My Palm Centro

Last December, I wanted to buy a Canon or Sony digital camera in Singapore before going back home from a training for my new job. But when I saw an ad for a slightly used, white Palm Centro on eBay, my plan changed. I managed to get the Centro for only 300 SGD (around P9,000). At that time, a brand-new Centro was being sold for around 400 to 500 SGD.

I immediately transferred the data from my battered Treo 650 to my new phone. As was always the case with Palm OS devices, the data transfer was completed without causing me a headache. With the Centro, it was still like having my old Treo 650, only with a lighter pocket and more space to install new apps. I missed Treo’s keyboard, though.

Like the Treo 650, my Palm Centro is still “a cellphone, personal digital assistant, portable MP3 and video player, digital camera, ebook reader, and ‘game and watch’ in one device.”

With the Centro, I can still enjoy my favorite apps: the good old AvantGo, eReader (which contains my mobile library), the classic Bejeweled, FunSMS, Card Export, eWallet, Bible, and ptLyrics, among other software. I also discovered new ones like ComicGuru (creates Palm version of comics) and purchased new games like GTS World Racing and Cake Mania (for M).

I was also able to install and set up relatively stable Opera Mini to still enjoy the new Yahoo! Mobile and post on my blogs while on the go — even if the app crashes from time to time.

I read ebooks while listening to the music on my Centro. Sometimes, I also take pictures. Its battery supposedly has a four-hour talk time and up to 300 hours standby time. But obviously, I’m a heavy user so I need to charge it always. Good thing that the hotsync cable, aside from allowing me to synchronize and backup my data on my laptop, also doubles as a charger.

Palm’s suggested retail price for the Centro is P 18,490 without plan. See the complete details and specs on Palm Philippines.