Almost three months after its release in the US on Sprint, the Palm Pre will now finally become available in Canada as well.
Bell has officially announced that it will be released on August 27th. The Canadian Palm Pre will retail for $199.95 on a 3-year contract and $599.95 contract-free with a minimum 500MB data plan. We’re not exactly sure how many Palm Pre units Bell has in their inventory, but if its roll out in the US is any indication, it might be safe to assume that there aren’t that many to go around. For those of you who want to be guaranteed a unit already once it’s released, you can now pre-order your Palm Pre by heading on over here.
Will the Palm Pre's release in Canada be as successful as its debut in the US? We'll soon find out by the end of the month.
Here’s the full press release from Bell:
Palm's revolutionary smartphone in stores August 27, available for pre-order now
MISSISSAUGA, ON, Aug. 4 /CNW Telbec/ - Bell today announced that the new Palm(R) Pre(TM) phone will be exclusively available in Canada at Bell Mobility retail locations on August 27. Due to unprecedented demand, Bell also announced that Canadians can reserve one of the highly anticipated phones by pre-ordering now at bell.ca/pre, at Bell stores or at selected Bell retail partners.
Palm Pre is the first phone based on the new Palm webOS(TM) mobile platform, which brings mobile applications together in a unique and intuitive multi-tasking environment that is integrated with the most popular social networking tools and powerful search functions.(1)
The Palm Pre will cost as little as $199.95 on a three-year contract or $599.95 without a contract with a minimum 500 MB data plan. Bell smartphone clients can choose from a wide variety of voice and data plans, including Smartphone Combos that offer unlimited Internet browsing, personal email, text messaging and Windows Live Messenger.
"We're very excited to bring the revolutionary Palm Pre and the Palm webOS mobile platform to Canadians exclusively on Bell's national wireless network - the largest high-speed 3G network in Canada," said Wade Oosterman, President of Bell Mobility and Chief Brand Officer for Bell. "Considering the highly successful US introduction of the Palm Pre by Sprint in June and fast-growing Palm Pre buzz among Canadian mobile users, Bell and our retail partners are preparing for high demand for this breakthrough phone."
Since announcing in May that it would carry the Palm Pre exclusively in Canada, Bell has seen unprecedented demand - tens of thousands of Canadians have already signed up at bell.ca/pre for more information about the device.
Beginning today, clients can now pre-order the phone at bell.ca/pre, at Bell stores or at Bell retail partners Best Buy, Future Shop, The Telephone Booth/La Cabine Téléphonique, WIRELESS etc. and Wireless Wave.
"Palm is creating a new measure of simplicity and usefulness that is changing how people look at smartphones," said Katie Mitic, senior vice president, Product Marketing, Palm, Inc. "It's a new experience to access and connect the related but often decentralized information in your life, and we're eager to share the Palm experience with Canada through Bell Mobility."
The Palm webOS platform takes multi-tasking to a new level. Customers will love the ability to run multiple applications such as Internet, text messaging, email and music at the same time, and move easily between them using natural finger gestures. When they no longer need the item, they can close an activity by simply flicking it off the top of the screen.(2)
The smooth, rounded ergonomic design makes Palm Pre a comfortable fit in your hand or pocket. The physical keyboard that slides out from beneath a large touch screen provides fast access to content on the device or web.
Palm webOS also features Palm Synergy(TM), which brings the users'
information from all the places it resides into one logical view so they don't have to worry about tracking multiple calendars, contacts, email accounts and messaging applications. The Synergy feature pulls information from a client's Outlook(3), Google and Facebook accounts, including Facebook profile pictures, into the contacts application - a compelling feature for the 85% of online Canadians that have a Facebook account.
Palm's unique universal search allows customers to find what they need easily - just slide open the keyboard, start typing to get instant results.
Results are pulled from the device apps, contacts and popular Internet sites including Google, Google Maps, Wikipedia and Twitter.(4)About Bell
Bell is Canada's largest communications company, providing consumers and business with solutions to all their communications needs, including Bell Mobility wireless, high-speed Bell Internet, Bell TV direct-to-home satellite television, Bell Home phone local and long distance, and IP-broadband and information and communications technology (ICT) services. Bell is proud to be a Premier National Partner and the exclusive Telecommunications Partner to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
Bell is wholly owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE). For information on Bell's products and services, please visit www.bell.ca. For corporate information on BCE, please visit www.bce.ca.(1) Use of this device requires providing a valid email address, mobile
phone number, and related information for account setup and
activation. Data plan required. Within wireless coverage area only.
Number of applications and actual performance will vary depending on
applications used and actions performed.
(2) Within wireless coverage area only. Use of some third-party web
applications may impact performance.
(3) Within wireless coverage area only. Requires data services at
additional cost. Microsoft Direct Push Technology requires Microsoft
Exchange Server 2003 with SP2 or Exchange Server 2007. Additional
fees may apply.
(4) Searches web and user's applications, contacts, and dialing
information. Web search within wireless coverage area only, requires
data services at additional cost.
Palm, Pre, webOS and Synergy are among the trademarks or registered
trademarks owned by or licensed to Palm, Inc.