Palm Centro Gets UnlockedPalm Centro Gets Unlocked

The little smartphone that could has been boosting Palm's stock and is available on Verizon Wireless, Sprint, and AT&T. But, Palm announced the Centro is now available unlocked and with an enhanced Google feature.The device will be almost identical to the AT&T version with a touch screen, full QWERTY keyboard, Bluetooth, instant messaging, EDGE (ugh), and support for Xpress Mail. The unlocked version will run $299, and won't have the lime green number keys that the AT&T version sports.

A much-needed upgrade is the "My Location" feature with Google Maps. This nifty feature allows non-GPS handsets to determine their approximate location using cell towers. It's not as exact as GPS, but it's better than nothing.

When the Centro was first unveiled, it took a beating from the press, especially for its look. We at information even put in our gallery of 10 ugliest smartphones ever. But the phone has been an unqualified hit, as the company is expected to ship 2 million units by the end of the year.

I've spent some time with a Centro, and I can tell why people like it. It's by no means a BlackBerry replacement, but it's not trying to be. The touch screen is responsive and quick, the UI's pretty darn smooth, and even the design grew on me after a while.

With super-sleek devices dominating the news coverage, it's very interesting to see an 'ugly' entry-level smartphone outsell most of them.