The Palm Pre and O2 XDA Guide represent pivotal moments in the early smartphone landscape. The Pre, with its revolutionary webOS, aimed to redefine mobile multitasking, while the XDA Guide leveraged Qualcomm's Snapdragon platform to deliver a more traditional Windows Mobile experience. This comparison revisits these devices, analyzing their strengths and weaknesses in the context of their time and assessing their lasting impact.
🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user interested in experiencing a truly innovative mobile OS, the Palm Pre emerges as the more compelling choice. While the O2 XDA Guide offered a more familiar Windows Mobile experience and a potentially faster processor on paper, the Pre’s webOS and wireless charging capabilities were significantly ahead of their time.
| Network |
|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 2100 |
| Speed | HSPA 3.6/0.384 Mbps | HSPA |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA | GSM / HSPA |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2009, Februray. Released 2009, October | 2008, December. Released 2009, February |
| Status | Discontinued | Discontinued |
| Body |
|---|
| Dimensions | 100.5 x 59.5 x 16.9 mm (3.96 x 2.34 x 0.67 in) | 102 x 53.5 x 14.5 mm (4.02 x 2.11 x 0.57 in) |
| Keyboard | QWERTY | - |
| SIM | Mini-SIM | Mini-SIM |
| Weight | 133 g (4.69 oz) | 102 g (3.60 oz) |
| Display |
|---|
| Resolution | 320 x 480 pixels, 3:2 ratio (~186 ppi density) | 240 x 320 pixels, 4:3 ratio (~143 ppi density) |
| Size | 3.1 inches, 28.6 cm2 (~47.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 2.8 inches, 24.3 cm2 (~44.5% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | TFT | TFT resistive touchscreen, 65K colors |
| | - | TouchFLO finger swipe navigation
Handwriting recognition
5-way navigation |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | 600 MHz Cortex-A8 | 528 MHz ARM 11 |
| Chipset | - | Qualcomm MSM7225 Snapdragon S1 |
| GPU | PowerVR SGX | No |
| OS | Palm webOS | Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional |
| Memory |
|---|
| Card slot | No | microSD (dedicated slot), 1 GB included |
| Internal | 8GB 256MB RAM | 256MB RAM, 512MB ROM |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Features | LED flash | - |
| Single | 3.15 MP | 3.15 MP |
| Video | No | CIF |
| Sound |
|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes |
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 2.1, A2DP (headset support only) | 2.0, A2DP |
| Positioning | GPS | GPS, A-GPS; TomTom NAVIGATOR 7 |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | microUSB | miniUSB |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g |
| Features |
|---|
| Browser | WAP 2.0 / HTML | WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML |
| Sensors | Accelerometer | - |
| | - | HTC Footprints
Pocket Office
Voice memo
MP3/AAC player
3GP/MP4/WMV/AVI player
Predictive text input |
| Battery |
|---|
| Charging | Wireless | - |
| Stand-by | Up to 300 h | Up to 400 h |
| Talk time | Up to 5 h | Up to 6 h 30 min |
| Type | Removable Li-Ion 1150 mAh battery | Removable Li-Ion 1110 mAh battery |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | Black | Grey |
| Price | About 180 EUR | - |
| SAR | 0.92 W/kg (head) 0.94 W/kg (body) | - |
| Tests |
|---|
| Audio quality |
Noise -95.7dB / Crosstalk -53.9dB | - |
| Camera |
Photo | - |
| Loudspeaker |
Voice 71dB / Noise 68dB / Ring 80dB | - |
Palm Pre
- Revolutionary webOS operating system
- Wireless charging capability
- Gesture-based user interface
- Limited application ecosystem
- Camera quality likely subpar by modern standards
O2 XDA Guide
- Qualcomm Snapdragon S1 processor
- Windows Mobile compatibility
- Potentially faster processing for specific tasks
- Outdated Windows Mobile operating system
- Lack of wireless charging
Display Comparison
Display specifications are unavailable for the O2 XDA Guide, making a direct comparison difficult. However, given its market positioning, it likely featured a resistive touchscreen with a lower resolution than contemporary capacitive displays. The Palm Pre, while also utilizing a touchscreen, benefited from a more modern interface designed around touch input. The lack of detailed display specs for the XDA Guide suggests it wasn't a primary selling point, focusing instead on functionality.
Camera Comparison
Both devices feature a camera described as 'Photo', lacking specific details like megapixel count or sensor size. Given the era, image quality on both would be limited by today’s standards. The O2 XDA Guide, benefiting from the Snapdragon’s image signal processor, *may* have offered slightly better image processing capabilities, but without further specifications, this remains speculative. The Palm Pre’s camera was primarily intended for quick snapshots and video calls, not high-quality photography.
Performance
The Palm Pre’s 600 MHz Cortex-A8 processor represents a significant architectural leap over the O2 XDA Guide’s 528 MHz ARM 11. The Cortex-A8, based on a more advanced architecture, delivers superior per-clock performance. While the Snapdragon S1 in the XDA Guide (Qualcomm MSM7225) offered a more integrated solution, the ARM 11 core was less efficient than the Cortex-A8. This translates to potentially smoother multitasking and faster application loading times on the Palm Pre, despite the slightly lower clock speed. The Snapdragon's GPU would have been beneficial for basic 3D tasks, but the Pre's overall system optimization likely compensated.
Battery Life
Battery capacity data is unavailable for either device. However, the Palm Pre’s inclusion of wireless charging is a significant advantage. This feature, uncommon at the time, offered a convenient alternative to traditional cable-based charging. The O2 XDA Guide relied solely on a physical connector, making it less convenient for users seeking a cable-free charging experience. The efficiency of the Cortex-A8 processor in the Pre could also contribute to longer battery life under moderate usage.
Buying Guide
Buy the Palm Pre if you prioritize a unique, gesture-based operating system and are fascinated by mobile history. Its webOS offers a fundamentally different user experience than anything else available at the time. Buy the O2 XDA Guide if you require compatibility with Windows Mobile applications and prefer a more conventional smartphone interface, potentially benefiting from the Qualcomm Snapdragon S1's processing power for tasks like document editing.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Is the Palm Pre's webOS still usable today?
While official support for webOS has ended, a dedicated community maintains open-source versions like LuneOS, allowing enthusiasts to continue using and developing for the platform. However, compatibility with modern apps is limited.
❓ Can the O2 XDA Guide run modern Windows applications?
The O2 XDA Guide runs Windows Mobile, a predecessor to modern Windows. It cannot natively run applications designed for Windows 10 or 11. Compatibility is limited to applications specifically designed for Windows Mobile.
❓ How does the Snapdragon S1 in the XDA Guide compare to the Cortex-A8 in the Pre for everyday tasks?
While the Snapdragon S1 offered a more integrated platform, the Cortex-A8's superior architecture likely resulted in a smoother experience for common tasks like web browsing and email, despite the slightly lower clock speed. The Pre's optimized webOS also played a crucial role.
