Could the Palm Pixi Be More Popular Than The Palm Pre?

Nick Keetch — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:49:06 +0000

With all the hype that surrounded the June release of the Palm Pre, the idea of further phones using the webOS system was widely disregarded. Many assumed the the success of the Pre would dictate the release of any further phones, and the Palm’s very existence was reliant on the flagship webOS handset being a smash. The small rumor of another phone name ‘Eos’ or ‘Pixie’ seemed little more than a figment of an over zealous fan wanting to contribute to the growing hysteria that surrounded Palm’s re-boot as a company.

However today’s announcement proves that there has always been a plan to release two webOS phones this year (and that Palm do a pretty good job of keeping things under wraps), independent of the Pre’s success, and that Palm are targeting particular customers with each phone, that webOS will be no one trick pony, and that Palm is planning for the long run.

So the Pixi was announced today, to less hype than the much anticipated Pre, but to seemingly positive reviews that suggest the phone will more than hold it’s own when release on Sprint, sometime before the holiday period. However looking at the phone one might ask whether, while the Pre was meant to be the impact phone, the Centro-like Pixi, might be the phone Palm expects to change people’s perceptions of the company, and move users over to their handsets.

Speaking from a personal point of view, while i own a lovely Palm Pre, that makes me very happy, i have issues with the aesthetics and practicalities of the form factor. I realised the Pre would be first generation hardware and software, and was willing to accept the possibility of better looking and functioning phones in the future. However now that i have seen the fully functioning Pixi, there is a pang of jealousy that will accompany its release into the world.

Yes, i will be happy that i can use my WIFI connection etc, but does that make a huge difference anyway. And the small screen on the Pixi might inhibit me a little but more than the screen on a Blackberry which i find perfectly able. Hells no. What the Pixi offers is sexy, slick, slim form factor, built for use on the move. And with the ever developing webOS, the Pixi offers a phone that will be at the forefront of people’s minds when they are looking for the middle ground between the bidniss styles of the Blackberry, the user-friendliness of the iPhone, and the app development available on Android phones.

This has all been said before for the Palm Pre, however, there is a certain trickiness to using the Pre because of the way it is built which is think has been keeping people away from switching away from their iPhones and Blackberrys. The Pixi offers that middle ground that Palm always spoke of trying to obtain and for this reason i can see the Pixi being the breakaway phone. While it won’t be the phone that everyone is writing about, it will be the phone that, when seen by the average consumer, will be the one they pick.

Palm Announces the Brand New Palm Pixi

Nick Keetch — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 08:35:34 +0000

Up until today it had been a new Palm phone was a mystery only exceeded by the speculation around the company’s ability to survive over the coming harsh winter months. Yet, out of the frying pan of analysts prediuctions that the Palm Pre’s sales were falling off, returns were high, and Palm was likely to release less than promising results for the quarter, comes a bright new future in the Palm Pixi.

Completely altering the form factor availalble with the Palm Pre handset, the Palm Pixi takes on more of a Centro-like look, and turns it into something so desirable that i can feel the grip i have on my Pre slipping slightly.

The new phone will incorporate all of the newest features of Palm webOS while at the same time being the thinnest phone Palm have ever produced.The Pixi will come with a full keyboard and ruberized back for texting and social networking on the move. It is clearly aimed at the Blackberry market, but should appeal to anyone interested in having a phone that can do everything you need while still being almost invisible when on your person.

Interesting timing by the way Palm. Not like there’s another Apple event today or anything. Balls of steal over at Palm HQ apparently.

There will also be an awesome looking artist series featuring talent such as Jeremy Fish designing their own version of the Pixi. Images can be seen over here.

Official Press release below:

Palm’s Thinnest Phone Yet Expands Palm webOS Line with Customizable Style

Palm, Inc. (NASDAQ:PALM) today introduced the Palm(R) Pixi(TM) phone for faster, more intuitive and personal communication in a compact and customizable design.(1) With the instinctively useable Palm webOS(TM) platform, strikingly thin design, a visible full keyboard and fashionable personalization options, Palm Pixi lets you express yourself in amazingly useful ways. It’s scheduled to be available exclusively from Sprint in time for the holidays.

“With Palm webOS, we’re creating a new, more intuitive smartphone experience defined by unmatched simplicity and usefulness,” said Jon Rubinstein, Palm chairman and chief executive officer. “Palm Pixi brings this unique experience to a broader range of people who want enhanced messaging and social networking in a design that lets them express their personal style.”

In addition to linking your information from Google(TM), Facebook and Exchange ActiveSync, Palm Pixi adds Yahoo! and LinkedIn integration to Palm Synergy(TM) and assembles it all in a single view.(2) You can get your Yahoo! contacts, calendar and IM, and access to your LinkedIn contacts, including job titles. Synergy on Palm Pixi makes messaging easier by showing you all your conversations with the same person in one chat-style thread, so you can start a conversation on AIM Instant Messenger, Google Talk(TM) or Yahoo! Messenger and continue it by text message later.(3)

Complementing the phone’s already rich Facebook integration with the contacts, phone, calendar and photo applications, a new Facebook application will be available with Palm Pixi so you can see and comment on all the latest news from your friends, as well as easily update your status. The phone’s full QWERTY keyboard puts it all at your fingertips, and the multi-touch screen lets you move back and forth between open applications using natural gestures.(4) The unique removable back cover is rubberized, making it scratch-resistant, slip-resistant and durable.

Personalization with Style

For those who want to express themselves with some extra style, Palm is introducing the Palm Pixi Artist Series. Designed by some of today’s most unique and compelling artists, these numbered, limited-edition back covers let you change designs to suit your mood. You can see the first collection in the series, as well as information about the artists, at www.palm.com/artistseries. Palm will be showcasing the fashionable new Palm Pixi with the Artist Series covers this week at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York (Sept. 10-17).

You can also tailor Palm Pixi to your interests with downloadable applications from the Palm Beta App Catalog, including the latest entertainment and social networking applications such as Local Concerts by iLike, and Yelp(TM).(5) You can use Palm media sync to customize your phone with music, photos and videos from iTunes (Versions 8.1.1-8.2.1)(6), or use the on-device Amazon MP3 store to purchase individual songs or full albums over-the-air.(3)

“Palm Pixi continues Sprint’s leadership in providing useful and innovative devices on America’s most dependable 3G network,”(7) said Dan Hesse, chief executive officer at Sprint. “We are pleased to be the first carrier to bring this device to market and offer both devices in the growing Palm webOS family. Sprint’s Everything Data plans, which provide unrestricted access to the Internet, mobile content and applications, and our Ready Now retail experience make for a perfect combination with these new Palm products.”

The Sprint Mobile Broadband Network reaches more than 271 million people, 18,652 cities and 1,838 airports, and Sprint’s networks are now performing at best-ever levels.

Customers who purchase Palm Pixi will benefit from Sprint’s Ready Now, which the company pioneered to help customers leave the store educated, comfortable and confident about the phones they’re taking home. It is like having a free personal trainer that educates you on all your phone can do by setting up all the applications you want to use on the device.

Palm Pixi is also the perfect complement to Sprint’s Simply EverythingSM plan, which provides unlimited nationwide calling, texting, email, social networking, web browsing, GPS navigation, Sprint TV, streaming music, NFL Mobile Live, NASCAR Sprint Cup Mobile and much more for only $99.99 per month. It’s a savings of $1,200 over two years versus some comparable competitor plans.

Palm Pixi Features

* High-speed connectivity (EVDO Rev. A)
* 2.63-inch multi-touch screen with a vibrant 18-bit color 320×400 resolution TFT display
* Gesture area, which enables simple, intuitive gestures for navigation
* Exposed QWERTY keyboard for fast messaging
* Robust messaging support (IM, SMS and MMS capabilities), including Google Talk, AIM and Yahoo! IM
* High-performance, desktop-class web browser
* Integrated GPS(8)
* Multimedia options, including pictures, video playback and music, and featuring a 2-megapixel fixed-focus camera with LED flash, and a standard 3.5mm headset jack
* Email, including Exchange ActiveSync (EAS) (for access to corporate Microsoft Exchange servers), as well as personal email support (Google push, Yahoo! push, POP3, IMAP)(9)
* Bluetooth(R) 2.1 + EDR with A2DP stereo Bluetooth support
* 8GB of internal user storage (~7GB user available)(10)
* USB mass storage mode
* MicroUSB connector with USB 2.0 Hi-Speed
* The first handset to launch with Qualcomm’s high-performance MSM7627(TM) chipset
* Proximity sensor, which automatically disables the touch screen and turns off the display whenever you put the phone up to your ear
* Light sensor, which dims the display if the ambient light is dark, such as at night or in a movie theater, to reduce power usage
* Accelerometer, which automatically orients web pages and photos to your perspective
* Ringer switch, which easily silences the device with one touch
* Removable, rechargeable 1150 mAh battery
* Dimensions: 55mm (W) x 111mm (L) x 10.85mm (D) [2.17 in. (W) x 4.37 in. (L) x 0.43 in. (D)]
* Weight: 99.5 grams (3.51 ounces)
* Sprint services, including Sprint TV(R) and Sprint Radio, Sprint Navigation, Sprint’s exclusive NFL Mobile Live and NASCAR Sprint Cup Mobile Live

Availability and Pricing

The Palm Pixi phone is scheduled to be available from Sprint in time for the holidays. Pricing for the phone, as well as the limited-edition Palm Pixi Artist Series covers, will be announced closer to availability. Customers who would like to register to receive additional information about Palm Pixi and be notified when it’s available can register at www.palm.com/pixi.

In addition, effective today the Palm Pre(TM) phone from Sprint is available for $149.99 with a two-year service agreement and after a $150 instant rebate and $100 mail-in rebate. You can find this great pricing at Sprint stores, on the web (www.sprint.com) and by calling Sprint’s telesales group (1-800-SPRINT1). With the new Palm Pixi phone, and Palm Pre at a lower price, Palm and Sprint are bringing greater choice of Palm webOS phones to a larger audience.

Palm Goon » Palm Pixi

Could the Palm Pixi Be More Popular Than The Palm Pre?

Palm Announces the Brand New Palm Pixi