Peek wants your input on hacks / tweaks to make e-mail handheld better

Well, would you have a gander at this spectacle. Some "Dan" character over at Peek has gone and stolen our thunder, completely dashing our hopes of hosting up a "How would you change" article on the outfit's e-mail only handheld. All (nonexistent) personal beef aside, we'd wager that this scenario is actually far more beneficial for end users, particularly since you know the company is all ears. Over at the Peek blog, the outfit pleads with users and spectators to chime in on how the handheld could be tweaked (in "minor" ways, mind you) in order to be superior. Additionally, it's looking to open up a set of APIs for the public in order to facilitate the hacking of Peek for its own betterment. We always said this thing would be way more appealing with Opera Mini loaded on there alongside a VoIP application, and lookie here, the price has stooped to $80 with no contracts attached. Consider our interest finally piqued. Ugh, that was awful.

[Thanks, Jacob]

[Hexachrome @ Nov 16th 2008 6:14PM]

This thing would have been great, ummmmm like 5 years ago! I don't understand the point of it when we have smart phones now. Is this for people who are still clutching on to their original RAZR for dear life?

[iEye @ Nov 16th 2008 7:26PM]

What would have made this good, is unlimited browsing on EDGE, prepaid style with contract option (prepaid easy to give as a gift).
This is better to use on a bus/subway because of its low cost.
You would stand much less chance of someone robbing you than if you had a BB bold/iPhone/Xperia/Tube what have you...

[yopladas @ Nov 16th 2008 8:24PM]

Woah, iEye diddn'y ONLY say iPhone and be bogus to the other phone. Good job.

(P.S. I'm a former Mac fanboy. Until WinMobile came out. Then I decided it's just as good. jes sayin...) ;)

[Nomi @ Nov 16th 2008 10:50PM]

So many low ranked posts...lol.

[Jess @ Nov 17th 2008 12:16AM]

Irrelevant!

[yopladas @ Nov 16th 2008 6:19PM]

I like it, but with WinMobile 6.1 & a Moto Q9c (whih, to me looks the same...), I need none of this for the next 2 years...
But still a cool thing, which I would consider if I needed...

[htd @ Nov 16th 2008 6:23PM]

too little too late, dont think this company can last long enough and at this point, they probably cant raise much fund any way...

[admiral H @ Nov 16th 2008 6:43PM]

actually I think it's perfect for the current state of economy which very likely won't turn out of the slump until end of 2010... :(
worst part is, with all the GM, Chrysler, Ford failing, it's only going to get worse, bailout or not. i'm personally against bailout. yes, i know 2.5M jobs would be immediately at stake. i certainly hope Obama will guide America in the best path possible for recovery. YES WE CAN!

firms are cutting in every way possible... most individuals, especially those who've got kids, are try to save every hard earned dollar.

i know i don't want to sign any more lengthy expensive agreements, 1 year or 2, just to get an affordable unlimited email device. Peek is saying $20 flat fee with no system access fees like pay-as-you-go style and unlimited email and text messages. pretty sweet deal if you ask me.

[SPOKE @ Nov 16th 2008 6:49PM]

@ admiral H don't make this into some political commentary forum, please.

[CJ @ Nov 16th 2008 6:55PM]

... Or dain to speak on this blog ever again.

[John @ Nov 16th 2008 7:24PM]

wow, i didn't know engadget readers were so sensitive to the bailout stuff...

i agree with admiral H's thoughts on the Peek though...

[Rob @ Nov 21st 2008 3:10PM]

lol @ admiral H for getting low ranked... just cause those few engadget readers didn't agree with him politically... he's kinda right though...

Peek indeed is a nice product for these days, especially if you're looking to save...

[Neil @ Nov 16th 2008 8:57PM]

I concur, Rob... the guy just speaks about what's right analytically... heck i don't even pick sides for politics....

I wish Peek had an alarm, browser and calendar. now where do i sign up?

[Evan @ Nov 16th 2008 10:26PM]

@ Neil, I second your comment... i believe in admiral h views

get me IM and peek, you'll have my $80. no complaints.

you're welcomed in advance.

[Matthew Solm @ Nov 16th 2008 10:49PM]

@SPOKE are you trying to be the gestapo and take away our freedom of speech?

Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, Article 13 of the American Convention on Human Rights, and Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights clearly begs to differ.

[Davek @ Nov 16th 2008 11:04PM]

^^^^^^^^^
I think you meant both CJ and SPOKE....

now hush..... BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU.

[Wwhat @ Nov 17th 2008 10:08AM]

If that was a joke Matthew Solm it wasn't funny, if you are serious, well then you are an idiot I'm certain you will be glad to see me say.

[BigD145 @ Nov 16th 2008 6:28PM]

Make it a cell phone? This thing looks like it's supposed to be for the Granny crowd, but it's not Granny friendly.

[SFO Kevin @ Nov 16th 2008 6:35PM]

Make the monthly service $5... With just email (No attachments) there can not be a huge bandwidth taken up by these things...

[MKIV 20 Jetta @ Nov 16th 2008 6:36PM]

add Outlook Exchange support!!!!!

[Jamie Kephalas @ Nov 18th 2008 12:05PM]

I think support for Microsoft Exchange would be better.

[MKIV 20 Jetta @ Nov 19th 2008 2:57AM]

Whatever, that's what I meant.

[GON @ Nov 16th 2008 6:37PM]

Make it better? Cancel it. A standalone device like this is worthless, as most phones today can do email.

[Cargojack @ Nov 18th 2008 12:35AM]

I have a Blackberry for work. I think it is an 8820, and the service is through AT&T. I would never have gotten this thing if it was not given to me by my job. I use the thing for personal email, too. I would love to have a personal e-mail device, but, $20 a month is too much. I would pay $100 for the Peek if the e-mail service cost no more than $10 a month. I would even pay for a year's service in advance if the rate was $10 a month. After two years, that would be about $15 a month (including the device). Anything more than that, it just is not worth it.

[Vincent @ Nov 16th 2008 10:04PM]

AT&T/Verizon/T-Mobile/Sprint are all f---ing robbers

So even if they offer $10 plans, it usually looks like this:

$10 + $15 (taxes and system access misc. fees) + activation charge ($36)

So even if I ask them to waive the activation charge, it's still $25 per month. So the current $20 flat for unlimited emails and text looks awfully good already. and they don't have those hidden fees.

obviously i would like it to be $15 flat, but i'll take what i can get.

[Nick @ Nov 17th 2008 12:11AM]

yo vicent, you are the truth yo... words right out of my mouth

[PEZ @ Nov 16th 2008 6:46PM]

This is essentially a device for parents to give their kids, when they do not want them to have a full fledged cellphone. After all, all kids want to do is text anyway - and with the enhancement in the email client, they got it.

Otherwise = junk.

[blasha @ Nov 16th 2008 6:45PM]

add IM! Microsoft Exchange and a browser!
some apps and games won't hurt either!

would be cool to be some sorta mini netbook kinda device, since i dun need a camera nor a phone feature.

[Anand D @ Nov 16th 2008 9:00PM]

I second that, IM + email + text would be great for the kids!

[Neil @ Nov 16th 2008 9:28PM]

they've got email and already started offering unlimited text, so all we need now is IM! hoorah

[CJ @ Nov 16th 2008 6:47PM]

How about a simple (possibly Opera-based) web browser? One that doesn't use up too much bandwidth and can be used solely with a scroll wheel (which is why I mentioned Opera; their 'simple' mode in Opera Mobile is second-to-none when it comes to low data usage, and simple layouts).

Oh, and for the six-or-so people who posted before me: See, that wasn't so hard, and it only took about a dozen more braincells to type than 'Lulz cancell it b-cuz smartphones can do that alreadies!'

[admiral H @ Nov 16th 2008 6:57PM]

i wish Opera based mini/mobile like browser will come too...

[wootman @ Nov 16th 2008 8:33PM]

Yes, that is prefect, we have our winner right here.

[CJ @ Nov 16th 2008 6:48PM]

Oh, and for the record, Darren, at least you're acknowledging the godawful puns, it's a step in the road to recovery. That is to say, not writing godawful puns.

[IcerC @ Nov 16th 2008 6:49PM]

Somehow this thing is catching on outside the tech culture.
Great reviews and still top of the list of time's 2008 gadgets. (http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1852747_1852746_1852737,00.html)

I like seeing the blog and the great attitude toward the ideas people are bringing up. I have one I got at target for $50 and enjoy it. (has one the best keyboards around. I gave one to my mother and she loves it. (she has a cheapo flip phone) This allows her to type like on a blackberry with out the bad battery life, complexity, and initial expense. So even though it's not for us I think this might just find a market. (then again it's hard to give someone a gift that will cost them $240 a year!)

[admiral H @ Nov 16th 2008 6:54PM]

i think i'm going to give one as a gift...
they [my recipient/friend] can decide whether or not they will continue the service after the free trial is over and register their credit card...

[John @ Nov 16th 2008 7:21PM]

looks like the Peek fan base is growing fairly quickly too. look, http://twitter.com/peekinc ;& http://www.facebook.com/pages/Peek/76421030631

[Jess @ Nov 17th 2008 12:21AM]

They even got their own YouTube channel dedicated to just Peek stuff

[Jess @ Nov 17th 2008 12:22AM]

the link http://youtube.com/peekinc

[Jess @ Nov 17th 2008 12:23AM]

the link http://youtube.com/peekinc

[Randavance @ Nov 16th 2008 7:11PM]

I want decent wifi. And then just install Linux and use it as a command line pocket PC.

[h_2_o @ Nov 16th 2008 8:13PM]

if they could throw a sip client on there and maybe an open source web browser this thing would be killer. well the sip client alone would make it nice considering it would already be over 1/2 the cost of about any other wireless sip device out there.

[john @ Nov 16th 2008 8:44PM]

is it just me or is engadget slacking on the tech news seems like there moving real slow with these few updates

[Eli @ Nov 16th 2008 8:55PM]

It's Sunday.

[TIMMAH! @ Nov 16th 2008 8:42PM]

How about $4.99/mo?

[Neil @ Nov 16th 2008 9:26PM]

heck nobody would offer any service that low... mms/text/email or not

duh!

[iApple @ Nov 16th 2008 8:53PM]

should have gotten an iphone...durrr

[Nomi @ Nov 16th 2008 8:53PM]

A bit expensive monthly plan for just email don't you think?

[Josh @ Nov 29th 2008 9:15PM]

didn't you read the previous comments? includes unlimited text messages

[Logboy @ Nov 16th 2008 8:57PM]

put it in a box with the palm thingy. Cleo? Add Thermite. Great youtube video.