Best Buy Mobile to get some Pre stock on June 7th?

by Jacob Schulman posted May 3rd 2009 at 6:24PM

If this latest bit of Pre intel scored by Boy Genius Report is to be believed, it looks like you might be able to pick up one of 4,500 of Palm's latest and greatest as early as June 7. According to a tip from a supposed Best Buy insider, the venerable retailer could be gearing up to launch the hotly anticipated handset in just over a month's time, though it's not clear whether this'll coincide with Sprint's full-scale launch or come before or after. Oh, and if that wasn't enough, they've got some possible numbers on what this beauty will run you: $199.99 for new customers with a 2-year plan, $299.99 for upgrades, and a cool $999.99 contract-free -- though in our experience, Best Buy Mobile frequently has its pricing wrong ahead of launch, so these are definitely subject to change.

Filed under: Handsets, Palm, Sprint, webOS

Tags: best buy, bestbuy, bestbuymobile, handset, launch, palm, palm pre, PalmPre, pre, rumor, spring, triallaunch

Subscribe to these comments

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Neutral

Cakedoodle @ May 3rd 2009 6:46PM

I am a current Sprint customer and I hope those prices are wrong. $299 for current customers who are eligible for an upgrade discount? Too much! It should be the same price as new customers ($199 or less)

Neutral

grape2043 @ May 3rd 2009 7:30PM

$999.99 for a contract free? what in the world was that guy smoking before he tagged the price on it? and $199.99 for a 2 year contract? $800 subsidized?

Low Ranked

backbeat @ May 3rd 2009 8:17PM

When did they start this higher price for upgrade mess, with the s30

Neutral

Josh @ May 3rd 2009 11:23PM

I'm not trying to toot Apple's horn here, but Palm should realize that a launch prior to the traditional iPhone release date is not going to win them as many trigger-happy consumers as they would like. It's more like a shoot-yourself-in-the-foot move, because I guarantee you people that are willing to jump ship from their current carrier will wait the week in between launches to see what Apple's new iPhone has to offer. And more than likely, they'll give into the iPhone's allure.

Neutral

SoCoolCurt (PSN: KillaKornbread - XBL: SoCoolCurt) @ May 4th 2009 11:25AM

i agree completely. i'm a long time Palm supporter, but you have to be realistic here, people fricken love the iPhone. with Apple having a conference coming up, one where they are expected to reveal a new iPhone, i would think it would be in Palm's best interest to get the Pre out a couple weeks before the conference. otherwise, this thing could be over before it started.

Neutral

Galen20K @ May 4th 2009 12:10AM

Forget the Pre, give me the Touch Pro2 ANYday over that. And $1,000 price tag? BWhahahahahaaa CHinsey Plastic doesn't Cost that Much! ; D

Neutral

Ethos @ May 4th 2009 10:36AM

I think that most of the prices are incorrect & they're assuming to much. Plus the release date doesn't coincide with the statement that it'll be a Sprint Exclusive release. On that note I am hoping to see it sooner rather then later in GSM flavour please.

Neutral

Dutch @ May 7th 2009 1:42PM

You misunderstand Sprint exclusive, Best buy is the biggest seller of Sprint phones and gets them at the same time as Sprint stores, most of which are no longer owned by Sprint and are just independents with a Sprint logo,
The info looks very legitimate.

Neutral

dusty78 @ May 4th 2009 11:46AM

i used to own a couple cell pone stores and still have contacts in the biz. i have been told by two different venders that the pre will be out for sprint telesales and some indirect channels on May 16th or 17th (probably the 17th since they like to release on sundays). Brightpoint will have it available for order the Friday before.

Neutral

Dutch @ May 7th 2009 1:45PM

congratulations on your first ever post here and your attempt to fake knowing a thing. May 17 is literally impossible. But as I am sure you have been around under different names writing that you are with Sprint, have an uncle who is a senior manager or some other inside dope, and the release date is Feb 15, March 15, April 15 etc, you are used to the being laughed at by assuming readers here are idiots. Go back to the Yahoo stock boards to try and pump stock with fake info, ok?.

Neutral

Riz @ May 4th 2009 2:24PM

there's probably a lot of pressure and motivation at Palm to get the Pre out ASAP. They have to strike a careful balance though. It'd be worse for them to "Storm" the launch just to get a couple weeks of lead time. The Pre IS generating buzz outside of just our geeky techblog circle, so hopefully it'll be as solid as it is buzzworthy, and hold its own against the iJuggernaut.

also, I call BS on the unsubsidized price. a $700 drop for subsidization seems way too large to me. And once one aspect of the claim becomes questionable, the entire report becomes suspect.

Neutral

Dutch @ May 7th 2009 1:49PM

Call BS on $199? Best buy has had the Iphone 8GB 3G for as low as $99 and $150. The list price is probably just a place holder and the only info that might not be correct. But you also seem unaware that Best Buy ROUTINELY inflates lists prices. Look at their list price for the Palm Treo Pro. It is $100 above Sprint's list price. Best Buy just makes up list prices.

Neutral

Dutch @ May 7th 2009 1:39PM

Boy genius has a perfect track record on Best Buy internal info. Don't be upset about it.
The $999 is probably a placeholder but the $199 and dates are almost certainly correct.