With the release of Palm’s newest smartphone last weekend, it appears the iPhone finally has some real competition. The Palm Pre has apparently sold out everywhere, evoking memories of the iPhone’s initial release a whopping two years ago. In those two years, many more smartphones have hit the market and still more applications and upgrades have found their way onto the iPhone. So, with the iPhone as unparalleled as it seems to have been in the market for mobile technology, it might be a surprise that one phone is—and has been for months—being considered the most equal competition yet for the iPhone.

“It's not just a phone, it's a myth, an idea, possibly a legacy... and a really, really long time coming.” That’s what Joshua Topolsky had to say in his review for Engadget.com of the Palm Pre. You can read that review here (http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/03/palm-pre-review/).  I can’t help but remember that when the iPhone debuted in 2007, there was a feeling that it had fallen short. I don’t think I had the pleasure of playing with one for another few months, but I have vivid memories of might-be-labeled-hipster-peers that were so freaking pumped for the iPhone’s release that when it actually hit the market and they found their hands on one, they were ultimately disappointed. Seriously? I don’t think it was a bad product, per say, it just needed some tweaking. Since then, it has clearly been tweaked, but that doesn't mean its the perfect gadget for everyone (me included). In the end, the one thing that’s kept me using the same primordial flip phone for the past two years—yeah, I’m the one who keeps his old phone until it actually stops serving its purpose—is the fact that technology is always improving. So, when I do finally give in, I'll be sure to buy the crème de la crème knowing that better products yet are still to come. For now, the iPhone holds the title and it is continuing to gain widespread popularity and respect for the ever-expanding application store. The iPhone has rightfully earned its status as the product that all of Apple’s competitors set out to rival.

Maybe it’s just hype, which Palm has certainly gotten a lot of. But the Pre definitely seems worth checking out. With the ability to run more than one application at any given time, it is already getting noticed for doing something the iPhone cannot. And after reading an article in yesterday’s New York Times entitled “Finding Your Way Through a Maze of Smartphones” which you can read here (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/11/technology/personaltech/11smart.html), it is more obvious than ever that the options regarding top-notch smartphone are ever-increasing. As smartphones become more and more affordable, it's really no surprise that people want one.

I haven't even seen one, but the Pre is being ranked by some critics right up there with the iPhone. And not that I have any reason to personally plug Palm or any of their products, but as Out of Hand International Festival is being sponsored by Palm, each of the jurors will be receiving his or her very own Pre. Way to go, OOH! If I hear what any of them have to say about it, I’ll be sure to let you know.

By Steven Rose