Audeo Perfect Fit Ear Buds by Phonak
We're also happy to see that Sprint, once again, included its instant messaging app with AIM, Yahoo, and Windows Live clients. You can sign into multiple accounts and carry on simultaneous conversations. The Palm Centro also continues to support text and multimedia messaging as well as the threaded text chat view, which in itself mimics the look and feel of IM conversations.
As for voice communication, the Centro offers a speakerphone, a vibrate mode, three-way calling, speed dial, and the "ignore with text" feature, which allows you to reply to a call with a text message if you can't pick up. The contact book is limited only by the available memory, and there's room in each entry for multiple numbers, e-mail addresses, instant-messaging handles, and birthdays. For caller ID purposes, you can assign a picture, one of 37 polyphonic ringtones, or a group ID.
Wireless options include EV-DO support and Bluetooth 1.2. Supported Bluetooth profiles include those for use with wireless headsets, hands-free kits, object exchange, and dial-up networking (DUN) so you can use the Centro as a wireless modem for your laptop. Just be aware that the DUN capabilities will require you to sign up for the Sprint Power Vision Modem Plan, which runs $39.99 per month for 40MB or $49.99 per month for unlimited. Unfortunately, there's no support for A2DP, so you won't be able to use your stereo Bluetooth headset with this device. Also, the only way you'll be able to get GPS capabilities on the Centro (aside from e911) is to pair it with a Bluetooth GPS receiver, since there's no built-in radio. On the plus side, Google Maps for Mobile ships on the device and includes color maps, satellite imagery, and traffic data.
There's no Wi-Fi, but with the 3G support, you can experience broadband-like speeds on your device--around 300Kbps to 600Kbps--and enjoy faster Web browsing, data transfer, and streaming music and video. The Centro works with Sprint TV so you can watch short clips from a variety of channels, including CNN, Fox Sports, and the NFL Network, and you can listen to live streaming music and talk radio from Sirius, VH1 Mobile, and MTV Mobile. You can also now access YouTube videos using the Centro's Blazer Web browser. For more content, check out the carrier's On Demand feature, which pulls all the current headlines for the user's region (based on ZIP code) from the Web and delivers it right to your Centro. Sprint offers these services as part of the Sprint Power Vision pack, which ranges in price from $15 to $25 per month.
The Palm Centro also now comes with PocketTunes Deluxe Edition--the first time this version is shipping on a Palm device--so you can enjoy your favorite MP3s and DRM-protected music. Currently, the Centro does not work with the Sprint Music Store, but the carrier said this is something it is looking to add in the future. For down times, the device also comes with a sudoku game.
Performance
We tested the dual-band (CDMA 850/1900; EV-DO) Palm Centro in San Francisco using Sprint service, and call quality was a bit mixed. On our end, there was a slight but noticeable background hiss, but it didn't disrupt our conversations with friends or prevent us from interacting with our bank's automated voice response system. Meanwhile, our callers were impressed by how crisp and clear we sounded to them, and reported no issues. We experienced similar results with the Centro's speakerphone. Volume was soft and weak to us, even though we had audio cranked to the highest level. Voices were certainly drowned out on louder streets. However, friends told us we sounded clear and didn't even realize we had turned on the speakerphone. We had no problems pairing the Centro with the Logitech Mobile Traveller Bluetooth headset.
The Centro is powered by a 312MHz Intel XScale processor, and general performance was satisfactory. We didn't experience any significant or frustrating delays, but there was a brief lag when opening Office documents or waiting for streaming content. Unfortunately, after all that waiting, we were met by some pixilated videos with mismatched audio and images, so we definitely wouldn't recommend viewing clips longer than a couple of minutes. After our experience with the speakerphone, we weren't surprised that music playback sounded tinny and weak through the phone's speakers. Web browsing was swift thanks to the EV-DO support.
The Palm Centro's 1150mAh internal lithium ion battery is rated for 3.5 hours of talk time and up to 12.5 days of standby time. In our battery drain tests, the Centro was able to get 4 hours of continuous talk time on a single charge. According to FCC radiation tests, the Centro has a digital SAR rating of 1.35 watts per kilogram.
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