Sprint has updated their Palm Pre website with details of the smartphone’s technical specifications. And while we are already familiar with most of its features, including a multi touch display and QUERTY sliding keyboard, a few previously unmentioned capabilities have now been revealed, one of which is that the Pre will support data tethering either via Bluetooth or USB.


This means that you can connect the Pre to a laptop and use it as a wireless access point, providing internet access from anywhere you have coverage, with transfer rates usually peaking at around 2Mbps on Sprint’s EVDO network. Many of the carrier’s smartphones already support this feature but it is still welcome news for potential buyers and perhaps will inspire Apple and AT&T to hurry up with their answer – although various third-party applications have already enabled tethering on jailbroken iPhone 3Gs.

The smartphone is expected to debut this first half of 2009, with rumors pointing to a launch in May, but no pricing details for the device itself or the tethering service have been revealed as of yet. Check out the complete Palm Pre spec list after the jump.

Palm Pre

* Exclusive carrier at launch: Sprint
* Availability: First half of 2009
* Weighs 4.8 ounces
* Width: 2.3″ Height: 3.9″ Thickness: 0.67″
* Texas Instruments OMAP3430 processor
* 8 GB built-in storage (no SD expansion slot)
* 3.1-inch half-VGA touch screen with 320×480 resolution and 24-bit color
* Full slide-down QWERTY keyboard
* EVDO Rev. A
* 802.11b/g Wi-Fi
* GPS with turn-by-turn navigation
* 3.0 megapixel camera with LED flash
* Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR and A2DP stereo support
* Laptop tethering via Bluetooth or USB
* 3.5mm headphone jack
* Sensors for ambient light, proximity, and accelerometer
* Replaceable battery
* MicroUSB, USB 2.0, and USB mass storage support
* Microsoft Outlook e-mail via Microsoft Direct Push Technology
* Support for POP3, IMAP, Gmail, Yahoo e-mail, AOL e-mail
* Support for IM, SMS, and MMS
* Media player with support for MP3, AAC, AAC+, AMR, QCELP, WAV, MPEG-4, H.263, H.264