In case you hadn't heard, Sprint is in pretty dire straits and needs the Pre to be a game-changer for them. So they're throwing everything behind the Pre -- indeed, they've already begun in the form of a clever ad campaign.
Sprint has a couple of other programs that will help position them to make the Pre launch a success. First up is the "ReadyNow" program. The upshot is that when you go into a Sprint store to purchase a Pre, they won't let you walk out until your email, contacts, and calendar are set up. Heck, they will sit down with you and explain how Synergy, Cards, and the notifications bar works too. The upshot is that when you leave, you're fully ready to use your Palm Pre to the utmost. It help you learn how to use the phone and, frankly, it helps Sprint by dropping return rates down to lower levels.
There is another, less well-known practice at Sprint. They name "Store Advocates" for their top-tier devices. Essentially each store has an employee who becomes the go-to expert for a given device. Concurrently with the rumor that Sprint has already begun training for the Palm Pre with Sprint employees, Darth Pooh lets us know in the forums that Sprint is already naming Store Advocates for the Pre as well.
Here's the teeth-gnashing part, according to what we know of the program and to VaccPalm, Store Advocates typically get their phones a little bit earlier than the release date so they have time to bone-up on all its ins-and-outs. So while the best-case release date right now appears to still be May 17th, these Store Advocates may be getting their learner-units earlier. Heck, they may be getting them within the week.
They will, but you probably won't. Try not to rend your garments. The Pre is coming. Soon.
Comments
This "ready now" program is interesting, but I don't think I'm going to give the geeks at the Sprint store (no offense) all my email passwords so they can set up my accounts.
Use your brain man. You will not have to give anyone your passwords, they will just walk you through the steps and you input your information yourself.
I agree. There has to be an option for those of us that can do it ourselves.
I wonder if I will be able to go to sprint signup and get my pre and leave without the training or whatever it's gonna be
The idea of having to sit through a long-ass training session at the Sprint store before I can leave with my brand new Prē is teh suck.
How can you people honestly think that you will be held hostage at the Sprint store with your Pre in order for them to train you?! How can you honestly think that the ReadyNow training will be required?
Get a clue ya'll!
Seriously, are you that really silly or just writing comments for reaction. MANDATORY training on an item you just dropped $300 on...really?!
Ready Now? ROFL. How could they possibly have the Ready Now program in effect on the release date? It would be a logistical disaster if there are lines at Sprint stores.
Unless this is Sprint/Palm's way of manufacturing hype: "wow, look at the long lines. They're not moving. There must be crazy demand." When in fact it's a small number of people but each of them have to stay in the store for 15 minutes after they get their Pre to set it up in person.
I'm sensing fail here.
Negative, Ready Now is an effort to keep the lines from forming at the return desk.
Good point. One way to keep the lines from forming at the return desk is to keep people from getting their Pre in the first place (long lines, having to stick around a crowded store to set up your phone, etc.)
BUT THEN people that know how to wield the full-power of the PRE will be on the streets epeening the hipsters with their iPhones. And then people will want to hold the power in their hands!
You make a valid point about the number of people that will be crowding the stores; the in-store setups will only exaserbate the crowding. But must you be so pessimistic about the issue?
I highly doubt the program is marketing ploy to show the media how big the crowds will be on release date. In fact I would say that it is pretty idiotic to think so. Lines are bad for releases because they generate thoughts of unavailability and eliminate impulse buying. The last thing Sprint wants to do is that. I'm sure the program is to help improve their tarnished customer service image.
So how do you see this working out on release day, which is likely a Sunday? A Sunday launch definitely won't thin the lines like a weekday launch does.
I'm pessimistic because Sprint/Palm has led me down that road. I watched the entire CES Pre presentation and was absolutely blown away. But since then it's all been downhill: no release date, no word on when a 16gb version will be released (how do you release a smartphone in 2009 that maxes out at 8gb?!), no protected WMA support (I use Rhapsody), no expandable storage, and no possibility that it will ever be a World Phone. And the later they release it the closer it is to iPhone 3.0, the new HTC phones, etc. meaning that any developer interest will soon be diverted elsewhere.
I had high hopes that the Pre would replace my aging AT&T Tilt. It would have killed three birds with one stone: rid myself of the hell that is AT&T Wireless, get a "hip" phone (i.e. one without WinMo) that isn't the iPhone, and join Sprint. But now I'm thinking it's the Touch Pro 2 for me (hopefully as a World Phone on Sprint).
I'm still pulling for the Pre, and I'll buy one if there's a 16gb or 32gb version that supports Rhapsody (and it's released by the end of 2009), but I haven't heard any positive news in almost 3 months. Have you?
@who Your not going to get the phone because it doesn't it won't play nice with support for Rhapsody? I don't think you are getting the point of the phone. I think you need to sit back and realize what this phone can do for you to make your life easier. There are way more important things this phone will do then support your music. Get a clue Who. Either way, thats one more phone for people who will kill to get one. You can say your welcome now or later.
I suppose you can attempt to narrow down my disappointment with the Pre to Rhapsody support. It's what killed the iPhone for me. But I also mentioned a lack of storage and lack of ex-US capabilities, two areas where the iPhone exceeds the Pre.
But let's take your simplification. Palm's previous two platforms, Palm OS and WinMo, support Rhapsody. Why doesn't WebOS?
I've been a Rhapsody subscriber since October 2003. I'm a big music fan. I've been to 15+ concerts this calendar year. I filled up an 8gb microsd card with music from Rhapsody (it's all you can eat for a fixed rate per month). I need a phone with more than 8gb (especially if that includes Apps), and I need more than paying 99 cents a song or trying to find mp3s to illegally download. That's a waste of my time and money. My life involves listening to music.
If I can't do that on my phone, my life is substantially harder, no matter how magical the Pre is. If I can't do that on my phone, then my life is more expensive, because then I have to buy a separate music player, and I do not have a current one because my Tilt provides all I need: 16gb, Rhapsody, and Bluetooth stereo. And it's with me all the time.
I like using one device for everything and I use my Tilt for everything: I keep only one calendar: Outlook, I use the Bluetooth Stereo on my Tilt for running and going to the gym, email, phone, web, etc. etc.
You can tell me that I need to sit back and realize X or Y or to get a clue, but you end up sounding like just another fanboy. I think Palm (and you) should sit back and realize how easy it would be to support Rhapsody and other subscription services. They've done it before and they can do it again. Palm seems to be more interested in pleasing Amazon than making their phone appeal to everyone it possibly could. It's them (and you) who should get a clue.
Lest you think you are alone, I too would be disappointed without Rhapsody support, although I have a 700p which Rhapsody doesn't officially support and it works off and on. But as bad as I want Rhapsody on the Pre, it won't hold me off buying one. I can hardly wait for a solid, dependable, reasonably priced Pre to hit the market. But I am patient enough to wait until the wrinkles and bugs are removed as much as possible...
Have you Rhapsody fan boys emailed RealNetworks to plead your case? It's on their shoulders to dev their apps for PRE.
It's not an App we're talking about; it's about being able to play protected WMA tracks downloaded from Rhapsody on the Pre's media player. On my Tilt I can play downloaded Rhapsody tracks through Windows Media Player Mobile.
An App, though, would be amazing. Being able to stream millions of tracks over the mobile web is the the "celestial jukebox" dream many have been waiting for. But I doubt it's going to happen anytime soon.
Good to know I'm not alone. But unlike you I know how great it is to have a phone that works all the time with Rhapsody. I can't go back. It can't be hard for Palm to add it in. They've supported Rhapsody on their prior platforms.
Ain't no one more important to a 'brther than his Barber.
From my Tweet:
My ninja informed FF that they pick 'store advocates',1 person to train in each store, they then train others. #sprint #palmpre #meetpre12:27 PM Apr 11th from web
This was taken from my Tweet which was information from my friend who is high up at Sprint that gave me the information on already naming "Store Advocates".
Please give credit for info where it's due.
Thanks.
http://twitter.com/FoneFrenzy
It blows me away that Sprint hasn't tapped me to be the Advocate in my area. I can safely say that nobody in my 5 state radius googles PALM Pre stuff more than even 1/2 as much as I do.
Im the advocate for my store, its not just one an area its one per corporate store. you should ask your manager cause mine just asked us.
And i only offer ready now to elderly people so they dont return a phone they cant work. if your young and are gunning for the pre, its obvious you know how to work a phone at best...
That was what I was thinking. They say there will be long lines due to the training, but I do not think that will be true. If you have a long line of people waiting outside for the store to open to get the Pre then most likely they are the ones who have been reading up on it and know everything it does. There for they should know how to use it. Also I am sure many of the fans will want to get the Pre and make a run for it. The lines will move along just fine. Also how many old people would you think would be outside ready and waiting for the Pre then not know how to use it or run the OS?
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