[meyerweb]

Will the iPhone be available in early June, or just announced? If it's the latter, I think Palm can really steal a march on Apple. While apple is promising a few new features (cut and paste, what an earth shaker!) for some time in the future, Palm can deliver a phone that offers far more, today.

But were I Palm, I'd do it the other way around: wait until AFTER the Apple announcement. Do it a few days before, and all the media wonks that Apple's bought and paid for will forget about the Pre and fawn all over the unavailable iPhone. Release just AFTER the Apple announcement, and Palm can steal some of Apple's thunder with a device you can actually buy today.

[cardfan]

Well, June 7th is a Sunday. Lots take the day off including some blog sites. That particular day is really meaniless besides the fact we can buy a Pre. Although the media will use that day to talk about it some more showing the usual stuff.

In other words, its the few weeks or days leading up to June 7th that will get attention. Toss in some advanced reviews with finally a full disclosure of everything available, along with a blitz of heavy marketing, and the buzz will be happening much longer than merely one day before Apple's event (which is merely an announcement).

[ThePoisonBerry]

wow if Sprint/Palm is releasing it on June 7, The Pre will have no chance. I hope they know that.

Unless they price it at $49(Forty Nine Dollars) Pre and WebOS will go down, in which case, Palm will die also. I'd rather have it be released in September after all the iPhone hype than in June.

[Reeves]

Just a quick question for the "If Palm releases the Pre on June 7, they're dead" crowd:

Let's assume this is true. Why wouldn't Palm also be dead if they launched it on May 7 or had launched it on March 7 or even January 27?

If the release of a new iPhone will somehow magically kill the feature smartphone competition (just like the iPhone 3G "killed" the G1, Storm, HTC Touch Diamond, right? ), then isn't Palm doomed any way you cut it? They can't survive as a company if they had robust Pre sales for 2-4 months, and then a new iPhone came and brought all of that to a screeching halt.

Essentially, what you're saying is that the Pre was doomed from the second it was announced. And if you want to believe that, great. But if Palm is doomed, then shouldn't they take as long as possible and make the Pre as bug-free as possible with a robust launch lineup so that they can "go out" with their best foot forward?

[TonyTurboII]

Just a quick question for the "If Palm releases the Pre on June 7, they're dead" crowd:

Let's assume this is true. Why wouldn't Palm also be dead if they launched it on May 7 or had launched it on March 7 or even January 27?

If the release of a new iPhone will somehow magically kill the feature smartphone competition (just like the iPhone 3G "killed" the G1, Storm, HTC Touch Diamond, right? ), then isn't Palm doomed any way you cut it? They can't survive as a company if they had robust Pre sales for 2-4 months, and then a new iPhone came and brought all of that to a screeching halt.

Essentially, what you're saying is that the Pre was doomed from the second it was announced. And if you want to believe that, great. But if Palm is doomed, then shouldn't they take as long as possible and make the Pre as bug-free as possible with a robust launch lineup so that they can "go out" with their best foot forward?

You're wasting your time, we know Palm will be fine but the tinfoil hat crowd is always expecting the worst.

[TomD]

Do you think it would be too much if I strap my new Pre on my forehead and walk around Star Bucks with a big grin?

Maybe I could put it in demo mode

[wynand32]

You're wasting your time, we know Palm will be fine but the tinfoil hat crowd is always expecting the worst.

I hardly think it means that one wears a tinfoil hat if one recognizes that Palm is in financial difficulties. I think that's fairly common knowledge. Again, Google, Microsoft, HTC, Samsung, etc., can afford to sell fewer units in a product launch--for example, a million G1's sold in a year? That's not particularly spectacular, but Samsung can afford to absorb any losses (or, lower revenues) from that one device in order to nurture the platform for future sales.

Would a million Pres sold in a year be sufficient to keep Palm afloat? I already said I don't know for certain, but I doubt it. And without some time to build up momentum before a new iPhone (hardware, not just 3.0) is released, I'm afraid that they're dramatically hurting their chances.

[patchs]

This guy has an interesting opinion.
Palm Pre on June 7? No Way. | John Paczkowski | Digital Daily | AllThingsD

[Reeves]

I hardly think it means that one wears a tinfoil hat if one recognizes that Palm is in financial difficulties. I think that's fairly common knowledge. Again, Google, Microsoft, HTC, Samsung, etc., can afford to sell fewer units in a product launch--for example, a million G1's sold in a year? That's not particularly spectacular, but Samsung can afford to absorb any losses (or, lower revenues) from that one device in order to nurture the platform for future sales.

Would a million Pres sold in a year be sufficient to keep Palm afloat? I already said I don't know for certain, but I doubt it. And without some time to build up momentum before a new iPhone (hardware, not just 3.0) is released, I'm afraid that they're dramatically hurting their chances.

But that's just it...the only momentum that can save them is if they can continue to sell Pre phones during and after a new iPhone launch, let alone upcoming Android and WM 6.5 handsets. Beating the iPhone to market with a rushed product that will be quickly overshadowed by a stable, 2-year old, hip phone with a huge software library is NOT A VICTORY. It will not save Palm. It will not save Sprint. It's a bad idea.

But coming to market with some name brand third-party apps out of the gate and a relatively bug-free device that has been thoroughly tested? That's their only chance.

[morningstar1844#IM]

Crazy = how worked up people are getting about a release date = how worked up people are getting about losing their precious sero.

I called retentions last night and expressed my concerns. I told them that I would use the internet just a much using a Treo Pro versus the Pre. Of course he said there is no way that they can overide the system. Anyway Everton out of Florida indicated that he would bring the issue before management and see what they say. Maybe they can reduce somthing to make the plan more feasible. They used to give us free texting and things like that. don't know what they can do with my old plan. I told them I was willing to pay 40 more a month, but not the 200 to have the Pre on all 5 of my shared lines. He is going to call me back in a week! Lol, I may not be the owner of a Pre!!!

[DHart]

Crazy = how worked up people are getting about a release date = how worked up people are getting about losing their precious sero.

Thank you, crogs for inserting some sanity into this thread.

How many threads have there been here about "skeezix has reported a whisper of a rumor of a release date of XX"?

Palm stated at the beginning that they would release in the first half of this year. Nothing has changed.

Apple is not the problem. A bug free phone and full supply lines at rollout are the issues that matter. Apple is NOT going to announce much less release a 4G phone. None of the service providers in the US is even close to putting a 4G network in operation. So who exactly needs a 4G phone yet?

Give it a rest. It will shine when it shines.

[Reeves]

I called retentions last night and expressed my concerns. I told them that I would use the internet just a much using a Treo Pro versus the Pre. Of course he said there is no way that they can overide the system. Anyway Everton out of Florida indicated that he would bring the issue before management and see what they say. Maybe they can reduce somthing to make the plan more feasible. They used to give us free texting and things like that. don't know what they can do with my old plan. I told them I was willing to pay 40 more a month, but not the 200 to have the Pre on all 5 of my shared lines. He is going to call me back in a week! Lol, I may not be the owner of a Pre!!!

You're not going to be the owner of a lot of phones if this is your sticking point, buddy. These golden plans of yore came from an age when data wasn't the golden goose for carriers that it is now (and they didn't offer much data related besides internet and email anyway). They will simply extend the Everything/Data requirements to more and more phones until you have no choice but to agree to them.

Sprint is still the cheapest possible option of all of the four major carriers.

[asforme]

Thank you, crogs for inserting some sanity into this thread.

How many threads have there been here about "skeezix has reported a whisper of a rumor of a release date of XX"?

Palm stated at the beginning that they would release in the first half of this year. Nothing has changed.
...
Give it a rest. It will shine when it shines.

But speculating is fun, that's why I joined a forum dedicated to an unreleased product. Then when it's finally announced some people get their bragging rights for finding the correct rumor first.

[ldfrombigd]

Do you think it would be too much if I strap my new Pre on my forehead and walk around Star Bucks with a big grin?

Maybe I could put it in demo mode

I think that would be a great idea

[DHart]

But speculating is fun, that's why I joined a forum dedicated to an unreleased product. Then when it's finally announced some people get their bragging rights for finding the correct rumor first.

Yes, I agree, it's fun. But the foaming at the mouth protestations and declarations that the folks at Palm are idiots or that Palm is doomed is they don't do "X" remind me of some of the Meredith Wilson song lyrics from the Music Man:

"Pick a little, talk a little, pick a little, talk a little, cheep, cheep, cheep, talk a lot, pick a little more."

[roturn]

I predict this thread will get to 1700 posts before Sprint announces the release date.

I think I have a btter chance of guessing that than anyone here does on speculating the actual release date. Or do I need a new thread about the speculation thread? That way we don't skew the numbers?

[prereferee]

Yes, I agree, it's fun. But the foaming at the mouth protestations and declarations that the folks at Palm are idiots or that Palm is doomed is they don't do "X" remind me of some of the Meredith Wilson song lyrics from the Music Man:

"Pick a little, talk a little, pick a little, talk a little, cheep, cheep, cheep, talk a lot, pick a little more."

You mean unsubstantiated rumors and insinuations aren't fact? *Turns off cable news*

[wynand32]

cheep, cheep, cheep

What do you have against Twitter?

[morningstar1844#IM]

You're not going to be the owner of a lot of phones if this is your sticking point, buddy. These golden plans of yore came from an age when data wasn't the golden goose for carriers that it is now (and they didn't offer much data related besides internet and email anyway). They will simply extend the Everything/Data requirements to more and more phones until you have no choice but to agree to them.

Sprint is still the cheapest possible option of all of the four major carriers.

I agree on your statement that Sprint is best option of all phone carriers but a $200 increase is quite steep! And yes my current plan remains cheap for sure. $360 for 7 lines of service is not too bad. lines 6 and 7 don't have the features.

[Reeves]

I agree on your statement that Sprint is best option of all phone carriers but a $200 increase is quite steep! And yes my current plan remains cheap for sure. $360 for 7 lines of service is not too bad. lines 6 and 7 don't have the features.

I addressed this in a new post here:

http://discussion.treocentral.com/pa...ing-plans.html

Let's keep the plan discussion there so as not to derail this thread further.