Palm introduces new WebOS device: the Pixi
Jennifer McClelland | RSS | 8 Comments
The Palm PIxi is set to be the new WebOS device and, according to Palm, will be coming out before the holidays this year. The phone, pictured above, is the thinnest and smallest smartphone that Palm has ever come out with and is meant to be a replacement for those who enjoyed the Centro so much.
It will be running the new operating system, WebOS, and also will have a lot of features its big brother the Pre has. Unfortunately, it will also be lacking some of the features too. Instead of a 3.2 megapixel camera like the Pre, the Pixi is equipped with a 2 mp camera. It also lacks WiFi. However, if you have great coverage then the internet should zip no matter where you are. I do see this being a problem though with the large updates that webOS requires.
The Pixi will be available on Sprint. This is good news for the company, who at one time was ailing from poor phone selection. It always seemed like Sprint would be the last carrier to get the trailblazing phones, now they are the first, or at least one of the first. Later this month, the carrier plans to release it’s first Android device, the HTC Hero. The Hero is also known as the MyTouch3G on the T-Mobile network in the United States. However, it lacks the MyTouch3G’s “lip” and is a solid candybar style phone. Sprint is also the only carrier in the United States to be offering any Palm webOS devices. Sprint is also beginning to expand its 4G coverage area; now it is in Atlanta as well as Baltimore.
I always get a little too excited when a new phone like this is announced. I don’t think I’ll be waiting in line this time for the phone since I already have it’s big brother. I would love to try out the Hero, but I can’t afford both the Hero and the Pre at the same time.
This phone was rumored to be called the Eos also. I think that some men will have an aversion to buying a phone called the “Pixi” just for their own reasons so I don’t know why Palm would want to alienate those potential customers rather than just naming the phone something that everyone could agree with.
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Tags: pixi, hero, new operating system
Damon Day from Debt Settlement | Mon, Sep 14 2009
Hello Jennifer,
What do you think about your Pre. I have a Blackberry world phone and have had my eye on the pre since before it came out. The only problem is I am a verizon user and am happy with their call quality and coverage. It has been many years since I have used sprint. To me call quality and coverage is the most important. I have been tempted to switch to sprint so I could get the Pre.
How do you like it and how is the call quality with sprint?
Jennifer McClelland | Mon, Sep 14 2009
I love the call quality through Sprint. Their internet is super fast too. The only downside is that they don’t have as much coverage in rural areas as Verizon and AT&T, however, they do offer free roaming.
The Pre is also, by far, the best phone I’ve ever had (but prior to it, I had a Palm Centro, an LG Fusic, a Motorola A630 and one of those Nokia phones everyone had in 2004).
DamonDay from Debt Settlement | Mon, Sep 14 2009
Hey Jennifer,
Thanks for the quick response. You sure are tempting me to make the jump. The only issue is my family and I are going to be packing up our 5th wheel and doing some traveling around the US for the next 6 months or so and I will be working from the road. You mentioned Sprint doesn’t work as well in rural areas but they have free roaming. Forgive me if this is a dumb question, but can sprint roam on the verizon network if there is no sprint service but there happens to be a verizon tower? If that is the case and they give you free roaming, then in theory the coverage should be just as good right?
Jennifer McClelland | Mon, Sep 14 2009
You actually will be able to roam on the Verizon towers. Make sure when you get the phone to do a PRL update (you’ll see it in the options). Also, I will tell you that if you get a Pre, go to PreCentral.net and download WebOS QuickInstall. You can tweak the phone to do certain things along with install homebrew apps.
Once you install the QuickInstall application on your desktop, you can go to “tweaks” and actually give your phone the roam only option.
Where I live, I’m just outside of Sprint coverage so it will try to connect to a Sprint tower even though my coverage is awful. However, if I put it in roam only mode then I have great coverage. Also, just watch your data usage when you’re traveling.
OH, and Sprint’s coverage is actually really good along most highways/interstates. I can travel up and down I-55 and I-40 and have yet to encounter any Sprint dead zones.
DamonDay from Debt Settlement | Mon, Sep 14 2009
Roam only mode, good idea. I am thinking I can just downgrade my VW plan and leave my wife and my internet cards hooked up since almost all friends and family are on verizon and those calls don’t use minutes. Then I can just give myself an early Birthday present and get the pre on sprints 100 dollar unlimited plan. Thanks for the tip on the web OS quick install.
Ray from Atlanta Homes | Tue, Sep 22 2009
I used Palm for several years, and had quite a few problems especially with the TREO. Eventually, I moved over to a Blackberry and could not be happier. It’ll be hard for Palm to win me back, and I don’t think Pixi will do it.
cameron from palm pixi reviews | Fri, Sep 25 2009
Hey, I’m a man who’d be proud to have something called the pixi, especially when it’s as sexy as it’s looking to be. It’s so thin too, more than 10% thinner than iphone 3Gs. If I hadn’t already spent the farm on the pre I’d definitely be a candidate.
Jay | Tue, Dec 08 2009
The pixi is one that I really want to try. How does it compare with the PRE? A friend of mine has it and I love the features, feels good in my hand and it is smaller than the blackberry storm that I have.