Unlocked GSM Palm Pre Retailers Facing Legal Action?

Posted By: Tim Carroll Saturday, September 19, 2009 9:41:01 AM

Look, it turn into a sponge!Rumor: A rather ominous story cropped up on SlashGear yesterday, with the technology website reporting that Palm has been threatening select UK retailers that have been offering pre-orders for SIM-free (i.e. unlocked) GSM Palm Pre phones with legal action for doing so - informing them that the Pre will only be offered as a locked model.

If this is true, then it's a crushing blow to those international Palm customers who have been not-so-patiently clamoring for an unlocked GSM Palm Pre - your correspondent included. Legally speaking, there's nothing that prohibits O2 (the exclusive UK carrier of the Pre) or Palm from locking the handset down, but it was the fervent hope of many that this would not prove to be the case, especially in the face of such obvious consumer enthusiasm and the fact that such tactics inevitably prove futile against the efforts of clever hackers.

PIC has contacted Palm seeking further information, but doesn't expect to be provided any in advance of the official GSM launch.

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unlocked Pixi

rpa @ 9/19/2009 10:51:03 AM # Q
Expansys Hong Kong is taking pre-orders for the Pixi and one would assume that this is an unlocked GSM version as GSM is the system in HK and Expansys is not a phone carrier to lock you in to a plan. No indication on date the units will be available.
RE: unlocked Pixi
justauser @ 9/19/2009 3:07:58 PM # Q
I hope so. I for one have no intention of buying a hacked warrantyless Pre.
RE: unlocked Pixi
CFreymarc @ 9/19/2009 4:11:42 PM # Q
You think this is bad, check out the Russian cell phone scene. Some made a small fortune jail breaking the iPhone and I'm sure the Pre and Pixi are on their way to this market.
RE: unlocked Pixi
justauser @ 9/20/2009 5:24:25 AM # M Q
Heh heh. I have an associate who bought a jailbroken iPhone 1 about 3 months before iPhone 2 was announced in Australia. Paid a fortune for it - not much better than a iPod Touch after the 3G version hit the market. lol
RE: unlocked Pixi
Tim Carroll @ 9/20/2009 7:23:07 AM # Q
^^ Lol. Poor bugger.

Me, I don't think I can wait. I've got to get a real Pre soon - (1) to satisfy my own gadget lust and (2) because it's incredibly difficult writing stuff for PIC when I'm confined to the webOS emulator. I want to review proper apps, dammit. Actually if I can find the time I want to try doing video reviews like some of the iPhone review sites have been doing.

So I'll probably do something stupid like import a locked UK Pre at a ridiculous price, pray for a hack and drown in my own tears when Palm announces an Australian release a couple of months later. C'est la guerre...

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No, money down.

pmjoe @ 9/19/2009 4:51:55 PM # Q
Oops, I shouldn't have the Bar Association logo here either.
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Palm no different from the rest...

Tolga @ 9/20/2009 9:38:05 AM # Q
So much for Palm being about openness and proclaiming to be any different from all the other cell phone makers (Apple) re locking phones, threatening to sue everyone, and generally lording over their products at the expense of customers who want them.
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GSM Pres Announced!! Unlocked... not so far :(

Tim Carroll @ 9/24/2009 1:30:02 AM # Q
UK Details here:
http://mediacentre.o2.co.uk/content/detail.aspx?ReleaseID=539&NewsAreaID=305

Ireland details here (page appears borked):
http://www.o2online.ie/wps/wcm/connect/O2/Home/Shop/Phones/Palm+Pre/

Germany here:
http://www.o2online.de/nw/handys/palmpre/palm-pre.html?et_cid=25&et_lid=358722&et_sub=slider_palmpre_white

PreCentral reported today the German might be offered unlocked, but I can't tell. I've rung O2 UK to inquire as to the availability of the unlocked model... a press person is going to email me with the details once she has them, but at this stage it appears that no, there's won't be an unlocked version. Dammit.

Hackers, start your engines....
Sometime PIC blogger
Treo 270 --> Treo 650 --> Treo 680 --> Centro
I apologise for any and all emoticons in my posts. You may shoot them on sight.

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