Palm Centro

You might think the Palm Centro just puts lipstick on a pig-the pig being Palm's creaky, antiquated operating system-but dang if this little smartphone doesn't turn heads and win hearts. Available in glossy black onyx or fire-engine red, the Centro's slim enough to slip into a pocket-something the chunky Treo never could do. But the real news is the price: At less than a c-note, it's cheap enough for teens and cheapskate execs alike. Palm serves up a new IM applet for the kiddos and robust Office-sync software for the suits. Push e-mail, too. Like the Treo, the Centro's a bit of a lightweight when it comes to multimedia, but it can do YouTube, Internet radio, and streaming TV. No one knows why Palm refuses to offer Wi-Fi, but with Sprint's speedy 3G network, who needs it?

WIRED The Palm OS may be old, but it's still fast, easy to use, and compatible with tons of awesome apps. All the power of a Treo with less of the bulk (and expense). Bundled software keeps you productive, connected, and entertained.

TIRED Zero innovation: It's really just a smaller, more affordable Treo. Battery life sucks: Just 3.5 hours of talk time. Cramped keyboard not for the fat of finger. Stereo Bluetooth not supported out of the box-it requires third-party software.

• Style: Smartphone
• Manufacturer: Palm
• Price: $99
Release Date: October 14, 2007