Palm Pre

Palm Pre
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Name	Palm Pre
Manufacturer	Palm, Inc.
Carrier	Sprint
Released	June 6, 2009
Operating system	webOS
Cpu	Texas Instruments OMAP 3430
Memory	256 MB DDR
Storage	8 GB
Display	3.1-inch HVGA
Connectivity	Bluetooth 2.1, Wi-Fi (802.11b/g)
Predecessor	Palm Treo
Successor	Palm Pre 2

Palm Pre. The Palm Pre was a smartphone developed by Palm, Inc. and launched in 2009 as the flagship device for the company's new webOS platform. It was exclusively available in the United States on the Sprint network and represented a critical attempt to revitalize the pioneering company in the face of competition from Apple's iPhone and devices running Google's Android. The device was notable for its innovative user interface and integrated approach to managing personal and professional information.

Overview

The development of the Palm Pre was led by a team under Jon Rubinstein, a former Apple executive known for his work on the iPod. The project, internally codenamed "Castle," was a complete reinvention for Palm, Inc., which had seen its market share erode with its aging Palm OS platform. The device was formally unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in January 2009, generating significant media buzz for its sleek design and promised software capabilities. Its launch was positioned as a direct challenge to the dominance of the iPhone and the emerging BlackBerry devices from Research In Motion.

Hardware

The Palm Pre featured a compact slider form factor with a hidden QWERTY keyboard, a design choice that differentiated it from the touchscreen-only iPhone. Its central hardware component was the Texas Instruments OMAP 3430 system on a chip, which provided improved graphics performance. The 3.1-inch HVGA touchscreen utilized a capacitive layer and was coated with an oleophobic material to resist fingerprints. Other notable hardware elements included a 3.5mm headphone jack, a removable battery, and a unique inductive charging system called the Touchstone, which was sold separately. The device also contained an accelerometer and a GPS receiver for location-based services.

Software

The Pre's defining feature was its webOS operating system, a Linux-based platform that emphasized interconnectedness and fluid multitasking. A core innovation was Synergy, which seamlessly integrated contacts, calendars, and messages from multiple sources like Microsoft Exchange, Google, Facebook, and Yahoo!. The user interface was built around a card metaphor, where each open application appeared as a distinct card that could be flicked off the screen to close. The platform supported true multitasking and featured a unified notification system. Applications were built using standard web technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and were distributed through the App Catalog.

Release and reception

The Palm Pre launched on Sprint on June 6, 2009, following an extensive marketing campaign. Initial critical reception was overwhelmingly positive, with reviewers from publications like The Wall Street Journal and Engadget praising the innovative webOS software and the hardware's solid construction. However, the launch was hampered by limited supply and some early build quality issues, such as a fragile sliding mechanism. While sales were initially strong, they failed to meet the lofty expectations needed to establish a sustainable third ecosystem against iOS and Android. Subsequent releases on other carriers like Verizon Wireless and AT&T came too late to significantly alter its market trajectory.

Legacy and impact

Despite its commercial shortcomings, the Palm Pre and webOS left a considerable legacy in the smartphone industry. Many of its software concepts, such as gesture-based navigation, card-style multitasking, and unified notifications, were later adopted and refined by Apple in iOS and Google in Android. Following Palm, Inc.'s financial struggles, the company and its intellectual property were acquired by HP in 2010. HP continued to produce a few more devices, like the Palm Pre 2 and HP Veer, before eventually discontinuing the hardware and open-sourcing elements of webOS. The platform's influence endures, and its team of developers went on to contribute to major projects at companies including Apple and Google.

Category:Smartphones Category:Palm, Inc. Category:WebOS devices Category:2009 in technology