Over at Tinhte forums in Vietnam, it looks as though the Palm's Pre has been caught with a few shots of GSM fever sporting a SIM card for all of the GSM network fans. Not thrilled about switching to Sprint? Well hold on their partner, because here are photos to prove that's coming alright. No word on a release date.
[Thanks, Enzo]
Rumors of a new version of Palm's webOS smart phone have been circulating the internet for several months. It seems Palm may have a new fight with the competing iPhone coming sooner than most expect. The Palm EOS (code name Pixie) the GSM (also a possible dual band CDMA) version phone which has been rumored for quite some time, is getting ready to drop at a price point of $99. According to reports by Mike Abramsky, an analyst for RBC Capital Markets, Palm is expected to launch a device as early as Q4 in the $99 dollar range.
According to Barron's assessment of the Palm Pre vs. iPhone, the Palm Pre is cheaper to operate on Sprint than the iPhone is on AT&T.
Read more on Barron's Tech Trader Daily
Tony Peric
Several Users have informed me that the article written by Barron's left out the unlimited texting plans which are an additional $20.00 per month.
According to reports by The Street, Verizon is going to see the Palm Pre in about Six Months. Since Apple is in dicusssion with AT&T regarding the iPhone (and talks don't seem to be going well), AT&T has also stated that it would like to entertain the idea of a Palm Pre on their network.
Verizon tends to lag behind AT&T in the smart phone arena and attracting new customers with the Palm Pre would be a certain boost for Verizon's number One positioned carrier in the United States.
AT&T's Chief Executive Randall Stephenson stated that he would welcome the Palm Pre into their handset line up once the exclusive deal is over with Sprint. Although Sprint currently has the lead on WiMax development and deployment, it looks as though AT&T may ditch HSPA+ 7.2Mbps and "likely" move straight into LTE with trial runs in 2010 and then start the full roll out of insane speeds in 2011.
"Stephenson added he sees AT&T selling the Pre after the exclusive arrangement with Sprint expires, and that the recession's biggest impact has been on the company's landline phone business."
Read the full story by CNN here.
Looks like AT&T is perhaps a little afraid of the Palm's new WebOS, since it heard 3500+ Web Apps could be ported over from the iPhone to the Palm Pre, easily. Now that some images are flying around with a possible new iPhone, could AT&T be going to a head to head in a "Rumble in the Mobile Jungle" for dominance of the cell phone market? After my first hands on impression of the Pre, I would have to say: be very worried AT&T.
It looks like AT&T is taking the Pre pretty seriously. An internal AT&T memo has been circulating around retail employees, listing some anti-Pre talking points.
I hate to say it, but AT&T got us on a few points, but a few are just down right derisory remarks at the Pre, at least in my opinion:
I'll leave the rest for our readers to debunk on...