NPR impressed by the Pre 74
Mon, 18 May 2009 1:45 pm EDT 
Let’s be honest, who isn’t? Even if it’s just that Palm managed to put the thing together and keep it as secret as they have, there’s something to be impressed about. But Laura Sydell of NPR got a bit more than that: she got to head on over to beautiful Sunnyvale, California and get a personal demoing of the Pre. In an All Tech Considered story that made the front page of NPR.org (which garners 2.5 million visitors a month), Sydell gives a brief non-technical profiling of the Pre’s hardware, followed by what we know is the important part: the software.
"What's especially nice about the operating system is that it allows you to keep open an email you are in the midst of writing, while you are also checking your calendar and searching your address book for an email address. Being able to keep three windows open simultaneously is a really nice feature."
Okay, so that’s not really all that deep, but for as simple as it is (and as technically unsavvy as most of NPR’s visitors are likely to be) it drives home a point: the Pre easily does what the iPhone cannot.
74 Comments
Wrong! I'm looking at the glass right this minute and it is clearly half full!
You do realize that both the comments above yours were jokes, right? *sigh
I honestly believe you're going to explode.
idk, seemed like a pretty good response to me.
Nice article, but too bad about the ending:
"Still, I have no idea if this device can rescue Palm, a company that hasn't been at the top in a long time. When they release this device it will only be available on Sprint and that isn't the most popular network. It's hard to imagine that anyone would actually switch over to Sprint just to get a Palm Pre. Palm isn't Apple and doesn't have its loyal following. And as pretty as the Pre happens to be it isn't likely to have the sex appeal of the iPhone."
Damn.
Try being a few steps into filling out an online form and realizing that you need to copy a code from an email because it was too long to remember.
So you can jump to email (browser closes) and copy the code. Then you have to start the web from all over again.
Now try that when you need to copy from more than one source. Sure, pen and paper works if you know what information you need to copy before hand. But what if you don't?
I can't do this on my 755p, so I'm waiting for the pre.
And sorry, I don't think PalmOS is years ahead of the iPhone. POS needed to be retired for quite some time now.
I've been listening to NPR since I was in my 20's, but I wouldn't be surprised if there really are an equal number of listeners over and under 45.
Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if there were more listeners OVER 45-years-old. Maybe the number of NPR-affiliated college stations proves me wrong, though?
Lots of polish. Pretty cool under the hood it seems, but what an ugly hood.
While PalmOS does save applications how we left them, I'll give you an example of why the multi-tasking of WebOS is going to be a big improvement.
You want to e-mail friends &/or family with information. Some of that information is in an e-mail you received, some on a couple different websites. You open the e-mail to compose...with PalmOS you would write the portion that leads into the purpose, close, open received e-mail, copy text, close received e-mail, paste to draft e-mail, close, open browser, go to first website, copy info, close, open draft e-mail, paste, close, open browser, go to next website, copy text, close, open draft e-mail & paste...wheeewwww.
With WebOS you could start the new e-mail, open the received e-mail, open two browser windows & flip between cards as you trasnfer c/p material. Done. Less muss. Less fuss.
That is just one example of a situation I've found myself in before, that the multi-tasking capabilities of WebOS make it so attractive.
Funny. I had to do something like that no too long ago. Fortunately, I was near my laptop so I just gave up on doing it on the phone. Kudos (and apologies) for seeing it through though. :-)
lol. you're silly.
I do more before 6AM than most people do before 4AM. :-)
Did you notice the smiley face by chance? 'Twas a joke. If I do more before 6AM than most do before 4AM it's because I have two extra hours.
"Palm, a once-iconic device maker that has fallen on hard times, has been hyping the Pre for months as an iPhone killer, but the company has given few peeks to analysts and reviewers."
False. Palm said that their success with the Pre does not hinge the failure of the iPhone.
They've gone out of their way to focus on who the Pre is for, not who it's against.
Is it pathetic to run over to other forums looking to stir up $#!+?
Just a tad on the little boy side Johnny.
No disrespect but aren't these politics best kept to the sand pit and matchbox cars?
the pre will have 4g and 3g ,the new iphone will have 3.5g( if theres one) but sprint said all the new phones will have 4g in them so rite there tell you pre going to kick ass out here in chicago iphone going down in the first round i got money on it all my sprint peolpe its our time to shine i have been waiting a long time for this (lets go sprint)im a fan WHAT ABOUT YOU!!!!!!!!
the pre will have 4g and 3g ,the new iphone will have 3.5g( if theres one) but sprint said all the new phones will have 4g in them so rite there tell you pre going to kick ass out here in chicago iphone going down in the first round i got money on it all my sprint peolpe its our time to shine i have been waiting a long time for this (lets go sprint)im a fan WHAT ABOUT YOU!!!!!!!!
@gray23black - please use some creativity and come up with something new and true.
Mods - is this a bot? The messages all over the place.