Sprint puts a vacation blackout on May -- Palm Pre launch likely?

Well, we're circling in, folks. Hot on the heels of learning that Sprint employees have the Palm Pre in hand for training, there's word from all sides that Sprint has put a vacation blackout on the month of May for retail employees, which would seem to imply that the Pre will be launched sometime in there. We saw similar vacation freezes on AT&T's end for both iPhone launches, and those ended up fairly accurate. We haven't seen this memo personally, or threatened any Sprint employees for confirmation with shivs fashioned out of Samsung Instincts yet, so we'll keep an eye out for any other information to confirm or deny. Meanwhile, check out this Pre holster!

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[Stryker412 Posted Apr 10th 2009 5:21PM]

Any word yet on how long Sprint's exclusive contract is for? I'd like to get one on Verizon.

[COCOViper Posted Apr 10th 2009 5:41PM]

I believe the official word is Sprint has 1 year of exclusivity with options to extend further.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 10th 2009 5:52PM]

I believe it's supposed to be until the end of 2009.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 10th 2009 6:04PM]

Sprint has an exlusive for 180 days...should they meet certain sales #'s it will be exclusive for at least 1 year. It will NOT be released on AT&T or T-mobile ever. There will be 2 other devices that run webOS launched on Sprint as exclusives as well, include the Centro 2, which will run Webos.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 10th 2009 6:52PM]

Where did you hear about these two other web os devices???? can you tell us some more? When are they coming out? Please!

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 11th 2009 9:22AM]

Bestbuy and Sprint Stores will also have it exclusively. RadioShack or anyone else who sells Sprint will not have it the first 60 days.

[metric Posted Apr 10th 2009 9:33PM]

So this is not quad band 3G right? Pretty sure Sprint sucks in my area.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 12th 2009 1:34AM]

Unfortunately, Sprint sucks in a lot of areas.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 10th 2009 10:09PM]

Just left a Sprint store, and the employee said "early summer", no sooner! Early summer as in June!! I left depressed.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 10th 2009 11:11PM]

I work for Sprint and they actually blacked out May AND June. All the info we've gotten is that it is STILL coming out in June. And as for the comment on we have them in store and are training, that is completely untrue. I work in the midwest market and NOBODY has one. So that news is completely false.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 11th 2009 2:46PM]

Mr. cocoviper-

that handle is known to sprint folks. i'd recommend getting another one so as not to jeopardize your employment. better yet, don't leak information, and don't be a schmuck.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 11th 2009 10:35PM]

I'm getting kind of scared for the Pre.
I went to a Sprint store and talked to one of the reps,
and they told me that it will be out in
LATE JUNE.
And most likely potential buyers will be swayed
to the iPhone 2009 if it's any good.

Palm, get this thing out ASAP.
We consumers want it, before Apple catches us again.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 13th 2009 12:20PM]

I wonder if any Sprint stores are hiring for temp workers. There's going to be a *lot* of money made by sales reps the month of and the month after.