I'm pretty sure the modem function will still be available, either by bluetooth or tether. I use my Treo 755p regularly as a high speed modem too (third party app called USBModem). It rocks.
Once they figured out a workable platform for PAM plans, Sprint has been hellbent on trying to ensure that newer phones can't do it for free as easily (seriously, we keep getting memos and updates about this). Whether they're actually successful is one thing, but it's funny that they really don't seem to give a damn about the devices that are already out.
deal-breaker for me if this Pre can't record video. phone looks cool, but the guy in the video needs to take a public speaking class - his 'uhh's and 'umm's took up half the video.
Release date is June 6th and will be $199 with 2-yr plan and rebate. http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10244423-1.html [rquoter]Sprint Nextel and Palm announced on Tuesday an official release date and pricing for the Palm Pre. The Pre will be available nationwide on June 6 for $199.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate and with a two-year contract on Sprint's Everything Data plan or Business Essentials with Messaging and Data plan. In addition to Sprint stores, the Pre will be sold online and at Best Buy, RadioShack, and some Wal-Mart Stores. Accessories for Palm's Web OS-based smartphone will also be available June 6, including the Touchstone Charging Kit (Touchstone dock and Touchstone back cover), which will retail for $69.99. Alternatively, you can buy the dock and back cover separately for $49.99 and $19.99, respectively. (A regular charger will be included in the sales package.) The Pre will provide access to such Sprint content as Sprint Navigation, Sprint TV, and Nascar Sprint Cup Mobile Live. Interestingly, the release date is a Saturday, which in some ways is a good move since it allows for weekend sales. Making the Pre available at other retailers is also a nice move. However, June 6 is two days before the start of Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference, where we'll most likely see a new iPhone announcement. Currently, the 8GB iPhone 3G goes for $199 with a two-year contract and AT&T offers a range of voice and text messaging plans on top of the required $30 a month data plan. You can check out our comparison chart here. That said, I'm curious: will you wait to hear about the new iPhone before making a purchase? What do you think about the Pre's pricing? Are you like me and just happy to finally know the price and release date? Please share your thoughts. [/rquoter] Thought I would give this thread a bump. I've been in the market for a new phone and have been considering this one.
Not really an iPhone killer but it will take a chunk out of the iPhone sales. I find this phone design too feminine for my taste I don't like their QWERTY keyboard. What I really like about this phone is the webOS.
The only iPhone killer is a new iPhone. I really do not see anyone coming in and doing what the iPhone does, better. Both the hardware and software are just too good.
Meh, I have an iPhone and it suck compare to what the Palm Pre can do. The hardware on the iPhone also suck. THe only thing that got going for them is their platform and it's a POS without the jailbreak...
Nothing is going to kill the iPhone. It's just going to take a chunk out of their share. The iPhone can always release a new phone with better options to match the latest phone. They are exactly doing that for the next iPhone to stay competitive with the release of the Palm Pre and others that are coming out this year. THe most anticipated secret phone would be from Microsoft. What I heard is that it might incorporate Nvidia Tegra .
I think you severely underestimate the Pre. Apple didn't start feverishly broadcasting rumors of a "new iPhone" until Palm showed up. First they threatened with patents, and when Palm was like "nuh uh, you don't want to open that pandora's box" then they started leaking nebulous rumors about a next-generation iPhone to try and steal Palm's marketing thunder. The chip that runs the Pre is a TI OMAP 3430. It's designed to deliver laptop-like performance in a handheld. This phone can literally run dozens of applications simultaneously. The OS blows anything anyone else has to offer out of the water. Palm has Apple on their heels here. The only reason why Apple will likely the upper hand is that they have such a strong share of the market already and have a nice cash warchest, but if this phone is truly what it promises to be, I seriously doubt Palm is going to have any problems with cash going forward.
Went through 4+ hours of Palm Pre training here at Sprint the other day. We had about 20 -30 of them to play around with, so I imagine there's a lot of them out there. All I can say is that it is one badass little phone. The interface is very user-friendly and intuiative. Plus, my relatively short attention span allowed me to become very familiar with its video and web surfing capabilities. (Watched the 1st half of Nuggets-Lakers though Sprint TV-ESPN) This is why you sit in the back of the room for these things. The card sysem it uses to swap through multiple running programs is ingenious and so far the PalmOS operating system seems to be a real winner. Phone gave me and my coworkers no discernable freezing or slowdown issues, and trust me, we definitely put them through their paces. The Pre's relative lack of programming options and it's inbility to do a battery removal powercycle are going to be a b**** for us though. BTW, here's what it looks like with Clutchfans bbs loaded (terrible quality, sorry. Had to sneak to take the pic.):
The phone has a full web browser like the iphone? How good was the picture quality of the game on the phone?
Yeah, it has a full web browser with the same type of zoom and scroll capability. The game quality was pretty decent for streaming video. Slightly choppy at points. About like what you would see on those justin.tv links.
