Debunk: Palm not halting Pre / Pixi production, just on hold for Chinese New Year
By Nilay Patel 
posted February 11th 2010 3:24PM
posted February 11th 2010 3:24PM
Update: Here's the official word from Derick Mains, Palm's director of corporate communications:
Move along, nothing else to see here.Palm regularly adjusts its product manufacturing levels to manage inventory. In anticipation of the Verizon Wireless launch and Chinese New Year, we increased production levels prior to February, and anticipate ramping production back up after the Chinese New Year ends.
Happy Chinese New Year!
@(Unverified) And a happy Pastafarian holiday of Holiday to you.
@Nitesh ai ai matey!
Who said there would be a problem with availability at all, what with the nearly non-existent advertising for the things. Palm definitely should have thought a few steps ahead before blowing their advertising wad on Sprint.
Ahhh the Palm Pre now that is a nice phone and in my opinion the only phone on the market I would think of putting my iPhone 3Gs down for. I love how it looks and works I just wish that Palm would update the hardware since WebOS is already a very promising OS.
Good Job Palm for giving your workers some time off. I don't know if most companies do this, but it definitely should be done.
@Mitch
Nice sarcasm ;)
@pukerocket
What sarcasm.... other companies give people time off?
@Mitch
Almost every factories in China will be close for two weeks for New Year. It is the only vacation/day off they have for the whole year.
@Mitch
Palm aren't giving them time off.
The factories said to Palm 'We're not working over New Year'.
Most companies do give staff holidays. It's the law.
@max1001
No, it's not the "only holiday" in China anymore. You're outdated by a long shot. Ever heard of the National Day holiday? That's 5 days off in the start of October. http://www.china.org.cn/china/2009-12/09/content_19037656.htm
There's also time off for Labor Day in early May. Most factories, at least those in high-tech computer/communication/consumer electronics, all offer time off in accordance with the law.
Shoes, toys, garment factories -- conditions may be worse....not my domain.
Exhales. Thank god
Incredibly irresponsible of BGR to report this without fact-checking. They're part of the reason people tend to look down on blogs (well that, and all the freaking typos).
@MrAkash I realize BGR was just echoing the OTR report, but the logical thing to do in that situation is FREAKING CALL PALM.
http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2010/02/11/palm-orders-halt-on-production-of-palm-pre-plus-palm-pixi-plus/
@MrAkash
Writing a blog means you don't have to be bothered with trivial things like "facts".
@MrAkash BGR has pretty much been wrong every time when it comes to Palm / Pre / webOS rumors. Not surprised they got it wrong yet again.
Pardon for pointing out the obvious, but Engadget is "reporting" that Palm said they're halting production for the entire month, not just this weekend (or this weekend plus about 8 more days max).
@Freakin Ijit That's becaue Chinese New Year is not a weekend, it's a period of time where people travel home to visit t heir families. As has been posted above, from Wiki: "The festival traditionally begins on the first day of the first month (Chinese: 正月; pinyin: zhēng yuè) in the Chinese calendar and ends on the 15th; this day is called Lantern Festival."
It's kind of a big deal in China.
This is why Engadget > BGR
http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2010/02/11/palm-orders-halt-on-production-of-palm-pre-plus-palm-pixi-plus/
Thankfully Engadget is a responsible outlet. Thanks guys.
@JXCGunrunna
Agreed. Good comment. +
@JXCGunrunna Just took a peek over there. Doesn't feel like home.
@JXCGunrunna http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/16/iphone-delayed-until-october-leopard-delayed-again-until-januar/
@notbuttershift1
Haha yea i remember that. Apple's stock actually dropped when Engadget posted that. Even as fucked up as it gets around here, (like last week when Josh shut off comments and took no responsibility for the iPad overload) this site has really matured over the years and become something that can be trusted.
@JXCGunrunna I'll take all the responsibility you want. I had and have zero problems with the way we covered iPad news. Listen to last week's podcast where I explain how a news cycle works in this industry.
I know how news cycles work and if u take responsibility for it or not does not change the fact that your site was overloaded with ipad news to the point where many of us were turned off from what is otherwise THE place for tech news. Anyway I am moving on and on a side note I'm impressed you guys read and respond even on posts that are not yours.
BGR, egg, face.
@madmac
You sure about that? We use several manufacturers in China and they are all closed for the New Year. Do you have the inside track on factories willing to work? My production managers would like that list.
Is this like a Chinese Fire Drill?
:P
@DoctarPeppar Nope, just a Chinese false alarm.
@madmac chinese new year is kind of a big deal in china. Thats the only holiday they get off for the whole year.
Yeah, but not for two weeks.
Palm is probably overstocked as well.
But this doesn't make complete sense. Why would they stop until the end of the month (meaning almost 2.5 weeks) when the maximum time off for Chinese New Years in Asia is one week? There really must be more to it than just a holiday.
Ooooh SNAP! Slap that little "boy" in the face! Love it! Thx Engadget for being.. well.... you.
Palm would say that.
The truth is probably somewhere in the middle
....and this is why people, blogs will remain blogs until they get some editors who check their facts. Thankfully Engadget is better (maybe it's the whole AOL relation that is helping their credibility).
@SkyNew
What about the next time Engadget get something wrong (and they will)? Will you have another knee-jerk reaction then?
@SkyNew Also, we've been owned by AOL (well, our parent company Weblogs Inc.) since 2005.
@madmac
I call "Bullshit" on you sir!
Being someone with first-hand knowledge, the entire country practically shuts down! The Chinese are hardcore about their holidays! The managers will be out of the offices for 2 weeks, but the factory works are gone for a solid 3 weeks. Then it still will take them some time to ramp up production to full speed.
Rubenstein should be pissed.... I would do some action on BGR...
@bulls96 If BGR had any money...I mean real money (not the "look at me, I smoke expensive cigars and drive a blinged-out Escalade" kind of play money)...Palm's stable of corp. lawyers could probably have a field day. But he doesn't, so they won't.
@TomasDos they got labor day (May 1st) off for a week, national day (Oct. 1st) off for another week
Why must it be "Chinese New Year"?
Why can't we call it "Lunar New Year"?Bacause we still have "Vietnamese New Year".
@hb0x because foxconn is in china
@Freakin Ijit from new years eve to lunar full moon is two weeks, from wiki: The festival traditionally begins on the first day of the first month (Chinese: 正月; pinyin: zhēng yuè) in the Chinese calendar and ends on the 15th; this day is called Lantern Festival.
I want to get pixi or pre for my wife when are they coming to AT&T
So what's keeping them from developing a third webOS device?? (one with the 3D hardware capabilities of the Pre, but without the sucky cut-the-cheese keyboard)
Palm really needs to look at HTC, Motorola or Samsung and learn what a good phone keyboard is all about.
@Elranzer and you, my friend, need to learn to appreciate that there are alot of people want one hand operation out there.
check out how Palm stock reacted to the report.
BGR moves markets.
This is why Engadget rocks. Thanks for staying on top of this.
Engadget > the unwashed techblog masses.
@madmac
As others have already mentioned, China shuts down for Chinese New Year. Some places even shut down for the entire month. Ask anyone that does business in China.