Will the Pre and its shiny new webOS be enough to save Palm?
There you have it folks, the mystery Palm phone and OS are no longer a mystery and the world has now received its first glimpse at Palm’s hopeful savior. First impressions mean everything and for the time being it’s safe to say we were supremely wowed. Seriously, did you ever imagine you’d see the day when Palm would release a handset and OS combo so perfectly evolutionary and well designed? Once the initial high wears off however, we’re all brought back down to reality – a reality where Palm is a company on the verge of falling apart and the Pre represents what is likely the first in a series of handsets that will make or break it, literally. Is this sharp little piece of kit up to the task?
In another world, the Pre might very well devastate competitive offerings. Without having held the device of course, the hardware looks gorgeous and the new OS looks like it could just be the closest thing to a masterpiece we’ll see in 2009. What’s more, any web developer with a few 101 classes under his/her belt will be able to develop apps for Palm’s new OS with little or nothing new to be learned. The biggest wild card now however, might just be Sprint. By tying itself to a struggling carrier, Palm placed all of its eggs into a very, very fragile basket. Sure, there are pros and cons; an obvious pro is that the Pre will become a huge tool for Sprint. Sprint will invest tons of time, money and other resources into launching and marketing the Pre because, well, what else does it have going on? A WiMAX launch in Podunk, Iowa (calm down, that was a joke)? The Pre will be Sprint’s golden boy and it will get all of the love and attention Palm could ever imagine. Ok, so what’s the problem?
The major con, which is equally as obvious as the benefits mentioned above, is that Sprint is hemorrhaging subscribers and struggling more than any other US carrier to stay afloat. It is losing money like a Lions fan who can’t stop betting on the home team and short of recent layoffs, it is showing no signs of turning the ship around. By partnering with Sprint on this launch, Palm has basically created a relationship where each major player is standing on shaky ground. Does Sprint have a good network? Of course it does – blazing data speeds are nothing new to Sprint subscribers. There are tons of other factors however, such as customer service woes, spotty coverage and a Vista-like stigma that will prevent many from even considering the Pre when it is launched later this year. No, the Pre will certainly not result in a tremendous surge of business funneling through from competing carriers as the iPhone did for AT&T. Last time we checked, Palm fans are hardly as cult-like and fanatical as Apple fans and Joe the Plumber simply doesn’t care that much – that’s why he carries a RAZR.
We want the Pre to be a success, there’s no question. In fact, you can be sure you’ll find a few of these bad boys roaming the halls of BGR HQ. We also want Sprint to figure out how to plug all of the cracks in its dam. The issue here is that there may just be too many hurdles blocking Palm’s path to success and in its current state, Palm is most definitely no Dayron Robles. We can only hope that Palm managed to ink a good deal with Sprint that will allow them to bring its new handset to other carriers before it’s too late and upcoming competitive handsets make Joe the Plumber forget all about the Pre.
#1: It not a smartphone.
#2: You do not know of _any_ details on its pricing/availability since none have been provided by your Jesus-carrier or the Jesus-manufacturer.
Idiot.
Now along with telling us to give up Sprint to never get Palm, this ho is classifying phones. I said you would get a rebate with a specific data pack or an SE plan, where did I say the price of the phone again?
Neither the Instinct [what OS does it run?] nor the Pre(o) is a smartphone, yet you claim both demand to be on an overpriced Simply Everything plan @ $99/Mo? You’re simply not right in the head, bitchboy!
I never said the Instinct is a smartphone, the Pre is, there are 3 Everything plans that the phones (smart, RIM and the Instinct) can be used on. Verizon and ATT don’t even let you get thier smartphones or RIM’s w/o the $30 data pack. Is the other national carriers unlimited plan overpriced too, are you comparing them to regionals?
^The Pre is not a smartphone. It’s an entertainment phone. Smartphones with secure backbones are employed by corporations and governments. Enjoy your toy when you get it.
Regional plans? Why don’t we just argue about each per/kb plan, idiot? Fucking Christ!
Where else is the Pre being called, by reputable people? A windbag calling it an entertainment phone doesn’t count for much
Ever heard of John Dvorak, bitchboy?
You came up with one guy who is all of a sudden the definer of smartphone, so now bitchbeat and this John guy will let us know what to buy and what to call it
I’ll just take that as a resounding “No!”.
Idiot.
One guy, is this day and age, doesn’t define a platform. Thank for the name though I will say you’ve done your one sided research
“In this day and age”? How many “days and ages” have you lived through since your genitals descended, bitchboy? Enough to recall that Eisenhower was ’serviced’ while in the Oval Office?
If you knew anything at all, you’d realize just how ironic your [idiotic] words are.
Idiot.
Long enough to see technology has changed since my 1st vote and before that so one person doesn’t define anything and that goes for more than gadgets
What color is the sky in your universe, bitchboy?
This new OS will be the new “what’s happening” until Android debuts, my scratch needs to be itched. he he he heee the handlers are pretty much in agreement that it’s the “cat’s meow”, I still got to touch it myself and do my best to give it a hand to hand with the rest of my wants
Only in Srintster-Troll-World could you make such a moronic statement that includes “until Android debuts”. The boys at Google are laughing their goddamned asses off at you, bitchboy.
This is getting few bad reviews and anticipation is building on my part, going to try to wait a month to get but will probably play with it in store every possible day
Again, When does Android debut, troll?
There are _NO_ reviews because it is not on the market yet
Idiot.
This will be an awesome smartphone and there little bad to say but will wait to see actual hands on. Two things look at with this is thier App Catalog if you’ll be able to install Android like the other HTC’s, don’t know if the latter is in the cards. Even if Android doesn’t pan out for Palm, HTC will Samsung show that platform some love this summer.
Where are all these reviews you’ve seen, idiot? Any reviews at all, besides the CES dog-n-pony beta show?
“If Android doesn’t pan out for Palm”? Lay off the hallucinogens, bitchboy.
I care, those are the only available reviews and it’s been well recieved. I brought the majority of my content back to topic and left the ones where it would go nowhere alone. Now we have a few months to dissect pros and cons, so far I’m not dissuaded
@bitchboy who said: “If Android doesn’t pan out for Palm”
Further thoughts, oh-informed-One”?
_STILL_ LMGDAO @ U!
Keep gulping the Palm Koolade, idiot. When a beta model, months away from production wins your unqualified support, a reasonable person can see you for what you are. Shill.
So backbeat what qualifies you to decide What’s good and not?
I’m _still_ waiting for your further thoughts on “If Android doesn’t pan out for Palm”.
Please elaborate.
Idiot.
I give up and am waiting on you to elaborate on what I should be thinking. Before learning the error of my ways I was under the impression the Android platform would debut (on Sprint) around June. I don’t want anything to do with Palm now