Sprint

Welcome back, Palm

This weekend will be a big one for Palm and Sprint. The Palm Pre goes on sale Saturday and while it may be a while until we see specific numbers in terms of units sold, I think one thing's apparent: Palm is back.

The story's been told many times before. Palm, who enjoyed much success early on with its Treo series, fell from grace after it failed to deliver new, exciting products. In August 2007, Engadget wrote an open letter to Palm, calling for an intervention after the company turned from "respected underdog and innovator to repeat … Read more

The 404 357: Where Wilson calls dibsies on Dan Hesse

Wilson breaks some Sprint and Palm Pre information, based on an interview he did with CNET News reporter Maggie Reardon and Sprint CEO Dan Hesse. This makes Jeff infinitely jealous, because Wilson got to hold a Palm Pre before Jeff did.

Dan Hesse denied that Verizon and AT&T would be getting the Palm Pre in six months time, saying that the reports had the facts wrong. Wilson thinks that Sprint probably has the option to extend its exclusivity in six months. Wilson also thinks that the Palm Pre is a little too small and a little too thick. Reminds us of something we'd rather not say or write.

In more phone news, Jitterbug has released a new version of its Jitterbug cell phone. Remember the one last week that couldn't even dial 911 in some cases? Well, Jitterbug has added text messaging to this new model. Yeah, we don't really think that grandma is going to be really into T9 text messaging.

Plus, we think Jitterbug is opening up itself to the worst deluge of tech support calls on the planet by having direct tech support access built-in to the cell phone. Our grandparents drive us crazy enough when they ask us to set up their VCRs. Imagine if that was your job!

Grandpa: Why doesn't my son call me any more?

In more puzzling economic recession news, we find it pretty interesting that the tattoo removal business is booming. Apparently, that face tattoo was a great idea when the economy was booming. Now, you'll be hard pressed to find a job doing much of anything that doesn't require a face mask if you've got one.

Finally, in the big news of the day, we let the world know that musician and inspirational speaker, Andrew W.K., will be coming to guest on The 404 on June 18. Be sure to get your iPods, Zunes, iTunes, and RSS readers all fired up to check out this interview. For those of you who don't know, check out any party scene in a movie released in the last decade for his hit "Party Hard." He'll be on to promote his new show on the Cartoon Network, and Justin will be dedicating his life to the man. We're serious. We think Andrew W.K. should bring bodyguards. Take care and have a great weekend everybody!

EPISODE 357 Download today's podcast Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

Sprint CEO says Pre deal is longer than six months

Update 7:55 a.m. PDT: Comments from Dan Hesse's presentation at the press event here have been added to this story.

NEW YORK--Verizon Wireless's claims that it will be offering the Palm Pre within six months are not accurate, says Sprint Nextel's CEO Dan Hesse.

"They need to check their facts," Hesse said in an interview at a press event here to launch the Palm Pre. "That just is not the case. Both Palm and Sprint have agreed not to discuss the length of the exclusivity deal. But I can tell you it'… Read more

Poll: Will you buy the Palm Pre?

The Palm Pre goes on sale nationwide this Saturday, with some lucky Sprint Premier customers getting theirs on Friday. However, a majority of tech journalists have had the Pre since late last week and posted their reviews on Wednesday night.

The response to the Pre has been largely favorable. Some have said I was too hard on the device; I do have my issues with it, the battery life in particular (even with its user-replaceable battery), and felt it was only fair to point them out.

However, my overall impression of the Pre is a good one, and at the … Read more

Pre vs. iPhone: Which offers the better value?

The Palm Pre's slick new software and cool design may make it the first true iPhone challenger on the market, but the competitively priced service plans from Sprint Nextel make the device an even more compelling alternative for frugal cellphone subscribers.

In terms of features, the Pre matches the iPhone on most bells and whistles . And it even has a few new capabilities not seen on the iPhone, such as an actual QWERTY keypad and the ability to have multiple applications open at once.

But for financially savvy shoppers, the Pre on Sprint's 3G network offers a value proposition that may just be enough to tip the scale when deciding between smartphones.

In terms of the upfront cost of the devices, the iPhone and the Pre are the same. The 8GB iPhone 3G costs $200, and so does the Pre with a $100 mail-in rebate. But it's really the service contract from Sprint that sets the Pre apart from the iPhone from a cost perspective.

"Feature for feature these phones are very comparable," said Peter Pham, CEO of Billshrink.com, a Web site that helps consumers cut waste out of their monthly bills. "But when you look at the total cost of ownership, the Pre on Sprint's network offers better value for many consumers."

Here's a breakdown comparing the two service plans:… Read more

The 404 356: Where Bonnie Cha gives it to us straight about the Palm Pre

After a ton of hype and much deliberation, we finally get the official Palm Pre review from CNET Editor Bonnie Cha. She lays out all the pros and cons of the device, including the keyboard, app switching, battery life, and much, much more. Also, Jeff finally decides whether or not to buy one; tune in to hear the verdict!

We've been talking about the Palm Pre smartphone for a few weeks now, building up hype and getting excited about the release like everyone else, so we're especially excited to have Bonnie Cha come on today's show to give us her final review. If you have the time, be sure to check out her written review as well. So it turns out that she really likes the software. The multitouch is responsive (albeit with a slight lag), app-switching and push e-mail worked flawlessly, and the contact integration with Facebook, Outlook, etc. all impressed Bonnie, but don't rush out to buy it without hearing the negatives.

She also has a few complaints: as expected, the keyboard is pretty tiny and requires a rather long learning curve depending on the size of your fingers. In fact, Bonnie's got pretty small hands and even she had problems typing on it, so be sure to check one out before you buy. Next, the battery life pooped out after only one day of usage, which can be attributed partly to a faulty AIM client, but it's still something to keep in mind.

Overall, Bonnie fully recommends the phone to Sprint customers, including Jeff, who's been calling her at home to get insider's secrets since the phone was first announced. In the end, Jeff finally decides to at least go check it out on opening day, Saturday, but with no guarantees that he'll buy. No matter what phone he gets, we'll still have a great time with a live smashing of his old HTC Mogul on next week's show, so make sure to look out for that as well. Leave a comment below, though, and let us know what you think about the Palm Pre. Are you going to buy it? Is it worth the money to upgrade? Do you hate the phrase "iPhone killer" as much as the Bonch? Let's hear it.

… Read more

Photo gallery: Palm Pre screenshots

If you've been following the Palm Pre at all, you probably know that there are some concerns about the smartphone's design (check out hands-on photos here), particularly the QWERTY keyboard and plastic build.

The latter wasn't much of an issue for us, since we thought it had a pretty solid construction. However, we'll admit that the keyboard isn't great. On the one hand, we're thrilled with the inclusion of a physical keyboard, but the buttons are tiny and there's very little spacing between them. For some, it might be a deal breaker; for … Read more

Palm Pre reviewed: Does it live up to the hype?

We haven't seen so much buzz over a phone since the iPhone, but for the past six months, all eyes have been on the Palm Pre.

Introduced at CES 2009, the Palm Pre quickly became the most anticipated phone of the year, not only for what it meant for Palm and Sprint--two companies struggling behind their competitors--but also for what the device promised. The multitasking features, the notification system, a physical keyboard, multitouch screen--all these factors combined made it, in our opinion, the most legitimate rival to the iPhone yet.

We all know the six months that followed … Read more

David Pogue's Palm Pre review leaked?

With the Palm Pre's release so close, it's inevitable that the swirl of rumors and leaks are on the rise. The latest case comes from a site called MydigitalFC, which has posted what appears to be David Pogue's review of the Palm Pre. It could be that a syndicator or New York Times partner got trigger-happy, but we should note that Pogue's review has not been published to The New York Times Web site, so until you see the real thing, take the review with a grain of salt.

If it's legit, Pogue seems to … Read more