Palm: Still alive. And with the upcoming release of the Pre, it looks like it’s still kickin’.

Although I’ve been a loyal Palm user for two years (Treo 680), it took me less than a month to get sick of its interface and OS. So, why even bother? For one, at the time it had the largest library of smartphone apps, and secondly, it was easy to install app launchers (which made the interface bearable) and it provided a lot of leeway for customization. Also, It has a touchscreen, and I’ve dropped this brick of a phone more times than I can count, yet it’s still breathing. But nowadays, the only smarty feature I really use this phone for is its QWERTY for texting—not internet, not e-mail and clearly not for daily planning (I started using my Moleskine planner again for that. Is that a red flag or what?).

That said, I’m still excited about the Palm Pre because it’s the first time in years that Palm has bothered to tweak its OS, and tweak it well it does… Palm Pre makes some blatant nods towards the iPhone, most especially with its multi-touch functionality, which has got Steve and Co’s panties all up in a twist. But honestly, Apple can’t seriously expect the iPhone to be the sole multi-touch device in the future, especially when everyone’s trying to inject some much-needed competition into the smartphone market, and I think Palm Pre is going to lead the way, or at least pick up where others have left off. In the wake of touchscreen phone flops, like that of the Blackberry Storm, let’s just say Pre is the second battalion and ready to deliver a bigger blow on the fortress of iPhonia. The heavy hitters will follow suit.

The two kickers that keep me from getting sucked into the iPhone craze are that it lacks tactile keys, and its shape is not ergonomic. It’s pretty much like holding a slab of plastic and glass in your hand, or rather, it’s like holding an iPod. Nothing wrong with that, but if I expect to be using the device to the fullest extent of its potential, I don’t want to be holding something that won’t rest well in my hand for extended periods of time. Palm Pre, on the hand, is definitely slimmer and lighter than its Treo predecessors, but it still retains the comfy curve I’ve come to love and appreciate. Moreover, when you slide the phone to reveal its QWERTY, it slants at an angle conducive to viewing. True to what they claim, the Pre definitely incorporates organic/environmental inspirations; the sleak and unpretentious design works with you, not against you. For industrial design, it gets an A.

Although a GSM version should come along after its exclusive release on Sprint, I’m still a little miffed that its alienating most Palm users, who most likely use GSM devices. And within that timeframe, I just may hop over to a new smartphone. I’m not sure I’m willing to wait months, especially when no one really knows how much it will cost.

For now, Apple is really trippin’ over the Pre’s potential in shaking up the iPhone’s stronghold in the market. They seriously need to chill out with their passive aggression. Technology is all about innovation, not grubby patenting, and despite being an avid Apple user, the company seems to be losing site of the corporate ethos that came to define them. I definitely don’t think Palm Pre is the iKiller everyone else who doesn’t have/doesn’t want an iPhone has been waiting for, but from the looks of it, it promises a lot.