This one’s for our Europe-based Palm (NSDQ: PALM) Pre users who want to break-up with the exclusive Pre carrier in their country. Thanks to the Rebel Simcard II you can do just that, while paying only £10.99 ($17.95) for the pleasure. The mentioned card sits between your carrier’s SIM (that’s O2 (NYSE: TEF)) and the Pre’s SIM slot, bypassing network locks and allowing access to other network’s services, 3G data included.
Here’s how they did it (video) and before I let you go, I’m looking forward to see this repeated with the Pixi. That’s at least until Palm start selling its first webOS baby unlocked. Back to the clip…
Palm (NSDQ: PALM) seems to struggle to get developers on board. The idea would be to sell the Pre and Pixi in more countries and engage the worldwide developer base, as the current strategy doesn’t seem to work. Their App Catalog now counts 300 titles, which is very, very poor. To be fair, webOS is a brand new platform and I guess it’s fair to give Palm some space, but something needs to be done, nonetheless.
In comparison, Apple (NSDQ: AAPL)’s AppStore now counts 100,000 apps, whereas Google (NSDQ: GOOG)’s Android Market goes for 10,000. C’mon Palm, start selling your phones in India and China and organize some contest to get some hot spanking apps in the Catalog. We want you to succeed, honestly!
Well folks the Pixi promo clips are ready. We have two videos to show you. The first one is from Palm (NSDQ: PALM), whereas the second (dull) one comes from Sprint (NYSE: S). Nothing too spectacular – but good enough for bargain-hunting webOS fans. Enjoy!
The Palm (NSDQ: PALM) Pixi, which was announced during the beginning of September, but without information regarding pricing or availability, is now a little closer to Sprint (NYSE: S) customers grubby little hands. Quick recall of the specification sheet:
It’s coming to Sprint on November 15th for, and I’m going to quote this so I get it right: “It will cost just $99.99 with a two-year service agreement, after a $50 instant rebate and $100 mail-in rebate”. Why can’t they just let you have it for $99.99 out the door is beyond me. The cheapest plan that will get you this device will cost you $69.99/month; Sprint will not give you this thing without unlimited data.
While we wait to get out review unit, check out this ~ 8 minute video done by Phone Scoop to get a run down of what the Pixi is all about:
The GSM Palm (NSDQ: PALM) Pre has been available in the UK and Germany, bringing with it Palm’s intuitive multi-tasking webOS and multi-touch display. Here in the US, though, the only Palm Pre available comes in CDMA guise and works only on Sprint (NYSE: S)’s network. Fortunately, Americans can now get their hands on an unlocked GSM Palm Pre from Expansys – as long as they’re willing to make some sacrifices.
The GSM Palm Pre will ship with some O2 (NYSE: TEF) branding and lacks the frequency support to pull down 3G wireless data from AT&T (NYSE: T)’s network (nor T-Mobile (NYSE: DT)’s network). You still get the same 3.1-inch multi-touch display, 3-megapixel camera, WiFi, GPS, 3.5mm headphone jack and 8GB of onboard storage that every Sprint Palm Pre user has been enjoying for months now. But, you’ll have to deal with a “QWERTZ” keyboard that swaps the “Y” and “Z” keys like those crazy Europeans like to do.
If you can deal with non-US branding, European 3G “banding,” and a quirky keyboard setup, Expansys will be happy to sell you an unlocked GSM Palm Pre for $714.99. The website shows the unit out of stock, but should be back within a week or so.
The Weather Channel has introduced yet another version of their very popular app. This time around it has been re-jigged for webOS, and is available right now in Beta in the App Catalog. The new ad-supported app joins its Android, BlackBerry and iPhone cousins as one of the more popular weather apps available today. I’m sure the new webOS-powered version will do just swimmingly for Palm (NSDQ: PALM) Pre and Palm Pixi (soon) users.
The Weather Channel app is available for free in three languages, and will be distributed in six countries via the App Catalog. Key features of the app include:
Detailed weather data for current conditions, hourly, 36-hour and 10-day forecasts
GPS technology plots exact locations for quick, accurate conditions and weather alerts
Severe alert indicator turns red with the latest updates on severe weather, storm watch and tropical alerts
Customizable maps display weather layers such as radar and clouds and can be animated
Packing the Palm (NSDQ: PALM) (NSDQ: PALM) Pre and loving every minute of it? Pumped about the growing number of apps available in the App Catalog? What if I told you there was a new Twitter account put together by the folks at Palm, setup to let you know when new apps are released? Cool, huh? Well that’s exactly what Palm has done, and you can follow the feed @palmnewapps.
The App Catalog is picking up momentum… This is a great way to stay on top of what’s new and notable. Check it out!
You can also browse the App Catalog’s offerings online via the new App Catalog Website.
In an effort to get some media attention prior to officially launching the Pixi, Palm (NSDQ: PALM) is offering two ways for users to win the upcoming device.
One way is to sign up on Palm’s Blog, and keep your fingers crossed you’ll be one of 25 lucky folks who will win the Pixi handset.
The other way is also a community building activity, which requires that you leave a comment on Palm’s Facebook page no later than November 14th. Here, however, you can win either the Pixi or Pre – simply write which of the two you want, and if you’re super lucky, you may get one.
Verizon (NYSE: VZ) used its Twitter account @VZWOffers to announce that the Palm (NSDQ: PALM) Pre will be hitting their network in early 2010. Talk about viral marketing and an effort to get more followers. I guess that information was retweeted and talked about on hundreds of blogs and forums around the web.
The addition of the Pre will effectively make Verizon even stronger. They will offer the Droid, Pre, Storm 2… A respectable portfolio, gotta admit.
Earlier this summer two items showed up in Sprint (NYSE: S) systems: the P120, which has now been unveiled as the Palm (NSDQ: PALM) Pixi, and the C40, presumed to be an updated 16 GB Palm Pre. Unfortunately, according to the latest screenshots of internal inventory, the C40 is nowhere to be found. Who knows if the C40 was actually a 16 GB Pre, or if it was just a little creative inference based on an inventory quirk, but it’s only the Pixi in there now. On the bright side, the Pixi is accompanied by all of those artist series battery covers and a new leather sleeve, which will likely be available at launch. The latest rumours are pointing to an October 20 release, a mere four days away; let’s see if that one pans out…
The GSM Palm (
Packing the Palm (
