capsule review

Palm Centro PDA Phone (AT&T)

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At a Glance

  • Palm Centro (AT&T)

The Palm Centro is an attractive option not just for Palm devotees but also for anyone seeking an inexpensive smart phone with a QWERTY keyboard. Previously, we tested a Centro available on the Sprint network; the version reviewed here is available from AT&T ($200 with a two-year contract).

The two phones look virtually identical on the outside, but they differ internally. While the EvDO-capable Sprint Centro supports wireless broadband, the AT&T Centro supports only the comparatively slow EDGE network for data transmissions. Another difference surfaced in our performance tests: The AT&T Centro's battery lasted 6 hours, 47 minutes, while the Sprint-based Centro's battery lasted 4 hours, 19 minutes.

Since the two versions share the same design, see our review of the Sprint handset for our full impression of the Centro's design and usability.

--Melissa J. Perenson

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At a Glance

  • A sporty, slimmer variant of the Treo; its battery lasted longer on AT&T's GSM network than on Sprint's CDMA network.

    Pros

    • Petite, attractive design
    • Excellent call quality and battery life

    Cons

    • Lacks Wi-Fi and GPS
    • Plastic case feels a bit fragile
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