Shootout: Palm Pre versus iPhone 3GS and the Winner is...

First, let us do away with the similarities. Like the iPhone, external controls are kept to a minimum on the Pre. On the left side, it has volume up/down buttons, and a mute switch on the top, next to the on/off button while on the right side, it has a small flap covering the microUSB connector, and a single centre button is located beneath the screen.

In terms of specifications, Palm Pre is similar to iPhone - it is a quad-band GSM phone with 3G/HSDPA support at up to 3.6Mbit/s and is equipped with 802.11b/g Wi-Fi for internet access. It also has Bluetooth support for wireless headsets. It boasts of a 3.1-inch touchscreen display with 320 x 480 resolution. It also has GPS capability for location-based services, such as the built-in Google Maps, and, like the iPhone, an accelerometer that senses if you rotate the device and changes the display to match.

However, this is where the similarities end.

Though weight-wise, Palm Pre and iPhone weigh almost the same (135gm), size-wise Palm Pre is slightly smaller in length and breadth (100.5mmx59.5mm) but bigger in terms of thickness (16.95mm as against iPhone's 12.3mm).

However, Palm Pre's more rounded shape (the phone has the look and feel of a pebble with rounded corners) gives it a sleeker look and a more comfortable fit in the hand.