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Mobile phones of the present time have definitely evolved beyond just basic devices for calls or messages. Today, smart phones seem to be the next generation in terms of mobile communications. With tons of added features, including internet connectivity, multimedia enjoyment, and more, smart phones are must-haves for busy individuals. And with that, among the most well-known smart phone and PDA manufacturers in the world is none other than Palm, Inc. Starting out in 1992 in Sunnyvale California, Palm Computing, Inc. came up with its first PDA called the Zoomer. The company’s founder was Jeff Hawkins, who along with other designers intended to make PDAs more consumer-friendly. After acquisitions years later, Palm emerged as one of the authorities when it comes to PDAs and smart phones. At the start of the new year 2009, Palm intended to wow its fans by debuting its newest release the Palm Pre, aimed to beat the seemingly unbeatable Apple iPhone.What is the Palm Pre? This up and coming four ounce gadget has a 3.1 inch touch screen, and its slides up to reveal a QWERTY keypad. The operating system for the Palm Pre is the Linux based Palmweb OS, and this smart phone currently has CDMA, Bluetooth, and WiFi connectivity. Later on, Palm intends to release a 3G version. Apart from its generous 8 GB memory, the Palm Pre also has a 3 mega pixel digital camera equipped with LED flash. In terms of inner features of the Palm Pre, it surely does not disappoint. According to the product page at the Palm, Inc. website, the Palm Pre allows for multitasking, so you can open several windows and apps at the same time. Also, there is a universal search options, so your Palm Pre can help you look easily through your contacts, messages, Wikipedia, and even Google. To help you get things more organized, the Palm Pre can also connect your calendars and show them as one schedule, thanks to Palm Synergy technology. This includes calendars you set on your smart phone, your Facebook profile, and even Google calendars. In addition to those handy features, the Palm Pre also has integrated messaging, supports various audio, video, and image formats, as well as built-in Global Positioning System (GPS).In the United States, the Palm Pre is expected to be out in the market in the first half of 2009. Gathering several awards after its debut at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Vegas, including Best in Smart Phones and Cell Phones, the Palm Pre will be exclusively distributed by the Sprint Nextel network in the US. As of the first quarter of 2009, Vodafone has expressed its interests by negotiation with Palm regarding the release of the Palm Pre in the United Kingdom. Before Brit mobile fanatics will know it, Vodafone will soon own the exclusive rights to sell the Pre to its subscribers in the UK for the first three months upon the model’s launch. According to a report by Softpedia, Vodafone also intends to distribute the Palm Pre exclusively among its clientele in Spain and Germany by the middle of 2009.

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Operating systems are the big thing in 2009, with many battling for the top spot. Let’s take a look at three of the best: Android, Windows Mobile and the new boy, WebOS.

HTC Hero

The HTC Hero is comparable to the iPhone, sharing a similar keyboard-less design. Again, it’s with the software that the HTC Hero shines, with Android living up to the title some have given it, that of ‘game changer’. Its completely open source nature makes adapting the OS very easy, and the interface itself is once again a finger-friendly, sleek, and polished affair, with gesture controls the order of the day. The tight integration of the full Google suite (including Apps and Gmail), makes it a real force to be reckoned with, and it has to be said that the HTC Hero is a truly stunning phone.

Toshiba TG01

Next up is a phone that really gives Windows Mobile the grunt it needs to run properly: the Toshiba TG01. In terms of outstanding new technologies, what the Toshiba TG01 brings to the party isn’t the 4.1 inch display (although that’s noteworthy in itself), but what’s inside it. The Toshiba TG01 uses a next-gen, dual-core Snapdragon processor, which runs at 1GHz, and that means the Toshiba TG01 is the most powerful phone in existence… which is good, because in terms of other features, a lot of other phones leave the Toshiba TG01 in the dust…

Palm Pre

So, the HTC Hero is the open source contender. And the Toshiba TG01 is the only one with a super-fast 1GHz processor. What does the Palm Pre offer that’s different? Well, one could talk about the WebOS interface it uses, as it’s unique in the annals of phone history. And indeed, there’s one feature of WebOS, directly related to the keyboard, that makes the Palm Pre so cool. Universal search. Now, many phones do that, but the Palm Pre does it so much more cleverly. Just start typing what you want to know about, from the front screen, and the Palm Pre will search your contacts, apps, music, pictures, and even the internet, to interpret and find what you’re looking for. That really is a cool feature, and it may well make the Palm Pre the coolest QWERTY phone out there.

When it comes to smartphones, which is the best OS? Is it the open source Android? Is it the newcomer WebOS? Or is it the old stalwart Windows Mobile? Let’s take a look.

HTC HD2

At a huge 4.3 inches, the screen on the HTC HD2 truly is immense, and the high, 800×480 resolution makes it genuinely easy to use things like scrollbars in menus. However, the HTC HD2 actually does a very good job of making it so you don’t have to go into standard Windows menus that often, as on top of the operating system, the interface is HTC’s patented TouchFLO 3D setup, where everything is achieved through various finger swipes and sweeping gestures. It is truly intuitive, and it (along with the truly awesome 1GHz Snapdragon processor) is the reason why the HTC HD2 is such an unmitigated joy to use. Of course, it’s not all about being pretty, a phone needs to have decent features and the HTC HD2 has them in spades, from the 5 megapixel camera, through GPS, to incredibly fast HSDPA internet access (not to mention the superb Opera Mobile web browser).

HTC Hero

The HTC Hero is comparable to the HD2, sharing a similar keyboard-less design. Again, it’s with the software that the HTC Hero shines, with Android living up to the title some have given it, that of ‘game changer’. Its completely open source nature makes adapting the OS very easy, and the interface itself is once again a finger-friendly, sleek, and polished affair, with gesture controls the order of the day. The tight integration of the full Google suite (including Apps and Gmail), makes it a real force to be reckoned with, and it has to be said that the HTC Hero is a truly stunning phone.

Palm Pre

So, there’s the HTC Touch Diamond2, which takes Windows Mobile to new heights. And then, there’s the HTC Hero, which gives Android a new interface. What does the Palm Pre offer that’s different? Well, one could talk about the WebOS interface it uses, as it’s unique in the annals of phone history. And indeed, there’s one feature of WebOS, directly related to the keyboard, that makes the Palm Pre so cool. Universal search. Now, many phones do that, but the Palm Pre does it so much more cleverly. Just start typing what you want to know about, from the front screen, and the Palm Pre will search your contacts, apps, music, pictures, and even the internet, to interpret and find what you’re looking for. That really is a cool feature, and it may well make the Palm Pre the coolest QWERTY phone out there. If you value the interface above all else, the Palm Pre is the phone for you.

The mobile landscape is changing, as manufacturers wake up to the fact that users want their phones to have a simple, sleek interface. Let’s take a look at three of the best mobile phone interfaces, currently (or soon to be) on the market.

HTC Touch Diamond2

The HTC Touch Diamond2 actually does a very good job of making it so you don’t have to go into standard Windows menus that often, as on top of the operating system, the interface is HTC’s patented TouchFLO 3D setup, where everything is achieved through various finger swipes and sweeping gestures. It is truly intuitive, and it’s the reason why the HTC Touch Diamond2 is such an unmitigated joy to use. Of course, it’s not all about being pretty, a phone needs to have decent features and the HTC Touch Diamond2 has them in spades, from the 5 megapixel camera, through GPS, to incredibly fast HSDPA internet access (not to mention the superb Opera Mobile web browser). To many, the HTC Touch Diamond2 is the ultimate Windows Mobile phone.

HTC Hero

The first important fact about the HTC Hero, and the bit that has made it so talked about, is its operating system: Google Android. As it’s only the second phone to officially go on sale using Android, the HTC Hero has garnered an awful lot of trade and consumer interest. Even more importantly, the HTC Hero is the first Android phone to feature a keyboard-less, touchscreen-only design, a thing that seems to be all the rage in 2009. It’s certainly more of a looker than its predecessors, the G1 and the Magic (thanks to the beautiful new Sense interface), and that fusion of enhanced looks and the still-awesome power of Android makes the HTC Hero a very compelling phone indeed. If innovation is your thing, this is the phone for you.

Palm Pre

So, there’s the HTC Touch Diamond2, with TouchFLO 3D, sitting atop Windows Mobile. And then, there’s the HTC Hero, which gives Android a new interface. What does the Palm Pre offer that’s different? Well, one could talk about the WebOS interface it uses, as it’s unique in the annals of phone history. And indeed, there’s one feature of WebOS, directly related to the keyboard, that makes the Palm Pre so cool. Universal search. Now, many phones do that, but the Palm Pre does it so much more cleverly. Just start typing what you want to know about, from the front screen, and the Palm Pre will search your contacts, apps, music, pictures, and even the internet, to interpret and find what you’re looking for. That really is a cool feature, and it may well make the Palm Pre the coolest QWERTY phone out there. If you value the interface above all else, the Palm Pre is the phone for you.