Despite the fact that the Palm (NSDQ: PALM) Pre won’t go on sale until June 6, initial users running around in the wild have already started viewing ads on the phone, according to Millennial Media, which released its second-ever monthly mobile advertising report today. While Millennial’s report only represents a portion of the overall mobile ad traffic in the U.S., it’s worth looking at its results given that it is one of the largest mobile ad networks in the U.S. Release.
Besides, the Palm Pre, the company reported that the number of ads served to iPhone and iPod Touch jumped by 8 percent compared to the prior month, helping Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) edge out LG (SEO: 066570) as the No. 2 device manufacturer. At that level of ad impressions, Millennial said the iPhone/Touch set an all-time record for company when it comes to most ads served to a single device during a given month. For the second month in a row, Samsung’s plethora of devices continued to hold on to the No. 1 spot when it comes to the number of ads served to a given handset manufacturer.
Other findings:
—The BlackBerry Storm entered the company’s top 20 list at No. 15.
—Qwerty keyboards surpassed the traditional keypad as the top input method.
—The number of Millennial customers interested in targeting very specific audiences vs. certain demographics grew by four times. That means, rather than targeting users based on simple “meta data,” like gender, a very specific audience was crafted based on information collected on an opt-in basis (for instance, a person’s preferred movie genre).
[Originally posted at moconews.net]
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Palm Pre Getting Big Push From Best Buy
The electronics retailer is training its mobile specialists in the finer points of the Pre to prepare them for the Palm smartphone's launch June 6.
As Sprint Nextel (NYSE: S) and Palm gear up for their all-important launch of the Pre smartphone June 6, they'll be getting some strong support from the 1,067Best Buy (NYSE: BBY) Mobile locations.
Sprint is looking at its exclusive deal to market the Palm Pre to reverse its continuing loss of subscribers. At the same time, Palm needs the Pre's novel features to return it to the front ranks of high-end mobile phones -- a position it lost to the surging iPhone and BlackBerrys.
Best Buy has been training its Best Buy Mobile employees in the finer points of the Pre so they'll be prepared for the Pre's launch.
"We believe the ability to keep multiple applications open at the same time will be a very popular feature of the Palm Pre," Best Buy's Scott Anderson said in an e-mail interview. "It promises to be one of the best-selling smartphones of the year." With the Pre's dual attraction of touch screen and slide-out keyboard, Palm hopes it will have an advantage over other smartphones.
Anderson, who is merchant director of Best Buy Mobile, noted that the company's mobile specialists are receiving "extensive training on the Palm Pre. We offer a program called Walk Out Working -- free in-store smartphone setup by a Best Buy Mobile expert who will sync e-mail accounts, set up Bluetooth peripherals, transfer contacts, and activate other services to allow the customer to leave the store with a fully functional new smartphone."
Best Buy Mobile's approach of having customers ready to hit the ground running with new smartphones -- which are complicated gizmos for many consumers -- could be particularly helpful for Pre users because of the phone's capability of running multiple simultaneous applications.
Once king of the smartphone category, Palm has watched with chagrin as its 40% smartphone market share in 2006 dwindled to 10% in recent market research studies. "This is an opportunity for Palm to invigorate itself and become a serious contender," said Nielsen analyst Roger Entner, otherwise it "could mean the end of the road for Palm."
In addition to Sprint and Best Buy stores, the Pre will be sold at RadioShack and some Wal-Mart outlets.
The phone will cost $199.99 after a mail-in rebate at most locations, although Best Buy's Anderson said an "instant rebate" will be offered at the retailer's locations. The Pre requires a two-year contract and a monthly data plan starting at $69.99 a month.
[Originally posted at informationweek.com]
As Sprint Nextel (NYSE: S) and Palm gear up for their all-important launch of the Pre smartphone June 6, they'll be getting some strong support from the 1,067Best Buy (NYSE: BBY) Mobile locations.
Sprint is looking at its exclusive deal to market the Palm Pre to reverse its continuing loss of subscribers. At the same time, Palm needs the Pre's novel features to return it to the front ranks of high-end mobile phones -- a position it lost to the surging iPhone and BlackBerrys.
Best Buy has been training its Best Buy Mobile employees in the finer points of the Pre so they'll be prepared for the Pre's launch.
"We believe the ability to keep multiple applications open at the same time will be a very popular feature of the Palm Pre," Best Buy's Scott Anderson said in an e-mail interview. "It promises to be one of the best-selling smartphones of the year." With the Pre's dual attraction of touch screen and slide-out keyboard, Palm hopes it will have an advantage over other smartphones.
Anderson, who is merchant director of Best Buy Mobile, noted that the company's mobile specialists are receiving "extensive training on the Palm Pre. We offer a program called Walk Out Working -- free in-store smartphone setup by a Best Buy Mobile expert who will sync e-mail accounts, set up Bluetooth peripherals, transfer contacts, and activate other services to allow the customer to leave the store with a fully functional new smartphone."
Best Buy Mobile's approach of having customers ready to hit the ground running with new smartphones -- which are complicated gizmos for many consumers -- could be particularly helpful for Pre users because of the phone's capability of running multiple simultaneous applications.
Once king of the smartphone category, Palm has watched with chagrin as its 40% smartphone market share in 2006 dwindled to 10% in recent market research studies. "This is an opportunity for Palm to invigorate itself and become a serious contender," said Nielsen analyst Roger Entner, otherwise it "could mean the end of the road for Palm."
In addition to Sprint and Best Buy stores, the Pre will be sold at RadioShack and some Wal-Mart outlets.
The phone will cost $199.99 after a mail-in rebate at most locations, although Best Buy's Anderson said an "instant rebate" will be offered at the retailer's locations. The Pre requires a two-year contract and a monthly data plan starting at $69.99 a month.
[Originally posted at informationweek.com]
Palm Pre: $549 Without Contract, Starts at $299 for Existing Customers.
We have been getting a lot of questions on Twitter about what the Palm Pre will run without a contract and also what it will cost existing customers who want to upgrade to the device. Right now Sprint customer service is telling people that the Palm Pre will be $549 if you choose not to sign a 2 year commitment ($50 cheaper than an iPhone 3G without a contract).
This option is mainly for people who want to buy and unlock the Pre to use it with carriers other than Sprint. The majority of people will obviously end up signing a 2-year commitment and get their hands on the device for $200 after the mail in rebate.
For those of you who are already Sprint customers and looking to upgrade, the Pre’s pricing gets a bit more confusing. The Pre will cost pre-existing Sprint customers $299 or $375 after the mail in rebate, depending on which discount you qualify for.
Also, it’s worth noting that Best Buy will be selling the Pre for $200 up front, that’s right, no mail in rebate. So for those of you who are like me and hate dealing with mail in rebates - buy your Pre from Best Buy.
[Originally posted at palmpreblog.com]
This option is mainly for people who want to buy and unlock the Pre to use it with carriers other than Sprint. The majority of people will obviously end up signing a 2-year commitment and get their hands on the device for $200 after the mail in rebate.
For those of you who are already Sprint customers and looking to upgrade, the Pre’s pricing gets a bit more confusing. The Pre will cost pre-existing Sprint customers $299 or $375 after the mail in rebate, depending on which discount you qualify for.
Also, it’s worth noting that Best Buy will be selling the Pre for $200 up front, that’s right, no mail in rebate. So for those of you who are like me and hate dealing with mail in rebates - buy your Pre from Best Buy.
[Originally posted at palmpreblog.com]
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Palm Pre arrives at the FCC
You didn't think Uncle Sam would let Palm launch the Pre without taking a good hard look at some dense SAR reports, did you? Yep, there's a gray suit out there right now just rockin' away in WebOS while you're stuck counting down the days until your KRZR contract expires, and there's nothing you can do about it except pore over the publicly-available data and try and imagine what the Pre's measured RF emissions might feel like while coursing through your body at ear-level. Breathe deep, friends.
P.S.- Oh, and for some reason Palm also filed a new ZigBee chip with the FCC today as well -- future home-automation plans in store?
[Originally posted at engadget.com]
P.S.- Oh, and for some reason Palm also filed a new ZigBee chip with the FCC today as well -- future home-automation plans in store?
[Originally posted at engadget.com]
Success Of the Palm Pre May Depend On Developers
There is an old computer industry adage that "software sells hardware." On June 6, the Palm Pre may again prove the truth in those words. Applications, or the lack of them, are likely to plan an important role in the Pre's relative success, or failure.
Apple, meanwhile, is expected to introduce new iPhones running its 3.0 operating system, perhaps only two days after the Pre's launch. Developers are already building applications for the new iPhone OS, diverting energy that Palm might otherwise harness.
Palm, with its rocky history, has a bad reputation in some circles. That could also slow developer support for the Pre, as those with limited resources bet on other companies' offerings.
If you were a developer, which smartphone would you create applications for? Apple's iPhone is a given as it offers a powerful platform and comes with an easy way for apps to be sold to customers. All other smartphones pale in comparison to Apple's work.
As for the others:
It's widely presumed that devices based on the Google Android operating system will become more common and that Google will figure out how to sell them online.
RIM doesn't have as advanced an applications platform among its smartphones, but can be expected to catch-up. RIM has sold plenty of BlackBerrys and sheer volume makes them interesting to developers.
Microsoft is the ugly duckling of the smartphone business. Its Windows Mobile has limited developer support and has never really caught on in the marketplace, despite years of attempts. My thought is that cellular carriers are skeptical enough of Microsoft that wide adoption of the company's mobile OS isn't likely.
It will be months before it will be possible to assess developer support for the Pre. While the June 6 launch of the Palm Pre will give the device needed momentum, it could be short-lived if Apple announces two days later at its developer conference.
The excitement surrounding iPhone 3.0 applications is likely to overshadow anything else that happens in smartphone development this summer. The Palm Pre, though exciting, is starting at a considerable disadvantage that will be difficult to overcome.
If software really does sell hardware, the momentum will be with Apple and not with Palm.
[Originally posted at pcworld.com]
Apple, meanwhile, is expected to introduce new iPhones running its 3.0 operating system, perhaps only two days after the Pre's launch. Developers are already building applications for the new iPhone OS, diverting energy that Palm might otherwise harness.
Palm, with its rocky history, has a bad reputation in some circles. That could also slow developer support for the Pre, as those with limited resources bet on other companies' offerings.
If you were a developer, which smartphone would you create applications for? Apple's iPhone is a given as it offers a powerful platform and comes with an easy way for apps to be sold to customers. All other smartphones pale in comparison to Apple's work.
As for the others:
It's widely presumed that devices based on the Google Android operating system will become more common and that Google will figure out how to sell them online.
RIM doesn't have as advanced an applications platform among its smartphones, but can be expected to catch-up. RIM has sold plenty of BlackBerrys and sheer volume makes them interesting to developers.
Microsoft is the ugly duckling of the smartphone business. Its Windows Mobile has limited developer support and has never really caught on in the marketplace, despite years of attempts. My thought is that cellular carriers are skeptical enough of Microsoft that wide adoption of the company's mobile OS isn't likely.
It will be months before it will be possible to assess developer support for the Pre. While the June 6 launch of the Palm Pre will give the device needed momentum, it could be short-lived if Apple announces two days later at its developer conference.
The excitement surrounding iPhone 3.0 applications is likely to overshadow anything else that happens in smartphone development this summer. The Palm Pre, though exciting, is starting at a considerable disadvantage that will be difficult to overcome.
If software really does sell hardware, the momentum will be with Apple and not with Palm.
[Originally posted at pcworld.com]
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Sprint To Offer Palm Pre Smartphone On June 6
Apple Inc. (AAPL) and Palm Inc. (PALM) are poised to rumble in early June.
Sprint Nextel Corp. (S) and Palm confirmed that their eagerly anticipated smartphone, Pre, will hit stores on June 6. That's just a few days before Apple is expected to unveil its next iPhone, which is sold exclusively through AT&T Inc. (T).
The stakes are high for Sprint and Palm. Palm badly needs a hit device to turn its fortunes around, while Sprint continues to see an exodus of subscribers. Both view the smartphone as the key to their turnarounds. The Pre, meanwhile, has a lot to prove as it seeks to capture some of the success that the iPhone has had over the past two years.
Sprint Chief Executive Dan Hesse stoked the hype early Tuesday, saying he expects high demand.
"We'll have shortages for a while," Hesse told analysts during an industry conference on Tuesday.
The Pre will cost $199.99 with a two-year service agreement and after a $100 mail-in rebate. Collins Stewart analyst Ashok Kumar said earlier this month the Pre could be a huge flop if Sprint wasn't able to match or price below the $199 price tag on the iPhone.
Kevin Packingham, who runs product and technology development for Sprint, said the Pre is "extremely competitively priced."
Of course, the next iPhone could come out at a lower price, which would effectively halt any consumers looking to jump carriers for the Pre. Apple and AT&T slashed the price of the device by $200 a year ago. There's also the risk that the phone's launch could get drowned out by the hype surrounding the iPhone.
A spokesman for Apple couldn't be reached for comment.
Sprint shares recently rose 8 cents to $5.40.
Palm shares fell nearly 5.1% to $11.45, partly on concern that the Pre could face quick competition from the iPhone, but also on fears that the early shortage Hesse hinted at suggests lower unit sales.
Palm marketing head Brodie Keast declined to comment on the stock movement.
Both Palm and Sprint said the iPhone didn't factor into the timing of the launch.
"We really didn't look for any outside influence," Packingham said.
On the iPhone, he said: "We want customers to compare each device."
Palm's Keast said, "Ultimately, it was Sprint's call.... We just wanted to ship this thing when it was ready."
Macquarie Securities analyst Philip Cusick estimates that Palm could sell 100, 000 units in its fiscal fourth quarter ending this month, up from a prior estimate of 50,000. He was a bit less optimistic about the Palm's early success after Hesse's comments.
Sprint said Tuesday the phone would be sold at Best Buy Co. (BBY), RadioShack Corp. (RSH) and some Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) stores. It will also be available through Sprint's Web site.
Sprint hopes the Pre will act as a strong retention tool for the company. The carrier has lost more than 6 million subscribers in the last six quarters.
The Pre should blunt some of the losses, according to Cusick. He estimated that Sprint would lose 1.1 million contract customers in the second quarter, narrower than the loss of 1.25 million in the first quarter.
[Originally posted by Kerry Grace at money.cnn.com]
Sprint Nextel Corp. (S) and Palm confirmed that their eagerly anticipated smartphone, Pre, will hit stores on June 6. That's just a few days before Apple is expected to unveil its next iPhone, which is sold exclusively through AT&T Inc. (T).
The stakes are high for Sprint and Palm. Palm badly needs a hit device to turn its fortunes around, while Sprint continues to see an exodus of subscribers. Both view the smartphone as the key to their turnarounds. The Pre, meanwhile, has a lot to prove as it seeks to capture some of the success that the iPhone has had over the past two years.
Sprint Chief Executive Dan Hesse stoked the hype early Tuesday, saying he expects high demand.
"We'll have shortages for a while," Hesse told analysts during an industry conference on Tuesday.
The Pre will cost $199.99 with a two-year service agreement and after a $100 mail-in rebate. Collins Stewart analyst Ashok Kumar said earlier this month the Pre could be a huge flop if Sprint wasn't able to match or price below the $199 price tag on the iPhone.
Kevin Packingham, who runs product and technology development for Sprint, said the Pre is "extremely competitively priced."
Of course, the next iPhone could come out at a lower price, which would effectively halt any consumers looking to jump carriers for the Pre. Apple and AT&T slashed the price of the device by $200 a year ago. There's also the risk that the phone's launch could get drowned out by the hype surrounding the iPhone.
A spokesman for Apple couldn't be reached for comment.
Sprint shares recently rose 8 cents to $5.40.
Palm shares fell nearly 5.1% to $11.45, partly on concern that the Pre could face quick competition from the iPhone, but also on fears that the early shortage Hesse hinted at suggests lower unit sales.
Palm marketing head Brodie Keast declined to comment on the stock movement.
Both Palm and Sprint said the iPhone didn't factor into the timing of the launch.
"We really didn't look for any outside influence," Packingham said.
On the iPhone, he said: "We want customers to compare each device."
Palm's Keast said, "Ultimately, it was Sprint's call.... We just wanted to ship this thing when it was ready."
Macquarie Securities analyst Philip Cusick estimates that Palm could sell 100, 000 units in its fiscal fourth quarter ending this month, up from a prior estimate of 50,000. He was a bit less optimistic about the Palm's early success after Hesse's comments.
Sprint said Tuesday the phone would be sold at Best Buy Co. (BBY), RadioShack Corp. (RSH) and some Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) stores. It will also be available through Sprint's Web site.
Sprint hopes the Pre will act as a strong retention tool for the company. The carrier has lost more than 6 million subscribers in the last six quarters.
The Pre should blunt some of the losses, according to Cusick. He estimated that Sprint would lose 1.1 million contract customers in the second quarter, narrower than the loss of 1.25 million in the first quarter.
[Originally posted by Kerry Grace at money.cnn.com]
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