Palm Pre counting down to a June 6th launch?

Know what happens in the run-up to a major product launch? Rumors are mongered and advertisements are sold, lots and lots of ads. So we're not surprised to find the two colliding in the shape of an un-calibrated (not Pre calibrated, it's not yet in sync with the calendar) countdown timer that's destined for every tech and consumer oriented website on these here Internets. Since Engadget maintains a strict editorial separation from advertising, there's no way for us to know for sure if this is legit. However, we reached out to Notebook.com who gave us a very convincing backstory for how they came up with this timer (that we saw working) showing a June 6th launch -- smack in the middle of the June 5th and June 7th dates rumored. Still, a Saturday? How very un-Sprint-like. Come on Palm, out with it already -- make the date official.

Update: Notebook.com pulled the original story. No worries, we now know it's true anyway.

[Marcus @ May 19th 2009 3:34AM]

im about to throw my HTC Touch out of the window, I NEED THE PRE NOWWW

[nerdtalker @ May 19th 2009 3:57AM]

I'm about to throw my HTC Touch Pro out the window! I need the Pre now too!

[colin @ May 19th 2009 4:13AM]

you two should throw them into my window instead

[ronald.raygun @ May 19th 2009 4:13AM]

im about to throw my touch ... on ebay. not sure if i want to port over to sprint or wait out a gsm version for tmobile, especially with tmobiles new data pricing.

[Ineedthis @ May 19th 2009 3:36AM]

They have no proof at all.

[gerbick @ May 19th 2009 3:36AM]

6th month, 6th day... Sign of the beast's cellphone?

[thisisit @ May 19th 2009 3:39AM]

yeah, a phone from hell.
it's surely an amazing phone!

[cibyr @ May 19th 2009 4:03AM]

The perfect counter to Apple's Jesus-phone!

[msalivar @ May 19th 2009 5:26AM]

Hey, religion belongs in government and schools, not in Engadget comments!

[JS @ May 19th 2009 3:38AM]

It's going to be expensive.

I rather wait the couple extra days to see what Tropicana (or is it Dole, Welch's?) announces.

[mmm @ May 19th 2009 3:43AM]

I'd rather wait a couple of days and see what Apricot has to anounce, as well as see the early adopters' reactions and impressions/reviews. A week is nothing when you are dealing with two year contracts..

[Awjvail @ May 19th 2009 3:45AM]

Wait.. what the hell? 48 days from now is not June 6th... not even close.

[CreepinJesus @ May 19th 2009 3:48AM]

July 6th, maybe... *does the maths* ...Yeah!

[Awjvail @ May 19th 2009 3:49AM]

*purchases Thomas a calendar*

[Josh @ May 19th 2009 3:52AM]

True true. Thomas, when was the advert posted? I think it would have had to have been about April 20th to have lined up with a 48 hour window. But no one obviously saw that then. So how can it be trusted?

[Thomas Ricker @ May 19th 2009 3:55AM]

no no, this is in its pre-calibrated form as mentioned in the post -- so it's not in sync with a calendar. The timing would obviously be sync'd when embedded as ads in HTML on websites. At least that's how the story was told. Post updated to be more clear.

Thomas

[Awjvail @ May 19th 2009 4:01AM]

"pre-calibrated" doesn't mean "not calibrated" does it? I always thought saying something like "pre-calibrated" meant it was already calibrated.. wouldn't it be "un-calibrated"?

Like.. buying a bag of lettuce and it says "pre-washed" on the bag means it's already been washed... and stuff.

I dunno. *shrug*

[ticking @ May 19th 2009 3:58AM]

That would be a dumb move:
When a new iPhone comes out it will be on June 8th at WWDC, therefore any hype will shift towards it and the masses will forget about the Pre. Additionally that might hold buyers back on the first days.

Have a nice day, ticking.

[Emmet @ May 19th 2009 3:47AM]

Pre Sucks.
WinMo Rulez!!!

[Awjvail @ May 19th 2009 3:49AM]

Hayterz.

[glenskey @ May 19th 2009 4:14AM]

dont make those kinds of sick jokes 'round here.

[Josh @ May 19th 2009 3:53AM]

Sorry guys. I meant 48 day window, not 48 hour... oops.

[pika2000 @ May 19th 2009 3:54AM]

You know, for something that is close to shipping, I find it strange that we don't see a lot more Pre rumors/spy shots. C'mon Engadget.

[B3astofthe3ast @ May 19th 2009 3:56AM]

It's just the countdown for the price announcement, obviously...

[josef @ May 19th 2009 3:58AM]

48 days wtf!!!!!!! This BULL SHIT. why cany palm and sprint just give out a realese date so evrebody would be happy. And excited

[josef @ May 19th 2009 4:01AM]

48 days wtf!!!!!!! I think its suppose to be 18 days This BULL SHIT. why cany palm and sprint just give
out a realese date so evrebody would be happy. And excited

[F. C. @ May 19th 2009 4:09AM]

My iPhone's days are sooo numbered.

[Jayconverge @ May 19th 2009 4:21AM]

i really hope this is launching in europe at the same time.

[McHilikus @ May 19th 2009 4:32AM]

Umm.. If it takes longer than 18 days, There's going to have to be a FuckMyLife WebApp for my shitty iphone.

[Glennisbest @ May 19th 2009 5:25AM]

Link is down for Notebooks.com

[Mike @ May 19th 2009 7:09AM]

Google cache

[Dragonfly @ May 19th 2009 5:34AM]

I really can't wait to see what this phone is capable of. I hope this thing lives up to the hype otherwise Palm are in big trouble. It's a very risky move releasing it so close to WWDC '09, wether or not it proves to be a wise move time will tell. Becuase if the new iPhone turns out to be something amazing, the Pre will be dead before it even has a chance to blink.

[Mike @ May 19th 2009 5:47AM]

I agree. I think (even if the new iPhone isn't a major update) with WWDC and Apple's marketing machine that both Palm and Sprint lost many mainstream potential customers that they would have grabbed before. Now they're going in with a pricing plan and release date right before Apple giving Apple the chance to counter.

Competition is in the end great for all of us, I just really hope Palm succeeds enough to stick around and keep that competition going strong. I, for one, will be buying a Palm Pre... but it would be foolish to buy on release day when I can wait 2 days and know what Apple's releasing.

[dboobis @ May 19th 2009 5:50AM]

The new iPhone is going to turn out to be almost exactly like the old iPhone, only with a couple of minor upgrades. They can't actually upgrade the insides all that much, seeing as all the processor-heavy apps on the App Store would break under a new architecture. That's why the WebOS plan to not allow hardware-level coding makes sense, that way the same app can run on a hundred different hardware combinations as long as they are all running WebOS. So I wouldn't worry too much about Apple stealing the Pre's thunder.

[McHilikus @ May 19th 2009 5:46AM]

http://www.infosyncworld.com/news/n/10282.html

[glamajamma @ May 19th 2009 6:08AM]

I saw that article. They never cited their source.
I already dropped by Sprint and pre approved my account. All I have to do is add a phone and a service plan.

[btdown @ May 19th 2009 5:58AM]

After all, it's still a Palm...Whens the last time Palm birthed a device which actually met your expectations? yeah..thats what I thought.

[McHilikus @ May 19th 2009 6:32AM]

is someone going to post up a link to whatever the hell is supposed to be in the WSJ already:!?!?!?!

[glamajamma @ May 19th 2009 6:35AM]

bought the WSJ this morning. There is no article but there is a huge iPhone ad. I think Palm is playing cat and mouse with Apple.

[SEllis22 @ May 19th 2009 9:14AM]

I think you must have skipped over the tech section...


http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124273162439334195.html

[McHilikus @ May 19th 2009 6:56AM]

DAMNIT! okay, this has become unhealthy.


We should all write a letter to Palm, expressing our discontentment.

[NeoDarkSaver @ May 19th 2009 7:10AM]

palm.com is now Pre themed.

[Cedrock @ May 19th 2009 10:15AM]

If the service matched the phones quality I would be all over this.

[Limitedzero @ May 19th 2009 4:14PM]

WM is old news lame, wm 6.5 super lame 4031eebe