Comments on: Peek announces the Pronto as RIM giggles like a schoolgirl

By: Al Domin

Al Domin — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 01:18:11 +0000

I came to this site expecting to see reviews from actual Peek users. All I see here are negative reactions to a gadget they don’t even own. There’s no dispute that Blackberry and Iphone are way ahead of this low end gadget. The truth is I never really browse the net on my blackberry. I text, read email and talk. This gadget will be perfect for me, change my Blackberry to a regular phone still get my email be able to text. Pay half the bill I’m paying now less the tons of surcharges for data and phone use. This is perfect for people who can’t afford a cell contract.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 18:41:40 +0000

I don’t know why there’s so much negativity about this product. I just bought it for my dad who loves it. I don’t know what their target demographic is but my dad is in his 60s and is definitely not into gadgets, tech, etc. (he still uses a typewriter to do his invoicing). He likes his simplistic cell phone and doesn’t want to deal with carrying a laptop around. Most of the people reading this site would probably have no use for a Peek (or the Pronto) but for others that don’t want to pay $30 a months when they only need to be able to have email on the go this thing is great. Additionally, everyone that is comparing Peek’s $19.99 a month to other providers hasn’t actually thought about how this breaks down. The $19.99 is exactly what shows up on your credit card statement — no additional fees, taxes, etc. As for the post about how this device looks huge…maybe you were looking at a blown up display model because it’s about the same size as a Blackberry and maybe even a little slimmer. Sorry for the rant but it seems like there are a lot of “reviews” on here about this thing by no one that has actually used it.

By: Justin

Justin — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 19:47:25 +0000

Well, it’s an idea, but that looks like one uncomfortable keyboard…

By: jayrodathome

jayrodathome — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 19:02:07 +0000

@tande04
No way Soccer moms. Soccer moms have blackberry thumb from using blackberry’s. I know about 20 soccer moms including my own. They are very non-gadgety ?? is that a word? They like to have either A) Their iPhone all in one, wonder Or B) Their Blackberry and armband strapped iPod nano. (my storm will play mp3’s but the doesn’t mean I use it)Plus they text to phone numbers (their own) not an email gateway. For $20/mo they can have Email on their phone. I can’t see anyone buying and using this device unless they have no cred for a mobile account or like to have a little anonymity in their pocket. I will never know anyone to have this device.

@ Chuong

I agree.

I do not know if Verizon even has an unlimited text package. My phones service is company owned but I know they pay $10/mo for my text package that gives me 2000 messages I think..

By: Lolarry

Lolarry — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 16:47:11 +0000

Good thing it doesn’t have a browser…it could have been a serious competitor.

By: TRV$

TRV$ — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 02:12:39 +0000

Sooooo what this tells me is….

TIME subscribers have no idea what a BlackBerry is.

sad that.

By: Mike M.

Mike M. — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 21:46:26 +0000

LOL EPIC FAIL.

By: dan smith

dan smith — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 21:32:06 +0000

Hey guys I totally agree Bold FTW! Lol. But really the companies that come out with these devices need to look at the overall picture. Companies for the most part aim for niche products and thos that do well survive but those that put out stuff like this. Eh. Could be the new netbook revolution lmao jk. Have a nice one guys

By: gog8rs

gog8rs — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 21:19:55 +0000

Have to check in on the lifetime subscription. Thanks for the heads up.

By: jazzyl

jazzyl — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 19:55:47 +0000

preety cool but i prefare my Blackberry thank you!!!!!!

By: Raphael salgado

Raphael salgado — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 19:29:47 +0000

I agree with most commenters here.

Either drop the price to $10 or less per month, or add social networking capabilities such as Facebook, Twitter, AOL, Yahoo, MSN, ICQ, GoogleTalk, etc. If you’re going that route, get an SDK and have people make their own apps, too.

By: Jordan Brown

Jordan Brown — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 18:55:26 +0000

Peek does sell their device with a lifetime subscription. I can’t recall the price off hand, but I remember seeing the sales data for Costco comparing the lifetime sales compared to the month to month sales, and a huge percentage of people bought the lifetime subscription one.

By: Pythagoras

Pythagoras — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 17:51:49 +0000

no doubt very few of us reading bgr would benefit from one of these

but there are people who would

it looks pretty cool to me: $20 for unlimited email and SMS!

By: sean.

sean. — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 17:45:10 +0000

LOL.

By: gog8rs

gog8rs — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 17:17:06 +0000

I have family that lives in the country. No cable access and only dial up for internet. Therefore email is a PITA. A device like this with cellular connectivity is a really good idea for a narrow market of people. The $20/month is the only reason I didn’t jump on the first peek for family members. I would rather see an option for “lifetime” subscriptions. Or a year for $99. An extra $250 per year is hard to justify for an email device. But I do “get” where they’re going with this.

By: backbeat

backbeat — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 17:13:47 +0000

Although I have no idea what TMo’s revenues are with this device, you have to wonder if consumers carrying cheap feature phones with email capability and accompanying $15/Mo data plans will forego them just to pursue this? My money is on ‘no’.

@celz: Small biz may take a hard look at this these days, given the need to cut costs to survive, -if- the nature of their business has little-to-no sensitivity. Those required to protect information due to compliance standards, IP, trade secrets or otherwise won’t even give this thing an interview.

By: slavio Shack employee

slavio Shack employee — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 17:00:48 +0000

Its is going to be available via Amazon amd Radio shack

By: celz

celz — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 16:58:42 +0000

they need to target corporate companies fast.. believe it or not those old school motorolla two and one way pagers are still popular where a bb or wm device is too much.. as for consumers i dont know how they think they can make a buzz..

By: Elvis S

Elvis S — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 16:21:10 +0000

A nice device, but 8 years too late. In 2000 or 2001 one it would have been a great idea. There simply isnt that much demand for that price point – T-Mobile BIS is the same per month. And most people already need/have a cell-phone.

By: crazylegs

crazylegs — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 16:06:06 +0000

Don’t soccer moms usually need calendaring, notes/tasks, etc in addition to email? A smartphone is the perfect solution for them, not this POS.

By: tande04

tande04 — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:59:56 +0000

@jayrodathome: I don’t think this is targeted at kids.

Like everyone else, I don’t really know who this is targeted at but looking at the picture I’d guess soccer moms.

I don’t know any soccer moms personally but I would guess that like others have said, anyone that needs this functionality has already gotten a smartphone or at least a dumbphone with decent email.

By: Ervel Flick

Ervel Flick — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:54:56 +0000

Yeah, I’m not sure what niche Peek is filling. People who have enough need for mobile email to warrant a separate device and service fee just get BlackBerries.

Seems… useless to me.

By: jj50

jj50 — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:50:15 +0000

Why are you covering this, BGR? How much did Peek pay you? Losers.

By: Chuong

Chuong — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:38:30 +0000

@ jayrodathome

How much does the unlimited text messaging plan cost again with Verizon?

This is a good device for a person who doesn’t use a lot of airtime (prepaid) but has a need for email/text.

By: backbeat

backbeat — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:32:15 +0000

@RogerA: TMo killed the $9.99 Blackberry plan (for all but the grandfathered) a while back. I believe $20 is now their BIS price.

By: jayrodathome

jayrodathome — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:21:35 +0000

oh yeah. The previous version is on sale at Walmart for $50 and the box doesn’t show the monthly bill nor do the employees know what it is. Tricky!

By: jayrodathome

jayrodathome — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:19:37 +0000

To expensive. My storm data package with verizon is $30 and I get web access. This only does email and text messages (no camera) for $20. For this to be a hit (amongst the youngins i’m sure) it will have to be in the $11.95/mo range. remember beepers? $6 a month got you a BEEP!

By: Roger A

Roger A — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:11:27 +0000

Seen it in Target and its not all that, its rather big. Its like carrying a Kindle in your pocket.

As for BIS email only at TMO, I think its $9.99 but that was a while ago so FIIK,FIIC!

By: Matt S.

Matt S. — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:07:20 +0000

Peek, you’ve revolutionized the need to carry way too many gadgets around. Nice work.

By: crazylegs

crazylegs — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:02:31 +0000

Doesn’t tmobile offer a personal BIS plan for web/email for blackberries around the same price? This seems like too small of a niche product. Has anyone seen one of these in real life?

Perhaps for $80 and $240/year it might be fun to play around with it.