Fun With Palm & Centro

After breaking the 1.0 million Centro smartphones sales milestone a couple of months ago it looks like Palm is set to add yet another million this quarter thanks to both the availability of the AT&T Centro as well as the continued strong marketing support given to the Sprint Centro.

Among others, following the success of the “More Yous” TV commercial that Sprint had been running nationwide since January to promote its Centro we now have a new – more fun and youthful – campaign that highlights some of the “cool” things that people can do with their smartphone.

The video (below) presents a woman’s finger gently flipping through multiple Centro smartphones in different colors (Sprint offers Red, Black and Pink) while a voiceover explains how the Centro “offers a touchscreen phone that manages your schedule, accesses email and text messaging, surfs the web, takes pictures, has an MP3 player and more – all on the smallest smartphone ever from Palm.  See how you can organize your life on the go – for only $99.99.”  [Or get it FREE]

     

Clearly both the Treo and Centro can do so much more than just the few obvious things that this latest Sprint commercial presents (see Top 100 Treo & Centro Software Gold List) but it’s nonetheless great to see that the Centro smartphone evidently continues to do extremely well on the Sprint network and that the company is investing in its further promotion.

On another note, yesterday I learned that the Vatican had bought Palm Inc. in an $800 million “cash, stock and souls” transaction hailed by analysts as “a bold bid to reconvert the Catholic Church into the number one mobile operator for communication with God”.

The news was accompanied by the excellent image above in which Pope Benedict XVI proudly displays his collection of Treo and Centro smartphones to the world.  Asked about the future of Palm during an interview, His Holiness admitted that the development team was in a bit of rut and stated that “Yes, we are going to need a miracle to get it out of the door, but I'm confident we will be able to arrange something on that front.”

Still thinking that our beloved Treo and Centro would now be officially blessed by divine providence I sadly learned that in fact some Gizmoders had had a bit too much to drink the previous night and somewhat embellished the otherwise real news that the Pope will text message thousands of young Catholics on their mobile phones during World Youth Day in Sydney in July…

Treonauts always have a refined sense of humour…

Editor's Choice 15% Off May Special

To start the week in style we wanted to give you the opportunity to get a range of top accessories for you Treo and Centro kit with a coupon giving you 15% Off any one of the 13 items below that we have specially selected for you from our list of Editor’s Choice accessories.  To get your 15% Off simply enter the coupon code MAYSPECIAL during checkout. 

Hurry!  This offer is only valid until 12 midnight PST on Wednesday, May 14 in the Treo Accessories Store and Centro Accessories Store.

15% Off These Universal Accessories for Treo & Centro
As I recently wrote in The Story Of Two Essential Accessories both the SPE Retractable S&C Cable and the SanDisk MobileMate SD+ Card Reader as well as the SPE Stereo Adapter are perhaps the single most important and best value items that you can have in your accessory kit.

 

• SPE Retractable S&C Cable 
• SanDisk MobileMate SD+ Reader 
• 2.5mm Stereo Adapter 

15% Off These Centro Accessories
Below we have selected four of the bestselling and highest rated accessories for your Centro:

• Palm Centro Air Case (see review)
• Helix Holster (see review)
• Cellet Cradle & Battery Charger (see review)
• Centro Screen Protector 

15% Off These Treo Accessories
Below we have selected five of the bestselling and highest rated accessories for your Treo (compatible with all models):

• SPE P6 Pouch Case  (see review)
• Helix Holster II  (see review)
• Palm Cradle Kit
• Treo Screen Protector
• Treo Battery Charger  (see review)

15% Off This Editor’s Choice

Separately, one of the accessories that I have been most excited about in recent months is the new Phoneo Speaker System pictured above for both the Treo and Centro (see my review) which offers you a powerful and extremely well designed sub-$100 all-in-one integrated Speaker + Cradle + Speakerphone unit that in my opinion finally delivers both an affordable and elegant (shiny black and silver) solution to really get your smartphone to “groove”.

Finally, another great offer is our current 20% Off All Software Titles in the Treo & Centro Software Store.  Simply enter the coupon code BESTSELLERS in your cart.   [Please note that this coupon is not valid for use in the Treo Accessories Store or Centro Accessories Store].

Treonauts always make the finest choices…

Palm Centro Desktop Cradle

Although the existing Palm Cradle Kit already offers compatibility with the Centro, Palm has just launched a new Palm Centro Desktop Cradle (image below) priced at $29.99 that has now been specifically designed only for your Centro smartphone to sync and charge it at home or the office.

I nonetheless quickly have to admit that overall I am completely underwhelmed by the lack of value that the Palm Centro Desktop Cradle offers and the rather poor apparent effort that Palm has put in its design. 

For starters you will not be able to fit your Centro smartphone in this cradle if like many you’re using either a Centro Skin Case, Palm Air Case or Centro Hard Case.  Then there’s the fact that the USB cable is hardwired to the cradle which means that it will look rather ugly with an extra cable dangling if you plan to put it by your nightstand for example.  Next is the lack of a physical sync button which is the least that I would have expected from an “official” Palm Centro cradle.  Last but not least is the fact that this cradle does not include a built-in Centro battery charger.

Considering that the excellent competing Cellet Centro Cradle (see my recent review) has none of the above limitations and costs 20% less than this Palm Centro Desktop Cradle it should be pretty obvious to figure out which one offers better value.  Alternatively you could also look at the high-end and instead choose the Phoneo Speaker System – an absolutely terrific all-in-one integrated Speaker + Cradle + Speakerphone unit (see my review).

Pretty much the only unique benefit that the new Palm Centro Desktop Cradle appears to offer is the fact that you can use your standard Centro wall charger to power the cradle – but I certainly don’t consider this to be enough on its own to choose it over my Editor’s Choice Cellet Centro Cradle.

[Note: currently only the Palm Online Store has the Centro Desktop Cradle for sale but we anticipate that our own store will have these in stock (at a lower price) within the next couple of weeks.]

Separately, Palm has a couple of offers at the moment that I do consider to be very good value and that you may want to look at.  These include the Palm GPS Navigator Kit + Garmin Mobile XT Software (see my recent post) which has been reduced from $249 to only $139 (you save $90) and the Palm Wireless Headset Series 3 reduced from $69.99 to only $45.49 (you save $25).

Another great offer is our current 20% Off All Titles in the Treo & Centro Software Store.  Simply enter the coupon code BESTSELLERS in your cart.   [Please note that this coupon is not valid for use in the Treo Accessories Store or Centro Accessories Store].

Finally, some of the new or bestselling accessories that I can highly recommend include:

• The new Helix Holster for Centro and Helix Holster II for Treo
• My “Editor’s Choices” with the SPE P6 Pouch Case as well as the always terrific Aliph Jawbone Noise Shield Headset
• The ultrasmall Freedom Keychain GPS 2000 (see my review)
• The bestselling and essential SPE Retractable S&C Cable 

Treonauts are always looking for the best value…

Treo & Centro Software May Specials

This May is the first month in a long time that our entire Treo and Centro Software Bestseller list has so radically changed.

For starters, among the Top 3 the excellent TAKEphONE has now taken the #1 slot while still leaving VolumeCare Pro and Ringo Pro in the remaining two places.  We also see a completely new entry with SafeGuard at #5 and for the first time a game on this list with the increasingly popular The Real Dice Network at #9.

At the other end, dropping out of our list this month are the bestselling Reset Doctor and UltimatePhone as well as the excellent and highly recommended KeyguardExt (see my review).

To help you enjoy using these terrific applications we’ve created a 20% off coupon valid until June 15 – simply enter the coupon code BESTSELLERS in your cart [please note that this coupon is not valid for use in the Treo Accessories Store or Centro Accessories Store].

You can use this coupon to purchase any application found in the software store but I strongly encourage you to start by looking at the 10 bestselling Treo titles below, the full list of bestsellers in our store as well as this month’s top games and my Top 100 Treo and Centro Software list.

1. TAKEphONE  (New Entry!)
TAKEphONE v7.55 is one of my most trusted utilities which greatly enhances the capabilities of Treo and Centro address books.  TAKEphONE has been extensively reviewed and consistently receives accolades for improving search, dialing, emailing, and SMS on Palm OS smartphones.

TAKEphONE is one of the simplest and most complete Contacts/Phone replacement applications that I have come across and anybody yearning for a better solution than the built-in Contacts program in our Treo and Centro will quickly be won over by it.  (See my review)

2. Butler  (Top 3 Past +12 Months)
Butler is the assistant who thinks of everything with Alarms, Attention Grabber, Navigation, Launching, LED, Keyguard, Hide Popups, Business Card Beam and much more it is no wonder that it has been a top 10 bestselling Treo software for nearly two years now.

Butler contains 7 complete sets of utilities yet costs less than most single applications – probably one of the many reasons why it has consistently proven so popular.

3. VolumeCare Pro  (Top 3 Past 6+ months)
Many people have complained about low volume input and output while on a call in different environments.  As usual, it should not be too surprising that a small third-party utility called VolumeCare has sprung up to correct this issue becoming one of the bestselling Treo applications in the process – one which countless Treonauts bless every day. 

Read my full review: Loud & Clear with VolumeCare 

4. Ringo Pro - Treo Ringtone Player  (Top 3 Past 6 Months)
The obvious practical aspect of Ringo is that it will allow you to bring your Treo alive with amazing MP3 ringtones - and set personal tones and pictures for friends and groups. 

Ringo Pro lets you add the magic of MP3 ringtones to every call - bringing your smartphone to life, every time it rings.  You can use your favourite music, or explore the world of "real tones" to add some great new call effects to your phone.

Read my full review: Ringo – Personalize your Treo with Ringtones

5. SafeGuard  (New Entry!)
If your Treo/Centro happens to crash randomly or you simply want to know exactly why your Treo/Centro crashes highlighting what application is causing your beloved smartphone to reset then SafeGuard is the answer.

SafeGuard's advanced Crash Detection Technology (CDT) will help identify the reason for crashes on your Treo/Centro like no other application has ever done.  It also knows how to recover your Treo/Centro from the dreaded Reset Loop of Death that comes from installing misbehaving 3rd party applications.

6. CallRec  (Top 10 Past 6+ Months)
CallRec is a small and extremely easy to use application that will record important phone calls, a voice memo or any other sound coming in or out of your Treo or Centro at the simple push of the Side Button so that you can listen to them later. 

CallRec is the premier voice recording application for your smartphone. This simple-to-use application also allows you set an option to automatically record all your phone calls and it store files directly to the memory card and recording duration is limited only by free space on the card.

Read my full review: Treo Call, Sound & Memo Recordings with CallRec

7. CorePlayer  (Top 10 Past 12+ Months)
CorePlayer is simply the best video player available for your Treo or Centro and one of the absolutely essential applications on my smartphone.

CorePlayer Mobile provides a simple yet extremely powerful interface and advanced features designed to empower your multimedia experience – from watching YouTube video, streaming audio, playing AVI, WMA, MP3 and many more files.

8. Phone Technician  (Top 10 Past 6+ Months)
There will always be some small but irritating things that your Treo can’t or won’t do well or at all – this is when ‘enhancing’ applications such as Phone Technician come to the rescue and empower you to do more and better things with your Treo.  Take control of your Treo with Sound booster to boost your volume so you can better hear your calls, Mp3 Ringtones, escalating ringtones and more.  Read my full review: Phone Technician – You Always Need One

9. The Real Dice Network  (New Entry!)
Real Dice is the #1 bestselling Treo and Centro game.  It has been recognized with numerous industry awards in 2006, including Developer of the Year and Game of the Year. When you join the Real Dice family, you can be sure you'll get a first-class gaming experience.

New games are added regularly and the full Real Dice catalog currently includes: Poker (Texas Hold’em), Backgammon, Chess, Mahjong, Sudoku, Dominoes, BlackJack, Slots, Video Poker, Roulette, Hearts and Spades.

10. Softick Audio Gateway  (Down 5 Places)
Softick Audio Gateway’s is the first and only solution available for your Treo and Centro that delivers full support for Advanced Audio Distribution Profile support (A2DP) and Audio/Video Remote Control Profile (AVRCP) so that you can easily control Play/Pause, Volume Up/Down and Next/Previous track directly and wirelessly from your Bluetooth stereo headphones without the need to touch your smartphone while listening to your digital music while on the go.

Separately, some of the new or bestselling Treo and Centro accessories that I can highly recommend this month include:

• Don’t miss the terrific new Phoneo Speaker System which I selected as my Editor’s Choice for Best Treo & Centro Speaker System (see my review)
• My favourite Palm Air Case for Centro and also new Helix Holster for Centro
• The top new Cellet Centro Cradle (see my review)
• The new 1850mAh Palm Extra Capacity Battery for Centro and 2200mAh Treo 755p Extended Battery
• The special offer on the Palm GPS Navigator Kit + Garmin Mobile XT Software
• My “Editor’s Choices” with the SPE P6 Pouch Case as well as the always terrific Aliph Jawbone Noise Shield Headset
• The ultrasmall Freedom Keychain GPS 2000 (see my review)
• The bestselling and essential SPE Retractable S&C Cable 

Treonauts always get something special…

Palm Zeppelin and Skywriter

Palm Semi-Officially Announces Forthcoming Launch of Two New Treo Smartphones.  Codenames: Zeppelin and Skywriter

A tipster has provided a copy of a document from Palm addressed to select software developers that now categorically confirms the forthcoming release of two Palm smartphones currently codenamed Zeppelin and Skywriter (which are in all likelihood codenames for the Windows Mobile Treo 800w and Treo 550 that we’re expecting to be released in July and September respectively).

Additionally, the document contained a mock-up image (below) of one of these Windows Mobile smartphones [please note that I very seriously doubt that this picture might be indicative of the real final product].  Having said this, the most interesting part of this image for me is the fact that not one but two buttons appear at the top of the device which might be indicative of the Ringer Slider + WiFi Slider configuration that some rumours had previously pointed to.

The actual document (excerpt below) highlights a developer program that allows a select group of Palm’s favorite software developers to make their applications ready for the two new devices.

“Palm is pleased to invite you to participate in the launch of Zeppelin and Skywriter.

As a launch developer, you can participate in additional marketing and sales program opportunities with Palm for your eligible application.

Your application is eligible for these programs if:
- Your application is ready at the time of device launch
- Your application has successfully passed Designed for Palm Products (DFPP) compatibility testing.

Please let your relationship manager know if you plan on participating and when you have submitted your application for compatibility testing so we can expedite your application through the process.

Carrier Sales Training Materials
Information about your application will be included in the materials prepared for carrier sales training about the device. This opportunity lets the carriers and the carrier sales teams know which applications Palm has approved for use on Zeppelin devices.

How to participate:
Fill out the attached PowerPoint template. Drop in a screen shot in the screen area of the device. Return the template to your relationship manager.

Submission due date: Friday May 30th

We look forward to working with you on getting your application part of our Zeppelin and Skywriter launches. Please feel free to contact me any questions you might have.

Finally, because the document states that “All applications must be submitted by May the 30th” we seem to have further confirmation that the launch of these devices will be in Q3 2008 (on schedule for the Treo 800w in July and Treo 550 in September).

To be honest at this stage I would simply be happy for Palm to release “anything” new to demonstrate that they have been working hard at developing and releasing an entirely next-generation of smartphones.

Palm Zeppelin and Skywriter enter launch process [via TamsPPC]

Treonauts always want to be part of the next generation…