I have used a Palm based PDA since I entered private practice in 2000. I started with a black & white Handspring Visor.  I then moved on to a Prism. I played with a Palm T|X for a review (and loved it), then moved on to a Treo 600, then a Treo 650, and finally a Treo 755p. I was excited when I saw Palm announce the Pre, then highly disappointed when I discovered that it was initially available only on Sprint’s network.

I have been waiting for more than a year to upgrade my phone to something I like better. The 755 was getting a little slow, but I just didn’t see anything that caught my eye. At least not until the Droid was unveiled. A couple of weeks ago, I picked up a Droid and jettisoned my Palm devices. Coincidentally, the week that I got my Dorid was the week that Palm finally made the Pre and Pixi available with Verizon. My response to learning this was much the same as Futurelawyer’s, who said:

If you had told me a year ago that Palm’s new handsets, the Pre and the Pixie, would be finally available for sale on Verizon Wireless today, and that they would be able to be turned, with software, into WiFi hotspots that could support up to five users at a time, I would be jumping for joy, chomping at the bit, ready to stand in line. Today, I am not impressed. Why? Well, in the year that Palm shot itself in the foot by tying its great new handsets to Sprint, the worst cell company in the world, the other manufacturers haven’t been sleeping. Android has matured into a mobile OS that really gets the job done, and the new OLED screens are big and sharp and beautiful.

If the Pre had been available with Verizon a year ago, I would have snatched it up. Palm did me a favor, however. The joined forces with Sprint, thus allowing me to save my money for a year and pick up the Droid now. I have had it for just over a week, and I love it.

The screen is big, beautiful, and responsive. My wife has a Blackberry Storm, and I find my Droid screen much more responsive than that found on the Storm. Additionally, the available apps are plentiful and easily installed. I have received good reception on the phone and it’s wi-fi easily connects to any network I have tried. Further, I love the integration between it and Google Voice. In sum, there is a lot to love about this phone.

Is it perfect? Of course not. I am not thrilled with the sync options available to sync contacts and calendar. I have tried some third party apps for the synching as well and I am just not pleased with any of the results. On the other hand, I hold out hope that better options are coming. In the meantime, what I have works just fine. I just wish it worked better.

I guess what I am saying is Palm: So long. I knew you well. However, I am now practicing law with a Droid, and loving every minute of it.