This week the Palm Pre was launched in the US through Sprint. Strategy Analytics User Experience team conducted an assessment of the Pre with 12 existing Smartphone owners in San Diego, CA. Key findings from the study include:

Positive User Experiences
Ease of switching between open applications
Threaded text messaging - easy to follow conversation
Unified messaging - can switch between IM and text messages within conversation
Contact list from multiple sources
Full web browser
Multiple calendar support

Usability Issues
Discovery and utilization of swipe features
No on-screen keyboard
Creation of SMS, email from contact list
Limited customization of contact accounts
Icon clarity - unfamiliarity of icons, and very few words on screen
Set to silent - unclear using volume keys
App Store very limited at present

A full report will be available to Wireless Device Lab clients in the near future.