Palm Centro CDMA User Reviews

Used this phone for 5 years. People are surprised that this phone has a touch screen and that I can browse the web (but it doesn't support Unicode), read PDFs (painful but possible), use facebook and google map, play AAC audio, record videos, and watch TV shows.

PalmOS is a simple enough OS that the GUI was rather quick and responsive (although now it seems less perky; a problem that even a reboot doesn't help). And it's battery life is just superior to my friends' energy hungry Androids and iOS phones. But 3 things I hated:

1. The 1.3Mp camera. It has absolutely no controls to it except the ability to do a 2x "zoom" (which for some reason causes the image to be overexposed). The images look ok on the 2" screen but viewing it on my computer, total garbage. And viewing images is slow when you have numerous photos like I do.
2. Palm software doesn't support 64-bit Windows via USB. So I have to use bluetooth to sync my phone with my computer. The download to my computer is painfully slow. And the software (Palm/Treo Desktop) downloads all my images and movies on the phone TWICE making the sync take an eternity (eg, multiple hours).
3. Uses a 2.5mm not a 3.5mm audio jack.

Good basic phone for its time. But having not received any updates at all since Palm went under in 2010 and the battery barely able to keep a charge, I feel it is time to let go.

this phone is pretty good, cool features like threaded texting and applications. Small keyboard and no wifi though, good touchscreen. Very usable interface, i reccomend for someone who is starting out as a new phone user
 

I have had the palm centro for about six months, and so far i am very happy with it. Not really any complaints, but i do think it is time for palm to finally change from the same old "home" screen, or make a new type of software instead of having them all be the same. I do not like windows mobile, so i dont like the treo 800 either. I am glad that palm is finally making some new designs that will come at soon, like the pre. I think it will really help palm overall.

This i a great handset.  It's old school, but they don't make them as solid as this anymore.  It's a fantastic organizer, if you need one,  has internet radio, word docs, browser is fast,
 

I love this phone and I love the palm OS. Being open Source it allows for the user to obtain a vast array of programs at a modest price

this fone is just fantastic, i have had it for like 2 months and i have found nothing wrong with it what so ever i recomened it 100 percent to anyone that wants a smartphone/pda and that is actually simple

I like flip phones for their ease, and I also prefer smaller phones to big bricks (hello blackberry), but I'm at the point where I text too much not to have qwerty. I don't care about email (but I like the internet available when I need it which isn't often), so I was looking for a vzw phone with a decent calendar that didn't require the data plan and BINGO - here it is. This phone is awesome - loud, clear, reception is perfect (someone said it's terrible as a phone? What??) The keyboard looks so tiny and squashed, but honestly as other reviewers have said, it is amazingly easy to type on and I rarely make mistakes - it's even better than the enVs which I hated - too big, bulky and you can't text with one hand.  I don't feel like I have a laptop in my pocket and the Palm features are just so easy, convenient, and make sense. Plus, as a touchscreen goes, Palm was around before Apple and this touchscreen is phenomenal. I am very very pleased with my choice, and at this late date, the price was ridiculous. With the mail in rebate, this phone was FREE.

The Centro is a very solid phone. Have been using it for almost 2 months.
The only downside to it is the battery stinks, but that's really true of every touch screen phone. I use it for business and if I just let the phone sit it will not require a charge for nearly a week. Also Palm's bluetooth technology is bad. They won't admit it, but it's a known issue.
Overall the browser is good, though I wish it was Rev-A, email is decent. The real draw to the phone is the Palm OS, with the thousands of apps you can download for it, it's ideal for those in the business world, or like myself who like to waste time on the web downloading pictures and sending them.

Good little palm, can do a lot of things well, not much can be done great however.  Web browser is terrible in my opinion.  user interface is excellent. A lot of features you will probably never use.  QWERTY kbrd is very precise despite the puny appearing size and I have no problems typing with blazing speed.  Battery life is terrible.  Despite the palms features, I think one could do better.  Figure out what you need in a phone.  If you want a true smartphone get a blackberry of some type. If all you need is phone, text etc then do yourself a favor and get a pnone more specialized in that area.  Like i said before this phone can do qutie a bit has tons of features but overall i think it does none of them as great as other phones.

I just don't get those that complain about battery life. I charge mine about every 3rd day, even then is has some bars left. That's even using bluetooth.

The thing to remember is it's NOT just a phone, it's a PDA and an organizer all in one. I know other phones can do this, but not very usable.

My biggest complaint by far is that the voice recognition doesn't work thru the bluetooth. That's a big miss by Palm IMHO. Someone didn't do their homework on that one.

To the guy that complained that he couldn't hear the calls??? I'm guessing he never bothered figuring out how to turn it up. It is PLENTY loud.

Overall I think this is a pretty good phone I have had it for a month now and its pretty awsome I just don't enjoy the fact that you have to charge it every night because the battery just doesn't last

I bought this phone and it is amazing. I love the style and the featured the phone has. Finally a palm that is small, and just as much fun as all the others. No cons what so ever. Would recommend this phone to anyone who wants the perfect smart phone.

I bought the Palm Centro in March. for the first few months it worked great now its startin to freeze a whole lot. the buttons are pretty small. the touch screen is pretty small to use the internet so youll have to keep shifting the screen. if you like to check your email DONT use the phone cause your email arrives hours later. i just ordered the samsung instant i hope this phone is better.

i just got mine and its sweet it has a nice responsive touchscreen and a full keyboard my battery life isn't very good though that's the only problem

After switching to this from the moto Q i couldnt be happier. Very fast speeds, and even though the keypad looks very small it is one of, if not the easiest QWERTY pads that I have ever used. Highly recommend.

This phone is awesome! Palm OS is slightly outdated but runs way faster than any Vzw UI. I make less errors typing on the phone's QWERTY than I do typing on my computer keyboard! The only thing I don't like about this phone is that the UI is not very customizable by itself. You must download some programs (that aren't free, Zlauncher is $20) to really make it look nice. Once you add a new launcher of your choice though, this phone looks sweet!

I was very excited to see that we were getting the Centro when it was annouced. Sadly, once we got our demo units (demo units are fully functioning retail units) i was very disappointed by the size (its too small!) and the constant freezing. Overall, i would stay away from this unit if you plan on using it daily for emails and internet. If you are the type of person who just wants its for a calendar, then this unit might be for you. If you want more then just that, look at the blackberry Curve. That unit is rock solid and hardly ever gets returned by my customers.

The phone is great! This is my first smart phone.. i upgraded from the Samsung A900 and i couldn't be happier!!!
I love the touch screen, the speaker and the features and the fact that it comes in pick. The personalization of it is geat as well.
It sucks that it only allows you to set ONE alarm.. i'm use to setting 3 and usually getting up on the third one!!
The buttons are a bit small.. but i have been getting use to it!
It does suck that it does not have a back button and that the camera has NO FLASH. Overall for the price.. it's very good!!!

I just got my centro a few days ago and I think its worth it. Everything it offers is pretty much there, and I can't get my hands off of it.

The only downfall i see is probably the hearing (when making calls). The speakerphone works great and plays music well.

If the hearing is my only issue, I'm going to just buy a bluetooth headpiece and the problem is solved. Its pretty cool for a touch phone and I really like it.

The Palm Centro is definatly very good for 99 bucks but sprint screwed me over with the rebate so i have a $400 Centro. DONT GO TO SPRINT! NOTHING BUT DISAPOINTMENTS!

Pros: Cute pink color, touchscreen, battery life, applications (google maps), e-mail, text messaging, internet

Cons: Small keyboard, no back button, screen gets stuff on it easily (always having to wipe something off of it), tends to freeze

All in all, I'm happy with this phone. It's cute, compact, and "smart". I really enjoy using it.

This phoe started out ok. I have had it replaced once already because after 2 months the microphone and the speaker went out. It started off with people saying I they heard an echo.. Then it went out. I have had the replacement phone for 2 weeks and it is now doing the same thing. The person says they hear themselves after they say something.
That is quite annoying.Also the battery has about an houe of talk time. And YES, I did charge it fully the first time.. The keyboard is very small, but I have gotten used to it. The fact that it does not have a back button is just plain stupid and time consuming to have to go through every menu to get to your last item. The touch screen is very cool. That's about the only good thing... Save your money on this one.. Go ahead and spend the extra hundred and get the real deal.

The battery life is not even a day with minimal usage.

That's it's biggest problem. What good is it if the battery is dead.

This is my first smartphone due to the exorbitant price of many advanced-featured handsets. Having found this handset for $70 I felt it was an excellent deal and was even happier once I began using it. The applications that it comes with can handle email account downloads and it can sync to a desktop calendaring application, whether you use Outlook or the supplied Palm Desktop software. You can also sync your contacts, word, excel, powerpoint, and pdf files with the supplied software. Games on the handset are enjoyable as well. The display looks good, the touchscreen works well, and the operating system is solid. The only complaints that I can see in this phone are that it does not have a back button and that the OS occasionally freezes for a short period when leaving applications. This handset is an excellent combination of productivity, functionality, and price. I have nothing but praise for this phone and have recommended it to many.

I got this phone the day it came out.
Pros- Great camera
Good texting (buttons are a little small)
Loud ringtones
Good size
okay video
Good internet access

Cons-No flash for camera
Hard to hear people when on the phone
Not so good speaker phone
crappy microphone for recording
frezzes all the time!
no alarm setting
no back button!!!!
scratches very easy


Basically, if your a texter this is your phone!
If you are a talker DO NOT BUY this phone!!!
Im thinking of getting a rumor just because it might have better sound quality when talking on the phone.