Palm brings cheaper PDAs to European developers

40% discount moves across Atlantic

By Tony Smith • Get more from this author

Posted in Business, 11th June 2001 09:38 GMT

Exclusive Palm has extended its 40 per cent developer discount on its older PDAs to Europe.

Like the US deal, announced late last month, the UK offer knocks 40 per cent off the retail price of the Palm Vx, IIIc, IIIxe, m100 and m105. Equally, both offers limit developers to three of each PDA. Despite the fact it's taken Palm three weeks to organise the European offer, the closing date remains the same as the one imposed on US buyers: August 31.

Registered developers in the UK can order said machines for £142.47, £142.47, £86.30, £70.98 and £86.30, respectively.

That's excluding UK sales tax (aka VAT), but since developers will claim that back anyway, that's not an issue.

These prices also exclude postage and packaging, something developers won't pay if they go to a retail store. Another good reason for going out and buying machines from the High Street is that it may work out cheaper. We hear Dixons and PC World are both charging Ž (exc. VAT) for the IIIc, matching Palm's price. Dixons is also charging £84.26 (exc. VAT) for the IIIxe, less than Palm's price.

Like the US offer, the European developer discounts are designed to help shift Palm's mountain of unsold PDAs and too boost revenues over the current quarter. Fellow PalmOS PDA maker Handspring recently launched a similar developer-only deal of its own, again to boost sales and shift unsold inventory. ®