Hopes Rise that Palm Pre Won't be Hogtied Like Apple iPhone

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I have been a long-time Palm user. However their being with Sprint hampers my use of the Pre since I don't have that service currently and I'm not about to change just for a phone. Additionally, when I upgraded from a Palm Pilot to a Palm Treo I was very disappointed that the data didn't synch over from one platform to the other. Now I see that would be the case again with the Pre. Why be a loyal Palm customer if upgrading to a newer/better model of their phones/PDA's doesn't do anything for you? You are in the same situation regardless of which brand you upgrade to - you have to enter your entire calender by hand again. That is not very customer friendly or encouraging to long-time Palm customers. Why not switch brands & try something new if you have to change all the data anyway? Very disappointed.

Pat Wilson-Perkins of CT 10:32AM May 05, 2009

i can't wait til it comes out. i'll be waiting in line for one.

sprint fan of AK 2:29PM February 23, 2009

The Pre coming to Sprint will be great. Over the last year Sprint has greatly improved customer service by implementing several programs such as the Sprint Premier rewards (http://www.sprintenterprise.com/premier), Ready Now program (http://www.sprint.com/readynow), Simply Everything plan saves you $480 per year vs. comparable plans from AT&T & Verizon (http://www.sprint.com/everything). I have friends and family with other carriers and Sprint is now as good or better in their customer service. Sprint’s customer care response times went from "worst to first" in 3Q08 and 4Q08 in a study done by Pali Research. Sprint answered 90% of calls in 30 seconds or less, AT&T 33%, T-Mobile 43% and Verizon 85%, Service and repair satisfaction passed T-Mobile and AT&T. Also, Sprint's network is performing great relative to the competition as seen in the Gizmodo eight-city coast-to-coast test of the 3G networks, guess who wins? Sprint (http://gizmodo.com/5111989/the-definitive-coast+to+coast-3g-data-test). So since Sprints customer service is now on par with the other carriers, their plans are cheaper and they have a 3G network over 3 times bigger than AT&T's, it is a no brainer to go with Sprint once the Pre comes out.

J Scott of MO 11:10AM February 23, 2009

You aren't taking into account that Palm wants to sell this phone outside the US. The GSM version does not indicate anything about availability on other US carriers, just that most of the rest of the world uses GSM, not Sprint's and Verizon's CDMA. I doubt that Sprint is going to support the Pre without some sort of exclusivity arrangement.

James Bailey of MA 7:13PM February 22, 2009

even though you would have to wait a year for this to realease i think that alot of people that have the iphone will stay with it and not switch to sprint neither the palm pre

taya.simerly of TN 2:04PM February 22, 2009

The EURO GSM will come out in 2009 a few weeks after the Sprint launch, because Palm will disable quad band making it useless in the US as competition for Sprint-- but also making it useless for international travelers hoping to use it properly when traveling!
The GSM version also has some much better capabilities, like true simultaneous voice and data, which the US version will not have.
Big questions are already coming up on the Pre, like if the rumors that Palm has nixed expandability memory are true.
There are also big questions on Sprint support since it now has 1/10 the nubmer of employees as Verizon. Sprint has cleaned up a lot on all the billing mistakes but its tech support still gets very low ranking and Palm will do ZERO customer tech support for the phone according to the agreement.

DDRev of IN 11:43AM February 22, 2009

I'll be switching to Sprint from Verizon Wireless when my contract ends in June...I want the Palm Pre!

Tahler of OR 7:56AM February 22, 2009

this phone comes around to my carrier but damn! A whole year?! Not fair.

VZWgirl of CA 1:19AM February 22, 2009

I think...the longest it takes to be release the pre, the less people will be waiting.
The competicion are ofering good deal every week {including NOT CONTRACS).

Jorge Rafael Rizzo of CA 3:04AM February 21, 2009