We're all getting pretty excited about the prospects offered by the Palm Pre and what it may bring to the cell phone market, but when will it finally be released to the public? A beta tester has leaked that info.
Naturally, you'll want to take this report with a huge grain of salt, but it apparently comes from one of the beta testers for the Palm Pre. The beta tester happens to be on Twitter and he recently said that he spoke to the account manager regarding launch info for the Palm Pre.
In his tweets, this Sprint beta tester says that the Palm Pre will be launching on April 30th and that's the "line in the sand, according to my acct mgr there...he's usually right on #Palm Pre." An April 30th launch date puts the phone slightly ahead of schedule, which is good news for fans of the touchy-QWERTY phone.
But how much will it cost? The same beta tester reports that he has a source (not Sprint) marking the Palm Pre's price tag at $299 with a two-year contract. That's the same price as a 16GB iPhone 3G from AT&T, so while it sounds pricey, it seems competitive. That said, the beta tester bets that it will be "$100 or so after all the hype wears off."
Ah, the price of being an early adopter.
[Originally posted at mobilemag.com]
Monday, March 30, 2009
Saturday, March 21, 2009
What if the Palm Pre Bombs?
Palm has a lot of prestige and funds riding on the success of the Palm Pre smartphone. Advance buzz for the device has reached a fever pitch, but in the face of such enormous expectations, not to mention competition from the Apple iPhone and RIM BlackBerry mobile and wireless devices, the question remains: What if the Palm Pre fails in the market?
Palm plans on releasing its new smartphone, the Palm Pre, during the first half of 2009, and has managed to build considerable buzz for the device over the past few months.
The company is betting that a blockbuster project will not only boost its revenue, but pull it out of what Ed Colligan, CEO of Palm, called a "challenging transitional period" in a March 20 statement.
In one sign of how dire the situation has become, news reports on March 19 stated that Palm had remarketed 18.5 million common stock-shares, worth roughly $103 million, in a bid to raise more cash. Sales of Palm's older smartphones have been declining at a steady pace.
Palm sees the Pre as a potential rival for the Apple iPhone, with Roger McNamee, a partner in Palm investor Elevation Partners, boldly predicting on March 6 that current iPhone users would promptly switch smartphones upon the Pre's release: "Not one of those people will still be using an iPhone a month later."
McNamee's confidence at least partially stemmed from the Pre's much-glimpsed design, which includes a 3.1-inch multitouch screen and a real keyboard, Wi-Fi, USB, Bluetooth 2.1, GPS and a built-in 3-megapixel camera. Much of the Pre's "look" can likely be attributed to the influence of Jon Rubinstein, who left Apple in 2006 after contributing mightily to the development of the iMac and iPod.
Three days after McNamee's statements, on March 9, Palm filed an SEC document describing the investor's claims as "exaggerated."
Nonetheless, the company doubtlessly hopes that the device, for which no price has publicly been set, will succeed wildly, especially given Palm's financial difficulties. On March 4, Palm announced its sixth consecutive quarter of losses, with Palm revenues for third-quarter 2009 falling to around $90 million.
With all that at stake, what will it mean for Palm if the Pre only performs at an average level—or worse yet, bombs?
"If it tanks, that's a lot of R&D that's backfired," Ramon Llamas, an analyst at IDC, said in an interview. In between that ultimate negative prospect and blockbuster status, he added, is a middle ground with "a whole lot of gray."
However, Llamas reaffirmed that Palm needs the Pre in order to succeed. "The Palm OS as we knew it fulfilled what we needed it to do, but it was aging in the face of other technologies from Apple and RIM," he said. High sales will allow Palm to "re-establish itself as not an also-ran."
The Pre's degree of success is also something that will likely be clearer over the medium term, if history is any indication. "Let's not forget, when the Apple iPhone came out in its first and second generation, in the first weeks it was panned for bugs and glitches," Llamas said. "Those problems were addressed, and you don't hear about them anymore."
The implication is that, even if initial buzz about the device post-launch is less than ecstatic, Palm shouldn't be written off just yet. Another potential complication, however, is Sprint Nextel, which has exclusive U.S. rights to the Pre through the end of 2009.
Sprint has offered a variety of individual, family and business plans for the Pre, with pricing for the individual Everything Data 450, 900 and Unlimited plans starting at $69.99 per month, according to reports.
But, "Sprint is having its own challenges," Llamas suggested. If Palm wants to succeed in the broader market, then "the key with distribution is that you want to be in as many channels as you can; Sprint can't be the end-all-and-be-all."
If the smartphone doesn't succeed, things will look truly dire for Palm, said Charles King, an analyst with Pund-IT Research. "If it's not game over, it's down to the 2-minute warning with them needing to come up with two touchdowns from their own third-yard line," King said.
No matter how innovative the Pre, the device enters an economy in recession and a market crowded with other smartphones. "Palm needs the Pre to be a blockbuster to show they deserve a place at the table when other companies have been delivering truly innovative products," King said. "People think Apple and iPhone are the product to beat, but the dominant player in the business market remains RIM and BlackBerry."
But can the Palm succeed? According to King: "It's always possible."
[Originally posted at eweek.com]
Palm plans on releasing its new smartphone, the Palm Pre, during the first half of 2009, and has managed to build considerable buzz for the device over the past few months.
The company is betting that a blockbuster project will not only boost its revenue, but pull it out of what Ed Colligan, CEO of Palm, called a "challenging transitional period" in a March 20 statement.
In one sign of how dire the situation has become, news reports on March 19 stated that Palm had remarketed 18.5 million common stock-shares, worth roughly $103 million, in a bid to raise more cash. Sales of Palm's older smartphones have been declining at a steady pace.
Palm sees the Pre as a potential rival for the Apple iPhone, with Roger McNamee, a partner in Palm investor Elevation Partners, boldly predicting on March 6 that current iPhone users would promptly switch smartphones upon the Pre's release: "Not one of those people will still be using an iPhone a month later."
McNamee's confidence at least partially stemmed from the Pre's much-glimpsed design, which includes a 3.1-inch multitouch screen and a real keyboard, Wi-Fi, USB, Bluetooth 2.1, GPS and a built-in 3-megapixel camera. Much of the Pre's "look" can likely be attributed to the influence of Jon Rubinstein, who left Apple in 2006 after contributing mightily to the development of the iMac and iPod.
Three days after McNamee's statements, on March 9, Palm filed an SEC document describing the investor's claims as "exaggerated."
Nonetheless, the company doubtlessly hopes that the device, for which no price has publicly been set, will succeed wildly, especially given Palm's financial difficulties. On March 4, Palm announced its sixth consecutive quarter of losses, with Palm revenues for third-quarter 2009 falling to around $90 million.
With all that at stake, what will it mean for Palm if the Pre only performs at an average level—or worse yet, bombs?
"If it tanks, that's a lot of R&D that's backfired," Ramon Llamas, an analyst at IDC, said in an interview. In between that ultimate negative prospect and blockbuster status, he added, is a middle ground with "a whole lot of gray."
However, Llamas reaffirmed that Palm needs the Pre in order to succeed. "The Palm OS as we knew it fulfilled what we needed it to do, but it was aging in the face of other technologies from Apple and RIM," he said. High sales will allow Palm to "re-establish itself as not an also-ran."
The Pre's degree of success is also something that will likely be clearer over the medium term, if history is any indication. "Let's not forget, when the Apple iPhone came out in its first and second generation, in the first weeks it was panned for bugs and glitches," Llamas said. "Those problems were addressed, and you don't hear about them anymore."
The implication is that, even if initial buzz about the device post-launch is less than ecstatic, Palm shouldn't be written off just yet. Another potential complication, however, is Sprint Nextel, which has exclusive U.S. rights to the Pre through the end of 2009.
Sprint has offered a variety of individual, family and business plans for the Pre, with pricing for the individual Everything Data 450, 900 and Unlimited plans starting at $69.99 per month, according to reports.
But, "Sprint is having its own challenges," Llamas suggested. If Palm wants to succeed in the broader market, then "the key with distribution is that you want to be in as many channels as you can; Sprint can't be the end-all-and-be-all."
If the smartphone doesn't succeed, things will look truly dire for Palm, said Charles King, an analyst with Pund-IT Research. "If it's not game over, it's down to the 2-minute warning with them needing to come up with two touchdowns from their own third-yard line," King said.
No matter how innovative the Pre, the device enters an economy in recession and a market crowded with other smartphones. "Palm needs the Pre to be a blockbuster to show they deserve a place at the table when other companies have been delivering truly innovative products," King said. "People think Apple and iPhone are the product to beat, but the dominant player in the business market remains RIM and BlackBerry."
But can the Palm succeed? According to King: "It's always possible."
[Originally posted at eweek.com]
Friday, March 20, 2009
Palm Sales Plummet as Pre Waits in the Wings
Palm's revenue plunged in its most recent quarter as the struggling company, preparing for the release of its next-generation device, sold 42 percent fewer smartphones than in the same period last year.
The 72 percent fall in smartphone revenue, to US$77.5 million, underscores the importance of the upcoming Palm Pre and WebOS to the company's future. Palm announced the Pre and its brand-new operating system at the Consumer Electronics Show in January and has said the current Centro phone will be the last device to run the original Palm OS. The Pre will begin shipping on an undisclosed date later this year.
In its fiscal third quarter, ended Feb. 27, Palm lost $98 million, or $0.89 per share, wider than its loss of $57 million, or $0.53 per share, a year earlier. Excluding special items, such as stock-based compensation and restructuring charges, the company lost $94.7 million, or $0.86 per share. That was worse than the consensus forecast of analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters, who expected a loss of $0.59 per share.
Total revenue was $90.6 million, compared with the analysts' forecast of $105 million.
"We're proceeding through a challenging transitional period, however our current results shouldn't overshadow the tremendous progress we've made against our strategic goals," Palm President and CEO Ed Colligan said in a press release.
The Pre will have a touch screen plus a physical keyboard, as well as built-in Wi-Fi, a 3-megapixel camera and 8GB of storage. It will also have some software features found in Apple's iPhone, such as gesture-based "multitouch" controls. In fact, comments by an Apple executive in January hinted that the company might sue Palm for stealing features.
Palm sells devices based on Microsoft Windows Mobile, such as the newly introduced Palm Treo Pro, in addition to Palm OS products. But for the operating system that built Palm's business and spawned more than 100,000 applications from 30,000 developers, it has been a slow death. A new, Linux-based Palm OS has been in the works for several years. Applications written for the current Palm OS won't run on the WebOS that succeeds it.
Late Thursday, Palm's shares on the Nasdaq (PALM) were down $0.42 to $7.29 in after-hours trading.
[Originally posted at pcworld.com]
The 72 percent fall in smartphone revenue, to US$77.5 million, underscores the importance of the upcoming Palm Pre and WebOS to the company's future. Palm announced the Pre and its brand-new operating system at the Consumer Electronics Show in January and has said the current Centro phone will be the last device to run the original Palm OS. The Pre will begin shipping on an undisclosed date later this year.
In its fiscal third quarter, ended Feb. 27, Palm lost $98 million, or $0.89 per share, wider than its loss of $57 million, or $0.53 per share, a year earlier. Excluding special items, such as stock-based compensation and restructuring charges, the company lost $94.7 million, or $0.86 per share. That was worse than the consensus forecast of analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters, who expected a loss of $0.59 per share.
Total revenue was $90.6 million, compared with the analysts' forecast of $105 million.
"We're proceeding through a challenging transitional period, however our current results shouldn't overshadow the tremendous progress we've made against our strategic goals," Palm President and CEO Ed Colligan said in a press release.
The Pre will have a touch screen plus a physical keyboard, as well as built-in Wi-Fi, a 3-megapixel camera and 8GB of storage. It will also have some software features found in Apple's iPhone, such as gesture-based "multitouch" controls. In fact, comments by an Apple executive in January hinted that the company might sue Palm for stealing features.
Palm sells devices based on Microsoft Windows Mobile, such as the newly introduced Palm Treo Pro, in addition to Palm OS products. But for the operating system that built Palm's business and spawned more than 100,000 applications from 30,000 developers, it has been a slow death. A new, Linux-based Palm OS has been in the works for several years. Applications written for the current Palm OS won't run on the WebOS that succeeds it.
Late Thursday, Palm's shares on the Nasdaq (PALM) were down $0.42 to $7.29 in after-hours trading.
[Originally posted at pcworld.com]
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Cost of Palm Pre - Sprint
Palm Pre phone first made its appearance over the web, mesmerizing users with its elegant design and superior features. However, the shipping date and price were the big questions to be answered. Now, Palm is riding a wave of momentum with Sprint planning to launch the Pre Phone in various plan options.
At the webcast conference, Sprint and Palm have confirmed the release of the Pre phone in the first half of 2009. Moreover, the companies also revealed “Everything” individual and family plans for the interested consumers, reports Gizmodo.
People who are looking forward to buy the Palm Pre phone can choose from various plans like 450 minute ($69.99), 900 minute ($89.99) and unlimited plans ($99.99). The network provider also offers schemes for Families that starts from 1500 minutes ($129.99), 3000 minutes ($169.99) and unlimited plans ($189.99). The company even offers five different plans for business customers as well.
It is believed that the Pre phone will come with a user replaceable battery. Sadly, both the companies kept their mum on the actual cost and the availability details of the phone.
[Originally posted at techgadgets.in]Palm Pre Still Beats iPhone in Multitasking
webOS comes with backgrounding, iPhone OS 3.0 doesn't
As soon as Palm unveiled Pre, its new high-end mobile phone, most of the market watchers and industry analysts considered the device a great competitor against Apple's iPhone. The handset looks good, has a lot of capabilities, and also includes a brand new operating system, webOS, which is reportedly capable of doing a wide range of things.
Since the Palm Pre was so acclaimed, it was certain that Apple would come up with some ideas to compensate for the popularity the still unavailable handset enjoyed, and the newly announced iPhone OS 3.0 seems to be one of the steps the company took in this direction.
Enthusiasts from both sides have certainly jumped on the news right away, so as to make sure that things are indeed as reported, namely that the iPhone is back with more power and that the Palm Pre won't be able to outpace it after all. And we already saw that the new OS 3.0 for iPhone comes around with a lot of improvements and new features, around 100 of them, as Scot Forstall, senior vice president, iPhone Software, said recently.
When announcing Pre and its OS, Palm said that it offered “a rich open development environment that's familiar to tens of millions of web developers,” and about the same thing is what Apple says about its new iPhone OS, “iPhone SDK for iPhone OS 3.0 beta provides you with an amazing range of technologies to enhance the functionality of your iPhone and iPod touch applications.”
Among the new capabilities brought by the iPhone OS 3.0, we can also see cut/copy/paste, MMS, and push notifications, which is a service that should run in the background to alert the user whenever he/she receives a message on a third-party application such as IM. This new feature is meant to offer the device some sort of multitasking capabilities, something that other devices, including the upcoming Palm Pre, already have.
According to Apple, it chose to add the Push Notification Service to iPhone so as to offer an extended battery life. Compared to other smartphones and operating systems, says the company, this approach won't drain as much power from the battery as expected. On the other hand, undoubtedly, this solution does not solve all the problems the iPhone has with notifications.
At the same time, it seems that it is not exactly the solution that users were expecting to see for applications that require multitasking. And we already know that Palm's Pre is able to run more applications at the same time, allowing users to change the focus between them, and send apps like the IM to the background.
Furthermore, the new Push Notification Service could see some problems when having to notify users about several things at the same time. Not to mention that it would rely heavily on the third-party apps that it would notify about, and they should also be able to provide enough power efficiency to back Apple's statements about the battery life.
When it comes to Pre's webOS, the multitasking capabilities, as well as backgrounding functionality are all there, and it seems that they are a little more advanced than what was already available on the Palm OS until now. And that card-based UI that would allow us to shift between applications looks more than appealing as well.
For the time being, Apple hasn't released the new iPhone OS 3.0 to users, and it won't do so for the next couple of months either, at least not before Palm Pre is already available on the market. And while this time we can only talk about what the two will offer, in the summer we should also be able to see both of them at work. Yet, considering the current state of facts, Pre might still prove itself an iPhone killer.
As for backgrounding capabilities, Apple is aware of the fact that other mobile platforms include the feature. And given the fact that Microsoft's Windows Mobile, Google's Android and Palm's webOS have it, it might after all reconsider its position on the matter and offer its users a solution able to meet their needs.
[Originally posted at softpedia.com]
As soon as Palm unveiled Pre, its new high-end mobile phone, most of the market watchers and industry analysts considered the device a great competitor against Apple's iPhone. The handset looks good, has a lot of capabilities, and also includes a brand new operating system, webOS, which is reportedly capable of doing a wide range of things.
Since the Palm Pre was so acclaimed, it was certain that Apple would come up with some ideas to compensate for the popularity the still unavailable handset enjoyed, and the newly announced iPhone OS 3.0 seems to be one of the steps the company took in this direction.
Enthusiasts from both sides have certainly jumped on the news right away, so as to make sure that things are indeed as reported, namely that the iPhone is back with more power and that the Palm Pre won't be able to outpace it after all. And we already saw that the new OS 3.0 for iPhone comes around with a lot of improvements and new features, around 100 of them, as Scot Forstall, senior vice president, iPhone Software, said recently.
When announcing Pre and its OS, Palm said that it offered “a rich open development environment that's familiar to tens of millions of web developers,” and about the same thing is what Apple says about its new iPhone OS, “iPhone SDK for iPhone OS 3.0 beta provides you with an amazing range of technologies to enhance the functionality of your iPhone and iPod touch applications.”
Among the new capabilities brought by the iPhone OS 3.0, we can also see cut/copy/paste, MMS, and push notifications, which is a service that should run in the background to alert the user whenever he/she receives a message on a third-party application such as IM. This new feature is meant to offer the device some sort of multitasking capabilities, something that other devices, including the upcoming Palm Pre, already have.
According to Apple, it chose to add the Push Notification Service to iPhone so as to offer an extended battery life. Compared to other smartphones and operating systems, says the company, this approach won't drain as much power from the battery as expected. On the other hand, undoubtedly, this solution does not solve all the problems the iPhone has with notifications.
At the same time, it seems that it is not exactly the solution that users were expecting to see for applications that require multitasking. And we already know that Palm's Pre is able to run more applications at the same time, allowing users to change the focus between them, and send apps like the IM to the background.
Furthermore, the new Push Notification Service could see some problems when having to notify users about several things at the same time. Not to mention that it would rely heavily on the third-party apps that it would notify about, and they should also be able to provide enough power efficiency to back Apple's statements about the battery life.
When it comes to Pre's webOS, the multitasking capabilities, as well as backgrounding functionality are all there, and it seems that they are a little more advanced than what was already available on the Palm OS until now. And that card-based UI that would allow us to shift between applications looks more than appealing as well.
For the time being, Apple hasn't released the new iPhone OS 3.0 to users, and it won't do so for the next couple of months either, at least not before Palm Pre is already available on the market. And while this time we can only talk about what the two will offer, in the summer we should also be able to see both of them at work. Yet, considering the current state of facts, Pre might still prove itself an iPhone killer.
As for backgrounding capabilities, Apple is aware of the fact that other mobile platforms include the feature. And given the fact that Microsoft's Windows Mobile, Google's Android and Palm's webOS have it, it might after all reconsider its position on the matter and offer its users a solution able to meet their needs.
[Originally posted at softpedia.com]
Monday, March 16, 2009
Top 7 touchscreen phones to look in 2009
There was a time not all that long ago when simply owning a mobile phone was enough to give you street cred.
These days though, it's all about which phone has the best camera, which screen is brighter, which one has more built-in memory, and which one can kill a deer at thirty paces.
But while the Apple iPhone has dominated the headlines for the last two years, 2009 looks to be the year when the best-of-the-rest give Apple a run for its money.
We saw a slew of fantastic new touchscreen phones announced at Mobile World Conference in February, and you can expect to see many of them causing a stir as the year progresses.
Here's our run down of the ones to look out for, with a little expert analysis from our resident mobile guru Gareth Beavis:
HTC MagicOriginally known in the rumour mill as the G2, the HTC Magic is the follow up to the T-Mobile G1. This time it's destined for Vodafone exclusivity in most European countries, and the Magic comes packing a 3.2-inch QVGA touchscreen, 3.2 megapixel camera and WiFi and HDSPA connectivity.
The HTC Magic features an updated Android OS - codenamed 'cupcake', which fixes a whole host of bugs that were found in the original G1, and has the added bonus of faster web browsing.
Our expert says: "We had a really good hands-on with this at MWC, and we were certainly impressed with what we saw. The touchscreen response is easily among the best out there, and when the Android Cupcake release hits, this is going to be a seriously good handset.
"Texting may be a little bit of a problem, as the default portrait keyboard was a little fiddly, and getting the thing into landscape QWERTY was a bit of a palaver. Still one of the handsets to watch in 2009 though."
LG Arena KM900Like the HTC Magic above, the LG Arena was officially unmasked at the Mobile World Congress expo in Barcelona last month.
The 3-inch touchscreen handset comes with LG's new 3D S-Class interface, which basically turns menus into rotating cubes. Going by LG's description, it's a cube-based layout which provides four customisable home screens for direct access to all features.
LG was also very eager to promote the prowess of the Arena's "rich 3D graphics".
The phone features an HSDPA connection, 800 x 480 3-inch touchscreen display, a 5MP camera to boot. Also included are aGPS, WiFi and FM radio, as well as a fairly hefty 1000mAh battery good for 300 hours' standby time.
Our expert says: "The S-Class interface is a revelation for LG, as the inclusion of two chipsets means the whole thing operates very, very smoothly. The touch feedback is nice and responsive, and little quirks like a scrollable radio tuner make this a very decent handset.
"However, the text input keys are a little small for the screen and inspire similar frustration to the Viewty, with too much inaccuracy. That said, the Arena is already breaking LG's pre-order records so it looks like this phone is almost certain to be a smash."
Samsung OmniaHDThe original Omnia was launched less than a year ago, but we're already being treated to a fairly exciting update.
The Omnia HD sports a whopping 3.7-inch touchscreen (bigger than the original) and comes with a TouchWiz interface instead of Windows Mobile like the first Omnia.
The HD name comes from the fact that the handset as an 8 megapixel sensor, which can competently record video in high definition (720p).
Our expert says: "The screen on this phone can't help but make you say 'Wow'! Or 'Wowsers' if that's your word of choice. The OLED screen is nothing short of phenomenal, with super-clear and crisp colours, and the 720p playback is mind-boggling.
Many of the failings of the original Omnia have been eradicated by removing Windows Mobile, and while the OmniaHD may not be as powerful as the original as a PMP it's probably the best phone out there given the 3.7-inch screen and Samsung surround sound."
Sony Ericsson IdouThe Sony Ericsson Idou is currently just in prototype stage so there's no guarantee that it'll be available before the end of the year. However, given how far the development has come already, it seems likely that we'll see it launch at some point in the coming months.
The most impressive feature of the Idou is its 12.1 megapixel camera. The phone also has a snazzy 3.5-inch 640x360 screen and a brand new interface.
The Idou will also make use of the recent additions to the Sony Ericsson feature set, namely the PlayNow Arena and the MediaGo software which will allow users to easily sync between devices on a home server. Sony Ericsson is extolling the virtues of the system with the likes of Bravia TVs and PS3s, but it should also work on any DLNA-enabled server.
Our expert says: "We were one of the few to get a sneak preview of this device, and it made us feel excited about Sony Ericsson again. The new UI is tailor-made for touchscreens, with easy swiping of functions and an infinitely customisable home page.
The 12MP camera sadly wasn't on show at MWC due to it not being ready, but we'd have to assume considering this is the first phone to merge both the Walkman and Cyber-Shot brands it's going to be a powerhouse of convergence."
Nokia N97Hot on the heels of the N96 comes Nokia's even newer flagship model, the N97.
Like the Sony Ericsson Idou, the N97's screen will be a 3.5in, 640x360, 16:9 affair, and the phone will also feature a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, HSDPA, Wi-Fi, 32GB of onboard memory with microSD expansion and a battery life of 36 hours for audio playback.
Nokia has also put a far-better-than-the-iPhone 5MP camera into the mixer, with Carl Zeiss lens and 'DVD quality' video capture.
Our expert says: "Nokia knows how to make a decent mobile phone, and while the 5800 failed to impress on a number of levels, the N97 has picked up the slack to be the powerful touch-based smartphone we were all waiting for.
"Most manufacturers have cottoned on to the fact that those message hungry consumers aren't happy with just a touchscreen, so the QWERTY addition is great.
"The on-board storage on the N97 is a first for a mobile phone, and one that hints this is not only going to be good for messaging, but great for media too. Our hands on at CES showed that this is certainly a decent phone, but the S60 interface is still a bit dated for our liking."
Palm PrePossibly the most exciting phone in this list, the Pre is being hailed as the saviour of Palm as a company and a brand.
A smartphone with multi-touch screen and a slide-out keyboard, it is seen as one of the first true competitors to the Apple iPhone.
The Palm Pre has a 3 megapixel camera, a 3.1-inch multi-touch screen, 8GB of storage, full connectivity including 3G and Wi-Fi as well as a removable, rechargeable battery.
It's also one of the first smartphones to feature electromagnetic induction charging - a method of charging a battery without the need to plug the device into anything.
Our expert says: "It's hard to find something not to love on the Palm Pre; it's a really, really good effort from a company that needs a big win to reboot its fortunes.
"The multi-touch screen feels better than Apple's (something the rumoured lawsuit between the two shows) and the multi-window interface makes sorting out your business a breeze.
"The integration with Google, Outlook, Yahoo etc is fantastic too, and the QWERTY keyboard is just the right size to bang out a few e-mails and texts.
"If we're being picky, then the lack of on-board expansion is a bit of a shame, but that's nothing compared to how much we want Palm to hurry up and announce this for the UK."
iPhone nanoOkay, so the iPhone nano has not been officially announced yet. But it seems one thing's for sure - Apple will release a new iPhone on the world this year, whether it's called the nano or not (not seems more likely).
So what can we expect to see in the new iPhone? It's pretty hard to second-guess an out-of-the-box company like Apple, but it's safe to say that we'll see a much improved camera and a raft of incidental updates too - it'll be lighter, thinner, better etc.
Our expert says: "Obviously this is just a rumour, and Apple could come out with something completely different or nothing at all come June, but it's safe to say that whatever happens, it will be a decent upgrade.
"The world still expects Apple to come out with a better camera on its phones, as well as changing the form factor: the iPhone nano easily makes the most sense as many have complained the iPhone is too big.
"That said, the constant rumours about the Apple netbook could mean the iPhone gets an increase in size, forming the basis of a tablet PC... either way, we're pretty sure Apple is planning a big surprise for 2009."
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Telstra And Vodafone Score Palm Pre
Telstra and Vodafone are believed to have cut deals with Palm to launch their new Pre Smartphone in Australia later this year. However analysts in the US are tipping that that Palm who recently raised over $100M in borrowings could face legal action from Apple because of the similarity of the device to the Apple iPhone.
Telstra and Vodafone are believed to have cut deals with Palm to launch their new Pre Smartphone in Australia later this year. However analysts in the US are tipping that that Palm who recently raised over $100M in borrowings could face legal action from Apple because of the similarity of the device to the Apple iPhone.
At the recent CES show in Las Vegas where Palm first showed the Pre senior Telstra executives told ChannelNews and SmartHouse that they were keen to range the phone in Australia and that they thought it had "big potential" in the Australian market.
The new device which looks and operates very similar to the Apple iPhone will come with the same touch capability as the iPhone as well as a 3.1in touch-screen, a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. The operating system is designed to interface to external cloud computing storage networks.
For Palm the Pre is the last throw of the dice and failure could see the Company placed into administration as they have been haemorrhaging losses for several quarters. The Company also failed to build on the installed base that they had for early Palm Smartphones and as a result of this say the experts several Companies such as Nokia, and HTC took share away from them.
It was previously thought that Vodafone had signed an exclusive agreement to offer the Pre in the UK, Australia and some European markets. But a spokesman said: "Vodafone is always talking to leading brands about new handsets. The Palm Pre is an interesting proposition, but that is all we are willing to say at this time."
[Originally posted at smarthouse.com.au]
Telstra and Vodafone are believed to have cut deals with Palm to launch their new Pre Smartphone in Australia later this year. However analysts in the US are tipping that that Palm who recently raised over $100M in borrowings could face legal action from Apple because of the similarity of the device to the Apple iPhone.
At the recent CES show in Las Vegas where Palm first showed the Pre senior Telstra executives told ChannelNews and SmartHouse that they were keen to range the phone in Australia and that they thought it had "big potential" in the Australian market.
The new device which looks and operates very similar to the Apple iPhone will come with the same touch capability as the iPhone as well as a 3.1in touch-screen, a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. The operating system is designed to interface to external cloud computing storage networks.
For Palm the Pre is the last throw of the dice and failure could see the Company placed into administration as they have been haemorrhaging losses for several quarters. The Company also failed to build on the installed base that they had for early Palm Smartphones and as a result of this say the experts several Companies such as Nokia, and HTC took share away from them.
It was previously thought that Vodafone had signed an exclusive agreement to offer the Pre in the UK, Australia and some European markets. But a spokesman said: "Vodafone is always talking to leading brands about new handsets. The Palm Pre is an interesting proposition, but that is all we are willing to say at this time."
[Originally posted at smarthouse.com.au]
Telefonica in Palm Pre Talks - Looks to Rebrand
Spain's Telefonica has decided to consolidate its consumer brands around Movistar and O2 - retaining the Telefonica name purely for the corporate operations, reports the El Pais newspaper. The company already runs most of its mobile networks under the Movistar brands, but still has a few under the Telefonica name.
The company's Brazilian joint-venture, Vivo will also retain its current brandname, while O2 will be retained in the existing markets of UK, Ireland, Germany, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia.
In other news, the firm is also reported to be close to securing the exclusive rights to the Palm Pre smartphone when it is launched in Spain, UK and Latin America. The Spanish newspaper, Expansion reports that the operator is expecting to have the handset "before summer". The news could be a blow for Vodafone which was recently rumoured to be seeking the exclusive rights for itself.
However, since the news report, Palm has tried to distance itself from the rumours, blaming a "misunderstanding". A spokesman for the company told Vnunet that he could not confirm when the Pre might be launched in the UK or which network carriers it would be available from.
Spain's Telefonica has decided to consolidate its consumer brands around Movistar and O2 - retaining the Telefonica name purely for the corporate operations, reports the El Pais newspaper. The company already runs most of its mobile networks under the Movistar brands, but still has a few under the Telefonica name.
The company's Brazilian joint-venture, Vivo will also retain its current brandname, while O2 will be retained in the existing markets of UK, Ireland, Germany, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia.
In other news, the firm is also reported to be close to securing the exclusive rights to the Palm Pre smartphone when it is launched in Spain, UK and Latin America. The Spanish newspaper, Expansion reports that the operator is expecting to have the handset "before summer". The news could be a blow for Vodafone which was recently rumoured to be seeking the exclusive rights for itself.
However, since the news report, Palm has tried to distance itself from the rumours, blaming a "misunderstanding". A spokesman for the company told Vnunet that he could not confirm when the Pre might be launched in the UK or which network carriers it would be available from.
[Originally posted at cellular-news.com]
The company's Brazilian joint-venture, Vivo will also retain its current brandname, while O2 will be retained in the existing markets of UK, Ireland, Germany, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia.
In other news, the firm is also reported to be close to securing the exclusive rights to the Palm Pre smartphone when it is launched in Spain, UK and Latin America. The Spanish newspaper, Expansion reports that the operator is expecting to have the handset "before summer". The news could be a blow for Vodafone which was recently rumoured to be seeking the exclusive rights for itself.
However, since the news report, Palm has tried to distance itself from the rumours, blaming a "misunderstanding". A spokesman for the company told Vnunet that he could not confirm when the Pre might be launched in the UK or which network carriers it would be available from.
Spain's Telefonica has decided to consolidate its consumer brands around Movistar and O2 - retaining the Telefonica name purely for the corporate operations, reports the El Pais newspaper. The company already runs most of its mobile networks under the Movistar brands, but still has a few under the Telefonica name.
The company's Brazilian joint-venture, Vivo will also retain its current brandname, while O2 will be retained in the existing markets of UK, Ireland, Germany, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia.
In other news, the firm is also reported to be close to securing the exclusive rights to the Palm Pre smartphone when it is launched in Spain, UK and Latin America. The Spanish newspaper, Expansion reports that the operator is expecting to have the handset "before summer". The news could be a blow for Vodafone which was recently rumoured to be seeking the exclusive rights for itself.
However, since the news report, Palm has tried to distance itself from the rumours, blaming a "misunderstanding". A spokesman for the company told Vnunet that he could not confirm when the Pre might be launched in the UK or which network carriers it would be available from.
[Originally posted at cellular-news.com]
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Palm Pre Browser 4x Faster than iPhone !!!
I’m slightly bummed by the webcast presented by Palm and Sprint. There wasn’t much earth-shattering news here; it was a walkthough of the UI, a discussion about Synergy and info on the Sprint services that the Palm Pre will support. No updated news on pricing or availability at this point. There was one interesting tidbit in the demo when Matt Crowley, product line manager at Palm, did a Universal Search demo.
It was nice to see the Bluetooth app appear when he typed the letter “B.” Adding an “I” showed two of his contacts that had a “BI” in their name. Matt went the full monty by searching Google for Big12. That’s when it got interesting. He went to www.big12sports.com to check out the conference basketball site. It’s a pretty intensive site (shown) that’s best suited for a powerful desktop browser. I’m assuming that he was using Wi-Fi. I searched for and then hit the same site over Wi-Fi on my iPhone, and here’s where it got very interesting.
The Pre had fully rendered the complex site in around 8 seconds. Same site on my iPhone? About 30 seconds. Obviously, I don’t know if the Palm Pre Webkit browser caches web pages from prior usage. I know my iPhone doesn’t, so even if this page load speed was based on cache, it’s still a function not offered on my iPhone. Again, I saw this in real-time. Hit the Big12 site on your device and see how long it takes to render and use. Heck, why not leave a comment with the platform you used as well as the browser?
We already knew that Palm went with a high-end TI OMAP3 processor, while Apple opted for a different ARM solution from Samsung. I’m not losing sight of the fact that my iPhone hardware is nearly 2 years old, but the performance that I saw when browsing on the Pre was staggering. Bear in mind: nobody from Palm nor from Sprint mentioned any performance numbers. They didn’t make any comparisons to other devices. This is simply what I observed from the webcast, timing the performance and sharing the observation.
It was nice to see the Bluetooth app appear when he typed the letter “B.” Adding an “I” showed two of his contacts that had a “BI” in their name. Matt went the full monty by searching Google for Big12. That’s when it got interesting. He went to www.big12sports.com to check out the conference basketball site. It’s a pretty intensive site (shown) that’s best suited for a powerful desktop browser. I’m assuming that he was using Wi-Fi. I searched for and then hit the same site over Wi-Fi on my iPhone, and here’s where it got very interesting.
The Pre had fully rendered the complex site in around 8 seconds. Same site on my iPhone? About 30 seconds. Obviously, I don’t know if the Palm Pre Webkit browser caches web pages from prior usage. I know my iPhone doesn’t, so even if this page load speed was based on cache, it’s still a function not offered on my iPhone. Again, I saw this in real-time. Hit the Big12 site on your device and see how long it takes to render and use. Heck, why not leave a comment with the platform you used as well as the browser?
We already knew that Palm went with a high-end TI OMAP3 processor, while Apple opted for a different ARM solution from Samsung. I’m not losing sight of the fact that my iPhone hardware is nearly 2 years old, but the performance that I saw when browsing on the Pre was staggering. Bear in mind: nobody from Palm nor from Sprint mentioned any performance numbers. They didn’t make any comparisons to other devices. This is simply what I observed from the webcast, timing the performance and sharing the observation.
Watch the video here
[Originally posted at jkontherun.com]
Palm Pre Vs iPhone Vs G1
1. Multitouch touchscreen/gesture control:
All three are capacitive, only the Pre and iPhone have multitouch. The Pre's glowy little "gesture area" has dropped the touchable real estate all the way down tto the bottom of the phone, which is great for being able to navigate with one hand and not interfere with the screen at all. The wavey dock you bring up from the bottom looks awesome, but can you use it out of the box without a second thought or page through the manual? That's my question. Advantage: iPhone/Pre tossup.
2. Multitasking:
One of the beefiest of our beefs with the iPhone SDK is its insistence on Apps running one at a time. The G1's notifications drawer was definitely a step in the right direction, but the Pre's interface is the first smartphone OS that was built with multitasking as a core design element. Resembling the Xbox's old Blades, or a less-jarring OS X Expose even, the Pre's "Cards" interface always places you in the context of every app running for fast switching, and notifications from other apps don't pull you away completely from the task at hand. Multitasking is hugely important on a phone, and it's a good sign that Palm recognizes. Advantage: Pre
3. Hardware:
Adrian says:
While the hardware is definitely high quality, I'm not entirely blown away by the design. It looks really nice, and original, but it's a little too cutesy in shape and kind of reminds me of an oversized pebble. A slightly larger screen could have definitely been put to good use, and I really don't like the black space on the sides of the screen.
A phone with a built-in QWERTY still hasn't touched the iPhone in terms of sleekness and pure sex. And it might still be a while. Advantage: iPhone
4. Development platform:
The Pre's "Web OS" sure sounds nice—all developers need to know is JavaScript, HTML and CSS? Sounds good in theory, but building a mobile app will never be as easy as cranking out a new theme for your Tumblr. Palm's stressing ease of development, though, so it will be interesting to see how it stacks up against Apple's solid, familiar-to-devs OS X-based SDK and Android's fully open source approach. Advantage: Pre? If it's straight-up JavaScript, that's a lot of programmers ready to go. Note: we had iPhone here before, but we've switched with a qualification. Developer community still goes to iPhone for volume.
5. Web Integration:
The Pre subtly integrates the internet into the phone at every opportunity, and it's awesome. Contacts get pulled in from Facebook, Gmail, IM and and scanned for dupes; the messaging app shows your last several emails, IMs and SMS with that contact in a single window. Really, really smart stuff. Advantage: Pre
6. App Store/developer community:
A smartphone is only as good as the software it runs. On the Pre, Palm is still keeping application delivery details like pricing behind the curtain, but they did say the app delivery will be entirely handled by the phone (without a desktop app), which is a shame. They're saying that they're not going to duplicate Apple's Hobbesian app approval black box mistake, which Android has also hasn't fallen for, but there will be an approval process based on "security and stability." But as we know with Android, a dev community needs enough devices in the hands of consumers to reach critical mass, which the Pre will have to match. Advantage: iPhone, even with the black box, but Android and Pre's more open stances are reassuring.
7. Wireless charger:
We've seen wireless charger tech for years at CES, but it's taken this long for a major consumer gadget to come bundled with its own wireless charger in the box. Whoops, it's not in the box, sold separately for unknown $$. But still: Bravo. Advantage: Pre
8. The Network:
Dan Hesse, Sprint's CEO, gave our coast-to-coast 3G test a shout out in his press conference. Of course he did: Sprint won (in download speeds). Sprint was the only major carrier without a powerful, hype-catching smartphone choice, and now they have one. The Pre is a data-centric phone with a network we've proven to be strong in a large swatch of the country—that's a good combo. But would you switch to Sprint for the Pre? Ugh. Advantage: Not cut and dry for everyone, but we stand by our numbers: Sprint is the best 3G network in our tests.
9. Physical keyboard:
It's preference, but one held by a large swathe of the gadget buying public: physical QWERTY keypads are still the mainstream input of choice. Touch is getting better all the time, but a lot of people still want physical keyboards. But better yet is the ability to choose; unfortunately, the Pre doesn't have a soft onscreen keyboard, and its slide-out is the same meh QWERTY from the Treo Pro. Advantage: It's preference, but on me, the iPhone's soft keyboard can't be beat.
10. Camera:
The Pre has an LED Flash for its 3MP camera, something both the iPhone and G1 lack. Flash cellphone photos are ugly, but for a lot of people, they're good enough. So credit for throwing it in. Advantage: Pre
11. Battery:
Apple's still an outlier with their non-removable battery; like the G1's, the Pre's comes out for a spare swap too. We've heard Apple's reasons for this a million times, we know the drill, but removable batteries will never stop being handy. Advantage: Pre
12. Copy & Paste:
Yep, Pre's got it. iPhone still doesn't. Advantage: Pre/G1
13. Browser:
All three use a browser based on WebKit, which has become the standard for the mobile web. We couldn't put it through our Mobile Browser Battlemodo ringer obviously, but what we saw looked great, and it's the only other mobile browser besides the iPhone that supports multitouch zooming. Advantage: iPhone/Pre
So there you have it. We're excited. Are you?
[originally posted at gizmodo.com]
Rumours that Palm Pre will be coming to O2 in UK
The rumour stems from comments made by a representative from Telefonica, O2’s parent company, to a Spanish newspaper, Expansion, in which the executive said that his company had been given exclusive rights to the Palm Pre in the UK, Spain and Latin America.
But Palm has sought to distance itself from the rumours, blaming a “misunderstanding”. A spokesman for the company told technology website Vnunet.com that he could not confirm when the Pre might be launched in the UK or which network carriers it would be available from.
The device, which has caused huge excitement among gadget fans and the technology community, is being touted as a rival to Apple’s iPhone. It features a 3.1in touch-screen, a slide-out Qwerty keyboard, and runs an operating system designed with cloud-based computing services in mind. Many see it as a make-or-break device for Palm, which has struggled in the face of competition from the likes of Nokia and BlackBerry.
It was previously thought that Vodafone had signed an exclusive agreement to offer the Pre in the UK. But a spokesman said: “Vodafone is always talking to leading brands about new handsets. The Palm Pre is an interesting proposition, but that is all we are willing to say at this time.”
If O2 did win the right to launch the Palm Pre in the UK it would pit the device directly against another O2 exclusive, the iPhone. Apple is widely expected to launch a third-generation version of its popular mobile phone this summer.
[originally posted at crn.com]
But Palm has sought to distance itself from the rumours, blaming a “misunderstanding”. A spokesman for the company told technology website Vnunet.com that he could not confirm when the Pre might be launched in the UK or which network carriers it would be available from.
The device, which has caused huge excitement among gadget fans and the technology community, is being touted as a rival to Apple’s iPhone. It features a 3.1in touch-screen, a slide-out Qwerty keyboard, and runs an operating system designed with cloud-based computing services in mind. Many see it as a make-or-break device for Palm, which has struggled in the face of competition from the likes of Nokia and BlackBerry.
It was previously thought that Vodafone had signed an exclusive agreement to offer the Pre in the UK. But a spokesman said: “Vodafone is always talking to leading brands about new handsets. The Palm Pre is an interesting proposition, but that is all we are willing to say at this time.”
If O2 did win the right to launch the Palm Pre in the UK it would pit the device directly against another O2 exclusive, the iPhone. Apple is widely expected to launch a third-generation version of its popular mobile phone this summer.
[originally posted at crn.com]
Friday, March 13, 2009
O2 Grabs Palm Pre Exclusive?
Now here's a turn up for the books...
Contrary to commonly held belief it is now being reported that O2 parent Telefonica has beaten Vodafone to tie up a deal for the new Palm Pre in the process snagging exclusives for the UK, Spain and Latin America.
The news comes from respected Spanish newspaper Expansion and it goes on to say the Pre will be announced on schedule "before summer" which should beat a third generation iPhone out the traps. Of course we all know Palm's dire financial straits mean it can't afford to be late with the Pre so as long as a half finished Storm-esque product doesn't turn up this is good news.
Perhaps just as importantly however is the coup it would represent for O2. Rival networks have long searched for an 'iPhone killer' to compete with O2's exclusive deal with Apple, but should O2 actually grab the first legitimate iPhone killer I've seen then it could well be laughing all the way to the bank. As for contracts, this would likely bring the Pre in line with talk it will mirror iPhone pricing.
We'll be watching this one like a hawk...
Wondering what all the fuss is about? Check out my Palm Pre first impressions.
In related news Confirmed Pre US telco Sprint has unveiled its price plans for Pre with the following tariffs: 450 minutes ($69.99), 900 minutes ($89.99) and unlimited plans ($99.99). Family bundles are 1,500 minutes ($129.99), 3,000 minutes ($169.99) and unlimited plans ($189.99). Now don't read much into this since the US 'cellphone' market is hugely different from ours (read: worse) but hopefully it does mean we're getting towards the business end for this device.
[Originally posted at trustedreviews.com]
Palm Presents Pre Plan Pricing, Particulars
 |
| From Gadget Blog 7 |
While Palm and Sprint didn't reveal the exact release date or final pricing for the Palm Pre, Palm's answer to touch-screen titans like the Apple iPhone 3G, the Google Android-based T-Mobile G1 and the BlackBerry Storm from Research In Motion (RIM) Ltd., the companies offered insight into the data and voice plans that will be available when the Pre hits the street in the first half of this year.
David Owens, director of consumer acquisition for Sprint, said Sprint will offer nine different individual, family and business plans for the Palm Pre, all based around Sprint's unlimited data and messaging plan, dubbed Everything Data, or Sprint's all-inclusive Simply Everything plan that ties not only unlimited data and messaging, but also voice.
While not all current Sprint plans will be available for the Pre, Owens said Sprint will offer 450-minute and 900-minute voice plans coupled with an Everything Data plan for $69.99 and $89.99 per month, respectively. Individuals can also choose the $99.99 Simply Everything option.
For family plans, Sprint will offer a $129.99, 1,500 minute plan and a $169.99, 3,000 minute plan with an Everything Data plan, or a modified version of the Simply Everything plan, which runs $189.99 for two lines of unlimited talk and data. And businesses, Sprint said, can pool minutes from an unlimited plan.
Overall, Owens said, a two-year unlimited all-inclusive contract could save Palm Pre users $1,000 compared to competing carriers.
Sprint and Palm are also hoping to entice buyers with the Ready Now assistance program, which gives Pre buyers a one-on-one session with a Pre expert to get a tutorial on their device. Pre buyers can have the session at the time of purchase, or schedule a session for a later date.
Matt Crowley, Palm's product line manager, added that the true capabilities of the Pre are unlocked with Sprint's 3G data network and with Palm's new webOS operating system, which lets users open and work in various applications on the single touch-screen.
According to Crowley, another focal point for the Palm Pre and webOS is Synergy, which draws information from a Pre user's various contact lists, calendars, messaging platforms, social networks and e-mail accounts and presents them on one screen.
In addition, Crowley outlined the Touchstone charging dock for the Pre, a stone-looking slab that requires no connection between the dock and the smartphone for charging. Essentially, a user just rests the device on top of the slanted-surfaced dock and it charges. While the device is charging, users can still use the touch-screen, watch movies and video and use the speakerphone for conversations.
The Palm Pre, one of a host of mobile devices unveiled this year at CES 2009 in Las Vegas, is a small and slick smartphone with rounded edges, a form-factor Crowley said was inspired by a "polished river stone."
The 3G device features a 3.1-inch 320-by-480 resolution touch-screen with a full slideout QWERTY keyboard. The device, which will be exclusive to Sprint, also ties in Wi-Fi, GPS, 8 GB of internal storage and a micro USB port for additional memory. The Pre also features a 3.0 megapixel camera with LED flash. The Pre measures 2.35 by 3.96 by 0.67 inches and weighs in at 4.76 ounces. It also ties in three sensors, like an accelerometer, a proximity sensor and ambient lighting sensor.
Palm hopes the Pre will pull it out of a recent revenue slump. Palm expects to report fiscal third-quarter revenue of between $85 million and $90 million, a massive drop from the $312.1 million in revenue it reported in the third quarter of 2008 and the $191.6 million it reported in 2009's second fiscal quarter.
"The much-anticipated launch of the Palm Pre remains on track for the first half of the calendar year 2009, but as expected we've got a difficult transition period to work through," said Palm President and CEO Ed Colligan in a statement. "Despite the challenging market environment, the extraordinary response to the Palm Pre and the new Palm webOS reaffirms our confidence in our long-term prospects and our ability to re-establish Palm as the leading innovator in the growing smartphone market."
[Originally posted at crn.com]
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Palm 'Withdraws' McNamee's iPhone-Killing Pre Statements
Last week, Elevation Partners investor Roger McNamee made some interesting statements about how he believes early adopters of the iPhone will jump ship and replace their Apple hardware with the Palm Pre. Palm thought his statements went a little bit too far, and submitted a document to the SEC "withdrawing" them.
This is too rich. As if McNamee's statements weren't somewhat inflammatory to begin with, Palm is calling even more attention to them. Here's what he said last week:
"June 29, 2009, is the two-year anniversary of the first shipment of the iPhone. Not one of those people will still be using an iPhone a month later. Think about it -- if you bought the first iPhone, you bought it because you wanted the coolest product on the market. Your two-year contract has just expired. Look around. Tell me what they're going to buy.""The Pre going to be a million times -- well, not a million times -- several times faster than the iPhone.""The Pre is going to run rings around [Apple] on the Web."McNamee is implying that iPhone users will want the Palm Pre and nothing else. He's forgetting that there could be a significant number of first-generation iPhone adopters who already moved on to the 3G iPhone. Those users will still be under contract come June 29, 2009. Second, McNamee isn't considering the possibility that Apple may release yet another version of the iPhone come the summer. Palm decided it best to take those statements off the public record (after all, investors may take McNamee seriously).
Palm issued several of its own statements, including:
"The statement in the second paragraph of the article that 'not one' person who bought an Apple Inc. iPhone on the first shipment date 'will still be using an iPhone a month' after the two-year anniversary of that day is an exaggerated prediction of consumer behavior pattern and is withdrawn.""With respect to the statements in the tenth paragraph of the transcript that the Palm Pre is 'going to be a million times -- well, not a million times -- several times faster' than Apple Inc.'s iPhone products and is 'going to run rings around them on the Web,' the Palm Pre is still under development and it is premature to state the speed at which the device accesses the Web or the relative speed of the Palm Pre compared to the smartphone products of competitors."So there you have it. I totally understand McNamee's enthusiasm, which isn't something he should be denied. But he does need to understand that he can't make statements that could be misconstrued as factual when there are so many unknowns about the Pre's performance right now.
[Originally posted at informationweek.com]
This is too rich. As if McNamee's statements weren't somewhat inflammatory to begin with, Palm is calling even more attention to them. Here's what he said last week:
"June 29, 2009, is the two-year anniversary of the first shipment of the iPhone. Not one of those people will still be using an iPhone a month later. Think about it -- if you bought the first iPhone, you bought it because you wanted the coolest product on the market. Your two-year contract has just expired. Look around. Tell me what they're going to buy.""The Pre going to be a million times -- well, not a million times -- several times faster than the iPhone.""The Pre is going to run rings around [Apple] on the Web."McNamee is implying that iPhone users will want the Palm Pre and nothing else. He's forgetting that there could be a significant number of first-generation iPhone adopters who already moved on to the 3G iPhone. Those users will still be under contract come June 29, 2009. Second, McNamee isn't considering the possibility that Apple may release yet another version of the iPhone come the summer. Palm decided it best to take those statements off the public record (after all, investors may take McNamee seriously).
Palm issued several of its own statements, including:
"The statement in the second paragraph of the article that 'not one' person who bought an Apple Inc. iPhone on the first shipment date 'will still be using an iPhone a month' after the two-year anniversary of that day is an exaggerated prediction of consumer behavior pattern and is withdrawn.""With respect to the statements in the tenth paragraph of the transcript that the Palm Pre is 'going to be a million times -- well, not a million times -- several times faster' than Apple Inc.'s iPhone products and is 'going to run rings around them on the Web,' the Palm Pre is still under development and it is premature to state the speed at which the device accesses the Web or the relative speed of the Palm Pre compared to the smartphone products of competitors."So there you have it. I totally understand McNamee's enthusiasm, which isn't something he should be denied. But he does need to understand that he can't make statements that could be misconstrued as factual when there are so many unknowns about the Pre's performance right now.
[Originally posted at informationweek.com]
Monday, March 9, 2009
Fanbois will abandon iPhone for Palm, says Wikisugardaddy
Once their current wireless contracts are up, each and every iPhone owner will switch to the Palm Pre. Or so says the ever-entertaining top-secret Wikicult sugar-daddy Roger McNamee.
McNamee's U2-powered private equity firm, Elevation Partners, owns 39 per cent of a certain non-Apple handheld-device company.
Bloomberg recently quoted McNamee as saying: "June 29, 2009 is the two-year anniversary of the first shipment of the iPhone. Not one of those people will still be using an iPhone a month later."
His reasoning? "If you bought the first iPhone, you bought it because you wanted the coolest product on the market. Your two-year contract has just expired. Look around. Tell me what they’re going to buy."
Odds are, Steve Jobs is not quaking, angst-ridden, in his secure undisclosed location. Last December, Elevation Partners invested a cool $100m (£71m) to increase its Palm-investment ante from 25 to 39 per cent. Then, on Wednesday, after Palm missed analysts' sales estimates and reported its sixth straight money-losing quarter, Standard & Poors lowered the company's investment rating from CCC+ to CCC. That's eight levels below what it regards as investment-grade.
Incidentally, this is the same Roger McNamee who secretly pumped hundreds of thousands of dollars into the not-for-profit Wikimedia Foundation in an effort to turn Wikipedia into a moneymaker. It's a bizarre tale. At one point, U2 front-man Bono personally wooed Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy "Jimbo" Wales on the roof of a five-star Mexican hotel. And the last chapter has McNamee joining the Wikimedia advisory board.
And now, McNamee is not only drinking the Palm-flavored Kool-Aid, he's distributing it by the bucketful. Although the Palm Pre - on paper, at least - looks like a fine phone, it could be headed for a legal showdown with Apple (although Palm insists it's unfazed by Cupertino's implied threats).
To be sure, the Pre may one day carve out a tasty chunk of the smartphone market, especially if it can avoid the launch glitches that plagued RIM's own savior-phone, the BlackBerry Storm.
But to imply that the mere appearance of the Pre will incite a stampede of each and every iPhone fan into Palm's arms seems a stretch. Of course, on July 29, we'll know one way or the other.
[Originally posted at theregister.com]
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