QWIKSTRIKE no. Its ur own god damn fault u take it to the next level. So just shut the hell up and let some intelecual conversation appear on this page.
Rohan you claim you’re intelligent, and you agree with Salty Dawgs premise; which is “that it fooled the ignorant with its media blitz”, and that” it sucks unless you jail break it”. You agree with that statement, and continue to say that anyone that buys the iPhone, and does’t jail break it is stupid, because the only point for getting an iPhone is to jail break it! You say that it’s the best phone since sliced bread, but fail to realize that you speak from both sides of your face. Sounds like a brain on crack to me…..I bet you’re a rocket scientist aren’t you.
Based on what you have said the Pre should be placed above the iPhone. The Pre’s only real failing is hardware design, and you don’t need to jail break any of the phones mentioned to get them to operate like a true phone of the year should. What you say is like buying a Yugo and thinking that turbocharging it would make it a Porshe! Everyone here is saying who wants to spend all that money on a phone to have to possibly void a warranty to make it work. Why not buy a better phone like a N1, Droid, Pre, HD2, TP2, EVO and be done with it. You are the ass making things personal by insulting everyone for not agreeing with you. I just had the balls and stupidity for arguing with a self proclaimed numbnut who’s got his head shoved so far up his own ass that he doesn’t realize that shitty smell in this thread is coming from his own sorry ass responses.
I dont claim I am intelligent but I am not the one looking up the HTC supersonic from sprint and vouching about that am I. And yes to unlock the full potentional of the iPhone you have to jailbreak it. I still dont even know why I am arguing with a moron like you but yet why dont u admit that the iPhone is revolutionary in its device and no other device has the touch sensors and the software that apple puts on its phones. And btw I must refute ur claim about brain on crack because the only brain I see on crack is coming out of your pea sized brain. And most of the bs on this thread is coming from you QWIKSTRKE or w/e the f ur name is YOu think you are some type of self proclaimed genius an Einstien of sorts but your just a sorry ass loser who has to much time on his hands and just makes threats sitting behind typing on his keyboard. In other words yes I am calling you a coward. why dont we talk about this. my number is 314-761-9855 and my actual name is Rahul. So if you want to talk call me.
otherwise stop making threats you cant even carry out and I would love to hear your input or bs which ever comes out of that sorry ass u call a mouth
btw that isnt my actual number that is a number which I made up how stupid do you think I am QWIKSTRIKE I would never give my number to a stalker like you. And also I leave no traces unlike you who has traces all over the web. Thats the difference between me and that morass you call a brain.
the funny thing is still u dont even know who I am or what even my actual name
“I dont claim I am intelligent ”
Well here we go again, but this time around we actually agree on something! I wasn’t going to answer you, because I shaked, baked, and stuck a fork in you with my last commnet. The more you speak the more you humiliate yourself by showing the world what a mental midget that you really are, and I truely am being a moron for entertaining you! I can tell that I scrambled your brain just a little bit futhter than you are used to, and that the only thing left in that eggshell head of yours is a disrepsectful rotten omelette.
I bet you graduated from the omelette institute of technology….a place where all the “mad” scientist egg heads like yourself learn to push your ignorant bull shit on the internet. If you can fit that super inflated egg head of yours into an incuabtor just maybe it will crack open, and a more smarter brighter chicken will pop out of that fractured egghead of yours with balls of steel, and the intelligence to be more respectful to others. I appologize for to everyone for stooping so low, and putting you through this bs….I am done!
wow! we are talking phones here! nothing more, nothing less!
I know go tell the dumbass above you that. Sounds like one of those damn fools who dropped out of high school and is working in a fast food restaraunt chain. and its a good thing you dont claim to be intellingent beacuse ur not. I am a mental midget you say coming from you that should mean a lot but coming from a dumbass like yourself I guess I shluld be amazed
[…] makes the PhoneNews.com Phone of the Year award for the Pre Plus all the more appropriate after all, despite the naysayers and critics. […]
I still like the IPhone with the new IPad coming out but I respect the opinions of the editor of this article and what this article was about. I did not have a good exprience with the Palm Pre I bought one and then three weeks into me having it after I slid it open it wouldnt start. After an experience like that I switched to the IPhone with atnt and so far my IPhone 3gs has been the best phone I have ever seen or had. I am looking forward to getting the IPad I have already pre-ordered it so I will be getting it soon in the mail.
Verizon Wireless is now offering free hotspot for Palm Pre Plus. I just did my and was getting 4.2 mbps in a small town (Flagstaff, AZ). Thank you Verizon and what a nice photo.
I am sorry for stooping so low it was a mistake.
[…] awarded the Palm Pre Plus on Verizon Wireless the 2010 Phone of the Year. var SurphaceSettings = { s4id: 'JTP9U27X' }; var _surphld = […]