In a new ad Sprint has up on Facebook [via PreThinking], they're taking a not-so-subtle pot shot at Apple: to wit: the fact that the Pre can multitask and that over the life of a two year contract you're going ot save around $1200 bucks over the iPhone 3G plan with AT&T.
Clever stuff, Sprint, and also clever of you to point out the fact that many an iPhone owner is out of contract now -- though like everybody else we have to note that our favorite quotable Palm fan Roger McNamee stated it a little more boldly:
You know the beautiful thing: June 29, 2009, is the two- year anniversary of the first shipment of the iPhone, [...] Not one of those people will still be using an iPhone a month later.
Later, of course, Palm had to backtrack just a bit on the above. We're betting a few of those owners took advantage of AT&T's last-minute decision to drop the re-up contract price of the iPhone 3GS, but nevermind that. Anybody who can poke fun at himself like this is a hero in our book.
Anyway, we appreciate the sentiment, Sprint, and we're not ones to shy away from a little friendly back and forth. We'll be interested to see if Apple reply in kind or if they'll try to act like they're not even paying attention to 'those other phones,' because we know they're pretty good at that.
Thanks to everybody who sent this in!
Comments
1st
Yeah, the 1st fucking retard.
1st
wow you were 1st twice! Does that make you 1st AND 2nd all at the same time? I am sooo proud of you! Keep up the useless work and maybe someday you can be a big boy!
One problem is that long time iPhone users are probably not very likely to switch.
They have a large investment in apps and also into the way they work with their phone. Most people find change to be difficult.
I don't expect too many iPhone to Pre converts, outside of those struggling financially (since it's cheaper) and even then they'll probably switch to less expensive phones.
This is not to say that the Pre won't do really well, but I'm trying to inject a bit of reality into the hype.
I love mine!
Those were great days two years ago. $600 for a 2G phone that had a $90/mo contract. I asked them about the costs and they told me they were "early adopters" and that was the price they had to pay.
So, I went back to watching streaming TV on my $200 3G phone with a $55/month contract and left them to compute their dinner tip on their superphone.
I don't expect these "enlightened" genius's to be joining our ranks anytime soon. But I do appreciate their huge investment in US economy by paying so much and getting so little.
I don't mean to rain on the Pre parade, but honestly, i am pissed at Palm for making a phone that could blow the Iphone out the water and they didn't. I have owned every Palm phone since the Treo 600. I have purchased each upgrade including the Pre. I am pissed that the Pre doesn't get basic phone right! Hell! it doesnt't even do as good as the Treo 755p. Here's what I mean...no call forwarding (WTH!) who else makes a cell phone without the ability to call forward. The damn Pre is always on its charger, so call forwarding should have been an easy feature for this phone. You can't forward or resend text messages....WHAT??? Are you kidding me? If I'm a basic Iphone user that would be reason enough right there not to switch. I'd be thinking if they can't get 20 year old phone features right, how could they get a new OS right? And, I've complained about this one before, but have any of you tried to hang up a 3rd party on a conference call.....Can't do it, unless you hang up your original party too. And, the Pre won't call you back to unhold your original conversation. These are phone related issues....COME ON PALM! HOW DO YOU MISS THOSE?? YOU CAN'T COMPETE WITH IPHONE IF YOU CAN'T GET BASIC PHONE RIGHT! We won't even talk about not being able to group your pics within the phone or setup playlists for your music or record videos. You're dreaming if you think you can snatch some Iphone users with this product. By the way, I love the Pre and can see how strong of a competitor it could be, but to not get basic phone right is like coming out of the blocks crippled! It makes no sense!!!
I am very interested in purchasing a Pre; however, I have seen some grave concerns from many Pre owners. I have heard of cracked LCD screens, "hot spots" in the bottom corners of the LCD screen, bad sliders, sluggish OS, etc. I am wondering..outside of the apparent hardware issues that I mentioned are the flaws that you listed in your post, in addition to other non-hardware flaws, fixable through software updates? Or, will these flaws need to be fixed in a second-generation Pre phone?
If these apparents flaws can be fixed through an over-the-air update, then I may forego my worries and purchase this great phone.
Thanks for the help in advance.
After looking at this ad, I really don't understand why they would go after the iPhone this early. If anything I would've went after Rim and their Storm FIRST. Or even RIM on the whole. I feel like Pre vs iPhone is like David against Goliath, and David is still scrounging up some pebbles. Now I want the Pre and think its GOING to be a great phone as well as the WebOS will truly shine, its just that not right now.
Unfortunately the Pre doesn't compare very well to a BlackBerry (even the Storm). The Storm supports SD cards, has a bigger screen, has better battery life, and can do desktop synchronization, not to mention the thousands of applications available (including Documents to Go and turn-by-turn navigation).
I was really excited when the Pre was announced, but as details emerged, it evolved into quite a disappointment for me. The concept of the Pre has the potential to merge the bling of the iPhone with the functionality of the BlackBerry. I hope Palm gets it right with an improved product in the near future.
Storm was one of the worst phones I ever owned. It never worked well as a phone to begin with. The thing would freeze every few hours and I was getting tired of taking the battery out and putting it back in. This is not a 'rant' for storm so I wont say more BUT pre is a looooot easier to use. My google calendar updates nicely without me syncing it as on storm. Browsing is amazing on this and besides the battery life I don't have any issues with this phone. Pre is not there to beat Iphone or RIMM which it probably will never be able to do. Its there to build up its own market.
It's like you almost no nothing about the Pre! The screen on the Storm is 3.3", Pre's 3.1" but has a better resolution! The battery life on the Pre is good, but not great. Besides those two minor detractions, the Pre has a universe more to offer as a personal device than the Storm does, when I comes to intuitive UI, OS, data aggregation/integration, notifications, faster/better browser, a sick camera w/flash with cybershot like capture speed (seriously like 1 picture per second), and on and on! How can really expect a plethora of apps from a device that hasn't out for 3 weeks yet?
"The battery life on the Pre is good"
Yeah, you fucking liar.
RIMM is Goliath's bigger brother. Curve outsells iPhone's best model. And, until last week, RIMM's worst phone outsold iPhones next best model.
oops
Apple guys run the company now, so they go after their kin! I really believe they want to eventually sell to Apple. webOS on the iPhone hardware would be killer - and maybe they would even add a version with a real kb!
Why on earth would Palm, a company that has been in the smart phone market for decades now, even consider a buyout by Apple?
Where to go from here is an interesting questions for both companies. Having a real keyboard goes against the Apple mantra, but so many people want tactile keys, they may not be able to ignore it.
For Palm, the Eos/Pixie appears to be Pre Lite. Most of the ability but with a smaller cleaner package. Perfect for a user of standard phones looking to pickup up easier messaging, email or accasional surfing.
What I'm looking for is a "Preo". Moving part way back to the Treo form factor being slightly bigger, stronger and much better battery setup. Add back microSD, bigger keyboard, optional stylus use, but I guess I can live without IR now.
Someone make that a wallpaper!!! Love it!
They go after the iPhone, because it creates controversy. This is the cheapest type of advertising. Step 1 is just getting people to know your product exists.
Wow... You have to admit that that is a pretty bold move on Sprint's part. But hey, that's great! They have every right to stir up a little heat... Any publicity is good publicity.
Why even spend the money advertising a product you don't have? finally found a store with a PRE in stock but they would not sell to me- no not because I was not upgrade eligible, but because I was not in their CSA- I have purchased phones from this store before. After reading all the reviews I think I will give Palm 2 years to sort this out. Meantime I will be going to AT&T a company I loathe- but Sprint has crappy phones and they can add this impossible to get, overheating, screen cracking, battery coming out, no apps brick to their long list.
LOL, SERENITY NOW...you've got more issues than Time Magazine. Terrible phone (per your rant) and yet you're mad they wont sell it to you? Lousy retail outlet for the service provider, but, you'll give Palm a chance in two years?
Have fun storming the Deathstar!
Anyone who owns a Pre knows that it is best mobile device ever created. Without question.
Most who own iPhones would say, iPhone. Some would say Pre. All who own Pres would say, Pre!
The Pre is an awful mobile device. It's a great concept but poorly implemented and I was quite disappointed. That's why I returned it after five days. I keep checking here to see if there's any hope in fixing the Pre or if a new device is going to be announced, though. I suppose I can always hope.
and you can keep making stuff up and keep trying to use sophisticated terminology in order to sound objective when you really are just absurdly vague. What about the concept is "poorly implemented"? "Fixing the Pre"? Can you be anymore ambiguous? Such terminology lends me to think that you never had one
What is poorly implemented is you don't have call forwarding, 3-way/ conference calling is a joke, no msg indicator, you can't forward or resend text messages, battery life, and how do you create a charger like the Touchstone and not offer the connection cable for it? For Christsakes, they are charging 70.00 for an electric magnet. There is no video app on implementation, there is no way to sort your music into play lists. You can either listen to an artist or all the music. There is no in between. I'm shocked that Palm would offer an upgrade on a product and the only thing that really is upgraded is the camera. I'm not sure about the UI yet because the phone is very touchy. Every time you pick it up and think you are doing so cleanly, you are starting up unwanted apps. And, why does it not matter where or how you touch the phone, the upper right drop down menu always comes on? I just have some real problems with the Pre and really wish Palm would address them real soon. As it turns out, the software seems to be more problematic than the hardware. I actually love the keyboard after using it and finding that is a true one-handed device. The replacement cover with the touchstone gives the device some weight and makes it feel very solid...very nice! I love the universal search and can't wait for a 411 application. The copy and paste feature needs to work on text and internet media. If I get those things fom this phone I will be happy. I know the apps are coming and I can wait...
Did Palm ask you personally about all the nano-conveniences you would love to have on a mobile device before they created the Pre? If they did and left them out, then you have the right to say that the Pre is an "awful" mobile device. Instead they included multi-tasking, a 3 MP camera with flash, intuitive/unobtrusive notifications, 3rd Party notifications, mojo messaging, Synergy, a physical keyboard, a super-high resolution screen, multitouch, 3.5mm headset jack, WIFI, superfast smooth web browser, an accelerometer with 360 degree rotation, and much more.... For shame Palm, for not fulfilling this guy's every dream, eventhough 95% of his complaints will be added later with firmware updates! For shame!
Chilly, some of this will get get addressed in software upgrades. But you seem to be under some false impression that this phone is going to take the very best of Treo, Blackberry and iPhone, and add to it. Take a breath, and go buy the phone that delivers what you need. If you have this much animosity now, 19 full width lines of forum space, you will never be satisfied with the Pre. Life is too short to wait for this many shortcomings to be resolved.
Thanks for putting me in check guys, i had probably just finished trying to do something with my phone and it didnt perform so, i needed to rant somewhere...LOL! I still love the phone. Although, what I think I am asking for is not over the top. It's basic phone stuff....
>>I keep checking here to see if there's any hope in fixing the Pre or if a new device is going to be announced, though. I suppose I can always hope.<<
You don't have to keep checking three times a day and redepositing your frustrations. The Pre's greatest weakness will never be addressed. It attracts the most inane trolls with the most free time.
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