I am not really a morning person, but here I am with cup of coffee in one hand and using the computer mouse to check my email with the other. And what I see – a new Palm video! Another sleepy guy shows off his Pre’s features: he is going through the calendar, the events (with information about participants), changes the time of a meeting by a simple scrolling with the finger, then sees his Google Talk, uses Google search and emails the page he has found.  All without going to the main menu – great integreation of features!

At the end of the morning, he must refill his cup of coffee, but the Palm Pre shouldn’t be recharged  

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It is not only Eliza Dushku that got to play with the Pre and show it off to others – Palm has a Facebook gallery with pictures of other celebrities playing with the phone and wowing at the webOS system.

According to the comments to one of the pictures, after Michael Bolton saw the portrait and landscape view, he said, “If you’ve been drinking, it also works like this,”. Lord of the Rings’s Dominic Monaghan knew about the phone demoed it to Billy Boyd and said he’ll get one of these. I’m wondering, will we wait until May, or will he be blessed to have one in his hands before the ordinary people? Dominic, please email me if you do! Sandra Oh of Grey’s Anatomy said she’s eager to use it on the show, so we’re looking forward to the next season!

More pictures after the break!

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We received some juicy information about an imminent release date and pricing. Initially, we had info that the Pre is looking to launch during the late April to May period but now it seems that it will launch in May. That’s quite a time line in getting the platform optimized and tweaking out any bugs that might be lingering. Everyone in the industry is looking forward to this device that boasts some new innovative hardware and software features. It’ll be crucial also for both Palm and Sprint to knock it out of the ballpark with the Pre when it comes out. With the economy still trying to get over a global slump, pricing may also come into play for a lot of people looking to purchase it. We’ve been told a rumored subsidized price of under $200. At the $200 price point, it would play with the current crop of other premier touch screen phones such as the iPhone 3G, BlackBerry Storm, and G1. If the lowest price for it were to be $150, then it would seriously cause some strain to the other competition. Investors will be looking intently on how everything will pan out in the near future, with both Sprint and Palm banking on a hit to become a powerhouse staple once again.

The Pre was initially announced as a Sprint’s exclusive model for the States but shortly after that, Palm confirmed there will be a GSM version for the UK. Will only US and UK get that cool phone and OS? Well, Palm’s international pages for 16 other countries also have the Pre listed, so we can hope that the fans there will not only be teased, but Palm will give them the option to buy the Pre before the end of the year. List of all 18 countries after the break.

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Last week, US Daily ad showed that Independent Spirit Awards nominees will get “$5,600 in swag, including … an exclusive Palm Pre phone – available by July”. While this doesn’t say they will get it before others will (the half of the year), photos from the event show some ladies playing with the phone. Check out Eliza Dushku showing it off, cute, aren’t they …

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Who doesn’t love playing games? Everyone knows that the best way to waste your free time is to sit back, relax and enjoy your favorite action game… okay, it may be something that is more on the logical side too (but we would definitely prefer some action). We have good news for those of you that both agree with our opinion on the topic and, at the same time, would do anything in order to get their hands on the upcoming Palm Pre device, once it is released. According to Engadget, the manufacturer has confirmed that games are in development for its future flagship handset. However, there have been some accusations referring to the fact that the web-oriented operating system not allow for advanced gaming options. Still, not everything is lost, since Palm has recently joined Adobe’s Open Screen Project, which will guarantee full Flash support for the Pre.

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At the MWC, which has just ended a few hours ago, we noticed a GSM version of the Palm Pre (even though it had not been officially announced), which will most probably be offered in Europe by Vodafone. Unfortunately, in the U.S. we won’t see the much-anticipated smartphone during 2009… with a logo different from the Sprint one. According to a source of CNBC, who wished to stay anonymous, the carrier, that has recently announced a net loss of $1.6 billion, will get the exclusive rights for the Palm Pre distribution until the end of the year. However, nothing is mention for the period after it. Bad news for every other carrier and a good one for Sprint, especially if the Palm Pre turns out to be that wished as the iPhone.

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Sadly, Palm has obviously decided that it would be best if it does not officially introduce the GSM version of the Palm Pre at this year’s MWC. Just about four days ago, however, we informed you that the GSM device was actually shown at the event. There, such device had been spotted running with a Vodafone SIM card and speculations began that the phone would be exclusively available with the carrier in Europe. So we still don’t have any more specific information, but, it seems that we are now a step closer to the official appearance of the GSM version of the Palm Pre, as it has surfaced on Palm’s UK site. For now, there’s just a tiny bit of information about the device and an option to subscribe for the latest news. It is not much, but it’s something at least.

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Just the other day, Sprint’s web site showed data tethering as a feature of the Palm Pre under the heading of Technical Specification. Now, there is no mention of tethering for this highly anticipated new smartphone. In its place is a blurb about the Pre’s MicroUSB port. Removing any tethering capabilities from the Pre would seem to be a way for Sprint to sell their Simply Everything + Mobile Broadband plan. As we reported earlier this week, that plan now includes 5GB of internet access per month for a laptop. Even with the anticaption surrounding the Pre, this is a big enough disappointment to many smartphone fans that you can now hear a pin drop.

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It’s sure to become a staple with future mobile phones, but wireless charging for the Palm Pre requires an alternate soft matte battery cover. Palm is calling their unique puck sized wireless charging system the Touchstone and will only work with magnets built into the matte cover. The original glossy back finish does not include the magnets required to work with it. There are some obvious pros and cons with each cover, but consumers looking to show off that new innovative feature will be required to use only one. The glossy cover does add some fashion appeal to the device and makes it a finger print magnet at the same time. While the matte soft finish will give off that always clean feel when holding it. Nonetheless, we’re still excited at the possibilities this feature will create with the phone industry.

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