Palm Pre to run $549 off-contract
By Nilay Patel 
posted May 19th 2009 4:54PM
posted May 19th 2009 4:54PM
[Thanks, Dustin]
posted May 19th 2009 4:54PM
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@rollins
you're also missing the fact that you have to actually pay for your contract while you wait for the rebate, or pay for that one month. THat's at least $69, $300 + $175 + $70 = $545. You're paying 4 dollars less for a bunch of hassle and risk.
If you choose to take the rebate, then you're waiting, say, three months.... $200 + $175 + (3*$70) = a big fat $685.
Even the best case scenario barely saves you any money, and you've got the risk of them pulling the phone and leaving you down $545
Kayla sounds hot.
@raging_hamsterx
That's a pretty cheap ring...
DAMN IT! I cannot upgrade yet!
i wish they had 1 or 1.5 year contracts for mid range prices. 2 year contracts are just a hint too long and 550 is just a hint to expensive to skimp out on that.
I don't care how much. I expect this bugger to make me moniez.
Yeah sorry about the May 6th typo, I am just so pumped that we finally have a date for the PRE!!!!!!
What is the Sprint cancellation fee? That is the real question when comparing the two prices.
$200 for the first six months, starts going down by $10 every month until hitting $50.
Well, it's not locked, in the GSM sense of the word. Sprint/VZW phones aren't really locked; the carriers just won't let outside devices on to their networks, but they could. You could use it on VZW if you can convince them to activate it. Perhaps under their new open-network program, they might let you on after a year of hassle.
Well, Verizon will allow any device to be activated on it's network, they changed that a while ago.
http://news.vzw.com/news/2007/11/pr2007-11-27.html (old but relevant)
It's more a matter of if all the advanced features will actually work on Verizon's network (data, gps, etc.)
I don't know about "any device." I think it still has to be approved, and I have heard of this being a hassle, especially with finding the right tech to do it for you.
Regardless, the Pre will not properly work on Verizon. There are specific app's features that need access to the net without restrictions. The Pre will not only be talking to Sprint servers, it will be talking to Palm servers as well. Couple of examples of app's that will not work on Verizon, Amazon, TeleNav, probably all of the GPS based app's.
What about Metro PCS? Don't they operate on Sprint's network?
No, but they use CDMA technology like Sprint and Verizon so yes in theory if you can get Metro to unlock it for you. Might be a while before they are able to use their MetroFlash thing or whatever they call it.
Nilay Patel, just freaking write 550, not 449. Don't be silly.
Yeah, if he'd had 101 dollars difference it would have been silly.
Possible to get the phone at $199 and then pay the $200 early termination fee making it cheaper than $549?
Except you wouldn't be able to take this phone to any other carriers. So what would be the point in canceling the contract if you are still going to use it on Sprint?
The phone is $200 after the mail in rebate on contract. Sprint prorates contracts now, so after 6 months the termination fee goes down $10 a month until it bottoms out at $50 I believe (and then no ETF after contract is up obviously). So even buying the phone under contract and then canceling it after a year ends up running you what, less than $350? Why is everyone so concerned about contracts? Do you all jump carries that much that you are constantly buying phones at regular price? And if so, why are you complaining about how much things cost when you're the one that is causing the issue of having to buy new phones every time something new and flashy comes out?
Keep in mind, yes it would be cheaper to buy with a plan and pay the $175...but if you buy the Pre Outright, you lose your $150 Off upgrade eligibility. So your stuck. Plus, with the Tour and Pro 2 Coming out, if you wanted those youd have to extend your contract or pay full price for those phones and theyll probably cost close to 600 or 650.
I was going to Buy the Snap/Cedar or watever they want to call it outright because the Rep said it would be $300 Off contract and $149 after rebate and use the $150 upgrade ive had since last april on a new Blackberry in the September....Fortunately, my contract is up in August so i can probably get them to give me the $150 Off anyway when i want either of those phones.
So THINK before you do this....Buying Off Contract Resets your Upgrade Time.
Buying off of contract does NOT reset your upgrade eligibility. The only thing resetting your upgrade eligibility is using it. Purchasing a phone outright doesn't renew your agreement or penalize you in anyway. The phone is simply swapped on your account.
That is utter bullshit. Buying off contract keeps you upgrade intact on Sprint. I dunno what provider you're talking about, but when you change phones they don't extend your upgrade date. Stop spreading total misinformation pls.
@miguel
That was true a few years back on their old billing system. It was something weird with the way the billing system worked. When it happened to me I was able to get them to manually give me the new phone pricing. Now on the current billing system, my date wasn't reset when I bought a Touch Diamond through Ebay and activated it. BTW I just had a chat with Sprint about this. My rep probably was completely wrong about this part but he claims as a current customer I'd get my discount on top of the $199.99 price. He also said that I could go from my old SERO plan to the new Everything referral plan which saves me a good deal of money especially when I convert it to a family plan.
i want to know the answer to that final question
So if you buy this phone for the $549, you are contract free..... could you technically keep your same plan you have now.... buy the phone for full price..... then swap out your current phone with the Pre and live happily ever after on your current plan that you have?
they have to be under one of the everything data plans or simply everything plans. So you can either run with 450, 900 or unlimited minutes on a single line, or 1500 or 3000 on a family (for standard consumer plans). You can't activate it under an older plan like free and clear or fair and flex, has to be one of the current data plans.
@James You are incorrect. The OP is correct. Sprint will let you put any of the devices you supposedly can't have on a non-unlimited plan on your old plan if you buy the device outright. I konw cause I have a Touch Pro on a SERO plan :)
No, not true call Sprint they are not allowing the Pre to be activated on any older plan. They want to squeeze everyone for $99 like ATT is doing with the Iphone.
@jayzee77 That's weak. I called them up and you're correct. Well, I wasn't going to buy one anyway. Maybe after they force me off of SERO. Sorry. Damn. :(
That's a ($) sign, you dope!
My wife is currently a Sprint customer, we should be able to convert that to family plan if I get a pre, no?
Yeah, as long as it is one of the "everything" variety of family plans.
... As long as I have the SPC in hand when I buy the thing, I'd sure as hell be able to port it to Pageplus, a Verizon MVNO... hell, I have a Sprint Diamond on it and it works fine, although without EV/1X data.
Im elegible for the $150 upgrade credit, how much will this phone cost me? I haven't been able to get an answer to this question yet.
If you're due for the $150 upgrade, you'll be eligible for the mail-in rebate and everything, so $200, as long as you renew your contract for another 2 years.
But if the price is $549 off contract, minus my $150 upgrade, thats $400. Plus the mail in rebate brings it down to $300. I would like to be able to get the phone for $199 after rebates like everyone else.
These guys answered my question:
http://www.precentral.net/
Any plan that has the word "everything" in it is compatible with this phone.
incorrect info. For example, the 1500 and 3000 minute plans that just include text messaging and not data are called "Everything Messaging" family plans.
I have Sprint...so if I cancel take:
$200 [early termination fee]
+ $300 [sign back up with Sprint for 2 year deal]
- $100 [mail in rebate
_____
Puts me at $400 instead of just buying this outright at $550
That makes plenty of sense...
You forgot paying for the phone and paying for the month's service you'll need.
Well you're right...I forgot activation fee which is usually $25
The phone is the sign back up $300 - 100 mail in rebate.
I have the Simply Everything Plan right now anyway so that wouldn't change.
http://www.isyougeekedup.com/confirmed-sprint-disallowing-palm-pre-activation-on-sero-plans/
I will be sticking with my centro and SERO, maybe eventually when sales drop they will start allowing the PRE to be used with Sero plans.
I was informed otherwise by Sprint Customer Solutions via email by a representative named Austin R. early this morning. He said "The retail price for the palm pre handset is $499.99." I also had another representative tell me the full price of the phone off-contract is not in the system yet, and all information given has been stated in the press release. Once again, I think we'll have to wait a bit longer before these CSRs can be trusted.
it DOES look like the guy was trying to type $499.99 and missed a nine and typed $49.99 instead doesn't it?
facepalm will have a completely different meaning
WTF is up with the screen resolution... 1080x1920??
great any ideas of launching it in India.
Excellent Images & Videos of Palm Pre
I'm anxiously awaiting the first reviews from engadget, brighthand, arstechnica, and 1src. Each has a somewhat different spin on what makes a phone/handheld device great and it's good to see the experience of each play a role in the review.