HP Pre 3 Hands-on: Bigger, Faster, But Late to the Party

The Palm Pre 3 is definitely a vastly improved sequel, but you’re going to have to wait for it. Maybe too long. The good news is that it looks like HP has made all the improvements that webOS fans have been asking for. Faster processor? Check, it’s a 1.4-GHz Snapdragon CPU (single core). Not a fan of small, low-res screens? HP has upped the size to 3.6 inches (from 3.1 inches) and the resolution to 800 x 480 pixels (from 480 x 320). But the best part of this smart phone is the large and cushy keyboard. It beats the pants off the BlackBerry Torch.

We found the slider mechanism on the 5.5-ounce Pre 3 to be a little stiff but the overall feel sturdy. It’s definitely a step in the right direction. The display is also nice and crisp, and we like how the Exhibition feature can automatically display Facebook slideshows when the phone is attached to the Touchstone dock. Still, the summer is a long ways away, and based on the specs it doesn’t look like the Pre 3 will support 4G LTE networks. This phone should be out now, not the Pre 2.

While we wait for summer to arrive, check out some photos of the Pre 3 below, including a side-by-side shot with the Veer.