Let the battle begin! iPhone 3GS v. Palm Pre (Fast Touch) Review

"Tell me what cell phone you use, and I will tell you what you are." -Brillat-Savarin

Erm.  That's not right, wasn't his quote about food or something...*shrug*

Back to business at hand.  This is a new concept review that I am having a go with.  I call it a fast touch review.
This concept is simple to grasp;

In the inaugural fast touch review I took the liberty of checking out two smartphones.  The Groundbreaking, Earthshaking, Universebending, Apple iPhone 3GS or is it 3G S (jury is still out regarding the space or not) and its cosmic competitor Palm's "Lay On Hands" (WoW reference..sad I know) Pre.  Let me get this to you straight off the top,  THESE TWO ARE COMPETITORS NOT KILLERS.  So first lets go with the already proven iPhone.

The 3GS (S stands for SPEED) and it delivers, albeit nothing too mind blowing.  The phone is faster, but not the way they are advertizing as if it were faster than a supercomputer; but still its a speedy little device.  Applications opened in a snap and the phone performed quite well.  I tested a quick youtube video and it played after a small 15 second wait, not bad.  The weather, stocks, notes apps were all quick as well.  With the addition of the OS 3.0 the phone has some quality features.  The Main feature even before video and compass is Landscape typing.  I quickly tapped my way into a sizable paragraph about nothing,  and with only a few minor errors at that.  This is where the iPhone takes it to a new level, this is "that" feature that the user has been begging for since day one.  They also added copy-paste to the phone and this grants a small applause, as I find myself rarely using copy-paste on my phone now.
The compass is novelty, although im sure the customer service rep was amused as i spun around in all directions testing this feature,  it lost its novelty feel after a few minutes.  The voice search is a bit funky to use, I tried to call a filler contact in the contact list on the demo unit, but it had a hard time recognising the speech pattern, again not a feature that I find myself using (nor have I seen many people use it either).
The Camera is the second place BIG feature of the new 3GS.  The auto focus is quick, not like some other phones where it could take a while, and the tap to focus feature is great.  The video interface is just like the still photo interface, tap record and you are off.  As I could not see the video on a PC, I cannot judge the quality, however I have seen some youtube videos and its not shabby at all.
To wrap this up, I like the 3GS.  It beats the living ***T out of my lack luster Sidekick LX (circa 2007).  Plus Apple threw a curve ball at us, $99 for a 3G (non S) iPhone! Plus IMO a 3G with OS 3.0 is like 90% of what you get with a 3GS, you are really only missing Video Capture.

BUT HOLD ON APPLE!

Palm has launched thier new smartphone into the wild and its name is the Pre!  8GB internal storage, same resolution as an iPhone (smaller screen though), All NEW WebOS.  This thing is geared for a fight, a fight not only with Apple, but RIM and Android as well.  Let me let you in on a little secret though, it DELIVERS.  Sure the hardware feels like it was build with lincoln logs and elmers glue, and the keyboard should have come with a toothpick so you can tap the right keys.  But the OS is the homerun.  WebOS is open, clicky, fun and downright addicting. I got lost in the phone with the swipes, taps and pinches.  The OS is responsive, it has the core features that can satisfy any smartphone user.  Its main problem is that its new, and does not have anywhere near the amount of support other smartphones have.  Give it time and this will change,  Palm brought a gamechanger to the public.  Finally a system that is not as archaic feeling as the Blackberry OS, nor as rough and unyeilding as the Android OS.  Its a cuddly, warm, soft, fun OS that begs you to touch it (I just went there).  Its organized, the card system is wonderful and messaging is in one spot, its just great.  If that OS were on a piece of hardware like an iPhone then we would have to press the panic button at 1 Infinite Loop.  I did not get too much time with the Palm Pre, as the Sprint rep was annoying the shit out of me about purchasing some Sony Rokr.  I really am intrigued at where the Pre goes,  I hope Palm offers the WebOS on more phones, I really do.  I loved my Palm Treo 700p and I am already a fan of the WebOS, however the hardware is its weak link.

In the end I do see myself with a 3GS over the Pre,  Only because the support, and the fact that its a more matured platform.  Its the hardware of the Pre that makes it a no go.  Put the OS on a better device and 1000% Definatley I would have a Palm.  With that being said I hope RIM takes note and produces a more 2009 OS and not a 2004 OS.  As far as Android, flooding the market with 5000000 phones with some low budget, rough, unsofisicated linux like OS is NO WAY TO WIN A TECH BATTLE.

I hope you all enjoyed the inauagural Fast Touch Review of the iPhone vs. the Palm Pre.  I hope to write more of these fast touch reviews in the future. :)

---RandyICJ