Palm phone: what reviewers got totally wrong

So many reviewers have picked up the Palm phone and after spending some time with it concluded that it is not a device to replace your phone.

eh… it’s NOT supposed to be!

Watching some of these reviews online, I got the feeling that as this is not an iPhone or the latest from Samsung, that reviewers aren’t able to look past that. Some are just plain biased and some at least looked like they tried.

Here are 5 things that reviewers got wrong about the Palm phone from Verizon:

What is the Palm Phone?

The Palm is a fully functioning phone despite the cute size at 3.8 inches in height and 1.99 inches wide – it’s the size of a credit card!

The Palm does not run PalmOS nor a stripped down version of Android but a fully functioning Android 8.1. Therefore it can run regular Android apps.

Currently, it is sold by Verizon as a companion device using the Number Share system. This means that you can leave your main phone at home and still receive and make calls from the Palm phone as if it was your main phone. Any text messages you receive will arrive onto your Palm if you set up the Verizon Message Plus app. iPhone iMessage is a no go.

So what did the reviewers get wrong? Let me tell you.

The Palm is not a replacement for your phone

Eh. No kidding. It’s not suppose to. It’s a COMPANION phone. It’s a secondary phone.

The entire concept is that our phones have intertwined themselves into our every waking moment that all you see around you is the top of people’s head as they hunch over their devices. Even at dinners, entire families are absorbed by their devices. Couple on a date night each carry their phone and check it more frequently than they glance at each other!

As a parent, I get the need to be connected. When I leave my kids at home, I want to make sure they can contact me in case of emergency.

The Palm gives you that. You are still connected but the phone goes back to its place as being just a tool verse competing for attention.

So, no it is not a replacement for your phone. It’s a way to have connectivity but still remember to be present in the real world.

Comparing to the Apple of Samsung phone

Really? This amazes me. How can you begin to compare the Palm to an iPhone or Samsung phones? You can’t and they aren’t trying to compete head-on with those phones either.

It’s like comparing your car to your bicycle and saying how the car is more luxurious, faster and has better features. Yes it does.

Turn on the Do not disturb

Some reviewers say that there is no place for the Palm as you can simply turn on the Do Not disturb or Airplane mode on your phone so that it achieves the same thing.

Technically that is correct.

However, let’s be hone,y 99% of people simply don’t have the willpower to do that.

The Palm is not easy to use

Its an Android phone – you swipe down to see notifications. It has its launcher with nice big icons for far fingers and every app I tried worked. Yes, you are not going to compile your manifesto on the device, but simple emails, tweets, Insta pics – no problem.

You tend to use more voice dictation and Google Assist so that does all the heavy work. Instead of typing into Chrome, just ask Google who won the Best Actress award at the Oscars in 2018.

The Palm is just not practical

With respect, I disagree. I had my Palm for a little while now and find myself being very comfortable grabbing just the Palm when I go out. To be fair, during a work day, I always take my main phone, but at night, or when taking kids to Dance, or the occasional meetup with friends – I take the Palm with no issues.

I have used Uber and Lyft as the phone, I used Google Maps and have checked my security cameras and controlled my smart home with it.

So it is perfectly practical when you use it for the right reasons.

Is it perfect? No. The camera can be a bit of a hit and miss. Sometimes great photos and other times they are washed out.  No headphone jack which means you have to use Bluetooth and obviously drains the battery. It’s only a 800 mAh battery so it does also charge fairly quickly so there is that.

So my take on the Palm

The Palm is part of your digital detox. It is time to look up and not have conversations with the top of people’s  heads.

Do I still check my social media when I go out: yes.

Do I still check my notifications: yes.

Do I still open email on the Palm: yes.

I scroll through Instagram, read a couple of tweets, launch Facebook.

However, I am not spending as much time on the phone as I used to. My entire work revolved around YouTube and Social Media so I am online virtually from the moment I wake up to the moment I go to sleep. The phone is constantly in my hand or near me. What the Palm does is allow me to still feel connected, still be contactable but when I have the Plam the phone becomes just another tool.

This always-connected instant gratification world we live in is causing us stress and anxiety. The Palm is a step in the right direction to our digital detox.

I would love to know what you think? Do we need a digital detox or is this just the new world we live in?