Poll: Are you buying a Palm Pre?

So... it's official. Palm's wonder-device, the Pre, is hitting shelves on June 6th for $199 (after mail-in rebate). That begs the most important question of our generation (or of the week, at least): are you going to get one? Go ahead, cast your vote in the poll below, we'd love to hear what the Engadget crew thinks!

Are you buying a Pre?

Hell yes -- I'll be first in line.No, I'm holding off till WWDC to see what Apple announces.No thanks, I'm sticking with my BlackBerry / S60 / Windows Mobile device.Huh? You mean am I buying the soundtrack to 'Prefontaine' starring Jared Leto?Vote

[David @ May 19th 2009 10:22AM]

PALM!!!!!!!!

[Alex @ May 19th 2009 10:24AM]

PRE!!!!!!!!!

[Roger @ May 19th 2009 10:26AM]

ROCKS!!!!

[mex @ May 19th 2009 10:26AM]

FAIL


:)

[Quantumphysics @ May 19th 2009 10:28AM]

I lovee how everyone gets exited about "iPhone killers" and then they are let down when those devices FAIL to capture the iPhone's market share.

You guys make Low Ranks worth getting !

[ImaYam @ May 19th 2009 10:31AM]

@ Roger

I c what U did ThErE :)

[Smacksmackums @ May 19th 2009 10:35AM]

I'm holding off until there's word from other SERO users on their experiences trying to activate the phone without changing plans.
It's not looking good for SERO and frankly I'd rather keep my low monthly bill than own some super slick phone so I will probably be left without a Pre. Oh well.

[Verythrax @ May 19th 2009 10:35AM]

@Quantumphysics: who cares about market share? Can't we just be happy to get a phone that we like? Just because I didn't wanted to get and iPhone it doesn't mean I can't get excited for another phone.

Peoples opinions can be more varied than anti and pro Apple. Don't be a douche.

[john @ May 19th 2009 10:49AM]

nice to see competition for ifone. but i'm holding off for Nokia N97 aka most powerful device on the market.

[dr.akula @ May 19th 2009 10:56AM]

Regardless if you are a die-hard iPhone fan or you swear by the new Pre, having a good quality contender entering the market is healthy for competition and overall great for us (the consumers).

I'm sure you can't fail to agree that the latest iPhone OS3 is a bit weak in new features and merely addresses design shortcomings of the past. In my view it is a clear sign that Apple has been resting on its laurels and needs a bit of "kick up its back side". I hope that the Pre doesn't come short of the promised features and user friendliness.

So far I am excited!

[ph0t0phobic @ May 19th 2009 11:14AM]

Why isn't there an option for "Hell no, its only on Sprint" ?????????

[RyanTV @ May 19th 2009 11:19AM]

I might consider the Pre if it weren't Sprint only and if it had Micro-SD expansion.

[Icello @ May 19th 2009 11:48AM]

@ph0t0phobic- Totally agree! The Pre is the best phone ever IMHO, but I'm not getting it because of fricking Sprint. The problem is, I'm currently on AT&T with an iPhone 3G and I have an older voice plan, only 30 dollars a month for less minutes then the standard one. And then the data is 30, so total of 60 amonth. If I went with sprint, it would be 70 dollars amonth and sure you get texting, but I don't really need unlimited, and I really don't need 450 minutes a month. So, should we make a facebook group begging Palm to bring the Pre to other carriers?? Oh and about all the apple is so much better! Pre is so much better people! The pre will never beat the iPhone in terms of market share, but in the short term it will provide a nice option for those who must have multitasking and in the long term will spur apple on to greater hights.

[Paul a. Chapel @ May 19th 2009 11:54AM]

Apple is going to win because of the ecosystem, not the device. When you get a iPhone or iPod touch, you're plugged into iTunes and the App Store. iTunes has the best digital music selection on the planet and the App Store has the most apps of any smartphone, it's over 40,000 now.

Remember this is the same reason why the PC beat out the Mac in the early days. The Mac was a better and more polished product, but Microsoft built Windows on the ecosystem known as DOS and businesses were already accustomed to DOS, which made it easy for them to upgrade.

The $300 asking price isn't going to help out the Pre either. $300 for a phone that only has 8 GB capacity? No way. The next iPhone is probably going to have 32 GB.

[Alan Strangis @ May 19th 2009 11:58AM]

Well, I gotta wait till it comes to Canada later this year, but if it's solid, I might trade up, though I don't want to lose my $10/m unlimited internet (with tethering).

Paul A Chapel: stuff it. There's enough room for multiple phone OSes, and if the iPhone was everything to everyone, other platforms wouldn't be outselling it.

[marky-b @ May 19th 2009 12:06PM]

@Smacksmackums

wha? we have the option to keep our SERO?... i thought no matter what, we had to sign a new two year, therefore losing our SERO :(

[krische @ May 19th 2009 12:10PM]

@paul

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palm_OS#Third-party_applications
Palm OS: 50,000+ apps

So technically, on release day the Palm Pre will have more apps than the iPhone!

[Dee_Money @ May 19th 2009 12:15PM]

At $100/ Month for "Simply Everything" (Sprint's Unlimited Talk, Text & Data), it's $50 cheaper per month that a comparable plan on AT&T and Verizon, and $25 cheaper that a comparable T-Mobile Plan. I just might get it. Save $50 a month and get better 3G connection that my iPhone on AT&T.

[nikster @ May 19th 2009 12:20PM]

Yeah, Sprint.. probably using some wireless standard nobody has ever heard of outside the USA. Wake me when it comes in GSM.

Looks yummie but I won't get it because I don't like the keyboard. iPhone has totally sold me on the concept of on-screen touch keyboard. Example how do I switch the Pre keyboard from English to German? Answer: I don't. I can't. iPhone, it's one button, and the keyboard is now German, and the dictionary too. It couldn't be more elegant.

[Paul a. Chapel @ May 19th 2009 12:22PM]

@krische

Nah, that won't make a difference either. No one is buying the Pre to run the outdated apps of a platform that has died in the market. PALM would need that many apps for WebOS.

This is just the reality of the market. Ecosystems always win. The first thing that a potential PRE customer is going to ask themselves, is whether it works with iTunes. Will they be able to keep their music, video, podcasts, audiobooks?

This is why the iPod has outlasted all the competitors, even in the face of other MP3 players that many people considered better on the hardware side.

I expect there to be a good surge of people buying the Pre, but it's more likely to be like the Instinct. Remember that? It was a hit for a while, but as people used it, they slowly defected. Why? Apple announced the new iPhone with just about the same hardware features, but with the promise of the App Store to back it up. The App Store had games too. And remember, games are going to be incredibly hard to deploy on WebOS.

[krische @ May 19th 2009 12:30PM]

@paul

But phones and iPods are completely different. iPod easily dominates the market. But it also isn't tied to a carrier like phones are. A lot and I mean A LOT of people hold strong opinions about carriers. I mean just look at some of the commenters bashing Sprint, AT&T, etc. People prefer certain carriers and are locked into contracts with that carrier. The iphone has been selling well, but yet Verizon is still the largest US carrier.

But anyway, what I'm trying to say. The Pre doesn't have to beat the iphone. It just has to do well. What will really succeed is WebOS. WebOS will not be tied down to a carrier, it will be released on multiple phones on multiple carriers. Much the same way Palm OS was and that got it 50,000+ apps in a market where apps weren't really talked about. So give it time.

[Ron @ May 19th 2009 12:35PM]

@Paul I want the Pre but I'm reluctant to give up that Apple ecosystem. You're right, I asked myself about playing music. My solution? I'm getting an iPod Nano if I get a Pre.

[krische @ May 19th 2009 12:36PM]

@paul

And another thing. Why do you go about bragging about 40,000+ apps like its a good thing. How many of those 40,000 apps would you consider useful? How many of those would you consider using on a daily basis or even a few times a week? Less than 100? Less than 50?

My guess would be its very few apps. So all WebOS needs is those few useful apps that people actually want and would use. Once it has that small amount of apps, it's at the same level as the iPhone. When you have 39,900 garbage apps, and 100 useful ones, do the 39,900 garbage apps really matter?

[Paul a. Chapel @ May 19th 2009 12:46PM]

The other big problem that no one is talking about is this: the people at Apple are hungry. They've done everything and more to stay ahead of the competition and to keep the iPhone as appealing as possible. You want a cheaper iPhone? Let's knock the price down to $199 from $600. Want more Apps? Here's the App Store.

They've made concessions on price and control that they would never make on the Mac. That tells me that they know that the smart phone market is the next big thing and they are going to fight tooth and nail to stay ahead, because they're not fighting for just a few hardware sales, they're fighting for the future, the next step in computing evolution.

That automatically means that you're going to see the iPhone on different carriers, that is, in the U.S. It's already that way in countries like Australia.

[TheSuburbanWhiteBoy @ May 19th 2009 12:51PM]

the iphone is way better than the pre.... pre = fail

[krische @ May 19th 2009 12:58PM]

@paul

Mark my words. You WILL see WebOS on other US carriers before you will see the iPhone on other US carriers. The iPhone is too important to AT&T for them to just let it go.

[Sisyphus @ May 19th 2009 1:05PM]

"The first thing that a potential PRE customer is going to ask themselves, is whether it works with iTunes."

False.

[Dion @ May 19th 2009 5:29PM]

Why is everyone so damn excited about the Pre and bashing the current iPhone. The new iPhone will do everything the Pre does and more. Not to mention, it's a much better all-around media device. The Pre won't be able to touch the iPhone as far as music, media and games! The Palm has been working on this phone since the intro of the original iPhone and trying to copy as much as it can from Apple. It should be a good phone with that much time and copy-catting! With that being said, the new iPhone will squash the Pre once it's officially out. If you want to back a company and carrier that's losing money hand-over-fist, be my guess. I'll go with Apple and their excellent reputation and customer service.

Peace bitches!

[Paul a. Chapel @ May 19th 2009 1:57PM]

I think we need to clarify who's excited about the Pre. Geeks are excited. Geeks who hate Appple are really, really excited, but the PALM Pre announcement was on Digg earlier today and it only got 500+ diggs, when an iPhone article would have garnered at least 2000. Regular people, non-geeks, aren't as excited.

I was on the phone with my niece the other day and she started to mumble "there's an app for that" and I asked her, "What the heck are you doing?" Turns out, she was watching TV (I could hear it slightly in the background) and of course, there was an iPhone commercial on. That's how thoroughly Apple has put themselves in people's subconscious.

The iPhone is not a smartphone, it is THE SMARTPHONE. It has opened the market like no other phone could, in the same way the iPod opened the MP3 player market.

[Sk8rman @ May 19th 2009 2:06PM]

@Dion

there's one problem with your argument:
NONE OF IT IS FACT!!!
yay!

[PedoJokerBear (aka Deeznuts) @ May 19th 2009 2:55PM]

people not wanting to get the phone because its on Sprint, yet theyre on AT&T is frigging funny as hell.

[nerdtalker @ May 19th 2009 3:52PM]

@Paul,

You've got some good points, but a lot of FUD and other stuff in there as well. Remember that there *are* going to be Palm WebOS devices running on all the other major carriers, that a GSM version is already in the works (and will probably launch as soon as Sprint's short exclusivity bit is up), and that, unlike apple, this thing probably won't be locked down to hell and have a confusing and contradictory app approval process.

Why? Because, like it's been like that forever.

[iphonerulez @ May 19th 2009 6:29PM]

Of course, most people would be holding off until the new iPhone is introduced. Does anyone want to make that big a mistake of buying a Palm Pre and then trying to sell it off to some misguided loser a couple of weeks later.

I don't mean to stomp on anyone's feelings, but the Pre is as good as dead and the Palm fanboys are going to have to hide in their empty closets. I wonder if Palm is going to be able to get any developers for their WebOS platform. It seems as though all the top developers in the mobile world are fighting for the number one position on the iPhone/iPod platform. I think it has something to do with making extremely huge bucks and making a name for themselves on the leading mobile platform. Not the largest, just the leading.

[Greg @ May 19th 2009 9:47PM]

I am just as excited about palm web os as anyone, but apple has been sitting on its laurels really? Before the iphone, a cell phone manufacturer adding features to older hardware was UNHEARD of. Apple adds stuff when they want when it was ready. They have had no competition playing the same game as apple. Palm is the first company to step up and offer new hardware and software together made by the same company since apple.

[Lars @ May 20th 2009 2:55AM]

FACE!!!!!
PALM!!!!!


PS: wtf is with the poll options? There's no plain old "no" option, or in my case "no, I've got an Android in my pants."

[Alfa @ May 20th 2009 5:36AM]

@ Paul a. Chapel

1) iPhone has not the most apps of any smartphones. Win Mob has at least 30000 + palm os apps (via Styletap emulation) + java
2) iPhone has not 40000 apps because some thousands are lite versions (try before you buy) of paid apps and thera are also many ebooks which are not real apps
3) iPhone ecosystem has the most junk on the planet
4) iPhone is the only smartphone where you can't have some kind of apps (like gps navigator and others) thanks to a draconian Apple's policy.
5)Palm WebOs can run old Palm OS apps via Motionsapps emulator and there are around 30000 palm os apps already available.
6)Palm Pre cost 200$ + 2 year contract, not 300$

You are only an Apple fanboy!

[Shan @ May 27th 2009 2:11PM]

I'll be buying a Palm Pre from either my local BestBuy store or Sprint depending on which one will have it when I get there. If you're planning on buying the Pre on June 6th you'll find the following guide helpful:
http://www.palmpre.org/are-you-pre-pared-for-the-palm-pre-launch-2

[Shark Attack! @ May 19th 2009 10:23AM]

iPhone plz :)

[drewlapham @ May 19th 2009 10:33AM]

Ugh, no more of this iPhone/Apple fanboy shit. Ive had enough. Go Palm! Go RIM!

[Alex @ May 19th 2009 10:39AM]

How the fuck does the WWDC option have 50% of the vote?

[htowngator @ May 19th 2009 10:42AM]

@Alex

A lot of people here are extreme apple fanboys/homers and are very scared of anything that challenges them

[NaeemTHM @ May 19th 2009 10:45AM]

Drew all he said was "iPhone plz". While I can see the annoyance of him improperly spelling please, there is no need to lash out.

I find that most posters are very hostile towards the iPhone and really all Apple related products. I definitely understand that some Apple fans can be pretty irritating, however even post that merely state the iPhone is a good device get negative remarks.

I mean you don't see the same volume of negative comments for RIM or Windows based platforms.

Anyway, I know I'm not changing minds here, but it would be SO NICE if we could all just be happy little geeks and bask in the glory of new technology...with out hate.

[Kelmon @ May 19th 2009 10:59AM]

@Alex

Personally, I voted for WWDC for the simple reason that the Pre only seems to be available in the US, which is no use to me. It was either that or the Jared Leto option and I've never heard of them...

[TheLionOfAzzalle @ May 19th 2009 11:04AM]

Lol the Apple haters are losing their freaking minds.

Look at the poll results. The WWDC option is clearly in the lead.

The Pre is going to be a great device for sure. But there's no way in hell it will come close to the iPhone in terms of the mainstream audience and that my friends is THE TRUTH.

Just simply put all this lowranking that the holier than thou Apple haters are doing won't stop the fact that the new iPhone will once again dominate the competition and continue to hold the spotlight that's been shining down on it since the first day we heard RUMORS of the iPhone.

[*Just some girl @ May 19th 2009 11:17AM]

@htowngator

nah, we're just intelligent. ;)

I voted for that option because I want to see what apple has up their sleeve, so I can then weigh my options

[Jaron @ May 19th 2009 11:21AM]

I'm waiting to see what the competition is. As much as I like the Pre, I depend on 3rd party apps for a lot of things. As such, if a more stable platform comes out with equal or better features - especially if it has a mature developer base - then I might consider something else. Lets face it - all the software I have right now for PalmOS will need to be replaced. If I'm going to replace it, do I want to gamble on the Pre or go with a OS that I know will have a future?

[Paul a. Chapel @ May 19th 2009 11:45AM]

There is a large divide between the people who read Engadget and the people who actually comment on Engadget. Reading the comments, you would think that Engadget is populated only by MS fanboys, but whenever there's a poll like this or a Gadget of the Year contest, Apple always comes out on top.

Remember when Engadget was giving away the free iPod Touch? That post generated 20,000 responses. I don't think any other gadget has come close.

MS Fanboys are more vocal, but a lot of casual readers are Apple fans or at least, OS agnostic.

[Bry @ May 19th 2009 11:48AM]

@ Alex-

I voted for waiting for WWDC. Why?

Simple answer- it met closest to what I want to do. Will I buy a Pre if there is no new iPhone announcement? Nope. Will I buy a new iPhone just because my two year contract is up and cause it's the 'new iPhone?' Nope

I use a Mac and have everything in iTunes (just works the best for my situation.) To lose .Me service, lose iTunes, iCal, Address Book, and other 'i' integration just so I can keep streaming Pandora while I text ain't worth the hassle. I didn't buy an iPhone to multitask anyways so no loss. Nor the switch to Sprint while paying $300 for a phone with a service agreement. (Yes, it's $200 after rebate but you're still waiting 6-8 weeks for $100 back if the paperwork doesn't get 'lost' in the mail.)

Maybe the Pre can multitask and has a real keyboard but some of us can bare its shortcomings. On a similar note though, if the new iPhone doesn't do anything more significan then run OS3 faster then my 2G iPhone or if AT&T's iPhone plan isn't any cheaper, I'll spend my $200 elsewhere and keep my 2G.

I welcome the Pre because I hope it means Apple steps up their game with the next release.

[Graham J @ May 19th 2009 12:49PM]

Ya I'm surprised the iPhone wasn't mentioned in one of the voting options considering it's the biggest competitor. I love my iPhone and Mac but when the Pre is offered for GSM and unlocked so I can use it here in Canada without a contract I'll certainly look into it. It definitely has a few features I'd like to have so I'll be interested to see how it compares with iPhone 3.0.

[Dragonfly @ May 19th 2009 2:01PM]

@ htowngator

Funny, reminds me of people that are scared of the status quo and are constantly bashing those that are happy with it. Don't get me wrong, the Pre is a fantastic piece of kit, its just not fantastic enough to get people to drop their iPhones. Just take a look at the pole results.