Palm cuts developer PDA prices by up to 40%

Palm is attempting to clear its huge inventory of unsold PDAs by flogging them off at a huge discount to developers, according to an email seen by The Register.

Devices are available for up to 40 per cent off their standard price.

Of course, the PDA pioneer spins it as a "thank you" for all those applications third-party coders have come up with, but since the offer doesn't extend to Palm's new m500 and m505 models, it's seems pretty clear to us that the company has an ulterior motive. Certainly, those machines, with their SDMC add-in slot, new peripheral connector and other refinements, will be high on developers' shopping lists - higher, at any rate, than the older PDAs.

The discounts are significant. The IIIc, Vx and VIIx are all available at 40 per cent off, while the consumer-oriented m100 and m105 have had 35 per cent knocked off their retail price.

Still, Palm doesn't want to lose too much money on the deal - the offer ends on 31 August and is limited to three machines per developer.

Oh, and non-US developers can pretty much get stuffed, as far as Palm is concerned, it seems. Says the rather po-faced Palm Developer Web site: "Palm, Inc. currently does not have a hardware discount program for our International Palm Alliance Members."

But what else can Palm do to erode the unsold PDA mountain? Our suggestions, culled from a brainstorming meeting in our palatial executive boardroom.... er... lounge bar at the Old Monk include:

• The construction of a 9km-high wall around Washington, DC to protect the city from ballistic missile attack.
• 
  
• Fuel for the new power plants California so desperately needs.
• 
  
• Anti-flooding construction material (applicable to US and UK markets...)
• 
  
• Seeded in the upper atmosphere to block harmful UV radiation and thus patch the Ozone Layer. ®