Palm Centro Now Available for Pre-Order

Posted By: Ryan Kairer Saturday, September 29, 2007 1:12:59 PM

The Palm.com online store is now taking pre-orders for the Palm Centro smartphone on Sprint. The Centro starts at $99 after rebates and contractual discounts with Sprint plans. Customers will also receive free shipping and a free vehicle power charger (a $29.99 value).

As you're probably aware of by now, the Centro will be exclusive through Sprint in the United States for 90 days and is available in two colors, onyx black and ruby red. The Centro features a trimmer slimmed down design making it the smallest Palm OS phone to date. You can read more here, or check out our photo preview.

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More like $399

drw @ 9/29/2007 5:38:55 PM #

I'd like to see the percentages, but I gather most people are already locked in a contract with their cell phone carrier so when someone comes out with a "deal" for new subscribers who sign a 2 year contract, that's only available to a small minority of consumers.

I'm with sprint and in a contract. If I want a centro the cost would be $399. For $399, I could get an 8gb iphone, but I have to have handyshopper and handbase. Gadget makers seem to come out with every permutation of device except what I need. They're frustrating me on purpose. They want to force me to carry around my T|C till the end of the universe.

---
David

RE: More like $399

VampireLestat @ 9/29/2007 6:03:20 PM #

- Cell phone carrier competition is limited.
- Many people desperately need cell phones.

Result?
Collusion and price gouging.

Only 2 ways to remedy:
- Increased competition.
- Stop buying.

RE: More like $399

VampireLestat @ 9/29/2007 6:12:47 PM #

One way to put pressure is to:

- Keep your cell and PDA separate.
- Buy smallest phone w/ BT to bridge with PDA.
- Refuse contracts.
- Buy only unlocked GSM.
- Shop for cheapest plans.

. Separate devices increase your consumer pressure power.
. Also doubles battery life.
. Avoids losing both PDA and cell at same time if one breaks.
. Allows more powerful mobile computing.
. Can upgrade devices separately e.g., when a new OS comes out you don't have to pay for a new phone.

RE: More like $399

VampireLestat @ 9/29/2007 6:17:33 PM #

By the way, speaking of price. Just to give you an idea what Palm is and who you are dealing with;

Canadian $ is worth more than the USA $.
However,

Treo 680: 399$ USD --- 499$ CAD

RE: More like $399

rpa @ 9/29/2007 8:51:19 PM #

Contracts only benefit the carrier. I always buy an unlocked GSM phone and carry several SIM cards depending on which country I am in. Currently using a cheap flip phone and a T|E....would like to get connectivity with the PDA but I can live with the current set up as being the best value.

rpa
Palm Pilot >> Palm Tungsten E user

RE: More like $399

analogue wings @ 9/30/2007 11:43:10 PM #

- Keep your cell and PDA separate.
- Buy smallest phone w/ BT to bridge with PDA.
- Refuse contracts.
- Buy only unlocked GSM.

- Dig fallout shelter
- Buy tinfoil hat
- Boil water to remove fluoride
- Gouge out own fillings in case they contain transmitters
- etc
- etc

IIIc -> M105 -> Zire 21 -> Tungsten T2 -> Treo 650

RE: More like $399

VampireLestat @ 10/1/2007 1:09:45 AM #

Fine. Keep paying sucker.

As long as people keep paying, carriers and device makers will keep laughing and abusing.

Palm has done its share and now big ole arrogant Jobs is joining the club with his iPhone firmware 'cripple-grade' which just crippled all 3rd party software, re-locked and disabled 100 000 hacked iPhones. THAT is what people like you are buying into.

Keep paying sucker. If you have to suffer to learn.

Unlocked GSM

Q-man @ 10/1/2007 11:18:17 AM #

How does an individual use an unlocked GSM? I'm on Verizon, and the network is very good. They seem to be behind Sprint and AT&T on equipment. Is it possible for me to buy a phone and activate it myself?

Palm owner since 3x, now m515, don't want smartphone

RE: Unlocked GSM

Tuckermaclain @ 10/1/2007 12:08:49 PM #

I think the guy who unlocked the iphone and sold it on ebay got tens of K$. I can't imagine anybody on these boards would do that for a Treo.

I left Sprint a few years ago 2 mos before my contract was up because I broke my phone and didn't want to pay $$ for2 mos. I liked a phone from Cingular as well. When I cancelled the Sprint contract they offered me new phones as well as paying AT&Ts cancellation fee. I'm going to call Sprint this month and see if they'll still do it. Maybe others could do it as well.