The $ 199 Palm mini-phone is ready to work alone

The Palm may be small, but it is ready to venture alone. In November, the $ 350 Palm debuted as a small device capable of handling calls and SMS, as well as some other tasks, but only as an accessory for another Verizon phone. Palm has announced a new version capable of serving as a standalone Android phone.

Verizon is currently offering the new Palm for $ 199 with a two-year plan. this transaction ends on May 1, after which it returns to its initial price of $ 350.

According to Palm, the first version of the phone, the "Palm Companion", can not be modified to support stand-alone cell service. However, if you have the old version, you can exchange it and receive a $ 199 credit for the new "Palm smartphone".

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In addition to its extensive service capabilities, Palm says the new model incorporates enhanced cameras and a software update that will extend battery life. The new software will be available for first-generation Palm devices later in April.

Previously, the Palm companion used call forwarding from a main Verizon mobile phone to get calls and SMS – like the LTE system Apple Watch works. Although too small to watch videos, play games or type, we found the palm good for playing music, recording workouts and other tasks at a glance.

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Palm specifications

• 3.3-inch resolution, 445ppi, 720p
• 12 megapixel rear camera and flash
• 8 megapixel front camera
• 32 GB of local storage, 3 GB of RAM
• No expandable storage
• 800mAh battery
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 processor
• Proprietary optical sensor to unlock the phone, but not in 3D (not secure enough for mobile payments)
• A speaker at the front
• USB-C port
• An electric lock button
• Signage checks
• Android 8.1
• No NFC
• Resistance to water: IP68