Palm Pre Hollywood VIP Event - Very Important Pre Paradox

by

palmpreonveggies.jpg

Tonight was a night of contradictions, driving to the Palm Pre VIP event in Hollywood, it was raining and the sun was shining at the same time.

Raleigh Studios was transformed into an urban interactive farmer's market, fresh flowers, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables and fresh tech. Umbrellas dripped with rain, while high heeled golden sandals waded through puddles. The Palm Pre, home-grown on a Silicon Valley farm was brought to the glitteratti market.

Just like you squeeze tomatoes and thump melons, people were sampling the Palm Pre. Here are some things, I noticed

  • The Palm Pre's keys although small have a clicky-stickiness to them, the textures make it clear that you are clicking the keys. There is a dedicated @ sign and period key to avoid funky shifting.
  • The auto rotate accelerometer works for the browser and photographs and rotates in 90 degree intervals so that when you show the web page to someone else they see in the correct direction. An iPhoner party attendee was jealous of the function, for only photographs rotate on the iPhone.
  • The Palm Pre's universal search function works like magic, checking contacts, and the web.  The demo guy was able to bring up a photo of my favorite yorkie-poo within seconds to compare to his Labradoodle.
  • Sprint CEO Dan Hesse pointed out that the Palm Pre is $1200 less expensive than an iPhone over a two-year period.
  • When you have an appointment in your calendar in the Palm Pre and you are late, the  Palm Pre will look up the email address of the people in the meeting and offer a way to send a "I'm late message."
  • Probably the neatest feature, I hadn't seen before is when there is an address showing in either a contact or on the web, and you tap on the address, you will automatically taken to a map by the Palm Pre
  • Multitasking has been mentioned before, but it was fun to see a song playing while surfing the net.

There was lovely California style food served and a fun jazz band, outside on the studio lot. Then we were told to go inside for the presentation, we told no cameras, recording of any kind, and please turn off all devices. Note: TURN OFF ALL DEVICES

Jason Alexander joked, "This phone has the power to end my marriage and start a new one. It's that powerful."

They showed the new  Palm Pre commercial, a girl on rock surrounded by a thousand King Fu dancers all moving in different directions.

Palm executive, Ed Colligan talked about the Zen of Pre, so that you can live life more seamlessly.

It was heartening to hear that social networking has helped Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.
palm-pre-seinfeld.jpg

But here's where life imitates art or vice a versa. Jerry Seinfeld, delivered a great routine and he talked about friends who take out their smartphones at lunch, put them on the table and watch the phone, implying, "You better be better than my phone."

Then Jerry bemoaned in his own inimitable way,"What about those people who twiddle their keyboards while they are talking to you?" (While several members of the audience were pawing their Palm Pres, surfing the web, tweeting, and god knows what.)

Here are more humorous points Seinfeld made, I may have missed a few words because I followed the rules of no recording devices..and I was laughing so hard, my handwriting was crooked.

Jerry observed how personal phones are, and when someone offers him their phone he thinks, "I really don't want to deal with other people's face screen grease."

Jerry also giggled-whined about his wife's BlackBerry, it was bad enough when she used ot in the car while he was driving, but then she took it to bed!

Jerry said he was going to get a Palm Pre.

The folksie farm-girl side of the Palm Pre was shown in the human desire for community we all have, which Jerry Seinfeld voiced by saying people walk around and say, "I've got to go OUT."

People need to go out. Jerry observed about how much work it was to get to the event. "You married folks, I give you even more credit...We're all here, because we have nothing else better to do."

It's that social side of humans that the Palm Pre does best, collecting all the contacts in one place, reminding you of your appointments and helping you to send email when you are late.

Then when the presentation was over, I had a very nice conversation with some local photographers who also loved it when Jerry talked about people thumbing their phones while talking. The  Palm Pre gave us a wonderful opportunity to socialize because the Palm Pre filled another need we all have, "we need something to talk about."

You can view the new Palm Pre commercial on their Facebook page.

For you star lovers here's a list of the celebs at the party:

  • Shannon Elizabeth
  • Spencer Grammer
  • Jordan Farmar
  • Maggie Grace
  • Peter Fonda
  • Ray Toro
  • Paul Tuivai
  • James Avery
  • An-Ya
  • Lauren Storm (note not related to RIM's BlackBerry Storm)
  • Hal Sparks

Most Recent Articles in the Category Palm Pre.

No Related News.