Palm Pixi Smartphone [Palm webOS, Full QWERTY Keyboard, 2.63-in Multi-Touch Screen, Integrated GPS]

It would seem that Palm’s latest product introduction was destined to get lost in the shuffle. Whether this was by design or simply pure happenstance, the announcement today by Palm of the launch of their new Palm Pixi smartphone might be struggling to get the attention the handheld marketers are looking for. The Palm Pixi appears to be a diluted version of the popular Palm Pre and what it lacks in functionality just might be comparable to the lack of interest most potential users may show when it comes to picking one up for themselves.

The new Palm Pixi, as announced today by the folks at Palm, is being touted as a faster, more intuitive personal communication device available in a compact and customizable design. The webOS-driven Pixi has paired a visible full QWERTY keyboard with a 2.63-in multi-touch TFT display that offers gestural navigation in 18-bit color and 320×400 resolution. So far, those sound like a great set of features. And for managing your social media and general contact information, the Pixi allows users to link their info with Google, Facebook and Exchange ActiveSync. The Palm Pixi also adds Yahoo! and LinkedIn integration to Palm Synergy and puts it all together in the same view for easier navigation.

As for connectivity, this may be where the Pixi takes the biggest hit. The Pixi will use Sprint’s EV-DO Rev. A network for Internet access and there is no wi-fi option. This means that you need a fairly strong connection to the Sprint network to make use of the web functionality, a downside many consumers may find hard to swallow. On the upside, The Palm Pixi does come with 8GB of internal storage and will still synchronize with compatible versions of iTunes, just like the Palm Pre. Like the Pre, the Pixi will also use GPS for location-based services, as well as an accelerometer to orient your images and web pages based on the position of the device. The fixed-focus camera of the Pixi is also slightly under that found on the Pre, at 2MP instead of 3MP.

To help jumpstart the sales of the new Pixi, Palm has given users the option to customize their device with several different artist-inspired back covers; again, not revolutionary, but definitely something that will get attention with the younger, more impressionable crowd. Pricing has yet to be announced for the new Pixi, but given the current competitive landscape and pricing for the Pre ($150 with contract) it might be a safe bet to see this new device come in somewhere just over $100. Palm has also stated that the Pixi will be available just in time for the holidays. For more information and to check out the Pixi Artist Series designs you can head over to www.palm.com.