SFR Reportedly Set to Offer Palm Pixi 2 Soon
Despite the fact that it is the only carrier in the world fielding a supported, subsidized version of the Pre 2, French wireless provider SFR is reportedly set to begin offering the Palm Pixi 2 next month, according to Precentral's latest report.
While no solid specs have been confirmed about the device, both the original Pixi and slightly spec-bumped Pixi Plus are desperately due for a refresh, with a standard WebOS 2.0 an absolute certainty at this point. Last month, another report suggested that the Pixi 2 would also hit Verizon alongside the Pre 2, though in August's Verizon roadmap leak we discussed the prospects of the Verizon Pixi Plus living on until March of 2011.
Additionally, a Precentral forum member who is an HP employee claims that Todd Bradley recently stated that the "smallest smartphone ever available" would be coming to SFR in January, thus lending more credence to the Pixi 2 reports and codename story from last month.
Even more tantalizingly, in this same employee-only broadcast, Bradley suggested that HP and Palm's device release schedule would ramp up tremendously in 2011, as "HP will ship a new smartphone every two months". With HP having definitively committed to WebOS over Windows Mobile last summer, this can only be good news for Palm fans worldwide. If true, this would be the most aggressive schedule ever from Palm, as the company has traditionally done major product launches in the April and October timeframes, with occasional product refreshes occurring in mid-summer and January.
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RE: leave it to the french
Enterprise
Multimedia
Gaming
ProSumer
Youth
... Come to mind. How about these FFs?
Pre 2
Pixi 2
Tablet FF phone w/ 4' screen
Horizontal KB ff w/ large screen
Large tablet device
Where's Khris when I need him?
Now if the old Palm were releasing 5, then it would be a Pixi 2 on Sprint and the Pre 2 on all 4 US carriers ... As 5 new devices.
Pat Horne
Should I or is it a waste?
I know NOTHING of WebOS as I totally disconnected from Palm after the TX was abandoned.
However, the news on PIC about there being an unlocked GSM version caught my attention.
I see it is available unlocked for purchase in the USA; anyone know approx. when it will be for sale in Canada?
RE: Should I or is it a waste?
I see that the original Pre was exclusive to Bell Canada, a company I WILL NEVER do business with. I hope HP has the sense to go live with the Pre2 in Canada as a GSM unlocked, or at least both unlocked and Bell (grr).
RE: Should I or is it a waste?
RE: Should I or is it a waste?
jeez, sounds like my dream handheld.
OK now I am getting excited over this.
And since HP is behind it, I have a bit more trust I won't be wasting my money.
RE: Should I or is it a waste?
Vampire Boy - stop being a masochist. go get yourself the biggest display (4.3"?) Android device that you can find - preferably made by HTC if possible.
http://forum.androidcentral.com/
good luck.
RE: Should I or is it a waste?
I observed HP is very excited over WebOS, they sent some of their staff over to Palm's building and they are under Ron Rubinstein's leadership (which means HP is building Palm not picking it apart).
What also intrigued me is that HP understands the vision that I have been trying to explain for years; they call it "multiple form factors", which means in 2011 they have plans to release new smartphones, tablets, maybe netbooks, laptops, who knows, but the point is they understand 1 product fits all is not a reasonable approach. They did however point out that once their new mylar (roll of sheet video paper which allows touch) is in the public, a smartphone may end up replacing all computers as you would have have monitors everywhere.
The WebOS uses HTML5 (I think -- my head was spinning and I have to rewatch the videos) and for the most part is open and uses established programming tools (which is good).
I also like the "developer mode" trick for Pre2 devices, which I think means we can install anything we want without having to jailbreak.
HP is a credible powerhouse and I think Palm might have made a good decision (finally) merging with them.
So Gekko, there will most likely be a tablet with WebOS in 2011, so I will pass on the droid for now. First I plan to get the Pre2 when available unlocked, then I will consider a tablet for home use if WebOS can improve upon my current operations and efficiencies around the house (which I use a Windows laptop for).
RE: Should I or is it a waste?
I know Android is on fire. I hear people talking about it at work sometimes.
I am stepping back into mobile world and I have to choose.
Android definitely does appeal to me, but so does wOS.
My TX speaker is failing (I have to tap it now to get it to work) & my Treo 680 SD slot is broke. I will have to replace them eventually.
How am I to chose?
So far I have chosen the Pre2 route because (in order of importance):
- GSM unlocked coming soon.
- Tech specs appear complete (3.5mm, keyb, cam, gps, wifi, usb, etc)
- I trust HP (multiple form factor plan + engineer abilities + marketing resources)
- I enjoyed using Palm devices for many years. I appreciated the efficiency gains in my personal life, the simplicity of the software, the open nature of the whole environment, the mountains of freeware, etc. I trust that current Palm employees (and even some former ones now working for HP) will continue that culture with wOS.
RE: Should I or is it a waste?
Pat Horne
RE: Should I or is it a waste?
What would you say is missing?
Because of the Palm fiascos over the last few years I have not up upgraded from my TX
RE: Should I or is it a waste?
What would you say is missing?
Because of the Palm fiascos over the last few years I have not up upgraded from my TX/680, so the specs of Pre 2 seem pretty good to me.
When the Pre2 is available as GSM/Canada, I will seriously consider buying one. I will simply carry my SIM from 680. I must say however, I am worried that Palm took all these years to make a new GSM phone. Are they just trying to sucker people like me back with a rare GSM event thing? Or will they be serious and continue to offer regular new models with GSM. Carriers had Palm crushed under in their iron oligopoly fists, I wonder how that will change with HPalm. Would be nice to read HP making a commitment to GSM.
RE: Should I or is it a waste?
If those things are not deal killers, then it should be a great device. Once Preware starts getting OS2 hacks and patches, it will be awesome. I'm personally going to stay put with my 1ghz ATT Pre+ with Mugen 1400mah standard size extended battery and wait on a WebOS tablet FF with a big screen and virtual KB in 11'.
Pat Horne
RE: Should I or is it a waste?
1. No support for removable/expandable storage media
2. No onscreen virtual keyboard (yet). And even when they add it, it'll likely have a looong way to go to match iOS & the various multitouch Android keyboards and Swype, SwiftKey etc.
3. Native WebOS email client sucks
4. Native WebOS media player/codec support sucks
5. No native voice recorder app ( a travesty considering we've had this on Palm OS since, what, the Treo 600 and Tungsten T days?)
6. No support for voice dialing over BT or voice commands. Palm supposedly supports the California hands-free legislation yet its platform is decidedly the most driver-unfriendly on the market.
7. Still no non-carrier-based wi-fi "WebOS Touch" device. An iPod Touch-style device is CRITICAL to attract users that are in a country not serviced by a WebOS-brandishing telco, teenage/kid types, developers (a biggie), and users like myself who might like one as a secondary device but cannot justify a 2nd cellular contract + costly data plan. And of course, the "Mike Cane types".
8. Mission-critical "big name" apps & devs like Epocrates and DataViz are abandoning WebOS and/or lagging in their commitment to the platform (QuickOffice). And Google's support of WebOS is unsurprisingly waning too...the excellent Google Maps 5, Google Voice etc are nowhere to be found and it's not like Hp/Palm are in any position to churn out their own replacements.
Now, all of the above said, there's still a very slim chance for HP to make some inroads, primarily in the high-end smartphone realm as well as tablets of all shapes & sizes. They need to put out an HP Envy-branded PalmPad ASAP!!! I cannot fathom why they keep wanting to fool around in the cutthroat, zero-margin world of "teen" or freebie smartphones. Those are rapidly becoming a total commodity. Palm bitched about the margins on the Centro in 2007 and 2008. It's not going to be any easier going up against competitors like the LG Optimus. Heck, after a few months, you can get formerly high-end and midrange Android handsets for free or nearly free. Device acquisition cost isn't really a compelling factor when you look at the TCO over the 2 years (or longer for the Canucks) of the contract.
Right now, the biggest concerns for me are whether or not the handset will be supported for more than a few months by its manufacturer (hello, Samsung!) and how well its specs and construction are likely to hold up when you are 12-18 months into your contract but not yet able to reup for a new device.
Pilot 1000->Pilot 5000->PalmPilot Pro->IIIe->Vx->m505->T|T->T|T2->T|C->T|T3->T|T5->Zodiac 2->TX->Verizon Treo 700P->Verizon Treo 755p->Verizon Moto Droid + Verizon Palm Centro-> Verizon Moto Droid X + Palm TX
RE: Should I or is it a waste?
Also, there were a lot of haters who thought that CESD should create Pimlical for WebOS, but now it appears that his instinct was correct that the market for Android would be much bigger.
RE: Should I or is it a waste?
1. Not a deal killer, but I prefer. (See that fruit named companies phone)
2. Uhh, not needed when all that exist are thumboard models. 2011 will tell the tale on that. I have it via Preware on my Pre +, but it's niche usage.
3. Ding, ding, ding ... winner. No real fix in OS2 either is puzzling.
4. Weak
5. One is in Homebrew, but absence in baffling
6. I don't care, but many do. Weak.
7. Nobody wants that. They can't give those Touches away. Right?
8. Definitely the hens are coming home to roost. Can the HP $$$ infusion turn that? 2011 or never IMO.
Let's not forget that HP paid $1.4 BILLION for this company. 99% of that was b/c of WebOS imo. The software architecture is still fabulous and I believe HP saw what a lot of us saw. A killer platform to hang fabulous products off of, but hampered by anemic hardware and marketing from a company that is know for innovative SW and lagging (pun intended) HW.
The idea is to continue to build on the base SW and bring real hardware, marketing, and global distribution to it. 2011 is the year that we'll see if the HP portion of the puzzle fits and makes for a great user experience and a lot of buzz. IMO, if they try to catch up with the iPhone / GoogClones, then they fall. But if they innovate and bring innovation to the table they have a change to do something special.
WebOS is special and we are about to see if HP synergies (pun not intended) can mesh the parts together for a winner. They are doing it in other spaces. Will they do it here? IDK
Pat Horne
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