Palm Pre to Launch June 6th Priced at $199.99

[22Hertz]

Rebate?...pfffff
Ive never had a rebate come back right if at all.

As far as I'm concerned its a $300 phone.

More important than the price of the phone is the service (reoccurring fee) price. If they bumped up the 450 minutes to 600-700 minutes I would seriously consider it as that would be a fair price for that plan.

As it stand this will hurt Apples iPhone sales.
Att reception sucks and their plans are expensive. That alone keeps me from getting an iPhone.

 

[cpt.iphone]

I think it's going to be an alternative as opposed to a substitute, it's on a different carrier for starters. And there are things like a tactile keyboard that are just preferences not downfalls. I will be sticking my iphone, but glad to see there might be some competition. the ball is in your court Apple!

 

[Goona]

We'll see how many people will mind paying 300+ for this phone when they get to the stores.

 

[QCassidy352]

Well, you can do what I did - enable Google sync support for Calendar and Contacts (native in OS X) then you can use the Pre's built in Google sync. You could then cancel your MobileMe and save yourself $70 a year like I did. Google also provides Exchange sync for Calendar and Contacts so you can use that too.

Missing Sync also noted that they will support the Pre sometime after launch.

The one downside is that the Pre wont support iTunes/iPhoto directly (that I know of) but Missing Sync will and does for other mobiles. As a Mac user I wish companies would cater to our apps but the reality is that we only have 12% at best market share.

Ugh, no thanks. I don't want 3rd party solutions and work arounds. One-touch syncing with all of my bookmarks/photos/music/movies/apps/calenders/contacts will be just fine, thanks.

The App Store, GPS, complete redesign, new OS, 3G over EDGE...that was pretty major update compared to what this seems like it would be.

If you count the App store as part of the upgrade then I agree. Hardware-wise, I consider this much more significant.

 

[madmaxmedia]

On average, only about 60% of the people who could claim a rebate actually do so. Either they send it in late, don't fulfill the requirements or they simply don't do it at all. It is a legal way to advertise the product at a lower rate, when in reality they only end up selling it to the public at that price about half the time. This is the fundamental reason for any rebate.

That's basically it. It is also a way for a manufacturer to offer a discount to the end-user without having to adjust pricing through the distribution chain. But that doesn't really apply here since this is a brand new product.

I wonder what the redemption rate for the Pre rebate will be. I imagine it will be higher. OTOH that figure (60-70% unclaimed) is a pretty widely seen number. Works great for me because I finally got into the habit of sending in rebates early, instead of waiting until the last day and then forgetting and missing the deadline.

 

[GQB]

Nothing else that makes it "a whole new experience".

I've yet to run into any iPhone/touch user who wants 'a whole new experience'.
The current one is pretty damned good.
And constantly gets better. Works for me.

As to coverage, I live at the edges of civilization in an area where no one gets reception... except for me on AT&T.
FWIW.

 

[RumorHasIt....]

Rebates are bad news!!!!!!

First off, I have been a palm fan for many years. They really need for this to be a success. However, rebates are bad news; many times you don't receive them, many times you forget to mail them, and many take too long to come. Circuit City used them extensively and we all know their outcome.

$300 is the price you pay now. With the iPhone already entrenched as the leader (BB's are combined and on all carriers so I'm not counting them;palm is only on sprint and it's only a single model like the iPhone), this price won't cut it with a lot of people.

Also, the iPhone has rumors of being improved. One of the improvements is increased storage (32gb). At this time, I know it's not definite but the rumor is there and people react to rumors. At onset, the Pre is only 8gb. That's a big difference.

I would love for the Pre to be a success. Then, Apple would have to improve on the iPhone. Also, the prices would fall. Unfortunately, I do not think that the Pre will be all that successful. I hope that I am wrong.

 

[GQB]

I have an iPhone 3G and my next phone won't be from Apple, but from Palm. I don't care about iPhone 3. I'm sure I'm not the only one who is happy to ditch the iPhone and its closed model.

And the Pre is an 'open model'... how?
call me when an app more sophisticated than a crossword puzzle shows up on the Pre. Have you even looked at the dev kit? Again... network-enabled Hypercard.

 

[zap2]

The 2G to 3G upgrade was more significant because it has a greater effect on actual user experience.

Big assumption, considering the new iPhone isn't out yet!

 

[dragossh]

Umm.. Palm will essentially be a closed platform as well. They will open their own app store.

App Store != closed platform.

What I'm talking about is the fact that I can't install an unapproved app or customize my own device without jailbreaking. On the Pre, if Qik for example doesn't appear on the app store, I will be able to download it from the web and drag&drop it to the device despite whatever Sprint or Palm thinks.

Besides, I won't have to wait 3 years for Palm to introduce features already standard on other smartphones.

And the Pre is an 'open model'... how?
call me when an app more sophisticated than a crossword puzzle shows up on the Pre. Have you even looked at the dev kit? Again... network-enabled Hypercard.

Have YOU looked at the dev kit? Have YOU tried it? Or are you just making the assumption that because apps are written in HTML5, CSS and JS they must be worse than their iPhone counterparts?
Pandora certainly seemed impressed with Mojo. And here you go, first app that is more advanced than a crossword puzzle.

 

[GQB]

App Store != closed platform.

What I'm talking about is the fact that I can't install an unapproved app or customize my own device without jailbreaking. On the Pre, if Qik for example doesn't appear on the app store, I will be able to download it from the web and drag&drop it to the device despite whatever Sprint or Palm thinks.

Besides, I won't have to wait 3 years for Palm to introduce features already standard on other smartphones.

Don't reinvent definitions.
open/closed means open standards and interoperability (or not).
Having a controlled distribution does not make iPhone closed.
I don't consider either the iPhone or Pre 'open'.

 

[madmaxmedia]

Big assumption, considering the new iPhone isn't out yet!

Yes, but I was talking mainly about the rumored spec bumps someone else had discussed.

I don't have any expectations on the actual new iPhone yet, as I think Apple probably has a couple of things up their sleeve they haven't revealed yet.

I do think software is where Apple really has the clear advantage over the rest, so I'm actually just as or more interested in the final OS 3 rollout than the new iPhone. But of course the hardware has to be there to support what you want to do in software.

 

[dragossh]

Don't reinvent definitions.
open/closed means open standards and interoperability (or not).
Having a controlled distribution does not make iPhone closed.
I don't consider either the iPhone or Pre 'open'.

Alright, how about "dumbed down" instead of "closed"?
Now, what is not open about the Pre?

 

[notromeel]

Did anyone take into consideration the three executives on Pre's team that have extensive Apple culture in them. 25+ years. That's worth noting in the convo.

 

[pavvento]

And I prepare to laugh when everyone realizes just how clunky of a device it will be.

The thing is thick. The OS is going to be a mess. It reportedly feels extremely cheap and creaks when you use it because it's all poorly constructed. And the MIR just makes it even more shady to purchase because most people won't get that 100 dollars back. It also doesn't help that Sprint has a terrible network and dying while Palm is a company with poor products and dying...

it is all set up for failure. I've been saying it from the start.

The OS is going to be a mess? You've used it? Do you have some knowledge that nobody else is aware of?

I fully expect my mail in rebate. I have never once not received one, and don't know why it would happen now.

 

[MarkMS]

Where's my GSM version?

 

[Warbrain]

I have also used it daily. And no, it's not a whole new experience. It's iPhone 2.0 with copy/paste and search, just like he said.

Then you haven't really used it. You've just had it on your phone and you haven't actually seen what's changed.

Leave the Yankees alone. They've one six in a row. Suck it!

The Rays will kick their ass later in the season, don't worry.

 

[pavvento]

Did anyone take into consideration the three executives on Pre's team that have extensive Apple culture in them. 25+ years. That's worth noting in the convo.

LOGIC! Oh my goodness you won't last long on this board. Better put the blinders back on.

 

[dragossh]

Did anyone take into consideration the three executives on Pre's team that have extensive Apple culture in them. 25+ years. That's worth noting in the convo.

That's exactly why the Pre is awesome and very iPhone-like while the others just tanked.

Where's my GSM version?

Coming when it's done(TM)? 2nd half 2009, says Palm.

 

[sliderocity]

$70 for wireless induction charging? Yup, that whole "plugging a cable into the phone" is just too hard.

And people accuse Apple of putting out overpriced crap that people don't need.

Apple does do that...and you forget that Touchstone is optional.

 

[Slim02]

Translation = LOUD NOISES !111!!!@@!!!

I hate fanboys

You should realize that competition only makes things better for everyone.

REALLY.. That why stores are closing left and right in the USA.. Also the car companies in the USA are close to going under.. So competition is so great that people are losing their jobs.. If competition is so great then why are we seeing stores going under? That is right because of competition broke the camels back..

 

[NAG]

LOGIC! Oh my goodness you won't last long on this board. Better put the blinders back on.

Yeah, I mean why would someone last long on this board full of people crying "OMG APPLE FANBOY" the moment anyone brings up a legitimate issue with anything in between saying "BBQ COMPETITION IS GOOD ONE OF US ONE OF US."

Seriously, can we stop shooting one liners at each other and actually talk about things?

 

[themoonisdown09]

REALLY.. That why stores are closing left and right in the USA.. Also the car companies in the USA are close to going under.. So competition is so great that people are losing their jobs.. If competition is so great then why are we seeing stores going under? That is right because of competition broke the camels back..

No, it's because some businesses don't know how to manage their money.

 

[notromeel]

Why won't I last long? My point isn't legitimate? With all the talk of other off-topicness? Please explain.

 

[mdriftmeyer]

What? No one's complaining that Pre will be exclusive to the Sprint Network and not available with Verizon, T-Mobile, etc yet won't shut up about the iPhone being exclusive for AT&T in the states.

This is Sprint on it's last legs looking for a buy out.