The Palm Centro Lifeline - Palm Side Computing with a PDA

 
The Palm Centro Lifeline
Palm Side Computing with a PDA

The Story:

My Treo 650 finally was on its last legs, after four long years the case was finally falling apart due to one too many drops. It was time for a new phone and new plan. I walked around the mall several times reviewing the up front price of a new palm and found that the Palm Centro was by far the cheapest and is a direct replacement of my old Treo 650. The Sprint store at Radio Shack had a low price of $29.99 (after a $100 rebate) so i picked up one. Read on for additional details on the phones pros and cons.

The Phone:

Some people don't like small cell phones because it is hard to press the numbers, however on the Palm Centro, you have the option to use the small QWERTY keyboard or use the touch screen to dial. This is the preferred method for me. The phone is pretty much the same as any other phone, except this links into your contacts list so if you have them in your database it will list their name on the screen or it will show you a picture if you have one linked to their profile. You can also link ring tones to known callers and another ring tone for those whom you don't know.

Clarity:

When I first called a Sprint number to set something up it was really garbled and I was ready to return the phone. However, I soon realized it was just the other end, I called my father and then a friend and no static or issues. I wouldn't rate the clarity as top notch, I would give it a 7 out of 10. The speaker phone rates a little worse, for some reason the sounds is just a little too tiny, but for the price of the phone I am not complaining.

Battery Power:

Battery power is amazing. Actual talk time is up to four hours, but standby time can be weeks. I am not exaggerating, I love my Palms for this reason. Even after four years my palm phone was holding a charge for about 10 days without trouble.

The Camera & Camcorder:

The camera is nothing to praise but it could be worse. It is a 1.3 Mexapixel, so it will take semi decent snap shots but nothing to win a prize with.

The Design:

Weighing under 5 ounces and about half the thickness of its predecessor, it is amazing! I thought about refurbishing my old phone and forgoing another contract until I decided I wanted something smaller and lighter! There is no external antenna hub and it looks amazing in black. What more can I say, you can also buy them in pink, blue, silver and more.

The Software:

Palm OS baby! Quick to boot and very simple to use. I have been a fan of Palm OS for years. One, it is not windows so no complicated viruses attacking my hand held device. Two, the software is so easy to use that any non-techie will love it. Just insert the CD you received and it will insert Palm One on your desktop. If you are an Outlook junkie you can use it as well.

There is a calculator, calendar program, tasks, contacts, email, documents to go, memos, pTunes, voice memo, and world clock. These are the pre-installed software, however it also comes with links to Sprint Store, has a web browser, google maps, SprinTv and more. You can also download video games and other software from palm.com

Now, one last thing. Documents to Go is a Microsoft based program that lets you create excel sheets, word, power point and view adobe pdf files.

Key Feature: compatible with Windows & MAC operating systems!

Accessories:

Comes with USB computer cable, audio plug, wall ac charger, and a CD full of software for the computer and downloads for the phone. Now, there are some extras you will want to buy: an extra battery is crucial for long trips and meetings. Also, a Cellet leather cell phone hip holster – you can find one on eBay for $10-$15 which is a lot cheaper than from the store. Last and most important is a screen protector, this will help you resell the phone (if you want to) and make more money and it will protect it for all eternity. I just removed my old screen protector after four years and the screen looks brand new, not a scratch on it.

In the End:

It is a great phone with amazing features. Although there is no reset button and it is harder to remove the battery cover. But that aside, it is very powerful. For as little as nothing or up to $100 depending on who your service provider is, you can keep track of emails, watch TV, listen to your music and more. It has a micro SD slot to expand your memory. If you are looking for something that can do more than a usual phone and keep your life organized, look no further, it is just amazing! They also don't force you to have the data package, the iPhone and Instinct phones force you to have the upgraded plan!

Remember, if you a business professional or small business owner, this can act as a laptop. You can even buy a small compact keyboard for this and use it to show power point presentations at your meetings using your bluetooth connection!