i can haz Pre!
Tyler and I woke up extra early and hit up the closest Sprint store at our local mall. The mall wasn’t supposed to open until 7 a.m., but to our surprise, the doors opened for us at 6:30. We ran through the quiet mall holding our breath. Would there be a line at the store?
w00t! There were only three folks there! The Sprint reps already told us that they have 25 handsets and a “few” Touchstones. Some of the folks in line are jkOTR readers, so we’re all geeking out in line. 
Here’s what we’re waiting for. Should have one of my own in 30 minutes!
I really hate you right now!! j/k enjoy, im very very jealous!
In line at the Watuaga Store in DFW. I’m number 8 in line. There are now 18 people waiting. It’s 7:05 and the store is opening early at 8. 2 rumours on stock: 45 units or 70 units. We’ll see.
I can´t tell you how much I am looking forward to you getting the Palm Pre and giving us some impressions and insights about it.
And at least for me there is no point in being jealous. Afterall, over here in Germany we probably won´t get the Pre for another 6 months or so.
By the way Kevin, what did you take along to live-blog the Palm Pre purchase?
Traveling light today. Using my first-gen iPhone and brought my Kindle. Tyler brought his 5×5 Rubik’s Cube and entertained the line by completing it in about 8 minutes.
I am 11th in line surfing the web on the Viliv S5 over MiFi. No jkotr readers in line.
I’m riding my bike about 75 miles this morning on a training ride through wild Wyoming. Am stopping every so often and checking your progress and success using my iPod Touch and MiFi. Very little Sprint coverage here so like Germany, we’ll have to wait for gen 2 with Verizon. Good luck J/K! And thanks for updates.
I am in line in Austin TX right now _ #9. Should be another 30 minutes or so!
The two of you are true tech geeks, both standing in line in the early morning hours while blogging away waiting for the Pre. Thats what I call first hand experience.
I’m on a continent that won’t get the Pre officially for a while. Please post a jkOTR review as soon as you can. Thanks. Lanre
Just read (on engadget) that Sprint not going to offer tether option on Pre. How does that affect your opinions (both James and Kevin) about the phone?
Kevin, it would VERY nice to see a tethering option for the Pre (or the iPhone, for that matter). However, it’s not a deterrent for me because I do have a Verizon Wireless Mobile Broadband account & USB adapter. I also pay $10 a month for Boingo Wi-Fi. I was tempted to get the Sprint MiFi with the Pre because you can save $10 a month on the EVDO service. Not sure what I’m doing yet in that regard.
Good luck! Hope the Pre is comming to Norway soon…
I showed up at my Sprint store half an hour early and there were 5 people there, by the time it opened there were maybe ten. I’m glad I didn’t go all out crazy like some.
I’m looking forward to the comparisons to the potentially new iPhone. I am similar to Kevin, as I have the first-gen iPhone. I don’t know if the switch to the Pre and Sprint will be worth it. Enjoy the wait in line, all. Looking forward to the updates.
Aarrrgh! I can’t haz Pre. Wait listing for shipment next week. Grrr. Slow on uptake. Wrong store. Plunging IQ. Oh, no . . . weirdly green with jealousy! Clashes with shirt!
Soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo?
I got me some Pre this morning and getting it set up with email, calendar, all the other Google goodness right now. I picked up the Touchstone of course and I also got a little leather belt case for it.
“got me some Pre” just begs to be a double entendre.
Excellent! MiFi (aka J-Fi) sems so last week!
Worked overnight, left and went directly to the Sprint store. Three people were waiting there. The porting process from AT&T was easy but it was like pulling teeth to get the sales lady to skip the teaching part and just give me the darn thing!
Just couldn’t wait until Monday to see what WWDC unveils eh?
Enjoy the phones guys!
I kept my main phone number with my iPhone for now. I planned to get a new iPhone for coverage purposes anyway, so I didn’t have any reason to wait. Even if I had a reason to wait, I probably wouldn’t have.
Lol, yep, we’ve all had that feeling about a gadget! Isn’t amazing though the power we have in such tiny devices. I remember sending my first text message on a Nokia 5110, only 10 years ago, and thinking how advanced and cutting edge I was.
I must admit I think the induction charging on the Pre is very cool, and look forward to when I can place all my devices on a single, mouse pad size charging mat!
I just got my brand new Palm Pre. Awesome phone, here is my first impression. http://www.icellphonedeals.com/i-have-palm-pre-right-now/
TYPO
Isn’t IT amazing…
Congratulations everyone!!!
Can you confirm shortages of supplies and an overly demand as predicted?
The store I visited, a big Sprint store, said they had 90 units in stock for the launch. There were about 20 people in line.
The rep said a store a mile away, a smaller one, reported 50 people in line and only 20 units in stock.
The store that I went to is a authorized dealer. No long lines. People already called weeks ahead to reserve (not sure they are supposed to do that) them. Anyway, the store had my info ready on a sheet and wrapped it around the Pre box. A Sprint rep was there to check out the scene. Corporate store got longer lines I heard.
It makes me mad that Sprint only allows the Pre with the “Simply Everything” plan. I have been a Sprint customer almost 10 years and I don’t want to change my current plan that includes everything the “Everything” plan has at $40 less a month. Please Sprint, help me out. Besides the Pre, I have no reasons to stay with Sprint, especially with the new iPhone coming out and AT&T’s excellent coverage in Louisiana.
Kebvin and James and other JKOTR readers while I am jealous, (I have an original $30 SERO Plan and will not give it up ) I am happy for you all. Kevin, especially for you, you deserve this. And because I got my S5 viliv yesterday I certainly have a nice toy to play with this weekend anyway. James your opinions and reviews on the viliv are SPOT ON!! Im glad I got this and I am never one to buy brand new, NEVER.
Cantwait to hear from people tht I know and trust as to how the PRE REALLY is .
Congrats to all!!!
Another thought, what happened to the rumour mill where the stores would only have 4-5 units? LOL And no people camping in line? Marketing is an interesting thing, for sure.
I was talking to the manager from Sprint Corporate at the authorized dealer store. He said there would be a new Palm Pre running on 4G in 2010. That requires hardware upgrade, so the current Pre is capable of 3G only. I will definitely upgrade then. Nothing can stop me, unless Apple does something crazy!
I went to Starbucks this morning at 9am, and next door at Sprint there were about 10 people. Inside Starbucks one guys was ripping open the plastic packaging for his Pre.
After about 5 or 10 minutes he was satisfied enough to be able to drive home and look into it more.
At about 10:30 there were about 8 people in lane (I think they were different people), so this store (Palatine, IL) probably had more than just a few Pres.
Have fun with the new toys.
Got mine at a authorized reseller – and I’ll never go back to a Sprint store again (except to use my 25% discount card for a Touchstone). They were very nice and professional and even though my “appointment” was messed up a bit, I was done in 20 minutes after they got to me. They had 20 units and I was #12! I have been at a b-ball tourney all day and have not been able to take it for a full spin, but so far, so good. Very nice little device – I can not see why any one would consider it otherwise (except for iPhone fanboys).
Hey Kevin – it was great being in line with you yesterday. I was #2. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of your posts here on the blog, and spending time today getting to know my new Pre! Cheers!!
Jessica, it was my pleasure! Hope you’re enjoying Pre #2 from the local Sprint store. Reminds me of the Austin Powers movie: “This is my number 2. His name… number 2.”
I’m curious and I’m sure MANY of our readers would love your thoughts on the Pre since you’re coming from a Windows Mobile device with your Sprint Mogul. 
Again, great to meet you! Oh… and thanks for mixing up Tyler’s mega-Rubik’s Cube for him. I didn’t think he could solve that one so quickly!