Palm Pre Plus from AT&T: Conclusion

CONCLUSION

AT&T's version of the Palm Pre Plus is a really nice smartphone, but unless you're desperate for a new phone right away, it might be smarter to hold off.

It's $120 more than Verizon's version with the mobile Hotspot feature, and of course a new iPhone is expected from AT&T in the very near future. The timing and the price tend to overshadow what is otherwise a solidly built and very useful phone that takes full advantage of Palm's webOS operating system.

The webOS is so easy to use it's ideal for soccer moms and other less-than-tech-savvy types, but it's also powerful enough for mobile professionals who don't need a heavy duty smartphone like a Blackberry or a Windows Mobile device. If email and calendar/contact functionality are your main focus, and if your personal information is already out there on the Web in a Google account or on Microsoft Exchange, the AT&T Palm Pre Plus is a solid contender if you can look past its $150 price tag.

Pros

• Beautiful touchscreen
• Exceptional calendar and contact features simplify your online life
• Good camera with a strong flash
• Good quality video output

Cons

• Expensive, since the same device is available from Verizon for $100 less
• Keyboard is good, but could be improved

Individual Ratings: *

Service, Warranty & Support  
Ease of Use 
Design 
Performance 
Value 
* Ratings averaged to produce final score