Palm Pre rumors: launches tomorrow

UPDATED: It's IT Blogwatch, and Richi Jennings is watching the Palm Pre. Looks like we'll see the launch of the new smartphone real soon now: perhaps tomorrow. Not to mention Error'd...

Previously in IT Blogwatch:

• Palm previews the Pre and webOS
• Palm and Nova CES launch rumors
• Bono's VCs pilot Palm

Ed Hardy shivers with an-ti-ci-pation:

Sprint stores are starting to receive the Palm Pre -- a strong sign that the release of this highly-anticipated smartphone is drawing close ... evidence is mounting that the debut is imminent. ... According to unconfirmed reports, Palm and Sprint will announce the release date and price this Tuesday.
...
The Palm Pre will be the first device to use Palm's newly-announced webOS. This will be a multi-tasking operating system able to wirelessly synchronize a wide variety of data with online services like Google and Facebook. The Pre itself will feature a sliding keyboard as well as a multi-touch-capable 3.1-inch display ... A follow-up model called the Palm Eos is reportedly on its way to AT&T and Sprint.

Laura Sydell considers all things:

Most of us remember Palm from the early days of the PDA when a digital assistant was separate from the phone ... Can the Palm Pre rescue Palm from the recycle bin of history?

Well, I have to say that I was impressed with the device. It is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand (pun intended) ... What's especially nice about the operating system is that it allows you to keep open an email you are in the midst of writing, while you are also checking your calendar and searching your address book for an email address. Being able to keep three windows open simultaneously is a really nice feature.

Jack Loftus has been watching the cars race:

The latest Palm Pre release date rumor has come screaming out of a Sprint-sponsored NASCAR event, where the product placement was about as subtle as a 2,000-lb. stock car to the face ... Atop [Tony Stewart's] car is a monstrous Palm Pre which, sadly, does not make calls or deliver confirmed release dates for the potentially Palm-saving mobile.
...
During the race an official, possibly high on fumes, let slip that a Palm Pre release date would be known to the world in "a couple of days." Guess this means there really is a reason to watch NASCAR beyond just the crashes.

Melissa Woll can't wait:

I am currently a Sprint customer and use the Palm Centro. ... I first saw the Palm Pro and was excited for my phone in a more blackberry condition for better e-mail and internet, but still having the touchscreen.

Then I came across the Palm Pre, and am very excited. It has the touchscreen aspect and many similar applications as the iPhone does, but keeps the actual keyboard, which I love. My next phone purchase will most likely be the Palm Pre, and I am very excited for it!

But Monty High is bearish on PALM:

Well, I'm back to looking for stocks to short as I think the spring rally is just about over ... One that I'm watching closely is PALM ... They've been losing money like crazy and have bet the company.
...
Palm's efforts look like they are pretty out-gunned to me.

Deepak Jain has packaging pictures, leeched from a Chinese site:

Here are some pics of the packaging of Palm Pre ... I bet, if you are a Palm pre enthusiast and is badly in need of a palm pre then you would definitely love the above pics.

So what's your take? Get involved and leave a comment.

Updated 10.35am EDT to clarify "launch" vs. "availability"

And finally...

• Error'd: Password Pain
  

Don't miss out on IT Blogwatch:

• Subscribe to the Computerworld Blogs newsletter
• Catch up with posts from the previous few days

Buffer overflow:

• Shark Bait: Error messages
• Richi Jennings: FAQ: Suffering Backscatter
• Ben Parr: Top 10 Wolfram Alpha Easter Eggs
• Erick Schonfeld: Jump Into The Stream
• Regular Geek: YackTrack Gets A Redesign!
• Robert Scoble: Adding Google Friend Connect is an example of how hard it is to join the 2010 web
• Zack Whittaker: Femtocells: your very own home cell network
• ...more

Richi Jennings is an independent analyst/consultant, specializing in blogging, email, and spam. A 24 year, cross-functional IT veteran, he is also an analyst at Ferris Research. You can follow him on Twitter or FriendFeed, pretend to be Richi's friend on Facebook, or just use boring old email: contact Richi.