Peek email-only handheld now available for pre-order, in stores Monday

Man, the Peek email-only handheld must really be, uh, piquing people's interest -- it just went up for pre-orders and two of the three colors are already backordered a week. The $100 device should also be showing up in Targets nationwide Monday, so if you're as curious as we are they'll be easy to impulse purchase in person as well. Too bad that you're locked into that $19.95/mo data plan as your only option, though -- if we could somehow use our existing data plan or even pay a flat fee upfront for lifetime service we'd be way more likely to snag one. Anyone else picking one up?

[Via Silicon Alley Insider]

[Matt O @ Sep 11th 2008 12:32PM]

Why not just carry a blackberry?

[slarity @ Sep 11th 2008 12:32PM]

Looks like an interesting device.

No I will not be picking one up, my iPhone works fine for personal use but Im sure this thing is better for business/all day use.

[dvsbstrd @ Sep 11th 2008 12:32PM]

It's cute in that "I want to help you with your math homework" kind of way.

[Skyride @ Sep 11th 2008 12:34PM]

The idea is good. Stick pdf and doc file functionality and this would just about be able to replace 50% of the buisness use laptops with 3G cards.

[Skyride @ Sep 11th 2008 12:34PM]

Posting again so first post will go up.

[Jeff @ Sep 11th 2008 12:47PM]

You're doing it wrong >

[bob @ Sep 11th 2008 12:35PM]

$100 is reasonable, but $20 a month for e-mail access?

no thanks, they know this is 2008 right??

[Psychav @ Sep 11th 2008 12:51PM]

That's why it's mobile but the concept is similar to the Amstrad E-m@iler. (Including the price they think can be charged.)
I think it will enjoy a similar amount of success.

[Erwos @ Sep 11th 2008 12:52PM]

$20 for a monthly data plan, on its own, isn't terrible. That's cheaper than almost everyone (excepting Sprint).

The issue is more of the limited capabilities of the device. If it had more PIM functions and a reasonable browser, it'd be unbeatable. But, as it is, I already have a smartphone, and it's just as capable as this thing.

[Jeremy K. @ Sep 11th 2008 12:35PM]

If only it also had a web browser and wifi. Oh yeah and maybe a phone too.

[John Stracke @ Sep 11th 2008 12:39PM]

"two of the three colors are already backordered a week." -- Maybe their VP of Marketing used to work for Nintendo.

[Jeremy K. @ Sep 11th 2008 1:12PM]

I think they're sold out because they didn't have any to begin with! Maybe I'm out of the loop, but this is the first mention of other colors I've heard.

[POV @ Sep 11th 2008 12:52PM]

Peek-achu?

Seriously engadget this whole new comments idea does not impress. It looks like the ink on your engadget printer is starting to run out.

[Jeff @ Sep 11th 2008 12:59PM]

I like it actually and its very effective on Joystiq. All the ranting fanboy comments get blotted out so its near impossible to read crappy comments. It encourages good posting because if you're just going to post "ZOMG APPEL" in every news post, its good that it gets blanked out so no one can read it.

I'm hoping soon that if a post gets enough low ranked, it just trashes the post.

[POV @ Sep 11th 2008 1:07PM]

I agree with what your saying about if a post is ranked low enough it should be removed. But if anything, now all it does is make it stand out even more! Its not like the highly ranked ones stand out now or are more obvious. All its doing to my eyes is highlighting the shitty comments.

[farfisa @ Sep 11th 2008 1:14PM]

While we're hijacking the thread to talk about the comment system, how about keep "returning" as the default, since by definition, the "New Readers" should only be used by somebody once?

[Johnny @ Sep 11th 2008 2:43PM]

I like the new system, but I wish the 'Neutral' posts would be full black and the 'Highly' and 'Highest' ranked would be even bolder or highlighted in some other way. The Neutral comments are a little hard to read. I also would like to see the 'Remember me' option actually work. I always have to choose 'Returning' and always have to enter my email and pass.

... And now back to our regularly scheduled discussion about this crappy email device.

[la @ Sep 11th 2008 12:49PM]

deduct everything from your wireless bill that is required to get email on a blackberry, or iphone, and tell me this is not a bargain at 20.00 a month. Depending on how well this will handle attachments, it could be quite good. Also one could just have a plain ol cellphone and leave the email at home, or at the office. I bet they sell a ton of them.

[Scorch07 @ Sep 11th 2008 12:58PM]

Actually, $20 is exactly what I pay for data on my iPhone, and I get a heck of a lot more than e-mail with that.

[Jeremy K. @ Sep 11th 2008 1:09PM]

The iPhone data premium, call it what you want, is actually $30. You must have some special deal Scorch07 to be paying only $10 less than everyone else.

[IndiaTech @ Sep 11th 2008 1:22PM]

@Jeremy
It's $20 if you have 1st Gen iPhone since it runs on EDGE and not 3G.

[Spyvie @ Sep 11th 2008 1:58PM]

T-Mo's unlimited EDGE data plan is $19.99 a month, and it can be tethered to a lappy for more than just email

[Shnugi @ Sep 11th 2008 2:20PM]

There's one problem. It doesn't display attachments, except for jpegs.

[Kiefler @ Sep 11th 2008 7:30PM]

On the other hand, this could be great for companies who want to give their employees email access, but don't want to provide mobile phones.

They don't have to pay for the voice service, text messages, and other headaches employees bring on with their mobile service. And they don't have to pay $300 for a Blackberry or Treo.

[Psychav @ Sep 11th 2008 12:51PM]

That's why it's mobile but the concept is similar to the Amstrad E-m@iler. (Including the price they think can be charged.)
I think it will enjoy a similar amount of success.

[chunjaenim @ Sep 11th 2008 12:55PM]

"Memory - 8MB of user memory (which is a lot of email!) "

hmmmmmm

[Lars @ Sep 11th 2008 7:26PM]

Well, it is a lot for emails... but pitiful for attachments.

[Hellaphunt @ Sep 11th 2008 12:56PM]

"Man, the Peek email-only handheld must really be, uh, piquing people's interest "

Gezeus - it wasn't clever the first time...

[WarMouse @ Sep 11th 2008 1:07PM]

Gezeus Aetch Kryest

[joesuburbs @ Sep 18th 2008 11:45AM]

$20/month to have 24/7 access to email - I'd be more likely to spend $20/month to get away from my email for a couple of hours a day.

P.S. if you're going to make 80% of your revenue on these data plans, why not sell the device for $20 instead of $100 - a much higher percentage of more people would be more likely to purchase a $20 device than a $100 device - especially on impulse.

I cannot imagine this service/device lasting 6 months.

[smak @ Sep 11th 2008 1:02PM]

Email should be $10/mo. max. Everybody knows this.

[Frank @ Sep 11th 2008 1:06PM]

"Backorder" please... Those colors were probably never made in the first place! I prefer the new ipod touch.

[Chris @ Sep 11th 2008 1:15PM]

8 mb is nothing when you have attachments.

[sundog @ Sep 11th 2008 1:17PM]

Anyone remember the amazing I-Opener? I had 3 of them all hacked to some degree. Wonder if this thing can be hacked?

[Dakota (.Mac) @ Sep 11th 2008 6:39PM]

Oh yes... the beloved i-Opener. They failed on so many levels with that.
I broke mine by messing with QNX's configs on startup, never hacked the BIOS or even replaced the OS on mine.
Gooooooood times.

[chefgon_ign @ Sep 11th 2008 1:21PM]

If they really never intend to take this thing beyond basic email, they should have given it a black and white screen and sold it for $30 with first month's service included.

[Grant T Martin @ Sep 11th 2008 1:25PM]

I still don't see why i would possibly prefer to carry both a phone and email client, as opposed to just one, especially when it looks like my phone is better at handling email anyways. (i could be confused, but don't most smartphones have more storage capacity and functionality when it comes to attachments?)

[fd @ Sep 11th 2008 1:30PM]

I would buy it instantly if it featured:
- more email accounts
- wider range of attachment viewing
- higher resolution display
but given current limitations, I have to pass.

And, last but not least: the cost should be $9.95/month

[quag @ Sep 11th 2008 1:33PM]

I would stand in line for one if it was $99 and used WiFi to access my email (ie, no recurring fee).

At $20/month this has fail, fail, fail written all over it.

[Gerry @ Sep 11th 2008 1:45PM]

Emails on phones/mobile devices, just beepers for me to get to a computer...

[▀█▀ █ ▀█▀ ▄█▀ @ Sep 11th 2008 1:58PM]

What good is email if you can't open and edit attachments properly? I recently switched from a Blackberry to a Windows Mobile device because of this.

[crow610 @ Sep 11th 2008 4:15PM]

Does it play Doom?

[Vic @ Sep 11th 2008 5:03PM]

It's perfect for those who just refuse to answer call and let them to go to VM. Don't ya just hate those people when calling a landline office phone?

[lunasc @ Sep 11th 2008 5:08PM]

checked at Peek's website today...The device doesn't support exchange mail servers. So much for the 75% of the target market that might be interested in a device like this. Peek says they support most POP3/IMAP providers, but why pay 20/month to read my gmail on the go when I just download google's gmail mail client for my phone. This device won't be around for long without exchange support and different subscription options.

[hateful1 @ Sep 11th 2008 6:30PM]

Whoever thought this was a good idea to produce oughta be taken out back and shot execution style.

[D. A. @ Sep 11th 2008 7:18PM]

How can (presumed) smart people start a business on these premises? For 5 bucks and a better device this could pick up... but US$20.00 a month... and no attachments/browser capabilities.... come on...

[Vapourstream @ Sep 11th 2008 8:59PM]

yeah. Seriously, email only with no exchange sucks. who is their target audience again? Business people? No exchange servers? Mainstream? No Web browser or wifi (or anything else)?


this will fail. especially at $20/month. this is why we have ipod touches and blackberries.

[Jim @ Sep 11th 2008 9:07PM]

It reminds me my OGO, except it doesn't do IM.

[kt @ Sep 12th 2008 10:47PM]

might work for the grandparent or great grandparent group that would use it to keep in touch by email but get confused with all the options on a cellphone or computer. mother in law used the old email only machine and she couldn't even get jpg's on it. also - people that can't talk - mute or voice box removed - and don't want to learn computer or cellphone. Agree that $10/mo and $29.99 for the device would still be a better bet even for these groups