HP Pre 3 Hands-On! 308
The Pre 3 sitting outside the Think Beyond keynote that we just left is thinner than the Pre 2 with a bigger, brighter screen and a higher resolution. We haven't had a chance to play around too much with it just yet, but it definitely looks better in person than it does in pictures - the keynote slides had us worried that the bezel would be ugly.
The keyboard is definitely more spaced out than previous webOS device keyboards and it looks as though the microphone and charging port are actually on the main body of the phone this time. The microphone, by the way, is joined by a second one on the back for noise cancellation. We're also pleased to see that the 5-megapixel shooter on the Pre 3 has autofocus instead of Extended Depth of field. We hear that there is a larger battery too, but the numbers on that aren't clear just now.
Like the Pre 2 before it, it's an iterative design on the Pre. While we appreciate HP's commitment to our favorite form-factor - the portrait slider - we sort of were hoping that they'd be a bit more daring on the styling of the device. Come this "This summer," we'll see if consumers agree.
More photos after the break!
308 Comments
I like it, but I know many won't.
Dont worry about everyone else. If you like it, thats all that matters. I love it and cant wait.
But this is the central problem: the wait. We probably looking at at least 6 months of wait time. I simply don't think it'll hold up then. IPhones are released in June. This phone will look ancient when the iPhone 5 is announced, not to mention the Droid 3, the HTC Evonator 2000, the Samsung Galaxy T, and the Nokia N9.
Not to mention that I *literally* can't wait: My phone is screen is cracking, my power button failing, my slider showing the Oreo effect worse and worse every day...my phone will not survive until then.
So, now that today has all but ensured that I have to bail, to whence? Anyone have a NON-Android, NON-iOS recommendation?
Blackberry Bold Touch with 2.8" VGA multitouch screen and the familiar BB form factor with always there QWERTY keyboard (no slider), 1.2 GHz Snapdragon processor, NFC, Hotspot, running Blackberry OS 6 with Webkit-based browser... though it's unclear whether that will be available before Q3. :P Some people are speculating it might be available sooner on GSM (AT&T), though don't know if that's an option for ya.
Is this thing real??
Send me a link if it is
Sounds godly
Before the Pre came along, I swore by anything Sanyo made. I've had probably 9 different Sanyo phones over the years and I can't say enough good things about them. I know they got purchased by Kyocera a while back and I haven't used any of their devices since that purchase, but if you have Sprint, you really can't go wrong with Sanyo. From what I see, they have ONE smart phone model, but it's running Android. Aside from that, the SCP 2700 has a smart-phone FEEL, but not all the bells and whistles. Unfortunately, I think you may have to go with Blackberry if you want to avoid iOS and Android and need the power of a smart phone. If you're willing to go without for a few months, (which I may find myself doing...) then Sanyo is certainly a solid way to go.
Just my 2-cents.
Why won't any like it?
My fear as well. Hopefully the TouchPad and webOS will be enough for dev support for now.
I like it a lot, it has all the things I've been waiting for!! very happy!!
I like it,
I will say. Yet again,
I want 1 or 2, mayyybbbeee 3 of these new devices.
Yes I want 4 of them on Sprint and a Touchpad..taking pre-orders?? haha get it..haha..doh!
i want one without the sliding keyboard! customers should have the option of pickin what they like n not be forced to get what HPLAM LIKES! love the WEBOS n love the touchpad!
Apple doesn't give customers the option of picking what form factor they want. Why should HP have to be any different? Just saying......
Thats their problem, trying to be like Apple!
I personally like the slider form factor, too. However, It is curious that HP didn't reveal a slab form-factor, a la iPhone or EVO. I know alot of folks were asking for that and don't have an attachment to a physical keyboard.
I'm curious, how many out there were holding out for a WebOS slab form-factor, and now that the press event has revealed none, will you go to another phone maker that does?
I don't mind the form factor, I personally am not interested in a slab phone, they are too large for my personal taste. I also prefer a physical keyboard.
I was kind of hoping we would have a choice of a slab and a slideout. I was kind of hoping for a slab with a landscape keyboard. The same specs are good but just wished for something different. Oh, and a new name (time for pre to go)
How did the slider "feel"? Build quality?
Dump the form factor. Guess I'm going to Android. Sigh.
Yep, this may be the last straw for me too. If it released today, it's behind the times. But it's once again "in the coming months". Depressing. :-/
Can someone, anyone, explain to me how a phone with a 1.4Ghz processor qualifies as "behind the times"? Jesus, what exactly do you need in your smartphone? Maybe you should consider getting a laptop.
It's not
People think that 'the best specs matter and only those' to compete vs apple or android, well it doesn't that's for sure
what matters is performance and experience. hp has that. it all comes down to how the device is marketed
Go! Palm phones have real keyboards, lesson 1.
And tiny batteries, lesson 2.
Do us all a favor and dump your account as well. If you want to switch don't be back everyday telling us all how your choice was the best. We don't care.
wow, so much masked bitterness...
no it's true
if you dont like/want the phones, get something else. dont be here complaining every day.
after all, it's just a cell phone.
I like it too, but no word yet for Sprint.
*looks at my pre2 in disgust*
Awesome! I want it ! NOW!
Sure hope it hits Sprint before June. Our Pre's just won't last much longer.
No interest here until/unless we see a 4G version on Sprint. (sigh)
I have the EVO 4G. It is not very practical at this point in time really. Just my experience. Lack stability, coverage and sucks down too much battery too fast.
i concur. i dont remember the last time i even used 4g on my epic.
The EVO is a powerhouse. You have to simply have to go to the homescreen with Bluetooth, 4G, Wi-Fi, and GPS and turn them off when you're not using them. Mine lasts all day like that. You can't expect to have a high performance sports like an ENZO and think it's going to get 36mpg. Use what you need, when you need. Simple.
You think the Pre 3 is going to last long with that tiny battery?
i get a full days out of my original pre and i use it a lot (50+ emails a day, phone calls, surfing)
That's hard to imagine. My pre plus lasts maybe half a day when I use it. All day only if I never use it at all.
I like it too - but this Summer is just the next disastrous step to take place for the Pre line.
that and the pre 2 coming out the same day as the iphone
Would be nice if we could have it in March rather then Summer B.S.!!! Will Start looking at diff options this weekend
what about the keyboard? I mean do the keys feel clickier than the old ones?
Is the virtual keyboard enabled by default?
Removable battery?
Speaking of which, does it use the same battery as its Pre-decessors?
No, there is a new battery with 1230mAh
and yes, it is removable.
AWESOME, is Sprint going to get it?
why do people bother asking this, day in and day out.
no one knows. if anyone did, it would be on pre central's front page
I like it. I hope it comes to Sprint. If not, I guess I'll have a decision to make.
Apotheker:
"“HP will stop making announcements for stuff it doesn’t have. When HP makes announcements, it will be getting ready to ship.”
Yet, the Pre 3 ships... some vague time in the summer.
Just more corporate bull$hit.
true! i want to see webos succeed too. there was sarcasm in the forums (mixed in with hope) that i guess when Leo said "ready to ship soon", he REALLY WAS thinking of verizon pre2. now its the same bs as in spring of '09. the specs for Pre3 may be on par with everyone else NOW, but by the time "summer" release comes (and it probably means late august) the pre3 might be a dinosaur :(
oh well, makes me glad i jumped to epic for a year. will be right in time for my yearly update (IF the "3" even comes to sprint)
Me likey. Still awaiting carrier news and pricing, tho'. A great day choc full of awesome newness...and it's just the beginning.
I MIGHT consider it, if it had 4 specific letters on it somewhere #savepalmbrand
is it just me, or did they just release a mini and a maxi Pre2?
HP Pre, Palm Pre, HP Pre, Palm Pre... Screw marketing, it's Palm Pre
no its not just you ))) they actually did. i was hoping for a 4" w/ and w/o keyboard to attract customers with two both tastes. not sure why they didnt though.
I love this form factor and I'm glad to see they keep it. However, it would have been even better if they had a horizontal slider as well.
Looks solid!
love the phone not to big don't need an ipad in my pocket it need to be 4g and on sprint!!!!!!
summer????? i cant wait that long my pre minus is practically dead
I'm so desperate, I don't even care about the form factor anymore, though I don't mind this one anyway (but yes, I was ready for a bit of a different style...). What bothers me is the release time: this Summer. I don't call that weeks. And I'm not sure what network that will be. I don't think I've ranted yet, but that's too far (for me at least). My Pre- is barely hanging on and I don't think I can wait that long, and I'm not particularly thrilled at the thought that I may have to go the Android way after all. Bummer.
Wow, I sure hope it comes to Sprint. I reeeaaaalllyy want one!
Hmm alot of finger prints... maybe you got your hands on way after Engadget... lol j/k I jest!
very disappointed! expected more WOW to compete with other platforms. nothing that would make me want to go back to the pre. want a bigger device, not smaller. plus, why oh why do they keep going up against the iphone releases? poor strategy on their part
The screen is a half inch bigger with around twice the resolution, it has a duel core 1.4 Ghz processor, front & rear facing camera. I'd say that puts it at least on par with the highest end phones out there, and it's definatly bigger than current pres. What were you looking for?
The problem is that the specs look pretty darn good right NOW. At the pace this technology is evolving, in 6 months when this thing is going to be released, this will probably be running in the middle of the pack specs wise.
What we were looking for is new (not 6 month old Pre2) hardware on multiple carriers NOW. That's what we were looking for.
Our original Pre's are flat out dying. The hardware is completely falling apart. And after almost 2 years, I expect that. The really shitty thing is that we do not have any upgrade path to stay on my carrier and with WebOS.
I have money I want to spend on a new phone. I want to give that money to HP for a WebOS device but they won't let me and that makes me sad. ;)
Again, what else do you want? Six months won't make that big of difference tech wise. This phone is almost exactly what I wanted.
* Bigger screen, but not too big (I wanted 3.5")
* Faster processor
* Larger keyboard
* Better camera
* Front facing camera
* Glass screen
* Higher res
* Matte finish for plastic
* Thinner
What is missing?
* Removable SD card
I do agree that we (Pre owners) have been holding out for way too long. I've already replaced my Pre three times. I wonder how much the new Pre can be overclocked. And then there is that battery. It's a little bigger, but is almost 3x as fast of processor. Maybe WebOS 2.0 helps improve battery life. Hopefully, there will be some in depth reviews when they finally release the new hardware.
yep, the 'smaller' device should have been a webos watch!
I'd haveta see it in person
This is my perfect device.
I like it. Always been a fan of the Pre form factor. Now if they can just get some sweet apps and Verizon to stop messing with the GPS. I'm sold.
I dont see why people are so unimpressed. This looks stylish. And an auto focus camera. I guess another spec people will be "unimpressed" with. The buttons and switches look sturdy. I like that its thinner. People need to stop worrying about build quality. They aren't going to repeat their mistakes and make a crappy phone. Geez.
Agreed, timeline is gonna kill it. Who knows what kind of Android phones are gonna be out, or announced, by summer
You'll find out in a couple of days and not weeks or months.
yep after a loooong wait in the silence and all the hype that was recently built up all we get is yet another "in the coming months"
Yup. I quit. This is waaaaaaay too late. And after the "we have the hardware" nonsense, I feel that HP are nothing but a bunch of not-to-be-trusted liars. The "no 2.0 for you" doesn't help matters any, either.
There's an old saying in Tennessee — I know it's in Texas, it's probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on...shame on you. Fool me...you can't get fooled again!
Fool me once, shame on you.
Fool me twice, shame on me.
it better be on sprint
Nope.
Wow! now I know I'm sticking with my Evo I was so wanting to return to webOS... I will for the TouchPad but not the phone and not now. This phone should have came out in 2010. What are they thinking coming out with a phone with no 4G in 2011 if it had it I might have been on board, but no voice and data at the same time = fail. They really needed to come out with a slab phone to compete with the iphone and android slab... they really messed up.
With you on that. Sticking with my EVO. This doesn't even come close. Is it dual core? haven't seen any specs yet, but dual core phones like the Atrix coming out and the HTC EVO Shift already out, what's the point to this Pre 3 unless you're a WebOS fanboy?
dual core means nothing since apps can't even use multiple cores properly. Plus this phone has the fastest CPU in the market right now. You should have read the live blog.
yes i think "RIGHT NOW" is the key phrase. by the time they wake up and launch it 1.4 Ghz may not be so special anymore.
and IF this comes to "the best" network to fk-up a webos launch chances are we wont see it till fall since they will be too busy with iphone5. they need to make it a gsm/cdma phone and just launch it themselves worldwide.
Have you bothered to check out the tech specs page yet?
http://www.palm.com/us/products/phones/pre3/index.html
but if this comes out in the summer you dont think moto, HTC and the likes arent already working on something with just as fast a processor? Motorola already has 2 dual cores and will continue to have more by the summer and im sure HTC will have more by the summer. if this would have released by march it would have really won alot of people over but they are waiting and missing a golden opportunity by releasing it later.
On the contrary, I have an EVO too but I would MUCH rather have this Pre3 and webOS 2.0+. It looks great and I know it will be more elegant and easier to use than Android OS. With the new features and potential TouchPad and computer interconnectedness, icing on the cake. I would switch back to webOS soon if I could.
4g?? Who cares? I'm glad it's not 4g. That means there won't be any extra fee for 4g service, when and if I upgrade to this phone.
you will be charged a fee for 4g anyways
getting this
Looks great. I hope we get information on what carriers will carry the Pre3 soon.
I have to say that I'm no fan of the horizontal slider. I think the pre keyboard is perfect for my hands. Having said that HP should have shipped the Veer and Pre 3 in both horizontal and vertical sliders to give people some options. Many people are carrying around horizontal sliders now and the vertical slider might be a slight barrier to conversion.
Wack off the keyboard and add 4G LTE and you got a deal. Until then, HTC Thunderbolt for me. It really sucks because I love webos passionately.
bad decision I think. They should have just released a slate as a larger device. the keyboard is just too annoyingly small.
Battery is 1230mAh on the hp website...
They are obviously going after the Blackberry Crowd. That's probably why they kept the keyboard.
I want it
Thats the best they could come up with? I thought this was supposed to be the revolutionary change... WTH
Considering it's a got a 1.4 Ghz processor and a higher resolution screen, there isn't much to complain about. I only think they should have changed the design for the sake of everyone not thinking it's a pre
All of the specs accept the 3.58" screen and 5mp camera are impressive. The disappointment is in the form Factor. Who is going to pic this over a MyTouch 4G, LG Optimums 2X, or Motorola Atrix accept WebOS Fanboys? And 1230MaH battery with a 1.4GHz CPU? Watch your battery drain. The form factor will kill sales of this device. This is the phone they should've released last year. it would've had a chance then, but against Dual core phones? Forget it.
I wanted a keyboard less version also. Sad, sad sad.....
only 20 weks away!!!!
haha thats the spirit! the launch is right around the corner and is coming in just "weeks!" ...only 20+ of them )))
Never buying another "PALM" device again :(
Can we get some video?
cheetum - I'm also pleased they stuck with the physical keyboard and this form factor, while upping the screen and KB size. I was definitely not one of the people clamoring for yet another boring slab. Very pleased with this design.
That's it? Same form factor but slightly larger? Yawn....
it is! its the verizon's pre 2. and the pre 3 will be coming in "weeks" (20+)
Want! I LOVE my current Pre, so I'm glad the main design is still intact! Can't wait to get this phone!
Precentral: I'm not sure you'll be able to read this, since heck, after all, I can't read anybody else's comments, but is it really THAT freaking difficult to fix the damn comments business on this site? I'd even appreciate an article at this point that explains what the hell is going on, and whether you guys are working on it or not.
Looks just like my current crappy Palm Pre that I have had to get replaced three times.
I cannot believe windows phone 7 already has more apps that the Pre.
Junk
Please post a video of the Pre3 running and compared against Pre (minus or plus).
Ill definitely get one of these.
hahahaha.... "in the coming months" as usual
no, think in terms of "weeks" :)
im never gunna open the keyboard! y would they even add that in there? its perfect size screen, dont need that ugly thing to come out!
Sprint ?
I've personally always loved my pres form factor (sprint original), and cant wait to hopefully get the Pre 3, its bigger screen is needed w/ the speed, and finally having a Pre w/out the led button will be nice.
New dock connector?
I like it, but wish it were coming out sooner than this summer. How solid did it feel?
Looks just like my current crappy Palm Pre that I have had to get replaced three times.
I cannot believe windows phone 7 already has more apps that the Pre.
Could you tell which network the demo device is running on?
If it was released right now I think this is a potential hit but summer is 4 months away? Not so sure about that timing. Also, they did need to release a slab at the same time. Only bc thats what the cool kids want...
can we get another palmcast tonite after dev party or tomorrow? thnks!
This phone is Prefect! Can't wait. I hope EVDO=Sprint cause I really don't want to switch to verizion.
I want it NOW!!!!
It works for me too. Comparable in size with HTC Incredible with a physical keyboard. Excellent!
can we seriously go back to old school comments... there was just like 50 now its back down to 1...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gqSRZWsFEw
HP PRE3 promo video
Gotta say I'm dissappointed. Hardware specs look great, but the size of this phone for the size of screen you get is a bummer. Mostly just width and thickness. I was hoping for a more professional candybar phone and/or a decent slate form factor. I agree about the lackluster styling. Looks like I'll keep my pixi for a little while longer while I decide what to do. I really love palm (edit: HP) but they're getting passed by in the hardware department (and app department, but hopefully with HP's backing they can start to resolve that).
I prefer this form factor over any other. Way better for us enterprise users.
Is it me or does the mail notification icon look crooked on the pre 3?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNYZVerAQmA&feature=channel
wait a second..This comment may get me into comment trouble but is the mic on the keyboard now? And if thats the case are you telling me the phone needs to be opened to use it? I dont see a mic on the phone without the slider open.
I agree with Dieter that I wish they were more daring on the design. This isn't making me get excited about getting it over my original Pre. Kind of how the Pre 2 made me feel.
I cant wait to get a pre3. It looks amazing and should really be the phone that makes web os look great. But 2 things....
1. the keyboard doesn't look any bigger. not a big deal to me (although it would be nice)but hp keeps saying its bigger.
2. the mic is now on the body of the phone which is good because it wont be blocked by you cheek.... but the placement of the mic make it blocked by the phone if the slider is closed. shouldn't it be on the bottom of the phone?
I was really hoping for something along the lines of the Samsung Fascinate and I was hoping it would have been released yesterday, not this fall, err, I mean "summer".
Otherwise, it looks just OK to me.
I like it, but this summer? What happened to these devices will be shipping right away?
Also, I was expecting some answers to questions about webos updates, pricing & carriers.
This smells of not being fully cooked!
What to do?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohl3qKfJ98U
The products look sweet; but I'm just concerned about the timing. I was really hoping that there would be some momentum rolling by my Sprint renewal/upgrade time in June that could show me that they are not only making something great but that the developers are getting us some serious apps.
What's the 5 silver dots???
I do believe I want this!
Looks good, but not available until the Summer is bullshit.
That is pretty sweet.
same old thing why cant they make something different
Sad to NOT hear anything about it coming to sprint...Matter of fact....did they even announce what bands this phone has?
foreal just an over size really big palm pre ? Thinking about rolling out for awhile til hp gets it right..
so what's that thing on the right side? some sort of dock conector, or just a weird volume thing?
That is the Veer's magnetic connector.
I can't tell from the pictures... Is there still a mirror on the back when the slider is open?
That was a very handy feature.
Looks nice but why the extra room under the keys?
Also, the HP logo looks terrible on the back.
Looks like the mic is hidden by the screen when closed?
I really hope it hits Sprint. It sucks that they didnt make it Wi-Max, and a 4" screen tho. That would have been nice.