By now, you’ve probably heard that Palm has introduced a completely redesigned Palm PDA — and a new way for people to use it.

The Palm Prē is the once-mighty PDA company’s answer to the iPhone. 

The Prē has a touch-screen, a slide-down QWERTY keyboard, a 3-megapixel camera and lots of other expected features. But really what intrigued me most was the way it works.

Like the Google phone, which syncs automatically with your Google e-mail and other accounts, the new Palm webOS goes much further. It pulls your Web life down to the device, including Gmail, Facebook, Yahoo and other sites that may store your friends and contacts. On the new Prē, you won’t have to constantly sync or update the phone — its always-on Internet access does that for you. 

Other notable features:

• The software combines web-based instant messaging accounts, e-mail and calendars.  
• Palm Prē has EVDO, Wi-Fi (b and g), Bluetooth, GPS, 8 GB internal storage, a 3.1-inch screen, a standard 3.5 mm headphone jack, microSD slot and mini-USB for charging. Oh, and a removable battery.
• Sprint will be the first company to offer the Prē and will begin selling in the first half of 2009. No details on price or actual launch date were offered. 
• Palm must be envious of the Apple Apps program for the iPhone and iPod Touch. All programs on the phone use standard stuff — CSS, HTML and JavaScrip. It encouraged developers to create new programs for the phone.

And in keeping with one of CES’ themes of alternative energy, Palm plans to add a wireless charging dock. Called the Touchstone (picture on right from Palm), the charger uses magnetic induction to wirelessly charge the Prē. Just place the Prē on the “stone” and it starts charging. Really cool to see an actual application of this technology, as mentioned earlier with the PowerMat. 

Lots of photos from the press conference (click each to enlarge):

Earlier reports from CES 2009:

• Palm gets back into the phone game with the Prē
• How tech can help you have the perfect garden
• Tech toys, crowds and other early scenes from CES
• Samsung slims down Blu-ray player
• Panasonic’s 0.3-inch skinny TV
• The best TV Toshiba has to offer
• Wireless TVs without the lag
• Powermat: Charging up without cables — or electricity!
• What we all need: A Minoru (3D webcam)
• How green can Fuji’s EnvironMax batteries be?
• Meade’s no muss, no fuss automated telescope
• CES gadgets: D-Link’s nifty photo router, USB monitor
• A smaller, cheaper CES: Will it be better?

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