White AT&T Veer to be free at Best Buy, available for in-store pre-order 174
Wed, 11 May 2011 2:37 pm EDT 
If you were wondering how a $99.99 AT&T HP Veer 4G would be able to compete with a $49 iPhone 3GS, the folks at Best Buy have the answer: free. That’s right, America’s top reseller of cellular phones is going to be offering a very special deal for the AT&T Veer: free with a two-year contract.
If you’re all pumped up for a Veer, Best Buy will even let you place a pre-order, though you'll have to go to the store and it will cost you $50 up front (to be refunded as a $50 Best Buy gift card). Best Buy will only have the white Veer to sell both in stores and online. According to Best Buy documents, only the white version of the Veer will be available in AT&T’s brick-and-mortar stores, while both black and white will be available online. We’re just a few days away from the Veer launch, and a free full-fledged miniature smartphone is a very tempting offer. Are any of you planning on becoming takers on the 15th?
Thanks to anonymous and anonymous for the tips!
174 Comments
You know for all the worry about HP pricing themselves out of the market with the upcoming trinity of devices, it's perversely a bit disappointing to see the Veer winding up free before it's even released.
I know this isn't a reply to your post but I really have to post something up high that others can see right away...
As you will see below, user 'msechea' has basically replied something negative to almost every main post on this article.
Then he goes on to say he works for HP.
Correct me if I am wrong, but shouldn't he be worried about working, and not trying to talk negatively on every post here about the company that employs him?
Maybe HP should look into terminating his employment as janitor, then he will really have something to complain about.
Clarification- I am not against anyone voicing their opinion, but it's those who constantly bring EVERYONE down because they simply don't agree... those are the people who deserve to be banned from this site forever.
Edit- He deleted his post with the comment about working for HP in it. Imagine that.
He must be lying about working for HP, otherwise he would indeed be doing his job.
Then HP should be ticked that a D-bag like this is pretending to work for them...
i guess you didn't get the painfully obvious joke about me being employed at HP but not knowing about the marketing team. Do you get it now?
if you are not against anyone voicing their opinion, then you shouldn't have a problem with me being here. there isn't a rule saying that you have to lick and suck the toes of HP just to read and make comments on a site. you're welcome to go to the iOS blogs, the Blackberry blogs, that is what's great about the internet. It's all open and available. What did i do to be banned? You are silly.
Word of advice, don't be depressed because of a phone blog site, it's not worth it. Go play outside. Feel the sun! I have my opinion and you have yours. Stay strong and fight the good fight.
And you obviously didn't get how I was saying you're CONSTANT negative comments is where the line should be drawn. You have nothing good to say about anyone, unless they have something bad to say about this phone and HP.
I have a wonderful family and beautiful wife, an engineering job of a lifetime, and an awesome life. I am on here for my nightly dose of PreCentral. I no not get depressed because of D-bags like you, or bad comments about a phone. No, I get really ticked when there are people like you who ruin this world for others.
Oh, and I am targeting you because out of the current 121 posts while I write this, you have posted 23 times, and most of them are just to snap back at those who support HP. C'mon dude, enough already.
yawn. get a room guys.
I don't understand why they didn't go through with this through every channel. Seeding WebOS as widely as possible should be the priority.
Perhaps this is a result of all that shelf space HP says it has? I know it has much more shelf space at Best Buys, while they have very little shelf space at AT&T (the space they inherited from Palm).
i thought hp had deep pockets
I'm talking about shelf space not deep pockets...
This is a great offering from Best Buy. Furthermore, an excellent opportunity to heighten WebOS products.
HP should start pumping-out TV commercials NOW for the Veer and work with Best buy to properly advertise free Veer with contract.
haven't seen one commercial yet and its four days before the launch date.
I saw commercials for it on an international flight this week. Well it was more of a demo, but commercially non the less.
It sounds like a good offer. However, bearing in mind that the Pre2 is also free in the UK with a 2 year contract from resellers, I have to admit that a free Veer will not necessarily be the best thing since slice bread, although it does depend on the 2 year contract tariff in the US.
Still, apart from a smaller screen, the Veer has to be a better phone that the iPhone 3GS by most measures and if it sells for less, so much the better. And anyone saying the iPhone 3GS is faster, just have a look a the speed measurements carried out by Anandtech (http://www.anandtech.com/print/4324)
no one cares about phone speeds from tech sites. the general public wants netflix on their phone. why havent you learned that yet?
@msechea You are obviously very informed, and probably have little room for additional information now. Just in case you do, do note that quite a few reviewers mention the phone's general speed. Quite a few reviewers take account of the speed in their overall verdict. Got it yet? No? OK, also note that the general public does read phone reviews...
Here in the U.S. the monthly plan price is the same whether you buy under contract or not, the only variable is how many minutes you want and the data plans, but those are all independent of the phone price.
Wow, Free. Now I know it's DOA. Maybe Pre3 will be free, that is the only way I will take that giant leap of faith!
You should wait to get an unlocked Veer on Daily Steals for $50 in a few months after it crashes and burns.
DK is writhing his A** of as of late. Great work. At least I know there is another person in the state of Ohio who uses WebOS.
Where is Richard Kerris? Kerris, you need to step it up. Stop playing the drums and get to work saving WebOS.
are you drunk off haterAde??
Certainly seems to be the case.
I just want my DirecTV app. Is that really a lot to ask?
im guessing they will pay you to take the pre3 off their warehouse shelves.
To load directly onto Goodwill trucks maybe...
Wait, what? only white is available in stores? how absolutely ridiculous that is. who are these marketing geniuses?
edit: explain why this has 5 negative votes. is this somehow a brilliant marketing plan, to give consumers less choice, to make them jump through hoops to get what they want? will giving customers less choice result in more or fewer phones being sold. yes, people very often make decisions based on superficial factors like color.
Richard Kerris, that's who! President of Developer Relations and VP of **** over WebOS Faithful.
Where is my DirecTV app Kerris?!?
the only-white decision is out of control! they make the worse marketing decisions in the history or worst decisions.
The phones are picked by the carriers. Why can't people seem to get this into their skull.
It works like this - HP goes to ATT and says, "we have phones for sale". ATT says, "ok let me take a look"..."We really think the white one will work for our demo and who we'll market this to". HP they replies, "Ok, but what about the black one, we're going to be building a black super phone and business phone soon as well as a tablet". ATT then says, "We really don't care, come back when those are ready, right now we want the white one because we really think we can sell a lot of them to teens and moms and guys who like small white phones." HP then says, "Ok, thanks for picking up a platform that was almost dead, hopefully this can be a mutual partnership that grows over time into a great relationship that we both benefit from."
It is marketing and Sales BS, but it is how it works. HP didn't decide on their own to make only a white phone for ATT. It isn't like they sat around and said, "Hey we think that having a black option is just going to cause problems and will actually hurt overall sales so we wont' do it.
Seriously people, if you are going to comment and act like a fan boy then educate yourself on how this process works.
That's about all it's worth. They should do the same thing for all carriers.
very interesting......
A steal at twice the price!
Good news! And now you know how webOS will get popular.
I would get it for my daughter if (it was able to be) on Verizon.
or sprint!
Even free wouldn't get me back into a 2 year contract with AT&T
Well in Germany you can pre-order it now for under 300 € (as usually WITH VAT in Germany) without contract and WITH a Touchstone! :)
Usually the American companies translate the American $-price (without VAT) 1-to-1 into the German €-price (including VAT).
So would you pay $ 300 for a Veer without contract and with a Touchstone? ;)
I would! Where do I sign? US$300 unlocked is a steal!
Yes, and Germans pay to hear David Hasselhoff sing, so I don't put much stock in anything German except beer.
What about German Chocolate? mmmmmm
What about German design and engineering?
The last time I listened to him was... two decades ago? And even back then as a child I didn't like him looking for freedom.
The last thing I heard of him was that he is fell into those US-rumours that he is still popular in Germany and tries to do a comeback here... Well, I'am sorry for him, but he IS NOT popular and WASN'T popular for the last 20 years.
What about german models?
Europeans do cell phones better than Americans.
I heard in Europe, you buy the phone first then you select your carrier.
Here in America, your phone is tied to your carrier. So even if i wanted to leave my carrier i have to switch phones.
Yes, they also smoke 4 packs a day and have to put up banners in their Soccer Stadiums reminding Fans not to be racist. Very sophisticated....
EDIT: Why the thumbs down on this??? What statement is incorrect? Euros smoke a lot (True) and have "Say No To Racism" banners in their Futbol Stadiums (TRUE). Oh I forgot they have washing machines in their kitchens (TRUE), nothing more appetizing than the smell of ERA while cooking.
1)
I don't smoke and neither does any of my friends. Strange, innit?
2)
Maybe we have "say no to racism" banners because racism sucks? Ever come to think about that? It does not mean there is more racism in Europe as, say, in the US. The difference is that we're trying to do something about that.
Racism in the US? Our president is black. We said no to racism decades ago. Besides, I didn't see any black people on that balcony during the royal kiss.
And... you forgot to answer if your washing machine is in your kitchen.
You must be under a really huge rock.
Racism is everywhere buddy... especially when it comes to blacks/Hispanics talking towards whites...
At least, if you were smart, you would realize when there was racism around you.
Wow, Rambo. A smart man once said, "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt."
They only "Euros" you know are the pirates/uneducated that made it to this country 100 years ago and you call now your grandparents.
Where?? I dont see it on the o2 site...
Wo? Bei o2 kann ich das Angebot nirgends entdecken??
300 € with a touchstone is a really fair price...
Well it looks like they are determined to wrap up that all so important smallest smart phone market! Cheers & Fail!
Yep, bombs away. Let's hope it fails quickly so that even HP might understand how stupid this decision was.
that was incredibly fast. from 99 to free in a matter of days. rubenstein was awfully excited on stage in february about it, maybe that wore off already.
now they are going to tackle the extra extra small smartphone market.
It's available only in white because the Veer is basically a novelty phone. If I'm a developer, I'm wondering how likely someone is to buy my app if they waited until they could get the phone for free.
Not likely at all. The jokes keep coming though. I'm guessing this is why people stick around. It's like watching a train wreck. Even funnier are the ones who try to defend HP.
they wont have to wait long! just four more days and you have a brand new free Veer!
Android basically did the same thing --- buy one android phone and get a second free!
As a result, android phones were everywhere and lets face it; people LOVE the word 'FREE'.
Whether you sell the phones or give them away for free the consequent are; more phones in circulations, more developers, more apps, more new buyers, more new developers, more new apps....you get it
-P
Good point. The strategy with Android has been to give away lower-tier phones free, and make money off the higher phones. If it gets them into the ecosystem, they're more likely to upgrade to more lucrative devices within the ecosystem. All those Veer users could potentially be Touchpad customers where before they would've bought other tablets.
whoa first people bash that its too expensive, now bash it b/c its too cheap; its def not the phone for me... but it seems they're at least hitting the price point for parents who are looking to get their teens a smartphone, or someone who would be turned off by having to pay a lot up front
They're always looking for a reason to bash this phone.
the phone somehow attracts criticism like that. i wonder why...
This phone is being criticized because the large majority of tech focused consumers wanted something more like an iPhone or Droid equivalent and instead we got this. And while the phone doesn't seem to be terrible, its clear that webOS can no longer rely on it's own forward thinking features because most of them have been usurped by competing platforms that have more to offer. What I think this phone needs is cheaper data plans, not a cheaper price. If At&t sold this with a 1GB $15 dollar plan for $50 dollars on contract, that would be a great deal, because consumers could weigh the cost saving compared to the added functionality an iphone 3GS has through apps. I think right now few consumers will choose a veer regardless of price.
very well said nick, you make a good point about the data plan. that does seem to definitely be the key to being a "starter" smart phone at the moment, which none of the networks seem to realize yet
Hi all,
It isn't as if this is the first FREE phone out there....it is a tried and true marketing ploy! It's a great idea to get webOS out there! HP needs to advertise, advertise, advertise.
Take care,
Jay
I think HP can Advertise Advertise Advertise all they want, but when they build products majority of people do not want and they don't release products that people actually do want, then what good is advertising?
The truth is people run out of patience and move on.
Other than people on this board, no one is running out of patience. They are not sitting around wondering when the Pre3 is coming out and they have no idea dates have been pushed, etc....
tried and true for what and at what time? for a nokia candybar phone in 2007? get real. consumers want to feel like they are buying something of real worth, especially when it comes to electronics. there's a psychology to it.
I am guessing you do not work in a marketing department.
He just pretends to do so on the internets.
You sir are just not that bright. Go away.
Did you seriously just say that customers like paying for something when they can get it for free because "there's a psychology to it."
Right there is a psychology, and it is also called the demand curve. As prices go up, demand goes down. As prices go down, demand goes up.
Here is one article that even addresses the "free" mentality.
http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article.cfm?articleid=2169
Wow, people sure complain of everything... First was "What!? It should be free, or the 3GS will eat it alive!". Now that it's free "What!? The Veer is free even before hitting the market! lololol"...
some people dont know what the frak they want....
no I think they know what they want...they want to complain
yeah, when mom isn't home, the Dwellers gotta complain to someone...
Haha, so true.
At the same time people tend to a attach a perception of value to pricepoints. Technophiles are apt to think "what's the catch?" when they see a new phone come in for free, or at least dismiss it as just another bargain-basement dumbphone.
I guess it's an indication of HP's target market for the Veer. I don't disagree it's something that needed to happen. Effectively the Veer becomes a loss leader for webOS.
if the next iphone was launched as free, that would cause deaths.
I wouldn't be suprised if Apple eventually lowered the price of iphones to $100 dollars on contract, it would put such enormous pressure on Android manufacturers since suddenly high end phones seem overly expensive and low end phones don't seem cheap enough. Apple has shown recently its willing to price compete.
I lol'd in my office reading that.
But then, there are a lot more average folks out there than technophiles, and for webOS it would be better to go for the widest audience at first.
Waaaaaaaah! It's $100! Nobody's gonna buy that when the 3GS is $49! $100 is so expensive! :'(
Waaaaaaaah! It's free! DOA. Nobody's... gonna... want. a... free phone... apparently. :'(
People are ridiculous. It's frickin' free. This is good news. WebOS in more hands.
Spend a chunk of the $50 on a case for your (slightly *too*) shiny, new touchpad. :)
Edit: Glad to see there are quite a few who agree.
usually phones are free after being on the market for a couple of months. a launch price of free is short-term good for the consumers, but doesn't really add to the value of that product.
kind of like, "wow i got a free phone. it feels more like a toy now."
I can feel that. But at the same time there have been so many complaints about the veer being HP's relaunch of webOS, which I can also kind of understand. Changes things a little when it's free right off the bat. Kind of like a free sample at a grocery store. Heh.
"Hey. We're relaunching webOS. Check it out in tiny size for free!"
but i guess that kind of mentality is to be expected when you are making the world's smallest smartphone. would people buy the veer for $200? well, why not, is it too small for that price? then i ask myself, how much would you buy the veer for then? mm, it has decent features, the materials are **** and it has a small, low-quality screen. maybe $50-100 on contract.
maybe they are just wanting to straight up give people webos since they cannot entice them to experience it with a well-deserved, well-executed product that has great value to it.
it's sad that this is hp's great webos comeback launch, because it sure doesnt feel that way when you give away phones for free.
As a developer, it's always a good thing for me when there are more potential customers.
i just think its stupid that you can only get it in white in the stores. oh, and the non-standard charging jack and headphone adapter. everything else about this phone is awesome.
i just think its stupid that you can only get it in white in the stores. oh, and the non-standard charging jack and headphone adapter. everything else about this phone is awesome.
I don't know why everyone is against the small size. The new phones are getting way to big. I would buy the phone if it was on Sprint. I want a full feature phone that I can put in my pocket. It needs email, texting, and basic apps. If I want a bigger screen I will pull out the tablet.
if size is the only defining characteristic of innovation for mobile phones these days, then we are in trouble! surely there is more we can think of than making them as big as a tv and as small as a walnut.
It is the main characteristic. One of the biggest marketing points every time the new iPhone and iPad come out is how they are 0.15mm thinner than their predecessors.
yes, apple pushes the envelope every time it releases a product by packing it with more features, or making it thinner, or making it lighter--all at the same price point. they innovate constantly and it shows every time their new product cycle comes around. it has been more than TWO YEARS since the original pre, and what has changed within their product line? mm, the screen got a little bigger on the pre3. but they are still using the same poor materials, the same physical keyboard, the same piss-poor battery, the same 2008 slide form factor, the same low-rez pixelated screen, the same the same the same.
lol fap-ple
Oh please. The Pre2 is a bigger evolution in a single product generation from Pre Plus than the iPhone saw from the original to the 3G to the 3GS. It also is a bigger comparative leap in hardware.
What's changed since the original Pre to Pre 3? webOS has evolved from v 1.04 to 2.3. There are now over 7,000 apps for the platform. It's got a faster processor, more storage, a new form factor, a larger screen, dual cameras, and additional integration of layers in Synergy.
Now what "feature packing" did Apple do with the original iPhone to the 3GS? Not much, other than a 3G chip and a faster processor.
The 4 added a higher resolution screen and front facing camera just like... wait for it... the Pre3.
As for "poor materials, battery, etc." it's rather clear you're not familiar with the current devices, let alone future ones, and may not even be familiar with the original Pre. Give it a rest already.
I completely agree. I'm on Sprint so I don't have this option. But if the Veer was being sold on Sprint, I would definitely be tempted to go that way and wouldn't hesitate to 'pay' for the phone. I don't see why people are bashing is so much.
As a business man, I don't want a massive tablet in my pocket. I want a small, powerful smart phone that can get me email, let me check some news/webpages throughout the day, manage calendars, and even work as a WiFi hotspot for the times I break out the laptop or tablet. For the few instances I do have time to play games or play around with apps, give me that too, but I don't need a giant screen. If I want that, I'll use a tablet when I get home from the office or client.
I think it is an awesome phone.
Is there a source for this? I see nothing on Best Buy's site or any of the big gadget sites to corroborate. I don't want to walk in to Best Buy after work tonight to pre-order and have them look at me like I'm an idiot LOL
Anonymous and anonymous.
You did verify, right?
he said Anonymous AND anyonymous. The 2nd one verified the 1st. What more could you possibly want?!
I think he's looking for Anonymous, anyonymous & Anonymous.
hey look rambo!!!!! you got a +1 this time!!! Congrats lol
if this were another company, the collaboration between market partners would be much tighter. i.e. the news is officially announced from the parent company (HP) and all other supporting partners ramp up and advertise at the same time. not the case here.
This is great news!! But on this site, it seems like more and more people are just on the dark-side . it'll be that greater if hp would target this to smaller phone companies out there like, virgin mobile and boost mobile and etc. Anyhow, i'm with them 100% all the way.
its funny how you talk like HP is a person, and no matter what they do, you will always be by their side and comfort them during hard times.
It's funny how others complain about everything no matter what it is.
If you don't want a tiny, white Veer for free, don't get one. It doesn't necessarily mean that no one wants a tiny, white Veer for free.
DOA
DAMN SKIPPY BIATCH!!!!!
hey guys, dont worry about the complainers on the comments that seem to bash every move that Palm and HP make. They are just Android trolls. You see, I have discovered that there are a group of human beings in the world so self conscious and with such low self esteem that they need to attach themselves to a brand identity to make them selves feel like a whole person. Some guys its sports teams, some guys its UFC fighers, some fast cars and some guys its technologies. Anything that threatens their idealized brand threatens their own self worth and identity. So these Android fanboys fear any competition from HP or Apple. As soon as their super 8 core smartphone with 4 gigs of ram and 10 inch screen isnt the most popular best thing out there, they feel threatened. Remember, every inch of screen makes up for a lack of inches in the pants. Enjoy noobs.
I think you're overanalyzing slightly.
yeah you sound a little lonely. you wouldn't happen to be a webos user would you?
"NOOBS" ... I love that word and hope one day that it makes into Websters.
I don't think anyone on the Android side, or any other phone OS for that matter is worried. It has been an absolute fiasco since February.
You like wee little phones, great! Have at it, go nuts, glue a couple together and make a mod veer echo.
The Pre was too small to begin with, and reviews panned the keyboard universally... so lets make a smaller version and believe that it will succeed where the Pre failed. Grape Kool-Aid or Soda, your choice.
so why r u waisting your energy on this site?
I have hope for WebOS users with BALLS!
did hp hurt u and family. sound like revenge!!!! i hope it works lol smiley face!!1@#$%## ****
I wouldn't go that far. But given the legal issues all Android phone makers are facing from Microsoft and Apple, Android may not be a factor for too much longer. The funny thing about an open source operating system is you can't make money off of it.
Most of these Android phones will go to WP7 eventually when Samsung and co. get tired of writing a check to both Microsoft and Apple just to sell them.
But that is just my speculation. Just remember, HP is the largest IT firm in the country. They know a thing or too about beating the competition.
You can make some money off it. Didn't google make $1.5 billion off Android, or around that amount? Granted, it doesn't compare to what Apple made with iOS, but it's still a pretty penny.
yeah microsoft was one of the largest too. then it didnt do anything for years.
It would be better if HP knew a thing or two about making a successful smartphone.
Guess what kinds of responses this comment will elicit?
Android trols my butt!! Half the people here complaining about HP/Palm are people who bought into the Pre and are EXTREMELY disappointed in the way HP/Palm did not support the phone.
We are tired of all the promises with no exexution. I feel more sorry for you HP/Palm defenders you get more and more pitiful with how HP can and will turn this thing around. They are too far behind to catch up this year or the next and with Sprint changing the premier program I am not again willing to take a risk on anything that starts or ends with Pre.
You speak of Android fanboys well sur the only reason anyone here are is becasue owning the original Pre has made us turn to other options.
Oh and real class of all you HP/Palm fans giving negative remarks to anyone who doesn't have the most glowing possitive things to say about the Hp/Palm priduct.
Palm didn't support the phone?
For cryin' out loud, the first Sprint Pre sold isn't even two years old now.
In that time, you've seen:
1) Eight (count 'em) iterations of webOS
2) App catalog grow from 25 apps to 7,000+
3) The development and release of the PDK for 3D gaming and native app development
4) Four generations of hardware (Pre/Pixi, Pre/Pixi Plus, Pre 2, Veer)
If that's not enough for you, then go get that buggy Android phone loaded up with crapware and enjoy the crashes, or pick up an iPhone and join the Borg.
Coming back here to spam ceaseless criticism after you've "moved on" suggests you either haven't moved on, or you're one of those "PR commenters" who posts negative commentary about competitors' products under the guise of being a "former user." Either way, not cool, and kinda dumb.
No Palm did not support the Palm Pre. I didn't say WebOs I said the phone itself.
Please tell me how any of those updates were actually upgrades to the original WebOs. We were promised many things and HP/Palm did not deliver. NOt one of the 8 updates yo mentioned brought us the promised Flash..in fact WebOs was supposed to be one of the first to support flash and not until the Veer comes out is flash supported. We were told of document editors that never came...I guess we did get the video upgrade that was nice.
As for the App store give me a break the Pre did not launch that much after Android and the Android marketplace is well over 200K apps. 7k apps is still not good enough if you want to stay with the competition.
And as far as the four generations of phones the only one that came to Sprint was the Pixi and it was not an upgrade so again I say...NO Palm/HP did not and still does not support those of us who are STILL carrying an original Palm Pre.
Also this is coming from a current WebOS owner (Pre original or - as some have come to call it.).
Certainly not! You will have to fork over at least $50 to get the Pre 3.
Dude, I hope so. I can't upgrade until november, so hopefully by then ill be able to find some good deals on the pre3.
So stoked! Doing this after work. Does this work if I want to open a group plan to get two? Sure hope so!
Let us know if it's true. Apparently, Derek didn't verify that Anonymous and anonymous were telling the truth.
Only white in stores? Thats a mistake. Not everyone wants a baby panda
Today's segment of the Wall Street Journal. HP Veer gets reviewed by Special K. Watch the smaller video.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142405274870386420457631522347377004...
FINALLY! they get the target demographic's take on the veer, i was waiting for this.
some memorable moments..
"it looks almost like a pebble..."
"this device is really cute and fits in my purse perfectly"
"...and this is because the device is so tiny."
"hp will be bringing out additional devices with the webos later this summer..."
"but you might have some trouble with the physical keyboard..."
ladies, this is your chance for the perfect purse accessory!!!
You missed one gem.
"WebOS, with its intuitive gestures and card-stacking organizational system, seems perfectly suited to a tablet."
-except they got rid of gestures on the tablet. (another awesome decision)
that's a good one.
They did not get rid of gestures on the tablet. The TouchPad still has gestures, it simply no longer has a fixed gesture *area* (which makes sense due to its larger size and frequent likelihood of shifting from portrait to landscape and back again).
A girl reviewed that, you can so tell.
I wonder if we wait long enough, if all the people that constantly complain about everything will just stop reading precentral. It's starting to seem like that might be a longer wait than the wait for the Pre3.
Do all of you who stay around precentral hovering and waiting for some story to pop up so you can attack it have a real job? I mean, you must be spending hours a day on this site, looking for any chance to type the words that come out of your head...what are you supposed to be doing?
Of course you are free to say what you like. But, don't you have other things that are more meaningful in life than hanging around here most of the day? I like to pop in and out, and add a comment of two if I can, and I think I'm pushing the envelope. In fact, I usually stay late at the office to make up for time if I spent too much.
Can I encourage us all, webOS haters and lovers...yeah, I giggled a little when I typed that...to take a little more time away from Precentral and go do something helpful, something self-less? Let's all find some act of random kindness to perform. Maybe you could help some of the folks who lost family or homes in the recent tornados, or the current Mississippi River flooding? Maybe you could mow the lawn of that older widow down the street who doesn't have quite the stamina that many of us do. What do you say, more kind acts and less unkind posting? And, even less webOS fanboy posting. I'm a fan of webOS, but I can go for days without saying so...starting...now!
am i being punkd?
you really are a D-bag
really, am i? this is ridiculous that everyone is so sensitive. it's a phone!
No, it's ridiculous you keep talking.
We are not being sensitive about the phone anymore... just D-bag, Napoleon syndrome freaks like you.
I'm guessing msechea does it because WebOS users react in such ridiculously funny ways. It's like watching a monkey dance for its food.
HP totally has the right idea here. They are very aware that webOS has been forgotten by the majority of consumers. For this reason, they can't price new webOS devices at the same price as Android and iOS devices. Giving the Veer away for free pretty much guarantees that a decent number of people will get the device. Generally free devices are somewhat inferior and lower-quality devices marketed towards basic cell phone users. Even these devices move off the shelves pretty quickly, but now there is a very capable, quality device offered for free. This is a great way to increase interest in webOS back to what it was when the original Pre was announced.
Here's a nice review of the Veer:
http://moneywatch.bnet.com/spending/news/review-for-smartphones-whats-to...
A couple of highlights:
"Instead, its magnetic charging port doubles as a connector for a headphone adapter, which is included. I kept worrying that I'd lose the adapter — until I realized I could just stick it on the fridge."
"The Veer's tiny screen, however, made my hands feel enormous, which they aren't for someone who is barely 5'3". I also felt clumsy holding the phone, especially with the keyboard closed, as it felt too small for my hand. Like a slippery bar of soap, it almost flew out of my hands several times as I tried to slide open the keyboard. Calls sounded OK, but it was weird holding such a tiny nugget of a phone up to my ear."
Don't worry, there's still hope, chipchick.com gave it a so-so review.
And have you read a review written by a tween? Because, just sayin', that's HP's target demographic here. Not the mom or dad, the child.
I'd suppose it'd go something like this:
"It's so tiny that I can hold it with one hand! I can't do that with my older brother's iPhone. Oh, look! This game with the birds and pigs is fun! This phone is so cute!"
"What about the processor power, dear?"
"What's that? Oh! It fits in my pocket so well!"
The Veer will have as many color choices as the iPhone 3GS, but it will be difficult for the Veer to match the iPhone's Flash capability. The 3GS also has an awesome WiFi hot spot option.
I'm assuming this is sarcasm?
If you have to ask...
Here's a few accessory ideas I have for the Veer.
1. A magnetic pepper spray attachment.
2. A magnetic rape whistle attachment.
3. A magnetic spare key holder.
Haha, "magnetic rape whistle".
How about a magnetic camera flash attachment? Oh wait, it actually does need one of those.
Makes a $99 Pre3 and a $299 TouchPad not so out of the question...
To all the ppl who think that making this free is somehow negative because it "cheapens" the perceived value: Have you ever been in a BestBuy and watched someone pick out a phone?
They look at what it can do, how to type on it and then ask "how much?". They are not diamond shopping. If they have two phones that do the same thing from the same carrier they ALWAYS pick the one that lightens their wallet the least. BestBuy does a good job of explaining the final costs as well... BestBuy doesn't care how much the phones cost they want to sell you the accessories. A Free phone leaves much more room for a ZAGG shield or extra chargers, etc...