Review: Palm Pixi
Display
The Pixi uses essentially the same display as its bigger brother, the Pre, but minus about 80 pixels. It measures 320 across by 400 up and down. The Pre measured 320 x 480. It looks really good, but I felt it wasn't very bright. Even set to maximum brightness, it looked muted in a dimly lit room. Reading it outside in sunlight was even more difficult. But it was sharp, and colors looked good.
Signal
The Pixi performed better than average on the Sprint network. I was more consistently able to find a strong EVDO signal and remain connected. I didn't miss any calls with the Pixi, nor did I notice any difficulties when browsing the web. I can't say that browsing speeds were super speedy, but they weren't slow, either. The Pixi passed the NJ vault test (the local ShopRite) with flying colors. I had no signal issues in a number of different regions across NJ and New York City.
One major bummer about the Pixi compared to the Pre is that it deletes Wi-Fi from the list of on-board radios. That means if you're in an area with sub-par coverage, you can't switch over and browse via Wi-Fi.
Sound
The Pixi's ringtones are certainly loud enough to be heard in most places. I can't say the same for the earpiece, though. Set to maximum volume, I had trouble hearing conversations in only mildly noisy places such as coffee shops and city streets. Places such as a bar or restaurant will require you to go outside. Quality of phone calls was a little inconsistent, but more good than bad. I noticed a few occasional outbursts of noise, and it sometimes sounded as though I had placed a sock over the top of the phone. Some calls were muffled. The vibrate alert was strong enough that it will make the Pixi dance across a table top.
Battery
The Pixi falls into line with the sad, new reality of smartphone battery life. Devices that are constantly connected to email and social networks are only going to get you through one day before needing a recharge, if you're lucky. The Pixi lasted from 7 AM until 11PM two days in a row with a little life to spare, so that counts as making it through a full, wakeful day. But it definitely needed to be plugged into the wall each night. Have a charger with you at all times if possible.
Hands On: Palm Pixi
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