“Businesses want the control and savings that Windows Mobile affords, in an innovative and elegant package that keeps their users happy. That’s where Palm comes in,” said Ed Colligan, president and chief executive officer, Palm, Inc. “Everything about Treo Pro — from the hardware design to the packaging and accessories — embodies the elegant and simplified end-to-end experience that our customers expect from Palm.”

The Treo Pro smartphone lets IT managers support an increasingly mobile work force with the ease of use and robust feature set business professionals demand. Besides the benefits of lower costs and increased productivity, Treo Pro can deliver the increased security, easier device management and access to information on the corporate network that Windows Mobile 6.1 provides.

Users can quickly respond to business and personal email, access the web, stay on top of appointments and contacts, and use Wi-Fi or GPS on the go.(1) Treo Pro’s thin design blends a flush, high-resolution color touch screen and a full QWERTY keyboard with a removable battery that packs up to five hours of talk time and enough strength for the business user’s needs, offering a powerful yet effortless mobile experience.

“I’m really happy with Treo Pro — it’s a technology leap from a device design and capability standpoint, enhancing Palm’s presence in the Windows Mobile realm,” said Wasif Malik, senior systems consultant, Student Educational Services & Mobile Solutions, Ohio State University Medical Center. “It’s cleverly designed for Windows Mobile, with a large touch screen, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and all the productivity applications for Windows Mobile 6 in a much thinner design.”

Palm Experience on Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional

The Treo Pro smartphone, based on the popular Windows Mobile platform, helps optimize business processes by effortlessly mobilizing users with enhancements to the Windows Mobile 6.1 platform, including:

– One-touch Wi-Fi button — Easy, fast Wi-Fi connection experience (802.11b/g).(1)
– Today screen enhancements — Web search directly from the Today screen.
– Ringer switch — Silences the device immediately.
– Screen saver — Lets users know at a glance — without turning on the device — what time it is and whether they’ve missed a call or have a new SMS/MMS message.
– New voicemail indicator — The center button flashes to let users know that a voicemail is waiting.(3)
– Dedicated email and calendar buttons — Fast one-button access.

“Windows Mobile is delivering mobile solutions that help businesses address the changing competitive landscape,” said Andrew Lees, senior vice president of Microsoft’s Mobile Communications Business. “The Treo Pro smartphone brings together a powerful combination of Palm’s feature innovations and Windows Mobile 6.1, providing access to the information people need when away from the office.”

Lower Costs, Increased Productivity

With Treo Pro, businesses can quickly and easily deploy a secure, low-cost and compatible infrastructure for their mobile workforce by taking advantage of a tightly integrated Palm and Windows Mobile 6.1 solution, including:

– Microsoft Direct Push Technology(4) — Direct connection to Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 SP2 or 2007 gives users up-to-date email, contacts and calendars.
– Microsoft System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008 — With the deployment of Mobile Device Manager, the Treo Pro can deliver increased security, easier smartphone management, and access to information on the corporate network. IT professionals can confidently manage large Treo Pro deployments.
– Thousands of applications available for Windows Mobile — Businesses can extend mobility beyond email to optimize business processes.
– World phone — With high-speed UMTS/HSDPA network capabilities(5), Treo Pro is a sleek world phone that’s ideal for companies with an international work force.
– Integrated GPS — Users can access maps, turn-by-turn directions and point-of-interest (POI) searches.(1)
– Support and training — Palm shortcuts make Treo Pro so easy to use, businesses can spend less on training and support for their users. End-to-end enterprise support means companies can expand the scope of their mobile deployments without putting a strain on internal support personnel.
– Familiar Windows experience — Users can browse the web with built-in Internet Explorer Mobile; open, view, and edit Word and Excel compatible files; review PowerPoint presentations and PDF files; and open ZIP files remotely.

Pricing and Availability
Treo Pro will be available in September in Europe(2) through Vodafone (from free to EUR 399 with contract) and O2 (pricing is available from O2 direct sales and online business stores), and in Australia through Telstra (from free with contract). It will be available in the United States in the fall through the Palm online store (http://www.palm.com/store) as well as select Internet, retail and enterprise resellers for a suggested retail price of $549. The U.S. version is unlocked and unsubsidized, giving end users the flexibility to simply insert their existing active SIM card and immediately start using their Treo Pro without a new contract.

Detailed regional pricing is available from local resellers and distributors. Additional Treo Pro availability is scheduled to follow worldwide.

The Treo Pro smartphone comes with an international power charger, microUSB cable and a stereo headset (3.5mm). Other accessories designed exclusively for Treo Pro (sold separately) include a vehicle power charger, leather side case, travel microUSB cable, cradle, extra battery, TTY audio adapter, and replacement styli.

More information about the Treo Pro smartphone is available at www.palm.com/TreoPro

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Jul 29, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Palm, Inc. (Nasdaq:PALM) today said it has sold its two-millionth Centro smartphone, confirming the $99 product’s growing momentum with traditional mobile phone users who want to move up to a phone that offers more functionality.(1) Palm is now offering Centro in more than 25 countries in North America, South America, Europe and Asia Pacific.

Recent data released by AdMob, the largest advertising network on the mobile web, further echoes the momentum of Palm’s smallest, lightest and most affordable smartphone. According to the company’s Mobile Metrics report (www.admob.com/s/solutions/metrics), Palm Centro leapt onto the list of mobile phones worldwide in May as the No. 8 device, and moved up in June to No. 7. AdMob cites the growth of inexpensive phones, such as Palm Centro, as a primary driver in mobile Internet usage.

“Consumers are ready to do more on their mobile phone, and Centro has struck a chord around the world,” said Brodie Keast, senior vice president of marketing for Palm, Inc. “Centro has everything a person needs to stay connected with everyone who is important to them — and at a price point and size that make smartphones more attractive to a much wider audience.”

Palm also showed strong growth among smartphone manufacturers, ranking No. 2 in the United States in mobile advertising reach, and No. 3 worldwide. The AdMob report, which analyzes worldwide data to gauge mobile Internet use among devices able to receive mobile ads, also noted that 24.3 percent of worldwide ad requests in June were from smartphones, up from 22.4 percent in May. As more consumers leave their traditional mobile phones behind in favor of moving up to phones with greater functionality, mobile web usage is expected to increase.

Now available from almost 20 carriers worldwide, including the three largest carriers in the United States, Centro has reached more young adults and women, as well as a broader range of household income, than any prior Palm smartphone. It offers customers an affordable, simple and fun option for staying connected and doing more with their mobile phones.

Centro’s full QWERTY keyboard and color touch screen make it easy to quickly type text messages, respond to emails, start instant message conversations, browse the web and more. It offers all of the great organizer functionality for which Palm is renowned, such as a detailed and integrated contacts list and a simple and handy calendar for juggling business meetings and get-togethers with friends. Centro lets users “sideload” songs and manage music, audio books and videos easily(2), as well as shoot pictures or videos with the built-in digital camera.

More information about Palm Centro is available at www.palm.com/centro.

The Treo 800w is Palm’s most business-friendly phone yet. IT departments can simplify infrastructure and lower costs with a direct connection to Microsoft Exchange Server, giving users up-to-date email, contacts, calendars and access to other productivity applications. Palm designed the Treo 800w for easy-to-use mobility with a full QWERTY keyboard, five-way navigation and one-touch buttons to the most-used applications, making it a smartphone people want to use.

EV-DO Rev. A, WiFi for Data and GPS
As Sprint’s first smartphone to ship immediately with EV-DO Rev. A network support, the Treo 800w offers customers the ability to quickly browse the web and send and receive emails – even those with large attachments – at broadband speeds. The vast majority of Sprint’s Mobile Broadband Network has been upgraded to EV-DO Rev. A technology, providing Treo 800w users blazing-fast speeds on the nation’s largest mobile broadband network (based on covered square miles). The Sprint Mobile Broadband Network (inclusive of data roaming) reaches more than 246 million people, 16,022 cities and 1,506 airports and brings customers instant gratification so they can work fast and on the go. With EV-DO Rev. A, peak network download data rates increase to 3.1 Mbps and peak upload data rates increase to 1.8 Mbps; average download speeds improve to 600 kbps to 1.4 mbps and average uplink speeds increase to 350-500 kbps.

Palm’s WiFi hardware and software innovations make it easy to get online fast and manage network connections and power usage. The one-touch WiFi button provides a clean, uncluttered WiFi experience that gets Treo 800w users rapidly connected at home, in the office or in WiFi hotspots.(2) It includes 802.11b/g WiFi and built-in Internet Explorer Mobile, which means faster, more secure access to web-based data.

With integrated GPS and Palm software enhancements, the Treo 800w smartphone offers maps, point-to-point directions and point-of-interest (POI) searches for locations such as restaurants or stores.(3) POI search is available directly from the Today Screen and is integrated with contacts, giving customers one-touch access to the places they want to go. Treo 800w also supports Sprint Navigation for turn-by-turn directions as well as other popular third-party location-based services applications.

Robust Business Productivity Features
Companies looking for more control, centralization and security will find the Treo 800w an attractive choice. It connects directly with Exchange Server 2003 SP2 or 2007 and works within a company’s existing Microsoft infrastructure, eliminating costly middleware or the maintenance of additional servers. The Treo 800w extends business capabilities by providing a familiar Microsoft Windows experience while on the go to keep employees productive. With thousands of applications available for Windows Mobile, businesses can extend mobility beyond email to optimize business processes whether in sales or out in field.

The Treo 800w comes fully equipped with easy-to-use professional email. Microsoft Direct Push Technology is available out of the box and gives users connected to a Microsoft Exchange Server fast, automatic wireless updates from their email, calendar, contacts and tasks.(4) Users can download email attachments to view and edit Microsoft Word and Excel files, view PowerPoint and PDF files, and open ZIP files.

The Treo 800w is compatible with Microsoft’s System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008, which delivers increased security and easier smartphone management as well as access to information on the corporate network via mobile VPN. IT professionals can confidently manage large Treo 800w deployments the same way they would expect to manage PCs with a low-cost, reliable solution that fits seamlessly with their existing IT infrastructures.

The Palm Experience on Windows Mobile 6.1
“Palm is adding a unique stamp to the Windows Mobile experience with the Treo 800w,” said Stephane Maes, vice president, product marketing, Palm, Inc. “It’s an easy-to-use feature-packed smartphone that will keep users happy, empowered and productive.”

In addition to Palm’s WiFi and GPS enhancements, Palm innovations on top of Windows Mobile include:

– Today Screen enhancements — call, text, email, perform a web search and map a contact’s address, all directly from the Today Screen;(5)

– Dial from the Today Screen — enter the contact name, select the number and dial. Add text or picture speed dials for one-touch calls to family and friends, or use the physical or touch screen number keys to dial the number directly;

– Voicemail controls — VCR-like icons, such as rewind, delete and fast-forward, for easy navigation;

– Ignore with text — ignore a call quickly by sending a text message, such as “In a meeting” or “Can’t talk right now”;

– Superior phone and call management — dedicated mute, speakerphone, conference calling icons, or dial any number in an email or webpage, all with just one touch; and

– Palm ease-of-use features — hard buttons for email and calendar, a five-way navigation button and on/off ringer switch.

Exclusive Sprint Content and Services
“Sprint recognizes that businesses must stay productive and competitive with quick, always-accessible information and assistance for their own customers,” said Michael Hahn, vice president of device operations for Sprint. “With instant access to email, messaging services and the web on the nation’s largest Mobile Broadband Network, Sprint provides its customers the mobile tools they need to increase productivity and improve competitiveness now.”

In addition to the valuable business-friendly features delivered through Palm and Windows Mobile 6.1, new business applications are being created through Sprint’s newly launched Professional Developer Program and with tools such as the Titan platform for Windows Mobile 6.1 devices. A growing community of application developers who may previously have focused on desktop services are now finding it easier to generate services that can perform on both the desktop and mobile devices.

Treo 800w customers can leverage the speed of the Sprint Mobile Broadband Network to access Sprint content, including:

– Sprint TV(R) allowing users to watch live TV or video-on-demand with full-motion video or catch the latest news, sports, weather, entertainment and movie trailers on the go.(5) Choose from more than 50 live television channels and watch programs such as CNN mobile, FOX sports and E! Entertainment; access NFL Network and special programming via Sprint Exclusive Entertainment.

– Sprint Navigation delivers turn-by-turn voice-guided and on-screen driving directions, 3-D moving maps similar to an in-car navigation system or personal navigation device, as well as local search, intelligent traffic alerts and one-click rerouting.

– Pocket Express to retrieve customized, up-to-date web content such as sports, weather, news, money and movie information with the push of a button.

– Sprint IM extends instant messaging to the Treo 800w with access to Yahoo! Messenger, AOL’s AIM(R) service and MSN Messenger.(5)

Pricing and Availability
The Treo 800w is available today for consumers and businesses at Sprint Stores, online at www.sprint.com or www.palm.com, and through Sprint or Palm’s B2B sales organizations. It will be available for $249.99 after discounts and rebates with a two-year contract.

To receive the best value and experience the full capabilities of the device, customers must subscribe to a pricing plan offering unlimited data. Customers can choose from Everything plans for individuals ranging from $69.99 per month for 450 voice minutes and unlimited data or the Talk/Message/Data Share plans for families starting at $129.99 per month for 1,500 voice minutes (shared between two lines) and unlimited data. Sprint also offers its signature Simply Everything plan offering both unlimited nationwide voice and data services for just $99.99 per month. Customers may also choose one of Sprint’s Individual Talk Plans and add on the $30 per month Pro Pack to take advantage of data capabilities.

AT&T’s Centro lineup adds a dazzling new color – electric blue – to join glacier white and obsidian black. This exclusive new Centro color will be available starting this Friday in AT&T retail stores, or online at www.att.com and www.palm.com/centro.

Palm Centro features a QVGA color display, Garnet OS operating system, speakerphone, microSD expansion slot, 1.3 megapixel camera with video recorder, Bluetooth with stereo audio support, media player, Java support for games and applications, SyncML support, email client, and EDGE packet data.

Complete Palm Centro Review here

“We continue to invest in Palm’s future and remain focused on building long-term value,” said Ed Colligan, president and chief executive officer for Palm, Inc. “Centro is a tremendous hit, we are gaining market share, and we believe with this momentum, and the launch of new Windows Mobile products, we will turn the corner and return to revenue and margin growth.”

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Jun 26, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Palm, Inc. (Nasdaq:PALM) today reported that total revenue in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2008, ended May 30, was $296.2 million. Smartphone sell-through for the quarter reached a record high, totaling 968,000 units, up 29 percent year over year.

“We continue to invest in Palm’s future and remain focused on building long-term value,” said Ed Colligan, president and chief executive officer for Palm, Inc. “Centro is a tremendous hit, we are gaining market share, and we believe with this momentum, and the launch of new Windows Mobile products, we will turn the corner and return to revenue and margin growth.”

Net loss applicable to common shareholders for the fourth fiscal quarter was $43.4 million, or $(0.40) per diluted share. Net loss applicable to common shareholders included stock-based compensation of $5.5 million, amortization of intangible assets of $0.9 million, restructuring charges of $1.3 million, impairment of non-current auction rate securities of $6.7 million and accretion of series B convertible preferred stock of $2.4 million. This compares to net income for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2007 of $15.4 million, or $0.15 per diluted share, which included stock-based compensation of $5.4 million and amortization of intangible assets of $1.0 million.

Net loss for the fourth fiscal quarter, measured on a non-GAAP(1) basis, totaled $23.9 million, or $(0.22) per diluted share, excluding stock-based compensation, amortization of intangible assets, restructuring charges, impairment of non-current auction rate securities and accretion of series B convertible preferred stock and adjusting the related income tax provision to 40 percent. This compares to non-GAAP net income for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2007 of $17.8 million, or $0.17 per diluted share, which excluded the effects of stock-based compensation, amortization of intangible assets and adjusting the related income tax provision to 40 percent.

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, or EBITDA, for the fourth fiscal quarter totaled negative $40.4 million. EBITDA, adjusted to add back stock-based compensation, other non-operating expense, restructuring charges and impairment of non-current auction rate securities, or Adjusted EBITDA, totaled negative $26.4 million.

Fiscal Year 2008 Results
Revenue for the full fiscal year 2008 was $1.32 billion. Smartphone sell-through for the full year reached a record high, totaling 3.2 million units, up 19 percent year over year.

Net loss applicable to common shareholders for fiscal year 2008 was $110.9 million, or $(1.05) per diluted share. Net loss applicable to common shareholders included stock-based compensation of $31.1 million, amortization of intangible assets of $3.8 million, patent acquisition cost of $5.0 million, restructuring charges of $30.4 million, gain on sale of land of $4.4 million, impairment of non-current auction rate securities of $32.2 million and accretion of series B convertible preferred stock of $5.5 million. This compares to net income in fiscal year 2007 of $56.4 million, or $0.54 per diluted share, which included stock-based compensation of $24.3 million, amortization of intangible assets of $2.0 million and in-process research and development of $3.7 million.

Net loss for fiscal year 2008, on a non-GAAP basis, totaled $36.2 million, or $(0.34) per diluted share, excluding stock-based compensation, amortization of intangible assets, patent acquisition cost, restructuring charges, gain on sale of land, impairment of non-current auction rate securities and accretion of series B convertible preferred stock and adjusting the related income tax provision to 40 percent. This compares to non-GAAP net income in fiscal year 2007 of $73.4 million, or $0.70 per diluted share, which excluded the effects of stock-based compensation, amortization of intangible assets and in-process research and development and adjusting the related income tax provision to 40 percent.

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, or EBITDA, for fiscal year 2008 totaled negative $123.5 million. EBITDA, adjusted to add back stock-based compensation, other non-operating expense, patent acquisition cost, restructuring charges, gain on sale of land and impairment of non-current auction rate securities, or Adjusted EBITDA, totaled negative $27.8 million.

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Jun 23, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Palm, Inc. (Nasdaq:PALM) today announced that the popular Palm(R) Centro(TM) smartphone is now available unlocked for U.S. customers. Now offered on Sprint, AT&T and Verizon Wireless – the nation’s three largest carriers – and in an unlocked GSM version, Centro gives U.S. customers the ability to choose the mobile phone that’s right for them.(1) Palm also announced that Google(TM) Maps for mobile with My Location on Centro is available for Centro starting tomorrow, giving customers faster access to local maps and driving directions.(2)

The unlocked Palm Centro retains the smartphone’s compact, modern design and is dressed in a new white color with grey accents. Centro offers customers more choices to stay in touch with friends, family and co-workers by using voice, text messaging, email or the web. Also available in 25 countries worldwide, Centro is Palm’s smallest and lightest smartphone to date.

Google Maps for mobile with My Location makes it easier and faster for Centro customers to get mapping and direction information by approximating the user’s current location on the map. This saves time and keystrokes for people trying to find where they are, what’s around them, and how to get there.

In addition to My Location, Google Maps offers:

– Comprehensive information on traffic conditions in more than 30 U.S. major metropolitan areas, and partial information in many others;

– Detailed driving directions with traffic estimates to avoid congestions;

– One-touch recall of favorite locations and routes;

– Integrated search results for business locations, including directions and contact information;

– Ability to scan and drag maps using Centro’s touch screen for a PC-like experience; and

– Satellite and aerial views.

Pricing and Availability

The unlocked Centro smartphone is available online at http://www.palm.com/centro for $299.

Google Maps for mobile with My Location will be available tomorrow free of charge for Palm Centro smartphones at http://www.google.com/gmm. Please check the site for details on the download process and carrier availability.

According to the release : Centro runs on Verizon Wireless’ high-speed data network, which gives customers the ability to quickly send and receive e-mail messages and attachments and browse rich Web content. Verizon Wireless customers can also use the Centro as a modem for their laptops when they subscribe to Verizon wireless’ BroadbandAccess Connect service plan. The handset sports a vibrant color touch-screen, full QWERTY keyboard and a lightweight design.

Last Price info here

Palm Centro Reviews at buy-cellphone.netThe Palm Centro boasts a sleek black housing that measures a mere 2.11 by 4.22 by 0.73 inches (W x H x D) and weighs 4.2 ounces. It’s notably smaller than many competing smartphones, yet doesn’t sacrifice functionality at any point along the way. Users will also love the 320 x 320 touchscreen (up to 65,000 colors), which offers a crisp resolution for photos and videos. And thanks to the full QWERTY keyboard, you can say L8R to those tricky keys on your old cell phone.

Palm Centro Reviews at mobiletechreview.comNo, the Centro isn’t meant to compete with the Treo 755p, it targets first-time smartphone buyers who want something more powerful than a feature phone and a QWERTY keyboard. For $99 we say the Centro offers magnificent bang for the buck: you can add a wide selection of applications (there are thousands of freeware, shareware and commercial Palm OS applications on the market), browse the web with an HTML rather than WAP browser, send and receive email and compose them easily using the keyboard. The Centro’s touch screen trumps low-priced Microsoft Windows Mobile smartphones– touch screens are usually found only on the more pricey Windows Mobile Pocket PC phones and Palm OS Treo models.

Palm Centro Reviews at cnet.comThe Palm Centro for AT&T offers users an affordable and easy-to-use smartphone. The compact handset also features Bluetooth, a 1.3-megapixel camera, and a full productivity suite with push e-mail capabilities.