HP Veer hands-on and first impressions 189
Just a day after we found of the HP Veer would be available on the 15th of May on AT&T, we have our hands on our review unit. And while we’re busy getting down to the business of a thorough review of this tiny little webOS smartphone, we thought we’d go ahead and give you a detailed look over the phone and our first impressions.
The Veer HP sent us is the white variety (it’s actually more of an egg shell than pure white), and it’s strikingly less “panda-like” than the press images would suggest. All of the surfaces that look black are actually either a dark gray (in the case of the charging adapter) or dark chrome (all the buttons). It’s an attractive little phone. And little it is. Unlike the Pre-series phones, I have no problem with slipping this sucker into a pants pocket, and it’s light enough that I don’t even notice it’s there. The Veer is just deceptively small – it literally fits in the palm of my hand. The slider is robust – it snaps into place when both opening and closing.
As you might expect for a phone this size, the buttons are small, but they’re still perfectly usable. As a Pre owner, it’s taking some getting used to with the power button more on the side than the top, but it works. The keyboard is obviously small (about a full key narrower than the Pre), but in the brief time we’ve had the phone it hasn’t caused any problems.
What might cause problems is that little charging port. The magnetically-latching port was created so HP could still have this tiny thin slider phone and still be able to charge it. The USB cable and headphone adapter snap on with nary a problem and only work in one orientation: silver dot up on the cable, and port down on the headphone adapter. It takes some force to separate the phone from the cable-adapter, though we’ll have to give it more real world use before we judge that it will be able to hold-up to daily headphone use.
So the Veer is tiny and fits super well in the hand and the pocket. Is it the phone for you? We’re not sure yet, but our full review will be coming soon. In the meantime, head on past the break for a full gallery of the HP Veer.
189 Comments
I like it. I'm planning on waiting it out until the Pre3 is released, (Sprint take note; If you don't have the Pre3, you don't have me.) but if this thing can help capture mind-share for webOS, then I'm all for it.
I'm the opposite. If Sprint doesn't have the pre 3 then HP doesn't have me.
How is that HP's fault, Last I checked Carriers chose who they wanted to carry and who would make them money, unfortunately compared to Android right now and on "other" carriers Apple, HP is not a money maker and there's not much they can do too convince carriers other then bolster their numbers.. It's a Chicken Egg issue. Sprint is looking for something like the iPhone (ie. Evo) to bring new users, the small WebOS foot print right now is not going to cut it. Maybe you shouldn't be using such a small carrier and you wouldn't have to worry about such things, Sprint NEEDS great phones to attract customers, other carriers have more flexibility to take chances. Doesn't seem like an HP issue at all. Sprint took their chance with Palm and it didn't bring in the numbers that were even close to the Evo. SO if I was Sprint and Android was paying my bills then I would support them as well, being a safe choice to keep me in business.
Sprint has a lot of **** gadgets that don't make any money for them. The most recent of is the stupid Kyocera echo. They made such a huge deal about that stupid phone as if anyone would really be interested in it.
the phone was a great innovation! but the hinge is not quite there yet. i was excited until i played with one. nope. doesnt cut it.
If they had released Pre2 instead of echo they would make a lot more money since all of us stuck on pre- would have loved to take the chance and upgrade our phones.
completely agree!
I'm sorry but I just can't get excited for HP or webOS any more. I sincerely try, visiting this website every few days looking for awesome news, but Android is just so much more awesome that I can't see myself sticking with webOS when the Evo 3D comes out (or Nexus S).
Also, that black/white Oreo in the picture up there? WTF is that? Do they really want to remind us of the cookie with which we associated busted slider mechanisms on the original Pre?? Come on!!
considering how poorly the pre 2 sells if sprint had released that they'd be in worse shape then they are now.
People are ignoring the fact that the original Palm Pre was not some blockbuster profit machine on sprint. It was a disappointment as the CEO stated saying it didn't do as well as they hoped. It's no surprise they won't take any chances until HP proves they can sell. But it's kinda fantasy to think these phones are some sprint savior.
Here's the problem... Not that Palm and HP are entirely clear of fault. Sprint said that the Pre launch was the biggest and most successful that they had up to that point. But then the Pres started getting returned due to hardware issues. Palm releases newer, better hardware and instead of Sprint listening to customer's chief complaint and getting the updated hardware, they continue to sell the same old shitty hardware for over a year. Then they complain about sales not being what they expected?! If they would have gotten people on the newer hardware as soon as it was available, then they wouldn't have taken such a bath on sales and support. Pre2 sales were poor primarily because of how long the lower quality Pre classic stayed in the market, thanks primarily to Sprint. Had they bucked up to the Pre Plus or the Pre 2 then there would be fewer people bitching and better word of mouth advertising.
They wouldn't have made a dime on that.
I wouldn't have given up my NOW *2* year upgrade when a new Pre (3) is/was "due out" in half-a-year. I seriously doubt I'm alone in that.
M.
Well HP should have made it right...
See what I did there?
I will do both. I will leave Sprint and not go to HP.
Nothing in the world is funnier than watching Palm and HP, "think" they're marketing genius's. Customers complain profusely that their phones "oreo", so they make one that looks like an "oreo". Customers complain that the keyboards are small and faulty, so HP makes them even smaller. People complain that the Pre battery is under engineered for the task at hand. So HP pumps up the power, and sticks in a weaker battery. People complain the Pixi was so close to Pre in specs, but dissimilar enough to keep if from having full functionality, so HP makes their most advanced device yet with the same near-Pre limitations. Do you ever wonder if Apple and Google have confederates in HP management?
This article here is saying the the Veer will be on the AT&T network only.
http://www.maximumtech.com/hp-veer-4g-att-may-15th-99
Is that a webOS phone with the Sprint carrier tag? Is doesn't have a button, so I don't think it is a Pre-. Looks like it might be a Pre 2 that has been franken-Pre'd?
Derek's using a FrankenPre2 on Sprint.
WOO HOO! Looks way better than I would have thought from the press pics. I can't wait to get my hands on one of these. Use it as an internet connection for my laptop on the road, then for my TouchPad this "summer"
I agree, looks heaps better than I thought it would but I think the keyboard needed to be white(unpractical) for the design to fly.
I still prefer it in black,webOSroundup has a black one.
Eagerly awaiting the full review. Negative comments be damned!!!
sounds great, looks great!
by the way: the veer will be available from week 25 (June 20th) in germany on o2
I'd take one hands down over my aging pre-. I would think that as a new release phone it would at least have 16GB of storage instead of 8.
If they release the cloud based music player then the hard drive size will not matter as much since the space will be used for caching the most played songs and pictures/videos you take.
My problem is, that I now only have some 1 GB left of my 16 GB and there are only 3 GB of music and other media, the rest is all apps... :-/
I will have to see if it will fit on this one.
WebOS + well implemented microSD storage = win.
Fact is, coverage just isn't reliable and strong enough for everyone.
The White looks better then I thought it would
nice looking.....chic....Wow...the white has great market appeal...Wow...very Nice....can i borrow it?
Tiny phone is tiny.
Played out meme is well...played out. ;)
lol. :P
I see AT&T is still keeping theor orange & white box theme... I'd love it if HP were allowed to design a box that showed it off better...
It looks really nice. I am exccited to pick one up on the 15th.
Mentioning the charging/headphone port was unwelcome reminder of this device's unfortunate limitations. It's definitely a niche device, but from how it sounds, it seems like a nice addition to the webOS arsenal.
I think the port is cool....
The Veer is cool, but goes against three of my hardline needs in a design (Standard charging port, standard audio jack, and removable battery).
Luckily, most people don't seem to care about that stuff, and the Pre3 looks to be ok in those regards.
nb
It does charge via Touchstone... and if you've got a stereo bluetooth headset... then no problem right? :)
who uses cords anymore anyway! =P
I do, in my car. Only minor gripe I have about this device but I understand that they were space-limited.
The general trend is back to cords, as the realization has spread that Bluetooth earpieces have a poor look. They are largely considered a sign of a yuppie now.
If one is going to have wires anyway (as in teh case of stereo headphones), many people figure it's not worth spending the money and keep the basic cables. I see this all over on all types of phone, including iOS, Android, and webOS (the latter of which is limited to me and one friend).
That has to be the biggest bunch of bull I've read on here for awhile now. BT being a sign of a yuppie!? HA!
So is this downward trend in BT headsets the cause of BestBuy having more BT stereo headsets today than they did a year ago? Is your supposed trend reflected in how many phones and devices now support Stereo BT?
And what does "have a poor look" mean? How do BT headphones look any worse than wired headphones?
First of all. It DOES wires. Just that the connector is different. Big deal.
Second. "The realization has spread"... Says... who?
Third. There are several different bluetooth headsets that don't sit on your ear, for instance the one I'm using - the Jabra BT3030. Excellent stereo BT headset where you use your own headphones.
Motorola S-10HD are stereo BT and have great sound. Heckuva lot easier to go running without idiotic cords flopping all over.
Yuppie? last time I saw one was back in '86. He was hitting on a Valley Girl.
I do. I have 2 BT headsets b/c I just find using Palm's earphones easier. You'd think there's less fumbling around with BT b/c it's wireless but for me, it's the opposite.
In what way exactly does that make it a "niche device"? You mean YOU don't like it?
Because you have to carry that around with you when you're out and about if you aren't going to have your touchstone handy. Micro USB cords are ubiquitous these days - Palm phones, and thus their accessories, are not. You've never charged your phone with someone else's charger before because you were low on juice?
because it must feel wonderful to have to rely on something the size of a gumball to do the most rudimentary functions of a phone. jog and listen to music? gumball. charge your phone? gumball. God forbid you lose the thing.
Thanks for the early review, Derek. There's been so much commotion over this phone this past week, it's nice to see one in your care! Looking forward to the complete review, including (gasp!) phone-call quality!
be sure to post up battery usage figures. we haven't seen ANYTHING from any of the new three devices coming our way, and that's definitely a factor if people are totting this as the go-to for that really small tethering device. well, if the pre was any indication of battery life when tethering, im hoping that the veer is pulling in stronger numbers.
if battery life has not improved since the last generation of devices, this, the pre3 and the touchpad will most likely be on Touchstone life support.
thanks for the teaser.
Supposedly the processor is more energy efficient than that in for instance the Pre2.
The more I look at. The more innovation I see in the thought process of HP making this phone...
you mean Palm? =)
I agree (even though it must have come almost entirely from Palm). The overall design and details of this phone do look pretty cool when you consider how small/light it is and what it's capable of compared to huge current smartphones.
Why in **** doesn't every phone come with the silent vibrate switch? That's one of the best features that Palms have that everyone should copy. So handy when walking into a meeting.
The Veer looks pretty nice in these extremely large photos (yikes!), so I can't wait to actually see a Pre3 in person. Sprint? Hello? Are you awake out there or still mesmerized by your buddy Dave Blaine??
the switch is patented so others can't just use it. Palm patented that a while ago.
Yeah. I've had the Samsung Galaxy S for a while. It's slim, but it's too big. It's simply not CONVENIENT. If you consider the fact that you spend just a little of the time being happy about a big screen and most of the time having it taking up space in your pocket, it's actually a great idea. I wouldn't mind getting this as my second phone, to go with my Pre2.
Me want! Strongly considering moving to ATT for this. Going to wait for some reviews and crunch the math on monthly plans first though. Love the white!
Are you able to force EDGE? Disable 3G by any chance?
I'm goin' to an area that has no 3G and I don't want it to kill my battery searching for something that ain't there!
Please do tell!
'Cause I do not want to Preware it!
Are there GSM "hash codes" that I can use? Like on my Pre-?
Since its ATT phone I doubt there is an option to shut off 3G, they didn't have that on Pres and Pixis plust they are branded as 4G now so they would have to make it to shut off 4G :)
Euro Palms have features to turn off 3G while ATT dont.
my Pre- on 1.4.5 lets me choose the type of network (2G, 3G or automatic) right in the phone preferences, so unless AT&T somehow removed this built-in function, it should be also possible on the Veer
how does the sprint phone have "just type" in the last two pictures?
WebOS 2.1 running on the Sprint device. http://forums.precentral.net/webos-internals/276460-how-install-webos-2-...
I think it might be a Pre2. It doesn't have a physical button on the front.
I've read that it's basically a 3G phone but that AT&T has branded it as 4G because it rides a 4G network. Any truth to that?
Thats just a slight 3g upgrade similar to what t-mobile is using. It isnt really 4g but it is somewhat faster than current 3g. There is no true 4g in the united states.
It's Kinda 3.5G It's HSPA+, not full 4G but faster then AT&Ts 3G, but that's only in areas that "upgrades" have happened. However this is as 4G as you can currently Get on AT&T. So it's taking full advantage, of the current carrier it's on, supplied speed.
According to 3gpp definitions, it's not even HSPA+. However you are correct that it is as fast as you can get on AT&T. Same spec as the Atrix and Inspire which are also mislabelled as HSPA+ capable.
Ever measured actual speeds? At least in Europe your actual speed is often around 20% of the HSPA listed speed... So the bottleneck is not really your phone but the network/provider.
The serial tells me this unit was manufactured april 7 2011. Nice little sucker, although i do not like the white accents. Gimme black! (Well, i am in EU, so i am getting black!) LOL.
I am glad ATT branding is on the backside what I am not so glad about is that they had to include boot up ATT animation. Hopefully we will be able to remove it.
why is that a big deal
You can ;) That's part of the carrier branding, that can be changed.
im just going to try scratching off the logo on the back. att doesnt own me! nowhere should they have to remind me im buying their phones! if i cant scratch it off, i'll burn it!!
oh wait..maybe its not that big of a deal? .....
I like it, but the more i think about it the Pre 2 is the perfect size for me. Will there be an updated 2. The size is great, not to small, not to big.
i agree, but my one pety issue with the pre2 is how hollow it feels..not as much as the pre, but still pretty bulky and hallow.
Wow, that phone looks like a piece of art! It's so simple and yet stunning.
I agree man. Its a really good looking phone and it doesn't look like anything else out. I've heard it compared to the kin, but the kin looked like a pre copy.
WebOS 2.1.2
must....have.....NOWWWWWWWWWW
WANT VIDEO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRg2i9IL_ZA&feature=player_embedded
Nice sprint pre 2! I wish i had one
+1000
As much as it didn't seem to make sense to have a mini pre. This could be a big winner for both the DeathStar and HP. This is def going to be marketed to the Sidekick teen crowd. White to start. Later by Xmas see it do an Apple muticolor rainbow of shades. Will be a big msging device. Have some music, email and txt in a compact package, perfect. At the beginning I was derider of it at first I'm coming around.
sidekick teen crowd? you do notice that every person that has seen it in person (feb 9 etc) has enjoyed it? non of them were teens. yes its small, but their hands are no different from yours. it runs amazingly. its pretty much just as powerful as the pre2. yes its less exciting as the pre3. but you dont have pre3. so your phone is a teen crowd phone as well? im glad you are coming around, but try actually handling one first before you call it a teen phone. 'branding' it like that could kill the device if its not true.
Hasn't "every person that has seen it in person" pretty much been a Palm enthusiast attending a Palm event?
Bodes well for people here. Really doesn't tell us anything about how other AT&T customers will receive it.
i see your point. but that should not ensue negative approaches to the device. word of mouth is soo powerful. let the consumers decide what the phone is for, dont downplay it because its not what you wanted. (i dont mean you, i mean people who are hellbent on asserting that the veer is insufficient for anyone over 18)
There were a lot of tech journalists mixed in there, not just Palm enthusiasts.
i see your point. however i dont see how that is reason to downplay a device by branding it less than efficient. let the att customers determine who/what the phone is for. words are very powerful in this business, and can leave bad tastes in possible customers mouths, before they even have a chance to research the product. opinions are great, but obvious negativity..not necessarily from this person..without sufficient information are just downers. but like you said, it really doesnt matter what any of us here think. i just hope advertising is done well enough so people at least give the phone a shot. if its not for them, theres many more to choose from =)
Innovative and nice looking. Its good that those who want a pocket size smartphone will have an option too.
WOW, now that we have real pictures, just looks that much better!
NO MIRROR???!! THAT'S IT, I'M OUTTA HERE!!
Just kidding. Even tho I can't touch a Veer, the pics seem to say to me that the build quality is much improved over the pre -/+. I was a little iffy on the magnetic port, but I think it is growing on me.
Doesn't matter, because I am on Sprint and my aging eyes need more screen, but hopefully the Veer will be able to start some webos momentum.
i am awaiting the reviews for the ports as well. but the build quality is AMAZING compared to that of the pre -/+, im guessing because they had to cram so much 'stuff' in such a tiny package, no room for air/error =)
No mirror, no auto-focus, but...they did add the little thing you attach cell phone dongles to.
I'm not kidding, I really missed having this option. Maybe I can have a mirror dongle? Best of both worlds.
Do you think they could make the HP logo bigger? Geez.
lol they should have shrunk it down since its on a tiny phone =P
Couldn't make it any smaller and it still be legible. It's smaller than any Apple logo I've seen.
=D touche!
=D touche
It's really not that big.
Literal answer: yes of course.
I THINK THIS PHONE WILL DEF SELL WHITE OR BLACK IT LOOKS VERY CONSUMER FRIENDLY
It looks very well built!
Look apple, this is how you deliver a white smartphone. Surfaced a few weeks back, tested today, in-store May 15th
:D
mmmm BURNED! oh wait their hearts are ice already....
Yeah, all Apple had to do was not make it truly white (hands-on above says off-eggshell color), and only cover the back. Then, they could have delivered it the same day as the other iPhone.
Or...anyone could've bought a white case and done the same as HP did.
In Apple's defense(do they really need it?):
Difference here is the front panel is still black (ala white iPhone 3GS) which is a OS continuity issue. iPhone 4 has a full white front panel which made things somewhat more complicated.
I'm most interested to hear about what's improved in webOS 2.1.2. Did they fix the mess that is voice dialing? Will there be a way to meta-doctor it like we have 2.1?
so can i get 2.1.2 on my pre2 now?
my my my looks really small. who will wont a phone that small??
My wife. She thinks the iPhone is too big. She's been wanting this phone ever since HP announced it in February and even more so now that they have a white version.
It's the same size as the Pixi, just with a slider, instead of a candy bar. And, yes, they sold MANY of those. Hopefully, they will make the candy bar style again, but who knows?
First impression is stunning appearance, though I prefer the black myself. Seems like a more solid build than the 1st gen... still have my Pre- on sprint. Curious about the battery life (is the battery removable?) Also am amazed and how much a signal strength varies while essentially remaining in the same place. Note how the signal strength on both phones was lower with the slider closed than open.
Non-removable.
Thanks! Bummer... hope battery life is lasts otherwise it will be sitting on my touchstone all the time...
It looks so cool, so small in the hand yet so powerful!
Looks very attractive to me. I hope it'll sell, I think it has a lot of WOW factor.
I haven't seen any TV ads for this phone yet or at least not in my region. Has anyone seen TV commercials from HP?
They need to market this now...!
Hopefully HP will start to advertise it as soon as it is available for pre-order.
They don't show commercials on Netflix. :D
Derek -- don't you think it would be fitting for Keith to contribute to the full review? This is the 'Panda-phone' after all!
In seriousness -- thanks for the great preview. Looking forward to the full review.
I don't mind that HP released this phone; I *do* mind that it's the first new phone they released since the acquisition of Palm. (Yes, there was the Pre 2, but everyone knows it's just a slightly bumped up Pre.) So, HP buys Palm, shakes things up, shows a snazzy new OS, yada, yada, but then releases a phone that will incite derision.
To mirror what someone else said above, I am glad it's in our "arsenal", but the Pre 3 should have been released first.
Just my 2 cents...
Correction: a slightly bumped up Pre Plus. The Pre 2 isn't a bad phone, but it also doesn't have the HP name on it, as far as I know. The new phone *does*, and it's this first impression that might be a killer, in the worst sense of the word...
I wish it was an all out blitz. Pre 3 on all US carriers + any exclusives that carriers will offer, all rolled out at once.
+10
+1000
Hi all,
Personally I want the Pre 3, however I am dancing in the streets that the Veer has come to market. Long live HP/Palm!
Take care, Jay
White gets dirty too easily, for this phone launching on ATT, should have a blue Veer and would clash better with the black bezel.
You should do a review of many popular Pixi apps on the Veer to see how many of those apps really are compatible with the Veer.
"Unlike the Pre-series phones, I have no problem with slipping this sucker into a pants "
Your pants are too tight.
he must b a punk rocker
I wonder about people these days. I see everyone I work with pocketing everything from a Blackberry to an Evo 4G or Droid X.
For real. I'm a girl and I have zero problems with my Pre. Burn the skinny jeans, Derek.
Blue would make sense, hence they haven't done it yet LOL
Cute little phone. The ports should not be an issue especially since HP wants to push the inductive charging aspect of all their devices.
They still need a reliable TS car kit.
The only rub on the Veer will be battery life. With a battery under 1000 ma, I'm thinking it will be worse than current Pixis.
I hate to be a broken record, but...
WANT on Verizon! Want want want!
In case you couldn't figure it out...
WANT!
On
Verizon!
I don't think there is going to be a Verizon version since there was no CDMA version announced and AT&T announced it as an exclusive :(
so what is a record?
Wow, on screen carrier branding. How very not-cool and un-Apple. Nice HP. I see where this is heading...
To each his own. But this phone doesn't appeal to me.
Hm. So it looks like you cannot simultaneously use the charger and the audio jack. I use my Pre's audio out into my car stereo's aux input while charging - all the time. Love my Accuradio and drPodder! Bummer.
Car touchstone is your friend. I have one and it's fantastic.
So is bluetooth audio.
It looks delicious! Like Cookies and Cream Ice Cream!
Gives a whole new meaning to the term "Oreo Effect" ;)
I would be surprised if AT&T sold 1,000 of these nation wide in the first week.
EPIC FAIL
Forecaster? Let's see.
Your comment is an EPIC FAIL. I bet they sell that many just in Ohio.
What a lot people don't think about is the vast number of people buying phones for their kids these days. And something small and cutesy (suprised I haven't seen a pink one yet - I'm sure it's coming) for all of the Parents who have kids begging to get one of their iPhones that they've had on AT&T will probably give in and get this cute little phone for their daughter's little hands and little pockets.
take a gander at the positive vs. negative reviews above you...i think you may be wrong. by a lot. i think this phone, if properly advertised for, could be the next centro or blackberry pearl.
Is it just me, or can u really see the pixels?
Anyway, im so getting it!!!
its not just you. HP didnt really do much when it came to upgrading the screens from the pixi to this. it aint bad, but the iphone has really raised the bar when it comes to ultra-hi ppi.
I've seen the Veer and I can assure you, this phone doesn't need another retina display. It's vibrant, colors are good and it's not a battery hog.
the pre3 will do a much better job fairing against high res screens.
I've got to be honest...I can totally see HP's reasoning for the development of this device, it has grown on me significantly. This might be my first WebOS device, I might not have the patience to wait for the pre3!
I saw Palm's "reasoning" for the Pixi. Unfortunately, both "reasonings" seem firmly rooted in the Centro era.
People's idea of a pocketable value smartphone these days is something like the LG Optimus, which was a hit across ALL FOUR US carriers. And it had a bigger screen than the Pre 2! This 2.6-inch, 262K color, low resolution screen form factor hasn't been on a modern smartphone in quite some time (even the Optimus can display 16 million colors), much less one that was a popular device.
I just think the last thing you want to do with an unproven OS like WebOS is introduce ADDITIONAL blocks for prospective buyers. But we'll see....
Does this thing come with wings?
I would rename this device the "Pad".
I want to see side by side comparisons with the sony xperia mini pro. Looks ok, would have been better if they made the whole keyboard area white like the mini pro. Maybe colorware could get it done, but still it should have been white to begin with. I'm digging the eggshell with and dark chrome though.
Great idea!! (Hope HP read PreCentral's articles & comments) would make for a more uniform design. Even the previous comment regarding Blue vs White casing (add blue lettering) would look sweet!
My girlfriend and my daughter loves the way it looks and both have stated that this phone would fit perfectly into their back pockets.
When it comes to catching the eyes; the eggshell white definitively served its purpose.
Although, I'm the money maker, my daughter has the true buying power. Those with daughters knows exactly what I'm talking about..lol
-P