Palm unveils new phones, new carriers, developer programs, and video capabilities at CES

Today at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Palm and Verizon Wireless introduced Palm Pre Plus and Palm Pixi Plus, two new phones combining the power of the Palm webOS platform with several new enhancements. Palm Pre Plus sports a streamlined design that simplifies navigation, 16GB of storage (15GB user available storage), and a Touchstone Back Cover. The incredibly thin and lightweight Palm Pixi Plus adds Wi-Fi along with an optional splash of color, thanks to new Touchstone Back Covers available in pink, blue, green, orange and black for all Palm Pixi phones. Both Verizon Wireless phones will be available January 25.

The companies also introduced Palm mobile hotspot, a Palm webOS app that turns your Palm Pre Plus or Palm Pixi Plus into a mobile Wi-Fi router. The app provides wireless broadband access for up to five Wi-Fi enabled devices. Palm mobile hotspot will be available in the Palm App Catalog for Verizon Wireless customers.

Another carrier will soon be bringing webOS phones to its customers: Palm and SFR announced the availability of Palm webOS phones in France in the second quarter of 2010.

Current and future Palm webOS customers can also look forward to an even broader range of powerful apps for their phones. The Palm developer program is now officially open to all. Any developer can sign up at the Palm Developer Center and immediately start developing and distributing applications for Palm webOS devices. Developers have the option of distributing apps through the Palm App Catalog or over the web. Palm also unveiled a $1 million developer Hot Apps bonus program to encourage continued innovation in the rapidly growing Palm webOS developer community.

At today’s event, Palm also demonstrated some of the additional options that developers will be able to leverage, including Flash content in the browser on a Palm Pre. Palm expects a free Adobe Flash Player 10.1 plug-in to be posted to the Palm App Catalog in the coming months and expects Palm webOS to be one of the first mobile platforms to include the full Flash Player in the web browser.

Finally, Palm demonstrated a new feature that all Palm webOS customers can look forward to: the ability to capture, edit, and share video. This functionality will be available via a free over-the-air software update. 

For more details on today’s announcements, click here. 

Jon Zilber

Comments

[Todd Flora]

I understand Palm introducing an even better version of Pre/Pixi for Verizon, . . . but is there anything you will do for us now at Sprint? How are we going to get more memory? I agree with other writers that our early-adopter loyalty is being punished. Is Palm hanging on "1 provider and its new customers at a time?" Reputation management, boys and girls. GET ON IT.

[Jan Ledochowski]

The Germans can buy an unlocked QWERTZ Pre so when will we English speakers be able to buy unlocked QWERTY version? For years I have been a loyal Palm owner. I spend a lot of time in different countries, have different SIM cards for each, and would need to see a psychiatrist before accepting outrageous roaming charges. Blackberry have seen the light, will I have to buy one of their unlocked models?

[Rene]

Hi There Guys at Palm,
I love Palm since my first Treo 270, then 600, 650 and 680. What I don't understand: you surely read all these comments about the rest of the world wanting to continue to love you, and you simply ignore all comments and questions on this blog. I think, and I believe most of the commenters, love your products that really outperform all the other smartphones. However, if you keep on ignoring your fans in smaller countries (like the Netherlands where I live) you will simply loose the game, and that would be shame and too bad. Please be transparent, reply to our comments and last but not least: simply make it possible for us to buy your product, and we will continue to love you!
--Rene.

[Paul A]

Rene… Thanks for your comment. We certainly value our Palm fans and customers around the world, and although we can’t provide any info about our product roadmap or anything that’s unannounced, please know that we do hear you. It’s very important to us that we ensure a best-in-class customer experience, so we’re taking a phased approach to expanding webOS to other countries. You’ll definitely hear from us when we have something more to say. Follow @palm (Twitter) to be sure to get the latest updates.

Paul @ Palm

[MZLweasel]

Get a clue, palm.

You can make these devices available to everyone in the comments above by selling a DAMN UNLOCKED WORLDWIDE GSM VERSION.

Do you not want to make money or something?

[Melissa]

I am a sprint customer and have the pre. I don't understand why Verizon is getting the plus version and we are getting stiffed with what we have..I think to better compete with each other (Sprint is way better)palm should of done that for Sprint not Verizon. Customers. I am happy with the phone. But I would love to have 16gb not just 8 and than some.

[Sean McWilliams]

What about the release of the Pre or Pixi in Australia. Supposedly the release of the Pre was to be in August 09, but did not happen...please advise.

[DW]

I am a Palm loyalist (since the treo240 days). I have been waiting for the Pre for almost a year. I travel to Europe, Australia... on business and it seems that the current Sprint and Verizon versions of the phone will not work outside the US. Is there a target date for a new Pre version that will havae this ability? My treo 750 is on its last leg and I really don't want to switch to iPhone.

[curious]

Any plans for different colored touchstone backs for the Pre? Love the colors for the Pixi.

[Corku]

Does anyone know where i can buy the Pre without a plan to use in Ghana?

[George Bell]

Does anyone know... Or perhaps could share when Bell Mobility will be offering paid application and closing the BETA App Catalog. We are really getting the raw end of the deal up hear, many great app are mysteriously disappearing from the BETA App Catalog...

[Garrett Brown]

Palm has turned around and opened its devices up to the country's largest carrier.
Navigating the pre plus is different as compared with the original pre, even without the center harware button.

I havent explored it much till now, would let you know more later.

[DW]

COMING TO AT&T!!! According to FCC -- the Pre is coming to AT&T in May -- http://www.product-reviews.net/2010/02/12/palm-pre-on-att-release-date-confirmed-via-fcc/

[Dee Cee]

I am so happy about the video app...I only need voice dialing and I would be PALM for LIFE!!!

[sb]

When is the Pre Plus arriving in Germany and other European countries?? I know people not buying the Pre because they are waiting for the Pre Plus. I mean seriously the devices have potential but of what avail is it if no one can buy them??? Additionally Palm doesn't clarify if the Pre Plus will ever come to Europe. That is really frustrating for customers.

[Reddy]

Sigh........ Jon, Jon.......

Bring Palm to other continents, other carriers. I have decided to give up after waiting for 2 years. My 3 year old Treo is giving way for an Android, not becos I want to, but becos Palm isnt in Singapore.

Distribution.....one of the P's in marketing?

And.......if the iphone, Nexus and Motorola milestons isnt giving you a hint, let me tell you: customers want a big screen for their smart phones.

Gee.....I thought you were a businessman.

Read the posts here from all over the world and they say the same thing. They wanna buy a Palm but it is not available.

Bye....perhaps after my motorola milestone, Palm might come up with a big screen gadget in Singapore. But you'll have to pry me away from Android cos I am a loyal customer. But I doubt so. Mr. Rubenstein just doesnt understand marketing.

[Rodolfo Valdes]

PALM doesn't care about their customers since the very first Palm device, they only look for money and forgot all of us who live outside USA, Germany..., I'm very upset because after more than one year from launch of Treo-Pre, we are still waiting for an unlocked GSM device. My 680 is almost dead, and I cannot wait any more but I don´t want an iPhone nor Android I WANT MY PALM TREO PRE!!! It doesn't matter no one will answer me, no body cares...

[PPPUB]

Waiting for Palm Pre Plus Unlocked in Brazil!!!!

[Hheinsen]

when is flash player going to come out for pre

[Wilson]

I am a desperate Palm fan who have been waiting for the Palm Pre + in Hong Kong or Mainland China. As you might have noticed, the WHOLE WORLD except US & EU are roaring at you!! We are praying for the imported Palm device from you! Please be reminded you are not the only supplier in the market offering smart phones, and competitors are keep on improving.

One function I like for Palm OS is that I could use a simple program to convert the SMS messages to an excel file - yet I have not experienced it on the new Web OS yet...Please bring me the device as my Centro is aging!!

[Upratovanie]

yes nice palm but for french market or worldwide ?

[ollie w belcher]

does anyone know if palm is making a new phone other then the pre or pix. I love palm but they need to do something to keep me with them.

[John]

I will be switching to a Blackberry storm 2 next week due to Palm not offering a GSM and Japan-compatible phone on Verizon network. The Pre seems ideal for me, I've looked at it very seriously and it seems like a GREAT phone. But no GSM is simply not feasible for my needs. Otherwise, I'd definitiely stick with Palm! It will feel like I'm losing a good friend, but get with it Palm, GSM and global capabilities are the future. Why are you burying your heads in the sand? That's a recipe for bankruptcy! See ya, but you will disappear!

[Tony]

I'm in Hong Kong, using Palm's productions for more than 10 years (from Palm Pilot Pro). I'll switch to Android in October or November since I don't believe I can buy a Pre/Pre Plus here before 2011 (even I can buy, I can't use or buy apps from the App Catalog - need to find pirate apps). Maybe Pre 2 is coming in October, but that should be a CDMA version for US only and I think Europe GSM version won't be released until 2012 (anyway can't buy in HK or Asia). Palm is such a company its innovation gets full marks and marketing always gets zero! Let's forget Palm... disappointed.

[Eddie Poon]

I have been waiting for the Palm pre to be launched in Singapore since late 2008 , apparently it doesnt seem to happen. My palm 650 is going to be u/s soon, so i have no choice to buy another smart phone ie Blackberry. But frankly i am still a great fan of Palm OS. So whatever it is don't let the Palm fan loose faith and enthusiam in your product eventually especially in the part of the world. You are loosing a lot of business to other brands.