On Wednesday, Palm announced its next smartphone innovation, the Pixi. Palm is aiming the device at social networkers with the promise of faster, more intuitive personal communication.
With a compact design, QWERTY keyboard, multi-touch screen, personalization options, and the webOS platform, Palm hopes the phone will turn heads when it debuts on the Sprint network before the holidays.
"With Palm webOS, we're creating a new, more intuitive smartphone experience defined by unmatched simplicity and usefulness," said Jon Rubinstein, Palm chairman and CEO. "Palm Pixi brings this unique experience to a broader range of people who want enhanced messaging and social networking in a design that lets them express their personal style."
The Connected Consumer
Palm Pixi users can link to information from Google, Facebook, Exchange ActiveSync, Yahoo and LinkedIn. Palm's Synergy features show all the user's conversations with the same person in one chat-style thread, whether it's a social network, e-mail or IM. That means users can start a conversation in Google Talk and end it using AIM Instant Messenger, text messaging, or some other tool.
On the personalization front, Palm is rolling out the Palm Pixi Artist Series, limited edition back covers that let consumers change designs to suit their mood. Consumers can also tailor the Pixi with downloadable applications from the Palm Beta App Catalog. And Palm media sync lets users customize the device with music, photos and videos from Apple's iTunes Store or use the on-device Amazon MP3 store to purchase individual songs or full albums over the air.
"What you've got here is a device that's going to appeal to a slightly different demographic, a demographic that's more focused on text messaging and social networks where they really do need and want a keyboard," said Michael Gartenberg, a vice president at Interpret.
Pricing Is Key
"The phone comes in a small package...

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