Palm Phones

The Pixi Plus packs speedy Internet and a unique messaging system into a compact shell. It operates on Palm's WebOS platform, so it stays connected to the Internet at all times, offering real-time alerts whenever a text, email, instant message or social update arrives. The platform also groups messages by person instead of message type, making conversations fluid regardless of the messaging source.

Released for Verizon, the Palm Pre Plus is the newest generation of the Pre, which dazzled many when it appeared last year. Like its predecessor, the Plus runs on WebOS, allowing you to flip through operations without closing anything, and sort messages and social networks by contact.

The buzz surrounding the Palm Pre has shaken the smartphone world. On the verge of bankruptcy, Palm poached Jon Rubinstein, the project manager of Apple's iPod, to head its research and development.

Palm touts the Centro as its smallest smartphone yet, and they've managed to fit a lot into a small package. To a large degree, the Centro is a smaller, more modern looking version of the Treo -- with many of the same features, including a keyboard with tiny keys. But the design also seems targeted at younger, less business oriented consumers attracted to sleek devices such as the BlackBerry Pearl.

As staples among busy professionals, the Treo, iPAQ, and BlackBerry lines have been the epitome of business on the road. With PDA / phone combinations, travelers can stay in touch with the office without losing productivity.