Obviously there's more at work here than just another cool smartphone. People (especially tech journalists) are rooting for Palm to get back in the game. Part of it is a natural desire to root for the underdog, part of it is remembering how cool and innovative Palm products used to be -- and longing for them to be that way again. Call it nostalgia.

As a longtime Palm fan, I'm rooting for them, too. One more good smartphone in the market means more pressure on Apple to keep innovating, and less room for Microsoft to spoil the party by using its muscle to force shoddy Windows Mobile handsets onto the buying public. May the best handset win.