Palm Pre Plus, Pixi Plus get official, Verizon Wireless scoop 'em up

By on Jan 7, 2010 at 3:02 PM
Breaking January 7, 2010

palmplus

Not exactly the most surprising news, but in short, the Palm Pre Plus and Palm Pixi Plus got official moments ago, with Verizon Wireless signing on to carry both devices (at a rumored 200,000 initial units each) starting January 25th. Pricing was not announced. In addition to the two refreshed devices, which add more memory, a refined and refreshed look as well as Wi-Fi on the Pixi, Palm also announced some SDK improvements. First off, there’s a new PDK (plug-in development kit) that will allow game developers to start making great 3D games, and starting today, you’ll see games start appearing in the App Catalog from publishers like EA Mobile.

Switching gears, Palm also said that Flash support via a plugin would be appearing shortly in the App Catalog and there are more goodies like video recording (with Apple-stolen) video editing capabilities, and additional sharing functionality. Thoughts?

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  • Who?

    Would love to try out webOS, but only on some compelling hardware. Neither of these phones fit the bill.

  • big cali

    lol you fanboys are so angry…maybe it’s because stevie couldn’t get flash, or maybe because Pre owners are getting Vid Recording ala update instead of shelling out for another device (sorry 3gs owners). Like it or not Palm has made some huge moves. Now excuse me let me close this card and go play Need For Speed!! I LOVE MY PRE!!

  • Steve

    Great move by Palm and I am looking forward to this. The gaming should be great and sounds like WebOS is getting great also. Android and WebOS is where it is at in my eyes. I might just have to give it a try. I have been in love with my Droid since my switch from the iPhone but I have another line I can upgrade and Palm might get it :) Great work Palm and congrats to the updates. Please keep them coming

  • tRICKster

    I don’t think I can take another round of commercials with that damn ginger daywalker.

  • http://www.twitter.com/iAmMrHD Mr. Hi-Definition

    I like the idea of video editing abilities and flash as well. I played with the Pixi a couple weeks ago and I have to say I’m in love with the form factor. I’m tempted to get a Pre or Pixi now that they are on Verizon. But I don’t think my DROID would like that very much. Plus, I do enjoy Android, it’s just not as “pretty” as webOS.

    • Schtick Man

      You just bought a Droid and now you want to buy a Pre or Pixi for full price?

  • http://twitter.com/carysoriano Cary

    Thoughts? Yeah here’s a thought. Stop hating on Palm with the quippy “Apple-stolen” side notes. Both can co-exist. Otherwise rename this to “BGO” for Boy Genius Opinions. I love this site for the inside information and news on upcoming tech – but damn this style of reporting is starting to get annoying when you inject these things in the article.

  • Mrwirez

    Palm should release the Pre as an all touch screen… scrap that infantile keyboard.

    • Schtick Man

      What they need to release is a “black slab” webOS phone; essentially the Nexus One but with webOS. Snapdragon, at least 3.7 inch screen, etc. Then webOS might really shine.

      • CoinOperatedBoi

        And another version with a keyboard :P I like my keys, gotta have em. I think something more like the Droid. More durable and larger format for the keys yet closed you still have that “black slab” feel and look.

      • Plan B

        That’s my ideal form factor too. Come on Palm, stop being “cute” with your phones and give us something hardware-wise to lust after er, actually want to buy and use. Something like the Droid but with a better keypad. Do so and watch your profits rise. Moto was so close with that one…

  • uh huh

    apparently the palm pre and palm pixi plus will have built in verizon mifi’s..or so according to a verizon employee

    • JakeyBoy

      don’t think so bub

      • Gigaorg

        Yes and no. They will have tethering (at a cost). The Phone does support MiFi (see the MyTether Homebrew App). It is nice having a phone that you can homebrew without JailBreaking.

  • WRECKEM69

    is the battery life gonna be terrible like on the sprint version?

  • mlawre10

    actually the sprint vs battery life improved on the last.software update

    • WRECKEM69

      really , how much battery life we talking?
      i had it for like a week but returned it cause sprint doesnt have good coverage in my area

  • 2shoes

    I am interested in WebOS, but not anything at this point, that it resides on.

    • Plan B

      I think there is a whole legion of folks out there who share this opinion 2shoes.

  • Greg

    Battery life is much improved compared to launch. I get a day plus easy with email, web and pandora during the day.

  • Schtick Man

    Hard to believe it’s CES again and no rumors of anything coming soon with webOS. At least release a nicely spec’d black slab and then we can have a

    Slab-Off!

    Nexus vs. iPhone vs. HD2 vs. slabwebOS.

    That would be fun.

  • Amroth

    I may actually ‘Geek-out’ and be waiting when the store opens on the 25th!

  • RobG

    So I put off getting the Droid simply because it’s fugly, and the Eris cuz the specs don’t quite compare to the Droid. How does the Pre compare to both these phones? My current phone’s falling apart, I don’t know how much longer I can hold out…

    • CoinOperatedBoi

      It really depends on how you look at it. What you want and how you feel about each phone aesthetically. I like the Droid and Android a lot, the Eris eh not so much. I own a Pre and it’s a great little phone. The Droid is of course going to be more durable but so far I have had no issues with my Pre’s build quality although others have. As far as OS’ both are smooth and work well so again…just go and play with each and see what you want personally.

  • wallyson

    Do you think the Plus is the version AT&T will get? Also, anyone seen anything regarding a memory boost and how much it will be?

  • Bugs

    Love how everyone banged the Plam hardware when Sprint had the exclusive. Now that Verizon picked it up and people asking when ATT will get it there are more people liking Web OS and not saying near as much about the build quality as they did when it was Sprint exclusive. Hypocrites!

    • Schtick Man

      Hardware is still crap. Sorry.

      • CoinOperatedBoi

        Define crap? It’s no Droid no..but crap? I’ve dropped mine, took it mountain biking, let my 2yr old play with it etc and so far I’ve had no hardware issues…nothing cracked, no oreo, nothing wrong with it. Again it’s not made of steel or anything but I don’t know if I would go as far as crap lol

      • Schtick Man

        That’s a reasonable follow up question.

        Crap = boring, unimaginative, derivative, impedes the user experience.

        So, Pre and Pixi: small screen, small keyboard (and no onscreen keyboard — maybe there is one now), unimpressive chip, unimpressive and unexpandable internal storage, not world phones, unimpressive ROM and RAM.

      • qq

        I remembered when the iPhone was first released, everyone were like: “Hardware does not matterzrzrolozloz!!!1oneone”.

        Pre has 3.1″ screen, not small. What is small for you? Anything under the “godlike” phone?

        They don’t need virtual keyboard when they’re using a physical.

        ROM = OS? If so, it’s the most impressive OS on the mobile market.

        Whether 16gb storage is unimpressive or not is more of a personal question.

    • likeobama

      Rushing with the first version caused a lot build quality issues but Palm has since corrected a lot of those issues with each new batch they get off the line. Verizon’s some lucky SOB’s because from reviews it seems Palm has made the Pre a lot more durable. I got my Pre last September and it was said mine was either the third or forth batch. It wiggles a little but I can live with that knowing how amazing this phone is and will be next month.

  • Marin

    Wait, theStreet.com said this wasn’t going to happen. I don’t know if I can believe this.

  • Plan B

    Schtick Man, did you get a Pre or Pixi and not like it?

    • Schtick Man

      No, but I used one in a store back when it came out, and the keyboard was so unusable it was a joke. And the screen is too small (why move the keyboard underneath if you’re only going to have a 3 inch screen — I mean, come on, my Tilt had a 2.8 inch screen and came out in 2007), and the rounded sides are pointless.

      I understand this will be controversial, but Palm has abandoned men and it making phones for women and girls. The success of the Centro probably convinced them to focus on more consumer-friendly devices with tiny keyboards unusable by any person with man-sized hands.

      I’d be more than happy for Palm to prove me wrong, because I’m tired of WinMo, not interested in an iPhone or AT&T, and don’t want to hand 100% of my life over to Google. That leaves webOS as the only mobile OS I’m rooting for. I want to jump on, but they need to give me a lift.

  • Eric Schuster

    Since this is relevant I will post here.
    My wife broke her Verizon LG Voyager phone yesterday. This resulted in us trying to replace it at the Verizon store. Here is an interesting tidbit. Along with the massive cancellation fee Verizon is now charging for smart phones they are also making more phones part of that category. Previously (1 year ago almost to the day) when we purchased the Voyager it was not considered a smart phone. Now the replacement- LG EnV touch is. So what does this mean. It means that Verizon FORCES you to have a dataplan. Thats right. My wife makes phone calls and sends texts- she never uses her phone for internet and she does not want to. So we are now charged $10 a month for 25 megs of data. Not to mention that if she cancels now it will cost even more. Her reasoning for not wanting to switch to ATT were as follows:
    1) all my friends are on Verizon so I will need more minutes on ATT- which based on her plan may or may not be true
    2) the cancellation fee from Verizon will be enough to make up any savings we see from ATT (not true- $10 a month extra for 2 years is $240- the cancel fee at the time was only $115)
    3) She thinks Verizon has better coverage. I cannot argue with this since I am a verizon customer for this reason alone.
    So we did some digging into her bill- figured out we could cut her plan and then pay for the $10 and not increase our monthly spending. JUST so she could get the phone she likes and wanted.
    I tried to find either a used Voyager or new somewhere and at min it would have been $150 (the new replacement is $99).

    All in all I am totally ticked off at Verizon for both the smart phone cancel fee as well as the movement into required dataplans for NON DATA PHONES!!!!!
    This company is getting out of control and I expect when my contract is up that I will move to ATT just because they do not practice the same type of rip off that Verizon has started in the past year.
    LISTEN UP VERIZON- STOP THE BS!

    • WRECKEM69

      i would suggest t-mo i hear they have killer shit in terms of plans right now

    • Azeron

      What is really sad is that when the Envy Touch initially launched it required no data plan. Customers who purchased it then were fine once they added the data plan requirement…unless they have to have their phone replaced either through warranty or insurance. Very sad. What plan is your wife on? And which was she on previously?

  • Linz

    VZ lost our renewal last month when I couldn’t get an EnV Touch for my teenager without data–didn’t want a new 2-yr for a 6-mo-old phone tied to VZ data. Our plan is out, and phones are dying…..VZ offering us one free month of service, AND 100 free monthly minutes for 2 yrs. Nexus almost tempted me, but it looks so-so. Don’t like Droid or Eris. Considering the iPhone but need good service. Any advice for us in DC metro area? Last I checked, AT&T still drops a lot here, plus husband needs solid service for U.S. biz travel.

    • Dan McNificent

      I live in the NOVA area and you can’t beat Verizon’s call quality around here. T-Mobile is terrible so i believe Sprint would be the next alternative because the iPhone problems go further than just the bars on your screen.

      i.e. I couldn’t find my iPhone. Grabbed my DROID. Called it, text it. Finally found it outside in my car…. with no missed anything LOL & it rang all the way to voicemail.. each time, so idk how AT&T calls what they’re providing “service.”

      If you don’t like the DROID or Eris the only thing i could suggest is either a Blackberry(they aren’t for everyone) or unlocked iPhone but if it’s lost or stolen Verizon won’t help you.

      • Migeeman

        Are you fuckin’ stupid?

  • Dan McNificent

    OKAY… does the palm pre even have a on screen keyboard yet?!?

  • Diabl0

    Both new Verizon handsets will arrive on the market on January 25th; however neither Palm nor the carrier have announced pricing or not. They’ve also not revealed what extra fees there might be for tethering functionality.
    More of the specs and details: http://bit.ly/palm-pre-plus-pixi-plus-details

  • qq

    WHERE IS THE GSM VERSION? :3

  • summerkand

    Do you think the Plus is the version AT&T will get? Also, anyone seen anything regarding a memory boost and how much it will be?
    http://webizland.blogspot.com/

  • Sprinter

    Dear BGR,

    Can we get an IP ban on this douche already? He sucks and takes away from all of our Genius Report experience.

    Thanks.

  • Azeron

    Sorry, but what exactly is objective about a comment like “Apple-stolen”?

  • Azeron

    I’m not offended. I like the iphone. I would like to buy one someday when it is available with my carrier. I’m just stating that the comment was inflammatory. Surely he knew it would invite criticism. Perhaps that was his intent.

  • http://www.bgr.com Boy Genius

    It was a blatant rip off of Apple’s video trimming functionality. I don’t think anyone is questioning that, whether it is said or not.

    Have we forgotten the iTunes syncing game already?

  • Azeron

    I was not upset by the comment at all. I simply questioned one calling it an objective one. If Boy Genius lists the feature without that little gem, I am sure someone else would have chimed in with it. Whether it is true or not, an objective reporter would not have made the statement. No one says Boy Genius has to be objective.

  • CoinOperatedBoi

    BGR=Fox News? :)

  • brum

    “Apple-esque” may have been more fitting?

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