Update: The Giveaway is closed, thank you all so much for reading and commenting. The winner announcement is over here.
Hello. Would you like a free Palm Pre Plus, and $300 worth of Verizon Wireless service? Yeah you would. Let’s discuss that further.
As you know, I’ve been partnering with Verizon this month to knock a few things off my Mighty List, and as part of the campaign, I’ve been using a Palm Pre Plus.
The idea was to see if the phone would be useful to me, and to find out whether Verizon would be better than my iPhone service provider. Of course, my iPhone service doesn’t work at my desk and garbles half my phone calls, so I’m a little angry about that. Angry in a “hurl my phone against the wall” kinda way. But I can be demanding when I’m paying through the nose for something that doesn’t work. We’ll discuss that more later.
For now, let’s talk about that giveaway. Verizon is offering a $600 Palm Pre Plus for free. It looks like this:
The winner will also get $300 of free service from Verizon, which looks like this:
Well, technically cellular service is invisible. It’s more something you sense in your soul when you don’t feel like hucking your phone out the window during a conference call. So in that way, Verizon is sort of like inner peace, but with less yoga involved.
I’m not required to review the Palm, and frankly I didn’t plan to, but a few of you said you were pondering new phone purchases and asked me what I thought. So here’s the stuff I liked:
Making calls. Primarily, I enjoy using my Palm as a telephone that will call people when I dial their numbers — people with whom I can have complete conversations until we mutually decide it is time to hang up. I carried both my iPhone and Palm with me while friends got used to my new number, and I can’t tell you how many times I called friends on the iPhone so they’d recognize my number, and then had to immediately call back on the Palm so they could hear what I was saying.
Dropping it in soup. So. Right after I activated my Palm, I kind of dropped it in soup. I was freaking out, thinking I’d have to admit I’m a terrible phone parent and ask for another phone. But then I just dried it off with my napkin and it kept on working. I did have to scrape some dried soup out of the charger port with a safety pin, but otherwise it didn’t even cough. Nice.
Taking photos. The phone takes killer photos, you guys. Here’s what a snapshot looks like straight out of the phone with no Photoshop intervention:
See what I mean? (Bryan took that, by the way. Thanks, B!)
Also, it has a flash! On the phone! Which means you can use it just like a regular point and shoot without having to lug around another gadget.
Making videos. You can record video on your phone. Do you hear me? We are living in the future, y’all:
Typing. I know not everyone agrees, but I like the tactile feedback of buttons when I’m typing. Some people find the buttons too small, but I didn’t have that problem. In fact, I actually used my phone to send email for the first time in my life because the email is so well integrated and it’s so easy to type.
Applying lipstick. Yeah. The phone has a compact on the back:
(Photo from the Palm Info Center, which has a detailed review if you’re looking for one.)
When I first saw it, I was irritated. Like, “Oh, I’m a girl! I want a girl phone that helps with my lipgloss.” Then I used that stupid mirror three times before I even activated the phone. My makeup has been flawless for the last month. Curse you, user testers and your uncanny insight into my demographically predictable needs!
Downsides? Because I use the camera and video constantly, I run the battery down pretty fast, which can be frustrating. So you might want some sort of battery backup if you’re not religious about charging your phone every night. Also, I tend to be an early adopter of mobile applications, and betas aren’t always available on the Palm. I realize that may not be a problem for… most of the world, but there it is.
All in all, this is a good phone on a great service. I actually think it’s a smart choice for bloggers because the camera and video are superior and it’s much easier to type, so you can do mobile updates easily.
The Giveaway
If you’d like a Palm Pre Plus for yourself, not to mention a lot of free service from Verizon Wireless, please leave a comment below promising that you will not use your new phone to text while driving, and that you will not drop it in soup within 24 hours of receipt.
Now for the fine print: You must be 18 or over to enter and live in the U.S. Multiple entries will be disqualified. Comments will be open until Wednesday morning March 31, 2009 at 11 a.m. PST. I’ll choose winners randomly using Random.org, and will announce later that day. Good luck! My fingers are crossed for you.
Mighty Girl 
I am kinda amazed that people are actually capable of texting while driving. It’s all I can do to stay on the road while tossing snacks back to the preschooler and straining to hear every 5th word on NPR. So, I solemnly swear never to do so were I to win the Palm Pre, which I covet greatly. Nor to bring it anywhere near any soup.
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Promise, oath, and swear – i will take vera verrra good care of the Palm Pre if Random.org finds me.
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I promise never to text while driving (even if I was lucky enough to have a phone as hot as this one and it would be tempting to show off to my passengers/other drivers) and I would never drop it in soup (mainly because I don’t eat much soup. I can’t, however, promise that it won’t land in a pile of nachos. Or my beer.)
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My iphone service sucks too. Thought it was just me.
Of course I would never use a new phone to text while driving!
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I would LOVE the Palm Pre Plus and a big fan of Verizon and Mighty Girl!! I promise no texting while driving and the compact on the back rocks! I am the lipstick queen ~ thanks Maggie.
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I promise to never do any of those bad things you said, only the good. The phone will be live in a happy, smoke free home. 🙂 Please choose me.
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I don’t even own a car, so that takes care of most of it. And when I do drive — namechecking Zipcar here — I don’t answer the phone, in part because the car isn’t mine, and mostly because I want to keep living.
And it’s getting too warm for soup. Except maybe melon soups.
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If I were to win I promise that I will not text whilst driving, nor will I drop the phone in soup 24 hours after receipt :0)
I would love to see if it were better than my iPhone as well!
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Texting while driving is foolish. That’s why you give your cell to your husband & have him take dictation while driving!
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I promise not to text and drive– but I can not make any promises about not dropping it in soup!
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I promise not to use my new phone to text while driving, and I will not drop it in soup within 24 hours of receipt.
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Does one have to promise to not drop in toilets? If so, I’m out!
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I don’t actually text, although I might if I won this phone! But I won’t do it while driving, because that’s a peeve of mine. And I only rarely eat soup, so I can’t imagine that will be a problem, either!
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You should SEE my old dinosaur phone. A Palm Pre Plus would totally move me into this century. I vow not to text while driving and will not drop the phone in my soup (or cereal. or milkshake).
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*Raises hand*
I do solemnly swear that I will not use the phone to text while driving and will not even eat soup for at least 24 hours after winning this awesome prize! 🙂
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I promise to never text while driving. I’ll be careful with the soup, too. 🙂
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I definitely promise both – I’ve been dying for a Palm Pre!
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If I win the Palm Pre I will not drop it in soup, and I abhor texting while driving. I will probably either give it to my Mom or MIL who could both use a free phone and free service!
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I swear on my left testicle that I will not text while driving.
(I also promise, as the previous swear was bogus because i don’t have a LEFT testicle.)
And with us being fully in salad weather, the soup promise is locked and loaded as well.
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I once drowned a phone in beer, but never in soup. And no texting while driving, no ma’am. And I wouldn’t drown a phone in beer while driving, either.
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Not only would I never text while driving, I have NEVER SENT A TEXT. I know. So that’s an easy promise. As for soup, well. On my honor I will TRY.
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I will not text while driving on my new palm pre, and I promise not to drop it in any soup within 24 hours of receipt. Thank you 🙂
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Oh please, please, please let me have that pretty phone. From this century. Because mine is not. Either pretty or from this century. Well technically it is from 2003 but it was not exactly cutting edge then and now it’s a little embarrassing. Or a lot embarrassing frankly. And it WILL NOT DIE.
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I promise not to text-and-drive. I can’t promise on the soup – I’m working on perfecting the perfect tomato basil soup (my own mighty life list). But please please please 🙂 I have LOVED verizon service (have been a customer for something like 8 years) but my blackberry curve is due for upgrade.
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I’ve only heard good things about this phone, but I’ve only seen one in person once. I would like to see how it does 🙂
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as a poor grad student whose parents still have on their verizon family plan, this would be the best gift to give to my parents for all of their years of support.
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I swear I won’t do the stuff! ❤
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I definitely promise to not text while driving; however, I cannot make any promises when it comes to the whole dropping it in soup within 24 hours of receipt thing…I am just too clumsy : )
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That is one purty phone. I could certainly make easy promises (texting only while standing still! and far away from lunch!) for a phone like that.
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I pinky promise I won’t text and drive.
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What perfect timing for this post! I’m currently shopping for phones and carriers and I’ve had my eye on that little phone.
I promise I won’t drop it in soup and I swear I won’t text OR talk while driving. Dangerous, dangerous!
Thanks for the review & a chance to win. Wheee!
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As my current Verizon phone just makes calls (a 4 hour dip in a cup of tea will do that apparently), I would be so excited to have a new phone! Especially a fancy one I can brag to my iPhone friends who are not in grad school (Library Science FTW!) and actually making money. That’ll show ’em!
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I will not text and drive. Pinky swear. Plus, I am way more likely to drop it on the concrete than a bowl of soup.
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As a pediatrician, I really really wanted another Palm despite being disappointed by the service on my Centro via AT&T. And if it really works better than the iPhone, I can prove my husband wrong AND have a phone that works. That I would never drop in soup nor use to text while driving. Forever and ever, amen.
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I promise not to text while driving or drop it in my crab bisque. Seriously, I’ve had the same Nokia phone for almost 6 years. The screen’s cracked and while we’ve had some good times, I’d drop it like a hot potato if I won a Palm Pre!
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I won’t text while driving because my husband would ticket me. And not really into soup.
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I solemnly swear that I would not text while driving, since I sold my car to be able to move to New York. Also, after having moved to New York, my brand new phone that I had researched and bought to work in the city refuses to accept calls in my apartment except for if I am crouching on my dining room table, and that is only on rare occasions. I promise I would love the Palm Pre tenderly and never ever ever say mean things about it or the beautiful things it does. If I ever have soup, I promise to banish the phone to the next room…for its own good.
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I dropped my phone in a stream. Dried it out, it mostly worked. Then had the bright idea to dry it by my space heater…on high. It’s um…slightly melted. But hey it kinda works! Could sure use a new phone but don’t have a spare 300 lying around to replace it! Don’t text while driving as it’s wrong and illegal here in WA state now anyway. I only drop my glasses lenses in soup..true story. Thanks for the offer!
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A new phone would be killer! I bike & bus, so texting while driving will honestly never happen.
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Definitely won’t text while driving! Never do – probably because I’m not coordinated enough. Also, no soup baths…
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I will not text while driving (as I ride public transit) and will keep it out of my soup! This would be awesome to win because my blackberry has no camera and I constantly find myself wishing for a small everyday camera.
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On my honor I will try to not drop this phone in soup. And if I do I will blog about it and sing it’s praises, too!
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I won’t, I won’t, I won’t text and drive. And I so rarely eat soup that those odds are good too!
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promise not to text and drive. not so sure about the soup!
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I can’t drive, so I can guarantee you, Maggie, that I will not be texting while I driving. I’m also avoiding soup because I’ve been sick for the past month and I am just plain tired of it. And I’m hoping to be able to take myself off of my family’s plan. So this would be lovely. Thanks for the chance!
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I will NOT drop this phone in soup, or in the toilet. I also primse not to text.
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I don’t text and drive, and I did drop a phone in a beer once – but that was a long time ago and I don’t even eat soup during the warm months! Basically, I WANT this phone!
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I’ve been eyeing this phone as well!
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Actually, I have to admit that I’ve never texted before, so no problem there. And I’m not big on talking on the phone while eating either, so it should be safe. I’m not really a big phone person in general, but my husband would be so happy to get one of these. So it’s really for him.
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ooooooooooooh i love this phone. i’ve been looking for a new one and i think this is perfect – also, there’s a high likelihood of it being dropped in soup (or possibly a gin and tonic) so i’m happy to know it has good survival skills! thanks maggie!
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