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Testing Out the Palm Pre Plus…It’s All About the Apps *Giveaway*

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This giveaway is now closed.  Thanks for stopping by. The winner is Linda. Congrats!

I’ve been playing with testing out the Palm Pre Plus for 2 weeks now and I’m highly impressed.  What’s ironic about this 4 week test period is that I think I’ve only made one or two phone calls.  The Palm Pre Plus is more like a computer than a phone.  And the free and downloadable applications that are available help you customize and personalize the phone for your needs.

This week, I’m going to share with you my favorite apps (so far).  The phone has an App Catalog which allows you to search dozens of applications “to make your phone more powerful, more useful, and more fun.”  If you aren’t using the applications, you haven’t realized your phone’s full potential.  Fortunately, the phone has 16 GB of memory because I’ve downloaded at least a dozen apps and plan on downloading a dozen more!

Staying connected, up-to-date, and informed are important to me as a mom.  The Palm Pre Plus offers free social networking applications including Facebook, Pixelpipe, LinkedIn, and weTwit Lite.  Downloading them from the App Catalog is quick and easy (once you can find them).  The best way (in my opinion) to find the apps you’re looking for is to use the “Explore” function and search by category.  It worked much better than using the search function. As an FYI, all the apps in this post are available as free downloads.

I downloaded all four of the social networking applications above, but have really only used Facebook and weTwit Lite.  I can update my status and check on my friends’ statuses easily.  I even managed to upload a picture and send it via Picture Tweet last week.  Here are some screen shots from the phone (a task easily accomplished by pressing the grey button, the Sym button, and “p” at the same time):

More and more I find myself heavily reliant upon technology.  I can’t go anywhere without a GPS and a web-enabled phone because I tend to get lost. often.  The Palm Pre Plus offers tons of apps that will help you get where you need to go.  Google Maps, for example, offers you the ability to get directions to a location and follow traffic on the route to that location.

Looking for a place to eat, shop, drink, or relax?  Complete with reviews from those who’ve been there?  Check out Yelp.  You knew I’d be looking for a coffee shop right?

And while you’re there, download Tip ’em for a no-brainer way to calculate the tip on your bill.

Hubby took me out over the weekend to celebrate Valentine’s Day.  Fandango is a great way to check out the latest films, complete with movie times at your local theater.

I could write a book about all of the applications available for the Palm Pre Plus.  Are you bored on a plane?  Do you need to make a grocery list?  Do you want to know what the weather is going to be like in your area?  Or breaking news?  I guarantee there is an app available for each of the above.

One last thing is worth mentioning.  Very often, when we’re at a restaurant or grocery shopping, or otherwise engaged in an activity that my son isn’t particularly fond of, I’ll pull out my phone to entertain him. Now he can watch full-length YouTube videos while I finish my lunch.

Stay tuned for my next post which will highlight multi-tasking features moms will love.

And for another perspective on the Palm Pre Plus, check out these fabulous gals’ reviews:

Busy Mom

Manic Mommies

Musings of a Housewife

Mom Generations

Mom Trends

Quirky Fusion


Win It! One of you will win a $25 gift card to Verizon (which is the service provider associated with this phone).  Simply leave me a comment with an app you’d like to try from the site.  Comments will close on March 4, 2010 at 11:59 PM PST.  One comment per person, please (unless you do the extra credit). US residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one.

Be sure to leave me a separate comment for each additional entry.

Follow me on Twitter AND tweet about the contest.  Please use the hashtag #VerizonPalmPrePlus

Bonus:  If you come back each week and comment, you’ll get an extra entry into the Palm Pre Plus giveaway.  You must comment on each of the four posts to get the extra entry.

Vote for Rockin’ Mama for the Hot Blogger Calendar

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Blog about this giveaway. It doesn’t have to be a separate post. Just include a blurb about it when you blog about other giveaways.

Click on one of the very cute buttons below and digg, stumble, fav, etc. Just let me know what you did in the comments!

I wrote this review while working on a Verizon Palm Pre Plus campaign by TheMotherhood.com on behalf of Verizon Wireless and have been given a Palm Pre Plus (and prizes for giveaways) to facilitate my review.

Caryn Bailey
Latest posts by Caryn Bailey (see all)

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99 Responses to Testing Out the Palm Pre Plus…It’s All About the Apps *Giveaway*

  5. I reviewed a Blackberry recently so I look for all of the functionality (especially Twitter and Facebook!) in a smartphone. I love the Tip Em app – that’s really cool!

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  6. I look for a phone that I can read easily. Too many have print that is WAY too small! Google maps would also be great for me. I prefer to say that I am “directionally challenged”! 🙂

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  10. Pandora is the killer music app. I’d also like to see apps for Grooveshark (another streaming music service) and KenKen (my favorite mind game) but I don’t think they make them for the Palm yet.

    Reply

  12. I would love the Mapquest Mobile app. Thanks so much for offering this great prize.
    rickpeggysmith(at)aol(dot)com

    Reply

  17. I like that you can get the weather channel. Because around here you never know if it’s going to be rainy or sunny.

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  26. The Yelp! App would be great. You could be somewhere you’re not very familiar with and look up whatever cuisine you’re in the mood for. Great way to discover new favorites!

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  37. I just dropped my phone and shattered the screen 🙁 so I need a new phone badly. I would get one this time with the full keyboard!! Thanks!

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  46. I like that you can get the weather channel. Because here in michigan you never know if it’s going to be rainy or sunny.

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  56. My current favorite App is Grocery Manager. Moving from Palm TX, I was seeking something similar to HandyShopper, and Grocery Manager is it! I can add things to the list any time I think of it! Check it out at the App catalog!

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  59. I would like to try the What’s for Dinner app, it would be great to have recipes handy when I am at the grocery store.

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  73. The apps I would try out first would be the games like Scrabble, Bejeweled, and Bookworm! I love to use my downtime for casual cell gaming. Thanks!

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  80. I would really like to try the facebook and the google map on this…Both would be used regularly by me.

    Thank you for the great giveaway!

    Reply

  83. I have a palm Pre PLUS and I LOVE IT! I love the Facebook App, The Weather APP,The Today Show APP, and there are bunches of games in the app’s too!

    Reply

  90. i like Mediafly
    Access the best of the web’s audio and video podcasts. Choose from convenient categories like News & Politics or Celebrity Gossip, or customize your own channels 🙂

    Reply

  94. I don’t play many computer games, but I’d love to have Scrabble on my phone! I love Twitter, so I think I’d enjoy having Twee on my phone, too.

    Reply

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