Verizon: Free Mobile Hotspot for Palm Pre, Pixi!
Like a handful of other smartphones, Verizon's Palm Pre Plus and Palm Pixi Plus can double as broadband modems and Wi-Fi hotspots, delivering wireless 3G goodness to up to three other devices.
Of course, Verizon being Verizon, you had to pay an extra $40 per month for this Mobile Hotspot privilege. Well, it may be April 1, but this is no joke: The cost of Mobile Hotspot for the Pre Plus and Pixi Plus is now zero. And not just for new customers, but for existing customers as well. Here's the official word from Verizon:
Customers who purchase or upgrade to a Palm Pre and Palm Pixi will get the Mobile Hotspot for free. Existing customers who already have the service will find charges on their next bill will be $0.00.
If you are a new (or prospective) customer, there's more good news: Verizon also dropped the prices on the phones themselves, with the Pre Plus and Pixi Plus now selling for $49.99 and $29.99, respectively (with a two-year contract, of course). Oh, and for each model there's a buy-one-get-one-free offer!
Those are mighty attractive prices, but the free Mobile Hotspot? That's huge. Think of it: Your phone can serve up 3G-powered Wi-Fi to your laptop. Your netbook. Your iPad. All at the same time. And it won't cost you an extra penny per month.
Yes, Palm is on the ropes. And, yes, the Pre hasn't exactly set the world on fire. But as the co-author of a mighty fine book about the Pre, I can tell you that as smartphones go, it's a champ. And free Mobile Hotspot is, IMHO, a game-changer. Definitely something to think about. [via Engadget]