webOS: Spec bump now, super phone later, or both? [poll] 201
So, with the disclosure of FCC documents on the upcoming Palm P102UEU, it’s becoming clear that the next Palm device is going to be a spec-bumped Pre. The phone even uses the exact same Touchstone back as the current Pre phones and is confirmed to be a slider device, so it can’t be that different physically than what we already have. The only specs we’ve been able to confirm are a quad-band GSM radio (this one of the European variety, not AT&T), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, a 1150 mAh battery (again, same as the current phones), and a 1 GHz processor that may or may not be the TI OMAP 3630. Apart from that, there’s not a whole lot we can deduce about the device, except to assume that it may come with increased storage space. We wouldn’t count on a bump in RAM, as the 512MB in the Pre Plus has been proven more than capable.
With the same form factor there’s only so much that can be shoehorned into a Pre-shaped package. The camera may receive a bump in megapixels, but we wouldn’t count on auto-focus or zoom or any fanciness like that. Additionally, we wouldn’t expect to see any significant additions that wouldn’t be plug-and-play with the current hardware (e.g. the software- and pinset-compatible OMAP 3630 processor), so forget about front-facing cameras, compasses, gyroscopes, 4G radios, a larger and/or higher-resolution screen (320x480 is still fairly dense for the size), or anything like that.
So the question stands asking: with only so much upgrade available to be packed into the P102-series (Pre 2?), how much incentive is there for you to make the jump with (hopefully) more impressive hardware down the road? It’s a question that’s going to be especially of interest to Sprint (plus Bell and Telcel) subscribers, who are stuck with the original Palm Pre with no option to upgrade to a more capable Pre Plus without any hardware hackery. So, here’s the question: do you want a spec-bumped P102UEU now, a tricked-out webOS super phone later, or both?
201 Comments
How about instead, will you get the spec bumped or wait.....
I'll wait until next Spring.
deleted double post
Yeah "Instead of" seems the obvious answer. don't get how that's not an obvious choice on the list.
that said if i wait till spring it would just be so my contract ends and i'm out of my contract but not for another palm phone.
I have a great idea, Let Palm make the superphone, while H/P makes all the other phones with webOS on them. This way Palm follows Apple, while H/P follows HTC model. Same with slate, let H/P make multiple WebOS slates, while Palm makes a SuperSlate. What do you guys think?
Personally i couldn't care less about slates. i'm not a fan of your suggestion though from a HP business standpoint. i wouldn't be too confident in Palm making much because the last time it didn't do well. So i think to be successful it's gonna come from HP more then palm. And it may be semantics cause didn't hp send like 500 employees to work on the webos stuff which i'd think still includes phones. and i think that would be more then all the palm people. Plus, just my opinion, slabs are in vertical sliders aren't so again, i have little confidence in Palm's decision making. My opinion you need a big phone now not later. but i think if the verizon iphone rumors are true it won't matter anyways.
That sounds like what killed GM back then... too many brands and too little focus, confusing consumers.
so you're saying android is toast? (i'm not agreeing or disagreeing btw)
edit: nevermind. android analogy doesn't work. just software (unless google themselves start spitting out more nexuses).
i like
I won't use my upgrade for a spec bump!
+1
+1
You wait, Sprint will get the spec bump phone - I'd be pissed! I rather wait to see what CES has in-store and then decide.
spring will be too late palm has to show at CES something or is gonna die with it's fans
lets face it palm hp has no chance on verizon and AT&T so the only place will be sprint if the iphone comes to verizon all the other phones are done
try, upgrade to Evo now, get super Palm phone in six months when he good one comes out.
Verizon Pre+ users, like me, only have the option to wait. We just got the pre in January and on a 2 year contract with "New every 2" we have to wait until late 2011 to re-up or pay full retail price.
Does anyone else wonder why we have not heard from Mr. Sood anymore?
I posted long ago that I think the PRE is the perfect size and shape. If a spec bump with the quality build I have on my current PRE were available on Sprint... I would love it and I stand by that statement. I can't imagine a "super palm phone" that could pull me away from that line of thinking.
Could this "spec bump" phone be something Palm was planning before the merger/takeover? If so, maybe the plan is to come out with this as one of the many platforms that will run WebOS. Other platforms (PalmPad, Mansion, etc.) will ALSO come down the road. I don't think we need to consider this the only new device coming out.
I agree. This is most likely a late arrival. It also sounds to be what the Pre and Pre+ should have been. This will be a good phone for HP marketing to push in the coming months. Hopefully, a "Superphone" is still in the pipeline along with the P-pad. All of this is a mute point if the serious business apps do not arrive soon. I need a real database program on the level of HanDBase if I am going to continue with WebOS.
You mean "moot point" and I agree that this is probably a late arrival. I do hope they have plans for a superphone though!
I would seriously consider upgrading, depending upon the price point.
what do you consider a superphone?
I would expect that hardware capabilities would be a basis for the classification and not form factor or (screen size).
Maybe Palm can incorporate this new touch technology in their "super" phone to come....
http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/innovation/10/08/tesla.touch.disney/index.h...
(http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/innovation/10/08/tesla.touch.disney/)
(index.html?hpt=T2)
now people could feel the keys....
I'm just happy that they appear to be keeping the Pre form factor. I hate the phone/tablet trend. I want a phone I can fit in my pocket. I don't want a small laptop that makes me walk with a limp when I wedge it into my pocket.
I am also happy they are sticking with the Touchstone, since I have two at home, one at work, and one in the car. If they are sticking with the lousy battery, I'm still gonna need chargers everywhere!
+1
i'm very happy with the pre form factor. Just have a better quality and make it faster...
+1
I am looking for a bigger screen so upgrading to this won't happen for me.
what do you consider a superphone?
I would expect that hardware capabilities would be a basis for the classification and not form factor or (screen size).
I like people from Poland.
I would prefer a super phone later, meanwhile bring pre plus to sprint. This would prevent device fragmentation.
I have a feeling Palm needs to decide which path to choose. HTC or Apple. Flood the market with hardwares or make one so perfect and ahead of its time (Hardware wise) that competition doesnt catches up for next 6 months.
I say neither. Apple is deluded. Despite their insistence, people need options. HTC is unfocused, splitting their wares between Android and Windows Phone 7.
In the middle ground there is success, but it the overall narrative must be cohesive. I've got a simple enough idea brewing, but it's not ready just yet.
More phones cost more money, and cannibalize each other - even if leading to over all marketshare.
Fewer phones, or A phone, in Apple's case, offer fewer choices but done well, return the higher ROI.
Are you looking for world domination (I mean that in tongue in cheek) or greatest profitability?
Both strategies have value (world domination could lead to more profits later on....) but Apple has clearly always followed the latter.
Apple has succeeded because people think that the iPhone is high quality. That's it. Even though the iPhone 4 has the antenna issue people still buy the iPhone 4 because they think it's the best phone in the world. So whether Palm comes out with one phone or three phones it/they have to be high quality. Palm will then be able to build brand loyalty to a high percentage of their users by making high quality products, something they weren't able to do with the Pre mostly because of the build quality.
As far as form factor goes, Palm and HP need to do better market research and make a phone or phones that suits the majority of consumer's wants. The small physical keyboard, in my opinion, only captures a very small portion of the market... obviously. I could keep going on what type of phone and/or tablets Palm and HP should create but I'll just leave it at that. HP please make webOS a market competitor for all of the webOS fan's sake.
people can hate on apple but sort of to build on your point i think for palm to be successful they've got to look at what the bulk of people want and hit that. so the bulk of business consumers, the bulk of the "consumer market". That's what they originally said, the "fat middle". So if that's a slab you at least have a slab, if that's exchange support you have that, if that's a facebook app at bare minimum you do that. if that's a sync solution make one. if it's major companies making apps you get them on board by any mean necassary. Regardless of how people feel about apple they have ridiculously high customer satisfaction. And they sell products in most of the world. They all aren't just sheep. The product does what they want. And palm could learn from that. listen to what most people want and give it to them. The listen some more.
Why are the Apple phones all high quality glass and cool looking metal and the Pre is ALL plastic? At least if you are going to use plastic could you at least use a plastic that is higher quality than a plastic Easter egg.
I like the form factor, but no 4G and I'll stick with what I have.
If the iPhone 5 (June 2011) is 4G, and on Verizon, and no superphone from Palm, Palm is dead.
If the iPhone went through four iterations with upgrades in the same form factor, why is the Pre limited to a simple spec bump??
Very well put. I completely agree.
I mean, I love my pre, but having it 'dead' will not be good :(
Super phone Now. There's pretty much zero chance i'd continue with palm after around January. I'm pretty much just riding my pre out till the end of the year till i switch to something else.
i'm not a fan of the form factor either so keeping it wouldn't help at all. but a spec bump, same bad battery, same lack of apps isn't a compelling package. To each his own. This Palm probably isn't for me. Hopefully 2.0 will stretch the life of my current phone.
my current pre pretty much matches those specs. why would i pay for that?
This is pretty much my plan too. A spec bump with the same screen size just won't do it. It's worth noting that Sprint Pre's have half the RAM of the + phones, which makes the overclocked processors on our phones less effective than the same chip speed might be on a new phone.
I want a bigger screen plain and simple. I get that some people like the compact form factor and the organic shape. I did too, but I'm over it. I want more screen and room for a larger battery without doubling the thickness of the phone the way the 2600 mA battery does on my Pre.
I am ambivalent about the keyboard question. I would prefer to have one, but if the choice is an Epic with a keyboard or a similar spec webOS phone without, the webOS phone wins.
yes. for me at first the keyboard was a massive reason for getting a pre. but once my keyboard started messing up i quickly became less interested in a physical keyboard. i'm probably different the a lot of pre users. the OS is fine but i dont' mind android or iphone either. once you get used to navigating it's ok. plus android is getting a u.i. reboot with gingerbread too. but i think for me music and apps are a big reason i bought the phone. And Palm is sorely lacking in both areas for my needs. I like my cheap sprint rates so i am gonna ride out my contract until like january and probably and possibly till june and then get out. I mean iphone coming to verizon possibly sprint, EVO, whatever else comes out are all options. This right here just isn't close to impressive to me, even if you ad a 720p camera and ram.
If i had been in charge when this was proposed i'd have sent them back to the drawing board on principal alone. just cause at this stage i don't think it's an impressive enough total package.
If the antennas were reconfigured a bit, then that opens the possibility that other internal bits could be tweaked/expanded/added. I'm certainly not holding my breath, but I'm holding out hope for a MicroSDHC shoe-horned in there somewhere.
It'd be interesting to know how many of us that selected "Spec-bump Pre now" or "I
Now if that were the case I'd have to consider it. But I really want the autofocus cam.
I still have my Sprint Pre fromast October. I'd love to know when they are releasing this. November? On Sprint or just Europe? I'll give them a month to tell me more. Then an Evo will have to do till April.
My Sprint PRE is almost dead. I need a replacement ASAP. So yes, While I HATE the fact that we will probably be getting a 10 month old technology in a new package, I rather have that than my old PRE.....I don't mind this new half baked phone for a few months....
what do you consider a superphone?
I would expect that hardware capabilities would be a basis for the classification and not form factor or (screen size).
I vote for superphone later. There's very little that will keep me on Palm for my (currently available) upgrade. But if Palm comes out and hits a home run in time for my next upgrade, I'll come back.
What I really need is openoffice or any other similar program. I'm tired of having the best mobil OS but no xls. I don't need a huge screen or a "semipro" camera. I need a real smartphone. Maybe I've made a mistake for not buying a Blackberry. But I love webOS, I love the gesture area & I love Palm
QuickOffice is coming with webOS 2.0 this fall.
By Fall you mean end of the year, right?
11:59 December 21, 2010.
i dont get why they commit to this design still...the person who originally made this design isnt even at palm anymore.
unless im mistaken..
personally i'm not a fan of the form factor, the vertical slider, but the other thing is i don't think you see many phones that are vertical sliders being made or selling well.
+1 someone should come out with a different design philosophy, stuff this xen bullshit, rahul sood should get one of his voodoo design boyz on this.
+1 on the voodoo. my phone better beable to turn people into sheep with just a chant and a wave. the iphone made sheep outta people, why not the pre?
I would spec bump both the Pre and the Pixi. Business people like physical keyboards, ask RIM. HP obviously wants that market. They also need a superphone too because most geeks like the large slab.
Bump now. Retailers are running out of current hardware and not wanting to stock more, and the Pre's form factor is still relatively unique and attractive for many. A bump will also preserve the investment people have made in peripherals, which will likely encourage many current users (like me) to pass along their existing Pres and Pre Pluses to family members/friends and upgrade to the bumped version. It will also give retailers and pundits alike something new to say about webOS, especially if the released, bumped version is priced modestly and accompanied by a definitive announcement of a near-future superphone. As in, "we're broadening our product base and raising the bar at the same time." {Jonathan}
+1
I agree. pre form is unique and it's hard to differentiate yourself among all these other slab phones. But add the slab to the lineup- don't throw the pre form away (they could slightly upsize it though). I don't think the pixi form is necessary and don't think it sold well. Just make all the webOS bulletproof build quality and high reliability. I don't see need for microsd. I haven't even used up 1/2 the memory of my pre+.
Coming out with a slightly higher spec'd Pre is pointless. The Pre is already old news. How do they expect to market it? It sends out the wrong message that the first new phone to come out of HP will be a re-packaged Pre. HP's first device needs to be groundbreaking, or at the very least one of the best spec'd phones currently out.
I agree completely. Even if it was a higher spec'd Pre in terms of specs, they could have at least upgraded the form factor. It's the same unrecognizable, failed design! That doesn't mean they had to abandon the portrait style, just...not make it the same.
OMG...WTH is everyone smoking on this post?? SLIGHTLY higer spec'd Pre.....WITH THE SAME CHIPSET AS THE "PHENOMENAL" DROID X WHICH IS WHAT......6-7 WEEKS OLD.
/facepalm
Unfortunately, Android runs much more efficiently than webOS, so that comparison doesn't hold.
Hmmm depends on your definition of efficiency here. I know plenty of people with android devices and they either REQUIRE an extended battery or they bring their charger with them. I'm not sayin the pre is great on battery, but it sure as hell is better than the newer android phones. I have had people with andriod phones tell me they were impressed with how long my battery lasts and i was like, "really?!" i do have one of the smaller ext batts though at 1350, but its also OC to 1 ghz. I think its all those widgets that everyone has running on their android phones all the time that CONSTANTLY update info thats draining their battery. As nice as widgets are, they suck the life outta your phone. i mean its not hard for me to pull up the weather app and see whats going on there within a few secs, widgets arnt the end all be all IMHO. ok im done ranting, take this for what it is :)
I quite understand the idea of having loyal fans wait 2years for a minor spec bump.
I really hope palm has something more appealing to power users. Especially those who have been suffering.
I have a launch day Pre from Sprint; as-of-today, I would not consider buying a spec bump Pre until after CES 2011. Side Note: Last week I received my CES Access Badge and now I
I like the Pre Plus form factor and am glad to see them bump the specs up and upgrading webOS to 2.0. To me it is the perfect smartphone.
They need to seriously start making different form factors. I loved the Pre when it came out (wasn't a fan of the Pixi), and the "Plus" spec bumps made me jealous but they seemed like a stop gap measure for a new device. Another phone following the Pre form factor is going to seem like they don't how to do anything else.
I left my Pre for an Evo (love it), but I've been keeping an eye on the HPalm news because I'm very interested to see what HP can do. This does not sound innovative at all. Even if Palm was still a standalone company and I was eager to upgrade to another Palm device, this would make me seriously question that position.
totally agree.
i think ask this poll to people with no Palm loyalty and you'd get some unpleasant results.
I agree. In fact I've have been wondering why so many key people at palm were leaving a while back. This typically happens when poor decisions are being made by a company. Now we know why they all left. I've seen this happen in the past with other great companies that eventually went downhill. Sad.
The form factor is not the issue for me. I love it. The issue I have are the terrible materials this phone is made of. My screen has a crack expanding from the usb port halfway across the screen and a similar small crack is now forming on the other side of the screen. The keyboard is also mushy. The phone is a plastic piece of garbage that wont make it for much longer. Why would I want to shell out another few hundred dollars and waste my upgrade for the same piece of junk that is falling apart with slightly better internal components. If I don't see a sturdy metal/glass phone from palm in the next 6 months I'll be giving up and moving to android with everyone else.
I think you will see both announced in November with a early Q1 ship date. The FCC images floating around may be for EMEA Pre +s for all we know.
You will see two models IMHO (your mileage may vary):
Pre 2 - 3.5 or 3.7" vertical slider (w/on screen kb as well) with 1Gz processor, lots more memory, gorilla glass screen, best in class resolution, better camera (maybe a front cam as well) and new stds in terms of device trim-ness/fit finish. Priced at $149-199.
4.0" slab (no physical keyboard) with a 1.2ghz processor, even more memory than the Pre2, front and rear cams, highest FPS of the cams out there, gorilla glass, best screen on market in this form factor, HDMI port, etc price at $199-249.
Put a ruler over your pre's screen and just try to even get 3.5", it's not going to happen in the pre form factor, there isn't enough width to make it happen.
Did I read this right? It's a GSM phone which would replace the Pre Plus? I'm all for getting new hardware out whatever the improvement. I've been sitting on launch day Sprint Pre all this time and elegible for an upgrade since June. Personally, I'll wait for the superphone but for the less impatient, give 'em the spec bump now.
This is the European Pre2. Not a Pre Plus, and not the one we're going to get here.
Oh Wherefore art thou Palm C40??? - LOL
- Epic Fail by palm, same pre with 1ghz processor that we got with overclocking.... And we have to wait until March....This fanboy has been abused for the last time
Not the "same pre with 1ghz processor that we got with overclocking...." but a NEW 1GHz processor, which is assumed to be a model with half the battery consumption.
This new 1GHz processor might be able to go up to 1.5GHz, or maybe all the way up to 2GHz.
Arthurthornton is correct that it probably is a different processor. Clock speed is not the only factor in CPU speed. This processor running at 1 GHz may be quite a bit faster than a Pre overclocked at 1 GHz. And of course with a smaller die size (assuming the 3630 rumor is true), you would get reduced battery consumption.
But in light of all that, I agree that this is not a suitable upgrade to the Pre.
I am glad they are coming out with a pre 2. But, I will wait to see what happens at CES. I like the pre but will need to see the options before I decide. Go Palm!
It really depends on the timetable for WebOS devices on Sprint. If any 'super phone' has a later Sprint release date (which has been rumored) then I'll go with the bumped Pre for now.
I have an ORIGINAL, Sprint-launch-day, never-swapped-out Pre that is still running strong, but is getting rough around the edges.
Something to tide me over would be great, and I'm not leaving Sprint to go chasing hardware after 12+ satisfied years of service.
As long as I know that there is a superphone in the somewhat near future, then I'm ok with my OC'ed Sprint Pre for now. The more I'm kept in the dark about the upcoming Palm superphone, the more I get antsy about switching to an Android superphone. I just want to know what I'm waiting for, PAAAAAAALM!
I don't think anyone has said this it is a slider and a pre like device, but it could be a horizontal slider. This would make sense cause at least this phone could get people on board with HPalm who don't like the smaller vertical keyboard.
Read the article and previous ones, this device, aka Pre2 uses the exact same back cover, it is not going to be a horizontal keyboard pre, it is going to be the same thing.
how does the back cover prevent this from being a horizontal slider? I'm not saying that I think it will be, I just don't understand your logic.
Is it not logical that as the back cover is identical most likely what it attaches to it is nearly identical?
Do you think that Palm had such a vast surplus of back covers that they chose to design a horizontal slider to use it? Or do you think they thought hell lets make a horizontal slider phone but design it with our previous phones back cover for the hell of it? Is that logical?
I will grant that it could be concievable that it is a horizontal keyboard phone, but I would be willing to put whatever money anyone wanted to put down that it will not be. Maybe this isn't logical, but I'm willing to risk it.
I don't think it's going to be a horizontal slider. But the back cover has no bearing on the direction of the phones slider. The back cover doesn't appear to be involved in the sliding motion at all. That's all i'm saying.
Horizontal slider would be nice! I also agree that use of the same touchstone cover doesn't mean it slides the same direction. I've actually stared at the teardowns and dreamed of my Pre+ sliding horizontally, which is easy to imagine with it's symetric design. I can't wait for a bigger keyboard and hope it still includes the cool mirror so everyone knows!
The Superphone Now option seems to be missing....
The results of this poll need to be sent to Rubenstein, Sood, Bradley, etc. I'm serious. They need to see this.
Yes, they should make global business decisions based on a poll of 1000 people who spend every day visiting P|C.
In fairness, the 1000 remaining Palm loyalists are the only people who would consider buying a WebOS phone, making the results of this poll a little disheartening.
now that i think about it, this has to be the new flagship device, in one form factor. the mansion may have similar specs to this one.
my reasoning: i really dont think hpalm is stupid enough to release a superphone a few months after this and piss off even more people. then again there is a lot of info to the contrary.
just an opinion.
All this wait for spec-bumped pre. I'm done with palm or hp
whatever you wanna call them.
I would probably wait to see how much of the original tweaking we are able to do on the new device. If my original Sprint Pre can run at 1ghz now what could the awesome kernel creators come up with for us if they started with a 1.0ghz CPU? If we get 512mb RAM, possibly more onboard storage, (though with Pandora and other streaming services I don't see the need other than for videos) and they get the thing to run at 1.6- 1.8ghz THAT would be a reason to upgrade and still use my Premier 12 month upgrade to grab the newest "superphone" after riding out the "Pre2" excitement.
This makes perfect sense to me. They release some spec bumb Pre now and a 4G "super phone" next year when more carriers support it. Would you have rather they release a "super phone" now that runs on 3G? Not me.
Paying 199 or whatever for an extra 256 MB of RAM seems kinda rediculous... I would rather wait for this "Super Device" come March... Thats when I can upgrade anyways, seeing as how I ended up "selling" my upgrade to my wife *wink*wink*
I voted for the spring superphone because I need a bigger screen and my wife needs something more sturdy.
Heck, my wife might be happy with a Pixi loaded with the innards of the current Pre+.
I'd be happy with the guts of a Pre+ that's only had a cpu upgrade (assuming the cpu is more power efficient ala OMAP 3640 so there's no battery hit) as long as it's paired with a bigger screen and a more structurally solid design (aluminum frame anyone?).
I'm personally hoping that the antenna redesign comes with some structural beefiness. The Palm brand will be destroyed by a second janky phone.
Of course if I were HP/alm, I'd have WebOS 2 include UberKernel and a couple of power profiles. Hmmm, I wonder if ModeSwitcher can trigger Govnah based on battery level....
PAAAAAAALLLLLLLLMMMM am tired of this bs fuck you and ur spec bump bs all you can go to hell but this doesn't mean we can still be friends
I'm not convinced its simply a spec bump... the sizes and proportions of the FCC stickers don't match, which makes me think there's a slight change in proportion... I'm thinking 3.5" 640x960 screen is coming...
Anyhoo, I reserve judgment till November...
It may just be wishful thinking, but I feel that you are right. They wouldnt just release a spec bump at this point. It's a waste of time. The way the market is going now a phone like the one we are imagining here wouldnt have a chance compared to whats coming out soon. Palm might as well wait till their "super device" is out and make a real splash. Everyone has forgotten about webos anyhow (except for us ovbiously, you guys are awesome btw). When they market it again they might as well as say it's brand new and perhaps the newness factor will awwww people and they will give it a once-over. But I'm no marketing professional soooo who knows...?
the form factor is good it fits in my pocket, if i want a webos slab i'll pick the tablet. why is everyone complaining about the spec updates thats all the iphone3g,3gs, and 4 are just spec updates. look at the specs at wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iphone. the screen needs a minor update for the size to get up to hd quality. the processor hmmm were currently running a 600 mhz processor at between 720 to 1 ghz. so if you take the 1 ghz we can probably overclock that to 1.5 to 2 ghz if you wanna go that far.so quit complaining about being on par with everyone else were not behind the times. the physical keyboard... could use some work especially on the spint pre but if your fingers are to fat to use it lose some weight ya fatass!!! if it has no 4g well boohoo i dont have 4g in my area yet so i get to save my 10 a month for now, and my phone is faster than my bros iphone 4 without 4g. quit acting like spoiled little brats and be happy with what you get its what all of you has been asking for NEW HARDWARE!!! me i will be getting whatever new hardware comes to sprint from palm it will be better built, faster, etc. androids ui sucks and att plans are overpriced to get the iphone4.
Since I really love the Pre's form factor and the thought of not having to buy a bunch of new accessories, the spec-bump would work fine for me.
The big problem here is that this phone is a GSM phone, so no Sprint. Unless a CDMA version magically appears in the FCC database, I'm not going to get the choice to get the spec-bump Pre unless I change to a GSM carrier.. neither of which I'd be willing to contract with here in the US.
Guess my only choice is to wait until SOME Palm phone arrives for Sprint.
I really hate this carrier nonsense.. why can't we just have unlocked GSM and CDMA phones released together and we just take them to whomever our preferred carrier is? grrrr..
I am between super phone and I am done with Palm. I love WebOS and would love to have it on a decent phone but, I switched to an Android based phone last week so I could have a phone that was reliable and fast.
Using my upgrade for better battery life?? Now does that sound like a good move? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Depends on when the "superphone" comes out in relation to the Pre2. My Sprint Pre is damn near dead and I've been holding out, patiently, waiting to see what HPalm is going to do.
If they tell me they're coming out with a Pre2 by November, and a host of superphones next summer - I'd be willing to bump up to the P2 now and wait.
If it's a Pre2 in December and a superphone in Feb/March...I have to question whether it'd be worth upgrading now instead of holding out for a few more months.
If there's no new webOS phone by the end of the year at all, unless they're releasing a superphone in January/early Feb I may have to look again at android phones and debate whether it'll be worth waiting for HPalm to get their act together. Patience and loyalty only goes so far.
i dont really mind the spec bump, i am just holding out for a bigger screen. However Palm has been very quiet for a long time and i guess people i.e not existing pre owners, were probably expecting a super phone from them, i just hope people dont dismiss it as they did with the pre+. It will make people who are happy with the current form factor. BUT the build quality has to be good, no compromise...
I'd say if you are looking for a new form factor this is bad news, but if you like it as is its good news. The big hit on the Pre has been quality, not really form. Sure, the newest phones are bigger and personally, I'd like a slightly bigger screen, but there is a point of diminishing returns; ie the EVO to me is TOO big. I'd stick with too small a screen than too big since I like to keep it in my front pocket. That is important to me. The whole idea of Palm studying pebbles and things that feel good in your hand actually works for me. I like the current form and how it feels. Like I said, maybe a SLIGHT increase would be ok, but making the current form but just bigger would solve screen and keyboard problems right there.
I think they will take the middle road between Apple and Android... multiple phones, but all made by HP/Palm (it just makes sense to me), so it's just nice to see the ball rolling. I'd also bet they'll hint to the next phone when this comes out to keep the bait out there.
i'm eligible, now, for an upgrade. %'m just noy sure what I want to do. I love WebOS, but I'm disappointed in the speed in which hardware and software (zoom on camera, visual voicemail, and a slew more) come out or are dismissed all together. I'm taking my time this time around. I love the Pre and WebOS, but I want a phone that can get things done and doesn't get outdated a month after it's release. I like the Evo, but not sure how I feel about Android. Epic is cool, but over priced. Evo has way better specs and is cheaper. I may wait for Palm. We'll see.
I sure hope this is wrong. A spec bump in the States, in my opinion, will be a loss all the way around. i.e. bad press, alienate current users, etc.
I want to believe.
However, a spec bump tells me I'm an idiot for doing so.
So, HP/Palm get your act together and support your base, pronto.
According to the OMAP3 wiki page the 3640 is the 1GHz model.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_Instruments_OMAP
They should unblur the super phone in the background ;)
Not blurred out....just still in the process of completing teleportation from the future.
Personally I would love for this to come out on Sprint, I could upgrade my wife's dumb phone with this, it probably wouldn't have 4g and wouldn't cost an extra $120 a year, and the price shouldn't be too steep.
For wanting to see HP and Palm succeed I don't want to see this come out by itself. Sure the speed increase and webos2 will be a big improvement, but how can you expect the media and retailors to be excited about a spec bumped two year old phone. If it comes out as the middle of the road phone with a larger touch screen device that would be perfect.
Many here like to hate touch screens, and I like my physical kb, but large screen devices are the here and now, and clamping on a keyboard just makes it bulkier and not very attractive (see Droid Pro).
Well, since a new 1gHz processor would probably be quite superior then my current Sprint Pre overclocked to 1gHz, plus extra RAM to help operation, plus more storage.....and the real kicker would be better build quality (this would probably be the key in my decision). I think just that alone is more then a "minor" spec bump, and we don't know what else may be improved.
It would probably be worth it to me. I plan on get a webOS tablet anyways. Oh, and there is this thing called "the future," that is a time that has not yet arrived in which I will still be able to get a new phone because the world will not stand still forever once I get a Pre 2.
Can I haz palmcast?
Whatever...
If begun to sell in Brazil, is good to me!! :-D
Best Regards...
If this spec bump phone is the next palm device coming out and theres nothing else, give it to us now. If they are coming out with a better phone after this one next year, screw this phone and just give us 2.0 to hold us over til then. If they release this, they better let us know that they have something better coming soon after so we dont go upgrading to this and have a better phone come out months later. But Im not going to jump to any conclusions until I hear an OFFICIAL announcement. My Pre is just fine for now.
Maybe this is good news for the UK and other European countries, HP/Palm have barely hit these markets, a Pre 2 with webOS2.0 being released in Europe with better specs, growing app catalogue and on multiple carries not exclusive Telefonica (O2/Moviestar) contracts and it could be a success.
Thus paving the way for HP/Palm to expand their market share in these countries and get people talking about webOS for future releases... just a thought!
I'll save my upgrade and buy PreCentral.com! HAHA
super device,lol,,does it come from krypton! Can it stop bullets?,,when ever 'super device' come s out,u will all be complaining about it in less then 6 months of having it.
1+ on everyone complaining
The only way this makes sense to me is if they are releasing webOS 2.0 with the Roadrunner Pre.
This device *could* be more than a spec bump. Just because it uses the same touchstone back doesn't necessarily mean it is the exact same form factor. We have quite a large bezel on our phones which could allow for a bigger screen. Bump up the processor, more storage, possibly an SD card slot, and we have a true Pre 2, not just a Pre ++. Technically, Palm could redesign a new phone from scratch that just happens to have the same size battery door so customers wouldn't have to re-buy touchstone accessories.
Anyways, this is all speculation. It may very well just be a Pre ++. Atleast it's something.
the bezel isn't thaaat big... i think they could fit a 3.3 in there though. with a 800 x 480 rez, that would b niiice. time will tell
The Pre is actually 1mm wider than an iPhone 4, so with a good design (and probably analuminum frame) you could cram a 3.5" screen on a pre and only cut the gesture area in half.
I like polls...
go above or (way)beyond whats currently available, or come out with whats expected next or else my upgrade dollars are as good as somebody else's.
Will this SPec Bump Phone be capapble of running WEBOS 2.0?
If HP is serious about marketshare then they could offer the Pre 2 free with contract for new customers and give upgraders new contract pricing for any new phones relesed i2011. That builds marketshare in a hurry and puts a lot of folks firmly on the web os upgrade path.
I'm sort of surprised that Derek K. would post a poll using such slanted language against an updated Pre. So it's "spec-bump" vs. "super phone," eh? Why not "Super Pre" now vs "gaming slate" later?
Well, I for one would not find a huge EVO-esque tablet indistinguishable from at least half a dozen other large tables to be "super" in any meaningful sense, despite its ten core processor and quadrillion pixel display.
Indeed, for me such a "super phone" would only be needlessly bulky, power-hungry and expensive. I'd have little desire to own it (and by the way, it's advocates of this game-oriented type of phone who are the ones most obsessed with "specs"--how many cores, how many pixels, etc.). A gaming slab that's both bulkier while also stripped of its keyboard would not be "super" for most users.
Let's not forget that the design of the Pre itself is a distinctive, signature design, that won every award and took everyone's breath away when first released (by the way, do you remember the First impression of the Pre's design here at Precentral? http://www.precentral.net/first-impressions-palm-pre ). HP is smart enough to understand the importance of a maintaining a distinctive brand identity, and the value of the Pre's iconic design in doing this. Update? yes. Fix the build quality issues? Of course. But don't loose the Pre's essential style and functionality.
I'm also annoyed with this poll's effort to argue (based purely on supposition) that a "spec-bump" phone (which I'd call a "Super Pre") would be only trivially different from the Pre Plus. Of course, Web 2.0 will make a huge difference (most of the difference that matters, by adding features such as voice dial and visual voicemail, etc). But there's also no reason to assume that the phone's internals will remain unchanged. In fact, we know that the antenna is changing positions within the phone, so it is quite possible that a micro SD card, auto-focus camera, or other such improvements could be in store for a Pre that retains its iconic design.
So, in short, I'm much more interested in getting a Super Pre than a gaming slate (whose large screen won't be needed by owners of the upcoming Palmpad) from Palm, and I suspect that most users are like me more interested in a top-of-the-line phone that focuses on getting things done in the real world rather than on drool-worthy futuristic specs that appeal to the niche Alienware gaming crowd.
I'm surprised that Precentral would conduct a poll that in calling the Pre2 a mere "spec bump," in contrast to a "super phone" seems so dismissive and contemptuous of this truly exciting new Pre, which I hope becomes available in the US very soon.
+1
Let me add that curve action of the slider is awesome feel wise and the fact that as soon as the iphone pulls up its VKB the current pre has a larger viewable area is still true. Did we all for get the reason its designed the way it is?
I like the way you're thinking here. I don't own any Palm phone (or any smartphone at all to tell the truth), but I've messed around with all kinds of devices in stores and kiosks, and I'm hoping to eventually hop into the market on a new Palm phone of some sort.
Literally the only thing that I don't like about either Pre is the feel of the keyboard. Heck, if this phone were just the normal Pre Plus but with the keyboard from the Pixi Plus, that would be almost enough to have me on board by itself. The 1GH processor, better battery life due to said processor, and whatever other undisclosed upgrades are in store of course make the whole thing even better.
Maybe this won't attract the "slate" phone crowd, but by the sounds of it the Mansion phone will be one of those anyway. I'm just glad that there will be a good phone in the current Pre form factor.
Black Friday, i would think, would be a good day to shoot for as a release day for a new device. i have long thought this. people are ready to spend money that day, and new shiny things always seem to go quickly. They could release the phone and sell it with an app catalog gift card, Hdmi cables, or whatever. a spec bump is nice to tide people over, but not to bring masses to webos, rather turn those people off. the blackberry torch looks exactly like the palm pre, but sturdy and well built, why follow that up with something that looks exactly like it, the palm pre2? and not the "badass" palm device that has the best specs available on a day when people are ready to spend money and be told what to buy?
I basically just want something better on Sprint. I don't care if it's a spec-bump or a new device. I'd prefer a new device on Sprint, but I'll take whatever.. For me it's largely a carries choice as well. I won't be going to ATT. I'll take an Adroid device on any other carrier before I'll take a Palm on ATT.
All in all, I don't mind the form factor of the current Pre, though I'd prefer a sturdier slider and a tougher screen, higher resolution would be nice too I guess. The specs of a Pre- though actually still somewhat work for me, with the help of UberKernel and Govnah and JStop that is.
How about someone fixes it so that I don't wake up each morning with "Unable to Login" as an email notification before we start talking about new HPalm crap?
Spec bump should of came out around summer time.... Waiting for super phone!
I have Sprint pixi, and while I could use some much needed features, what I would also find appealing is a bigger screen (with an obvious better Pre build quality). I would enjoy having a change to a better made Pre. From the beginning I was told a Pixi is an entry level smartphone, with which I've enjoyed; The Pre may have also been an entry-level smartphone from the beginning (just saying). An upgrade to the pretty Pre form, with a much an improved WebOS would be fantastic... For me.
A phone to compete with Droids and Apple is hopefully coming for everyone that is a power-user.
The Palm 'Pearl' (the name I would choose for the next superphone) needs to knock it out of the park to get back the Mindshare the Pre lost so dramatically post launch. Palm needs and should take their time to get it right. Meaning, the Industrial Design needs to be solid, battery life much improved and ad campaign polished. webOS is an amazing OS and I think if you simply threw more RAM and faster processing power that unto itself will make webOS turn heads once again. So here's to the Palm 'Pearl' coming in 2011 knocking on Android and iPhone's door.
shut up with the palm pearl I wouldn't be caught dead with a device called the palm pearl you faggg
Brilliant, love these trolling trolls who contribute to the dialog. And he emphasized fagg with not one but 2 g's. He means business!
.
as i would agree Pearl isn't the best name either becuase first of all its already used by BB and its kinda corny, this guy doesnt have to be an idiot about it
Didn't the Pre form factor have a lot of problems with a crack forming on the screen, near the USB connector? I know the Sprint Palm did.
So if this new phone is similar in design, how do they stop the crack from forming? Unless they beef up that portion of the phone. This is the single most annoying thing about the Palm Pre, because you can do nothing wrong and end up with a POS phone.
You're absolutely right. This is the biggest disappointment of this announcement. Maybe they will beef up the phone with gorilla glass and some metal framing. I love webOS but hate the plastic turd it runs on. I even like the form factor if they just fix the build quality and make it out of some sturdier material.
I can wait for the next new device assuming one of them will have a keyboard. Still using my Sprint Pre.
Also it would help make the wait alittle more bearable if webOS 2.0 comes out soon.
I'm telling you guys, this was the Business Hurd Edition.
that thing better be cheap because am not getting on a contract with that
all I want is webOS 2.0 front facing cam FLASH and the necessary tools (api's) to make better apps :)
For me any kind of development would be great. Even minor spec bump will show that webOS is still alive and HP is serious about it (which Im not 100% sure till another device on shelves).
Palm/HP needs to build the phone that they think will sell the best and best show off WebOS. Even if they came to precentral, read through the what do you want next posts, looked at the comments on all of these articles to try to decipher what the community wants next, they would have so many mixed messages the phone would probably turn out to be a triangle with half touch keyboard half slide out.
One person wants the exact same form factor, the next wants to one up the EVO or Epic. I think somewhere in the middle with amazing specs and the best build quality probably hits a home run. As soon as a device is put out that shows of WebOS to its fullest strengths, it will be raved about.
>a larger and/or higher-resolution screen (320x480
>is still fairly dense for the size), or anything like that.
Maybe not a larger screen , but I fully expect that it has a higher resolution.
Cheers
JD
This is all based on the assumption that the 1 GHz processor is OMAP3630, not OMAP4430. If it turns out the new phone sports the latter, Derek is going to be responsible for a lot of unnecessarily lost business from his assumptions. When you assume, you make an ...