Palm Pre Plus, Pixi Plus Coming to Verizon

Palm Pre Plus Pixi Palm Inc. announced today that Verizon Wireless will be getting updated models of the Palm Pre and Pixi. Announced today at Palm's CES Event, Verizon is set to exclusively offer the Palm Pre Plus and the Palm Pixi Plus on Monday, January 25th.

The Palm Pre Plus adds a refreshed design along with twice the amount of storage space (16GB) and built in touchstone support. The Pixi Plus will be enhanced with built in WiFi as well as an integrated touchstone cover. Both models will also support Palm's new WiFi router functionality via the Palm mobile hotspot application.

"The Palm experience is all about helping our customers stay connected so they never miss a thing," said Jon Rubinstein, Palm chairman and chief executive officer. "We're constantly enriching this experience with new features and innovations. The Verizon Wireless launch of Pre Plus and Pixi Plus is the next phase in delivering this unique Palm experience to more people."

"The Palm webOS family is a great addition to Verizon Wireless' robust line-up of smartphones," said John Stratton, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Verizon Wireless. "The outstanding capabilities and functionalities on both Pre Plus and Pixi Plus give customers a wealth of customization options to help them manage their lives. Customers get the latest technology from Palm along with the nation's largest and most reliable 3G network for an unsurpassed mobile experience."

Palm Pre Plus and Palm Pixi Plus will be available online at www.verizonwireless.com and in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores beginning Jan. 25. Pricing will be announced closer to launch. 3G mobile hotspot is a separately-purchased feature added to a voice and data plan.

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WiFi mobile hotspot is a game changer

pmjoe @ 1/7/2010 2:02:03 PM # Q
Assuming it works out to being what it sounds like it is. Nice move Palm.

Surprised Verizon is allowing it.

RE: WiFi mobile hotspot is a game changer
Gekko @ 1/7/2010 3:36:54 PM # Q

1. it must be an extra monthly charge for service. carriers charge $50+/month for it now. my guess is Pre would simply replace a MIFI but SLOWEER.
2. why would you want to tie up your phone and kill the battery as a wifi hot spot? dumb idea when they have the little USB sticks or better yet MIFIs you can stick in your bag.

RE: WiFi mobile hotspot is a game changer
LiveFaith @ 1/7/2010 3:44:02 PM # Q
Lizard boy. I would be all over that feature (Minus VZW milking another $$$ outta the feature). Just plug in your Pre and let everybody in the room (in my case the RV) connect for as long as needed. Unless your hiking or otherwise outdoors their is a good probability that a USB or 120v connection is nearby.

I use my Treo 680 all the time at her blazing EDGE speeds to tether. The more the merrier. Time to trade that pink Centro in and step up Gekk! :-D
Pat Horne

RE: WiFi mobile hotspot is a game changer
Gekko @ 1/7/2010 4:00:00 PM # Q

Reverend - did you read my whole post? you must have really done a lot of bad drugs back in the 80s.

http://mobile.engadget.com/2009/05/13/verizon-mifi-2200-review/

Reply to this comment

hey hillbillies

Gekko @ 1/7/2010 6:27:34 PM # Q
so for you hillbillies on vzw. who's getting a pre or pixi???

no more blaming sprint.

RE: hey hillbillies
imgreenlantern2 @ 1/7/2010 7:17:39 PM # Q
I'll be getting a Pre. Granted, it isn't quite the update I was hoping for, but its good enough for me.
Reply to this comment

Pre+ on other networks

grimpeur @ 1/8/2010 1:36:03 AM # Q
Bit annoying,

I was about to buy a Pre on O2 in the UK but this makes me think twice. I wonder when the Pre+ will come to other networks. I am guessing it will be a while... summer at least, probably just get a Pre afterall.

RE: Pre+ on other networks
stellaboy @ 1/8/2010 10:45:24 AM # Q
Exactly my story. I really hope it comes to Orange. o2s customer service is shocking!
Reply to this comment

Not bad

rsc1000 @ 1/8/2010 9:08:54 AM # Q
Everybody was whining on Weds when PIC posted the specs for these devices.
But those with hands-on access have so far said good things about the new units. Remember that Apple (with more than 10x the resources as Palm) only refreshes the iPhone once per year but here Palm is doing a 6 month refresh. This isn't a 'Pre 2' - but it is still a nice tweak. In addition to including the induction charging back cover and increasing "they've made some solid improvements to these devices" and "The company has also improved the action of the slider mechanism, which is now way, way snappier, and clicks into and out of place with a confidence-stoking solidness.".
Not a new device but a solid refresh that - when combined with the new OS changes (PDK / 3D graphics, video support, Flash 10) - provides a pretty nice incentive to pick one up. Especially true for those who were holding out for a carrier other than Sprint.
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What is Palm's codename C40?

mikecane @ 1/8/2010 4:06:14 PM # Q
A blog listed something designated as the "Palm C40" coming to Sprint this year. P100 and P120 designators were Pre and Pixi.

Something else is in the pipeline.

Dear god, make it a frikkin mini-tablet!

Give Google a kick in their balls:
http://ebooktest.wordpress.com/2010/01/08/google-the-vampire/

RE: What is Palm's codename C40?
gmayhak @ 1/9/2010 8:24:27 AM # Q
C is probably for Charger, sorry Mike!

Tech Center Labs

RE: What is Palm's codename C40?
Gekko @ 1/9/2010 8:43:51 AM # Q

i like how hipsters are always looking to villainize some big evil corporation du jour. yesterday it was Microsoft, today, surprisingly, it's Google.

Con - just get a cheap little Netbook and carry it around in your gay little librarian bag along with your gay little umbrella. 10.1" is the sweet spot.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/catalog.gsp?cat=1026142

RE: What is Palm's codename C40?
SeldomVisitor @ 1/9/2010 8:54:54 AM # Q
That thing is almost cheap enough just to buy to try things out.

Yow.

RE: What is Palm's codename C40?
Gekko @ 1/9/2010 9:03:30 AM # Q

i bought it and am using it now as my one and only primary personal computer and i LOVE IT. it's so nice not to have to lug around a full big heavy laptop. the build quality and feature set is incredible given the price point.
RE: What is Palm's codename C40?
SeldomVisitor @ 1/9/2010 9:18:06 AM # Q
Is it fast enough to play streaming video, etc? My wife is HEAVY into Korean Soap Operas (no kidding!) and takes over ...ahem... MY rocket desktop to watch them - hours at a time (making me use THIS PC, a Xubuntu install on a 600MHz PIII). Same thing with The Kidlet - she wants to play all sorts of games, music, videos, that cannot be done on this PC so grabs "mine" to do so.

Maybe I'll have to give it a try...

RE: What is Palm's codename C40?
Gekko @ 1/9/2010 9:42:04 AM # Q

it runs basic streaming video just fine.

this kid is not me - but he does a pretty good job of reviewing the netbook -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLKAU5LJJM4


RE: What is Palm's codename C40?
SeldomVisitor @ 1/9/2010 9:45:49 AM # Q
Thanks for the YouTube link - I'll have to kick The Kidlet off ... ahem ... MY machine to watch the three videos...

RE: What is Palm's codename C40?
mikecane @ 1/9/2010 11:23:05 AM # Q
Man, I was just in J&R this morning looking at netbooks again.

And again: they're all CRAP.

And Google is even worse than you imagine:

In Two Years, Only Google Will Use Android
http://ebooktest.wordpress.com/2010/01/09/in-two-years-only-google-will-use-android/

Reply to this comment

573,000 Pres and Pixis sold

Gekko @ 1/8/2010 6:26:38 PM # Q

After an investment by private equity firm Elevation Partners over two years ago, which brought in new management such as ex-Apple executive Jon Rubinstein, Palm launched a new Web-based mobile operating system and two phones dubbed the Palm Pre and the Palm Pixi.

But both devices, which became available last year through Sprint, have had middling success. Last month the company said it shipped 783,000 of its phones to retailers but that consumers only snapped up 573,000 of those devices.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704130904574644591650446198.html


RE: 573,000 Pres and Pixis sold
mikecane @ 1/8/2010 6:46:26 PM # Q
Hey, if they hit the 1M mark in a year, that's better than being d-e-d.

At least they are not in Nokia's death spiral. And not someone being screwed by Google.

And I want to know what that C40 is, dammit.

RE: 573,000 Pres and Pixis sold
Gekko @ 1/8/2010 7:06:22 PM # Q

they need scale and critical mass in order to survive.


RE: 573,000 Pres and Pixis sold
LiveFaith @ 1/8/2010 9:42:54 PM # Q
According to the alleged Sprint database leak from 2 months ago (!) the actual photo had the term "smartphone" next to it, so I'm doubting a Foldeo II or minitab. All they need to do is port WebOS to the HTC HD2 and put a Palm decal on it. I'll not only buy the phone, but a 1,000 shares of common stock too.

They need to get beyond the carrier exclusives if they want to move units. Or at least not stay exclusive so long on the "distant 3rd" carrier in the USA. Not to mention international agreements. I'm sure they had a $cheme from the beginning, but boy did they lose a loooot of sales by not releasing the CDMA Pre on VZW last summer. I hope Sprint made it worth their while.
Pat Horne

RE: 573,000 Pres and Pixis sold
SeldomVisitor @ 1/9/2010 4:19:00 AM # Q
> ...consumers only snapped up 573,000 of those devices...

You have pointed out a problem with the Me-Too Media when it is ...barf..."reporting" on Palm; being me-too, they repeat crap over and over again and that crap becomes "fact" that then gets repeated again.

Consumers did not snap up 573,000 of those devices - Palm "sold-through" that many devices.

Unfortunately, there IS a real and very significant difference.

I'm not going to repeat that difference; hey! Maybe the Me-Too Media will!

I doubt it.

Because one other key feature of the Me-Too Media is they don't have to correct themselves; they can just let their crap stay there to be...you know...repeated.


RE: 573,000 Pres and Pixis sold
Gekko @ 1/9/2010 4:58:59 AM # Q

783,000 was the sold through number. 573,000 was the snapped up number.

RE: 573,000 Pres and Pixis sold
SeldomVisitor @ 1/9/2010 6:32:27 AM # Q
When I post something hard like above, believe it.

From the last earnings call:

== "...The total Smartphone sales for Q2 was 573,000 units and Web OS
== products accounted for close to 80% of this number. This compares to
== total sell through of 810,000 units in Q1. Consistent with our past
== reporting, sell through represents sales by our carrier partners to their
== customers which may include indirect sales channels..."

RE: 573,000 Pres and Pixis sold
jca666us @ 1/9/2010 7:41:10 AM # Q
573k - man, that sucks. maybe they'll hit a million by june 2010 - still definitely way below expectations.

Initial predictions were that would have sold about 2 million devices in 2009...

RE: 573,000 Pres and Pixis sold
SeldomVisitor @ 1/9/2010 8:51:47 AM # Q
> ...man, that sucks...

The point that the "analysts" are missing simply because they, too, have gone with the incorrect idea that this piddling number is "sold to end customers", is that this WASN'T sold to end customers! It was sold to retailers and maybe even other wholesalers!

For all we know, end customers bought 100,000.

And that's the REAL story about Palm device sales.


RE: 458,000 Pres and Pixis sold
Gekko @ 1/9/2010 9:00:59 AM # Q

783,000 total palm smartphones shipped to retailers

573,000 total palm smartphones sold through with almost 80% being webOS

573,000 x 80% = 458,400 webOS

573,000 x 20% = 114,600 palmOS (seems light?)

my understanding is that "sold through" means sold through to and snapped up by the final customer as opposed to simply just shipped to the retailer.

RE: 573,000 Pres and Pixis sold
jca666us @ 1/9/2010 9:09:37 AM # M Q
either way you look at it those numbers are pathetic.

Sales will plummet with the advance of android - nexus one looks fantastic.

RE: 573,000 Pres and Pixis sold
SeldomVisitor @ 1/9/2010 9:11:32 AM # Q
Yes, that pretty much is everybody's understanding of the definition of "sold through".

Except for Palm.

THEIR definition includes "devices we have sold to wholesalers that have been sold" as their earnings call quote up their outright says. And that "sold" means to anyone INCLUDING other sales channels.

Isn't that a fun one!?

And, of course, BECAUSE of that the Me-Too Media (obviously) gets it wrong ALL THE TIME and the "analysts", too, get it wrong.

Isn't THAT a fun one!?


RE: 573,000 Pres and Pixis sold
SeldomVisitor @ 1/9/2010 9:21:58 AM # Q
Let's make Palm's definition of "sell through" a little more in-yer-face:

From the latest earnings call, the CFO speaking:

== "..Consistent with our past reporting, sell through represents sales
== by our carrier partners to their customers which may include indirect
== sales channels..."

So Palm has a somewhat...unique...definition of "sell through" compared to others.

The Me-Too Media, of course, misses that because they're me-too - copying what others have already written.

The "analysts" "miss" that maybe for more sinister reasons.

RE: 573,000 Pres and Pixis sold
mikecane @ 1/9/2010 11:25:11 AM # Q
>>>Sales will plummet with the advance of android

You eejit. Android is a DEAD END!

http://ebooktest.wordpress.com/2010/01/09/in-two-years-only-google-will-use-android/

If Palm would *use* that damned knowledge, they could get somewhere.

RE: 573,000 Pres and Pixis sold
Gekko @ 1/9/2010 11:44:10 AM # Q

Hey, Apple, Wake Up -- It's Happening Again
Henry Blodget | Jan. 5, 2010, 9:04 AM | 18,086 | comment 165

Apple is pursuing the same strategy with the iPhone that it pursued with the Mac. And we know how that ended.
Read »

http://www.businessinsider.com/henry-blodget-hey-apple-wake-up-it-2010-1


RE: 573,000 Pres and Pixis sold
jca666us @ 1/9/2010 1:33:17 PM # M Q
mike,

for a "dead end" android is a much more compelling platform then webos, and the hardware being developed for it blows the pre out of the water.

if palm survives long enough - their product line is in desperate need of a substantial hardware refresh.

RE: 573,000 Pres and Pixis sold
abosco @ 1/9/2010 3:08:13 PM # M Q
In all honesty, I don't think Apple gives a shit if they're the market leader. What they care about is profit margin first and foremost. I think their nightmare is having a Centro type of product where sales are high but profit is non-existent.

If you're an investor, you should take these numbers to heart. They haven't sold shit on Sprint.

RE: 573,000 Pres and Pixis sold
mikecane @ 1/9/2010 4:39:13 PM # Q
>>>their product line is in desperate need of a substantial hardware refresh.

This is so.

RE: 573,000 Pres and Pixis sold
Gekko @ 1/9/2010 5:38:51 PM # Q

Con - you'll become intellectually lazy in your posts here. my guess is that twitter and all of those dumb repetitive excessive constant tweets has diluted your mind. your contributions are now limited down to simple, insipid, 140 characters or less bits of pablum.
RE: 573,000 Pres and Pixis sold
Gekko @ 1/9/2010 5:40:05 PM # Q

you'll = you've.

p.s. it's 2010. can we get some post editing capability here???


RE: 573,000 Pres and Pixis sold
nastebu @ 1/9/2010 5:47:02 PM # Q
abosco wrote:
In all honesty, I don't think Apple gives a shit if they're the market leader. What they care about is profit margin first and foremost. I think their nightmare is having a Centro type of product where sales are high but profit is non-existent.

I agree with this. In particular, because having a hit like the Centro changes your brand image from high-end, premium, to low-end mass market. Apple is historically very reluctant to cut prices. Even during last year's recision they kept their basic price points.

Palm let the Pre very quickly become low end, which will be a problem if they try to start selling the next version for a premium. Everyone will expect if they wait a few months the price will fall. That's a negative if you're trying to preserve high margins. Palm really needs some of those high margins.

RE: 573,000 Pres and Pixis sold
jca666us @ 1/9/2010 7:08:34 PM # Q
Agreed; part of the reason the Pre went low-end rather quickly was the iphone 3gs - similar hardware specs, with the 16 gig. model selling for the same price as the 8 gig. Pre.

Slow multitasking and non-existant apps. at launch time do not command a premium value.

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