HP seem to have dropped a smartphone bomb today in the form of its latest Pre 3 handset by not only launching the handset, but also by solving that old release schedule dilemma by shipping it immediately from its website and by UK retailer Clove.
The HP Pre 3 is the natural successor to reasonably popular Palm Pre line-up of handsets of which HP bought out last year. They are now running the Pre name as its range of smartphone handsets, dropping the Palm name altogether.
The Hp Pre 3 is the most powerful incarnation of the smartphone series as it boasts a whopping 1.4GHz dual-core processor with 512MB RAM. There is also a 5-megapixel camera and a 3.58-inch 480 x 800 capacitive touchscreen, plus the latest WebOS 3.1 software.
The handset itself also packs a slide out QWERTY keyboard for quick typing and all of this can be purchased SIM-free from the HP European store for a meagre £299, which is a decent price for a handset with this sort of power.
The handset can also be bought SIM-free from UK retailers Clove and Box and after some initial speculation the Palm Pre’s usual stocker Orange has come out and stated that it will no be stocking the HP Pre 3.
The handset itself will be HP’s new flagship handset and will be a real test to see if the webOS 3.1 can stand up against the rise of Android and the dominant Apple, but with the Pre Series having a small yet dedicated following it may stand a chance.
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