Palm Pre to be assembled by Chi Mei Communication Systems, fairies

Information about Palm's hotly anticipated Pre just keeps slowly trickling out... today, we hear that Taiwanese OEM Chi Mei Communication Systems will have the honor of assembling the smartphones. The company's not one of the largest out there, but it also manufactures phones for Motorola. This info comes to us courtesy of DigiTimes, so make of it what you will, but they also say that production could begin as early as March. Considering that it's March now, well... we'll just have to wait and see, won't we?

[Via Brighthand]

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 18th 2009 4:51PM]

Has info ever been released on whether or not the pre would be unlocked when it hits GSM areas around the world? I think I read somewhere that it would be locked with a carrier such as verizon but what about the GSM carrier locks?

I have always had fantastically built phones from Motorola. This just makes me want the PRE even more if its going to be built solid.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 18th 2009 4:51PM]

LMAO

so the same company that "built" the RAZR is going to mash this thing together?
get ready for a 20% failure rate within the 1st year!

[Peteman100 Posted Mar 19th 2009 12:47PM]

Which is also the same company who makes the Iphone..... LOLOLOLOLOL??

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 19th 2009 6:02AM]

Actually I looked it up and the Razr has a 18% failure rate over a period of TWO years not one, so that would be a 9% failure rate in the first year. I looked up the failure rate on the Iphone for the first year and it is 5.6%. I have owned a Razr V3 for 2yrs now and it is still working fine even after a few drops. I do acknowledge the failure rate on the Original Razr is above average, I just wanted to get the facts straight.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 18th 2009 8:53PM]

@Murmermer

lol I was thinking the same exact thing! I went through 7 razrs in less then a year. I'll keep my iPhone ;)

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 18th 2009 9:24PM]

isnt Chi Mei one of the companies that we have to thank for the oversaturation of the LCD market with cheap shit inferior TN-Film panels?

[pheer6224 Posted Mar 18th 2009 11:10PM]

Whatever, I'm just psyched for WebOS and a smaller Treo. Plus, considering all the shit my 650 took, (two loads of laundry & a motorcycle tire w/o breaking) I've come to trust palm's judgment when it comes to hardware, so I wouldn't worry too much yet.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 19th 2009 9:27AM]

I know the article mentioned Motorola phones but did that include the Motorola Q or Q9? I know a few people who love their Q9 devices.

[Wobbly Posted Mar 19th 2009 10:09AM]

No sir, not the Q series. Chi Mei is responsible for some pretty horrible Moto equipment over the years. Look up the MPx220 or it's ill-fated successor (the MPx or MPx300 depending on who you ask). Those phones were horrible, but I hope for Palm's sake that Chi Mei has improved.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 19th 2009 10:06AM]

Razr software is crap, not the phone build itself. Psyched about the Pre!!!! Let's get this production started already!!!!!!!!!!

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 19th 2009 10:33AM]

I take it you've never owned a razr? Because if you had, you would know that it wasn't the software. The razy had pretty much the same crap OS this it has been running for years. The problems (atleast mine) was hardware wise: key pad buzzing when lit up, ear piece sounded like creap, I had a keypad break once, the casing was splitting by the usb port... the list could go on. But lets hope Chi Mei has stepped up their game, otherwise, your Pre is going to last a month or two until it falls apart.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 19th 2009 10:36AM]

Crap*

Sorry, not enough coffee yet this morning ;)

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 19th 2009 12:20PM]

Crap! :(

Well I hope Chi Mei has stepped up their production quality or at least Palm to inspect a few random models before they go out.