Palm Introduces Palm Pre and Palm Web OS, Will Be Launching with Sprint

Here we are at the Palm press conference. Jon Rubenstein (former Appelite) just took the stage. We’re expecting Palm to introduce their new platform, which will either save Palm or put it in the grave. The crowd is certainly hopeful. For a second we thought we were at Macword when there was applause and whistling when Jon came out.

Jon is talking about the need for the interaction of data and the need for the right platform. One that’s powerful and flexible. Introducing Ed Colligan, President and CEO of Palm. Palm’s goal is to make technology invisible. Arguing that Mobile is Our DNA.

Colligan talking about having single device that brings home and work life together seamlessly. So decided to create new platform from the ground up. Default thinking is to connect to the cloud. It’s called the Palm Web OS.

New device is called the Palm Pre. Device has EV-DO Rev.A, Wi-Fi, GPS, 8GB of storage, Bluetooth 2.1 with stereo support, and “fast” processor. Other specs include 3-MP camera, proximity sensor.

Ergonomic curved design with slide-out QWERTY keyboards. Now comparing phone in terms of size with competitors. 4.8 ounces. Fits in your pocket. It has a 3.5 mm jack, ringer switch.

Highlighs in terms of user experience are:

• Card-like user interface that lets you have multiple windows open at once, not just in the browser. Can be messaging or other apps.
• Synergy technology enables users to combine contacts, calendars, and instant messaging from different providers with ease.
• Universal search: lets you search contacts, functions, and Web by just starting to type.
• Unobtrusive notifications using an intuitive dashboard that doesn’t interrupt what you’re doing.

Can scroll contacts with a flick with momentum and bounce. Direct manipulation gestures built in. Touch is special because it goes beyond the screen. Swipe beneath the screen goes back in a menu. Easy to do one-handed. Start in the gesture and swipe up and you’ll see a Palm launcher with icons. Photos application looks sleek. Other gesture will bring up a ribbon of icons to quickly switch applications.

A very cool dashboard feature lets you have a desktop-like environment. No need for close boxes. Just like shuffling cards.

Synergy technology allows Pre to integrate all different sorts of contact info and calendars (including Google). Brings in information from the Web, including Facebook. Calendar will even tell you how many hours are free. Synergy in e-mail will have single list of all your accounts.

For e-mail you can look at all folder are favorite folders, like Palm and Gmail. Can go to single place for all new messages. Let you choose what account you want to send messages from. If you start typing Synergy searches through all your contacts through all of your accounts. Not locked into one activity and can have multiple e-mail Windows open.

Palm Web OS enables users to have unified buddy list that combines all IM accounts in one list. Gtalk buddies, AIM, etc. Takes SMS threading experience and applies it to IM. Can toggle between IM and text easily if contact isn’t logged in. Can continue conversation in IM that started in SMS or vice versa. Pretty cool.

Keyboard can be used for shortcuts and quickly finding anything. Pre thinks for you in a way. Don’t have to open Web to search. Just start typing. Using Blue Man Group as an example. Browser lets you easily zoom in with pinch gestures like the iPhone. Uses sensors to re-orient display. Can use gesture area to advance pages.

Instant message show up on bottom of screen without interrupting whatever you’re doing. But you can tap on that area and launch the app. Easy to go back where you were. All icons stored in case you want to ignore messages and act on them later. They’ll appear in a dashboard.

Dashboard is open to third party developers.You can easily play/pause music at bottom of screen while in another app.

Palm Pre will ship with with inductive charger. Palm will ship the Pre in first half of 2009 through Sprint. No pricing yet.

Partners include Facebook, Pandora, Fandango and other heavy hitters. Yahoo, TelenNav, AOL, MobiTV, DataViz, Amazon, Google, Pivotal Labs, Splashdata, and Chapura are also on board.

The Palm Pre is easily the most innovative thing we’ve seen so far at CES. We hope to get some hands on time soon.