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Top 10 reasons to get an iPhone instead of a Palm Pre

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Top 10s

Posted 10th November 2009 at 12:00pm by Alex Buttle

iPhone is King

1 Call that an app store?

The App Store now offers over a 100,000 apps, taking in everything from games, miscellaneous diversions and hard-nosed business tools. Palm’s equivalent, the App Catalog, has a paltry 300 titles. It’s like comparing Harrods with the dusty, fusty old convenience store from Open All Hours.

2 17 million customers can’t be wrong

That’s how many people have bought an iPhone since the first edition launched way back in November 2007. In the world of tech, - as in life - the cream always rises to the top.

iPhone is King

3 A design for life

The Pre is stubby, squat and more than a little on the fugly side. But cast your peepers iPhone-wards and you just want to drink in its ineffable style. Behold, the sleek lines! Max out on the minimalism! We’re no experts but we think it’s already right up there with design classics like the VW Beetle and Penguin Books’ best-ever covers.

4 Satisfaction guaranteed

But don’t take our word for it. A consumer survey conducted by RBC/IQ ChangeWave in August found that 99 per cent of iPhone customers were satisfied with their smartphone. In fairness, the Pre scored 87 per cent in the same study. But why settle for second best?

5 Sync or swim

Importing your music library is a breeze with iPhones. Not so, the Pre. At the time of writing Apple has once again disabled the Pre's facility to sync with its music software. Can you really be bothered with all the aggro of a handset that changes functionality on a week-to-week basis with nothing you can do about it?

6 Rolando & Rolando 2

Not played them? You really, really need to address that. So good are these smart-looking platformers that even the notoriously hard-to-please reviewers at games bible the Edge were impressed. That’s the gaming equivalent of getting a ten out of ten from Russian gymnastics judges.

Rolando 21

7 Guided by Voices

Voice commands are entirely absent from the Pre. iPhone 3G S owners, however, can not only do quotidian things like voice-dialling but can command their handset to ‘play more songs like this’ and even switch on the shuffle function. Pointless, you say? Perhaps. But very, very cool.

8 Mixing memory with desire

3G S buyers get 16GB on the lower priced version and a positively gargantuan 32GB if they want to shell out a bit more. The Pre has relatively paltry 8GB and – ouch, here’s the killer - there’s no microSD card slot to expand it.

9 (Screen) size matters

At 3.1-inches, the Palm Pre’s screen is 0.4 inches smaller than that of the iPhone 3G S. So, it stands to reason that watching videos and browsing the web is way better on the 3G S.

10 Revert to type

The iPhone keypad is getting better all the time and in landscape view, the keypad is massive. As for the Pre's - yes, it's a physical QWERTY keypad, but a small one and because it's made of plastic (not software), it cannot be updated or changed.

More news on: Apple, Palm

16

Comments

16 Comments

  • Redman, 10th November 2009.

    No contest, only a fool would get a Palm Pre over an iPhone 3G S, one is a Rolls Royce, the other a Lada. Guess which is which!

    Reply

  • Steb0ne, 10th November 2009.

    This is very lame...It took Apple 3 versions to get voice commands; yet this useless feature has been in Windows mobile for 5+ years. I'd hardly call .4 inches bigger being a "way better" browsing experience (especially considering iPhones don't even have flash like most web sites). I'm positive, I can type faster on the Pre's keyboard than any iphone user could ever type. Syncing music is only iTunes/iPhone fan boys way of saying "What other option do I have", The Pre offers several ways to get ur music sync'd. The iPhone design is BLAH, no customization at all (nothing being missed about that) and 17 million people that follow what everyone else says, but survey says... "The iPhone is the least productive mobile compared to Pre and Blackberry"


    Also, out of 100,000 apps over 5% are the garbage fart app type. Hardly anything that's actually a good app.

    Reply

  • Josh, 10th November 2009.

    Have you even used a Pre? Some of these reasons are valid, but a lot are not. For example, with double twist you can sync your music to your Pre, even on a mac. The smaller screen makes everything look clearer.

    Your third reason is completely meaningless. You just think the iPhone looks better, so everyone should get one? I've held a Pre and an iPhone and I think the Pre feels better in my hand.

    I can also type much better on its keyboard than on the "virtual keyboard" of the iPhone, or Hero for that matter. That's not a valid reason to buy one phone or the other though. Individuals need to see which one they like best.

    Reply

  • Simon Barnes, 10th November 2009.

    iPhone fanboy are we by any chance?

    Reply

  • HJ, 10th November 2009.

    @Steb0ne the screen size difference might not look big on paper but it makes a massive difference in real life. The iPhone feels way more roomier when browsing the web and watching video is actually enjoyable!

    Even if 5% of iPhone apps are crap that still leaves 95,000 apps compared to Palm's 300, and as for syncing you can't possibly claim there's a better piece of software for syncing music, video, apps and photos than iTunes. It's in a class of it's own.

    Reply

  • JJ, 10th November 2009.

    Buy an iPhone because the app store has a hundred-thousand apps? When the iPhone came out, it didn't even have an app store.

    Also, 17 million poeple can't be wrong? People forget that the iPhone has been out for 2 or 3 years already. The pre came out waaaaaaaaay back...in June. I don't even think Palm has MADE 17 million pres yet. These two reasons alone should be removed.
    Apple had a 2 to 3 year head-tart. Your reasoning as absolutely ridiculous.

    You also state that the physical keyboard can't be updated. Well, it doesn't really need to be, now does it? Plus, nothing is to say that a virtual keyboard app won't be available soon for the pre if people simply must have it. Cause, you know, that's one of the things that make the iPhone just soooooooo much better.

    Reply

  • Tim, 10th November 2009.

    Hitler had a large following too, did not make him correct, just had a lot of fanboys. Just because Apple had a large following from the ipod and was the first to bring a killer phone out is why they sold so many iphones.

    I have a pre and think it will do the job better than the iphone, for me. But that is me. Rubinstein built them both, mine is just a newer OS. Apple has a great little device that can serf the web (sometimes) and make phone calls on. They have a ton of apps so you can entertain yourself when you are out of 3g range. It's a preference and for now more prefer the ifruit.

    Reply

  • Aethulwulf, 10th November 2009.

    Not one real comparison of phone features until points 7-9, and even those are not that important. Your "a ha!" list sounds like something my 5 year old would make up... "Because it's awesome..." I regret having wasted 2 minutes of my time reading this, but I am glad to invest 2 more minutes here so that you'll think about your next article before you publish it. But I've had enough, and I'll just stay away from any articles written by Alex Buttle.

    Reply

  • Tomascco, 10th November 2009.

    Right, who in their right mind would get a Pre??? I mean, Iphone has multitasking and a physical keyb... uh, wait. Never mind.

    Reply

  • Dew, 10th November 2009.

    The Palm Pre's app store is lacking, I'll give you that but I can also give you 10 reasons why the Pre is better than an iPhone. I know this for a fact since I have both.


    1) Multi-tasking. There is nothing more satisfying than being able to run multiple apps and flick them off the screen when I'm done. Being to browse Youtube, then answering a phone call but then reading an email for important information and checking the calendar all at the same time before getting back to my Youtube video is painless and fun. The iPhone can't do that.

    2) The webOS itself has a beautiful interface. Instead of having to stare at a screen cluttered with icons for 100,000 apps, I can look at a beautiful picture of a kitten or something. The launcher makes my interface stay neat and organised. Being able to bring up the launcher during any menu with the touch & slide upward gesture makes multi-tasking even easier. The Pre takes touchscreen UI to the next level.

    2) Physical keyboard. You listed it as a negative but it sure as hell is not. It may be small and less elegant than a Blackberry but it gets the job done and done quite well. I doubt you've even gave it a proper shot before passing judgement. I can type accurately 99% of the time whereas I make regular mistakes trying to type even an SMS on the iPhone. Writing emails or chatting with friends on GoogleTalk works like a charm thanks to the physical keyboard. What you should have argued about is the Pre not having an on-screen keyboard also for landscape mode but that's something Palm can easily add with a software update.

    3) Design. The iPhone is very elegant but it elegance isn't everything. The Pre may not be as slim or big like the iPhone but it feels way better in my palm (please ignore the pun).

    4) Synergy. The Pre grabs all my contacts from Facebook, Google, Hotmail and Yahoo and syncs them seamlessly into that makes life so much easier. I can easily link different profiles and customise them as I like. The same goes for all my e-mail addresses. I have not felt this organised with my life with the iPhone.

    5) Sure a lot of people have the iPhone. This is however a negative IMO. The iPhone has become ubiquitous. I am pretty sick of seeing iPhones everywhere. It's lost that sense of wonder it had when it first came out. It feels too familiar, like a gf you've had for years but know it's not lead anywhere. The Pre, with its new interface and the webOS at the heart of it offers something new and exciting. Whether it has a lasting appeal is something only time will tell but I have not used my iPhone nearly as much since I got the Pre.

    6) Flash player 10.1. Yes the Pre doesn't have it but it's coming soon, as you may or may not have seen in a video demonstration by Adobe themselves. I suggest you go look it up and sulk at the fact that it's NOT coming to the iPhone.

    7) Wireless charging. Touchstone charging dock is small round charging accessory for the Pre that sits on my desk and wirelessly (magnetically) charges my Pre whenever it's placed on it. I am not aware of an accessory like it for the iPhone. I know it has various charging docks but nothing close to the Touchstone, which is incredibly convenient now that I don't have to disconnect my phone from a wire or any other physically attached charging dock.

    8) Camera with flash. The Pre is fitted with a 3.2 megapixel camera with LED flash and boasts variable depth perception. In other words it's better than the flash-free iPhone 3G S as a snapper.

    9) Impressive web browsing and connectivity. The Pre’s built in browser and HSDPA support makes for a supremely fast and wholly pleasurable mobile internet experience. While support for A2DP, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.1 means that the Pre is one of the best connected phones around.

    10) Removable battery. Replacing the battery on an iPhone is trial by screws, fiddlyness and frustration - especially if you’re in an urgency. But the Pre’s battery can be removed without hassle, allowing you to pop in a spare in a matter of seconds.


    I hope these reasons were enough to at least somewhat enlighten you about the Palm Pre. Sure it may not be an iPhone killer, which is a term that gets overused by the media, coz let's face it- the only thing that can kill the iPhone is another iPhone, but that does not stop the Pre from being a great phone.

    Not everyone has the time or need to browse even a fraction of those 100,000 apps, most of which are pants anyway. The iPhone is now in its 2nd generation, so it's had time to improve. Give the Pre more time to mature. Most of its shortcomings are due to Palm's own strategy (or lack thereof) than faults of the phone itself. I think webOS has tremendous potential if Palm can get their act together and start letting proper developers develop for this platform. The Pre is a great phone and a fantastic alternative to the iPhone, so give credit where credit's due.

    Reply

  • Matt, 11th November 2009.

    oh my goodness. I can't believe how many times I hear the app store argument. First of all how long has the pre been out? If my memory serves me right, it took apple a year before developers even got to use the system.

    Oh yeah and apple fanboys don't run to the app numbers argument when they are talking about pc systems. App numbers are not the deciding factor for software, system usability is, and the pre wins that hands down.

    Reply

  • Andre Pre-Vin, 11th November 2009.

    There's no guarantee that Palm Pre apps will explode in numbers. In fact, given the number of users I'd be very surprised if they do. It's all a question of economies of scale. If the customers, dev support will follow.

    Reply

  • Vicky Coren, 11th November 2009.

    The Pre is the better phone. And if they had the marketing budget that Apple has more people would wake up to that...

    Reply

  • Tomascco, 11th November 2009.

    @Andre Pre-Vin

    And if memory serves me correctly in 1984 when I bought my first Mac I was told that there would be more applications and support for IBM PCs simply because of numbers. Well, I needed a Mac, not a PC for my design work. Glad Apple didn't fold up then because of the economies of scale argument.

    Reply

  • Billy Davenport, 11th November 2009.

    How many iPhone owners would use a physical keyboard if there was one? Oh, just all of you...

    Reply

  • Archchef, 26th November 2009.

    I've got a Pre, my wife an Iphone. I can say without a doubt that my Pre blows her Iphone out of the water. I am far from a fanboy too, I actually think Blackberrys are a much better phone.

    My problem is, just like Mac laptops, the Iphone is only popular, because its trendy. Paying more for less hardware and higher restrictions? That is the Apple way.

    Reply

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