Yep, the $149 and $99 two-year contract prices for the Verizon Wireless versions of Palm’s Pre and Pixi touchscreen phones are the same as they are on Sprint. That said, the Pre Plus and Pixi Plus each come with support for a killer new feature: the ability to turn either handset into a wireless hotspot. Hands-on impressions ahead.

Set for release January 25—next Monday—on Verizon, the Pre Plus and Pixi Plus (announced earlier this month at CES in Las Vegas) are virtually identical to the original Pre and Pixi on Sprint, right down to the $100 mail-in rebates you’ll need to send (via snail-mail, of course) to get the $149 and $99 two-year contract prices.

There are a few key differences, though, ranging from the cosmetic (no more physical trackballs, keys that have a little more “click” than they did before) to the internal (the Pre Plus comes with 16GB of built-in flash storage, versus just 8GB for Sprint’s Pre).

One of the coolest features for the new phones, however, is actually an app that’ll only be available for Verizon Wireless subscribers (at least initially, anyway): Palm Mobile Hotspot, which turns your Pre Plus or Pixi Plus into a portable Wi-Fi access point, à la Novatel’s credit card-sized MiFi.

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Add new tag · Hotspot · Novatel · Novatel Wireless · Pixi Plus · Pre Plus · Sprint · Verizon Wireless · Wi-Fi

Palm have announced the Pre Plus and Pixi Plus, and as expected they’re headed to Verizon Wireless. The Palm Pre Plus doubles memory to 16GB and drops the navigation button, while the Pixi Plus gets the WiFi that was missing from the Sprint Pixi. Meanwhile both Verizon handsets will get a new 3G mobile hotspot application that, like a MiFi, will allow users to share their EVDO Rev.A connection with up to five connected WiFi clients.

Both new Verizon handsets will arrive on the market on January 25th.

Source: Slash Gear.

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• Verizon-bound Palm Pre Plus and Pixi Plus specs leaked (engadget.com)

3G · Add new tag · Novatel Wireless · Palm Pre Plus · PalmPre · pixi · Sprint · Verizon Wireless · Wi-Fi

The biggest news coming from Palm at CES is that it will be offering two new(ish) devices exclusively from Verizon Wireless. The Pre Plus and Pixi Plus bring new features to each device plus a cool mobile hotspot application.

Both of these revised devices will be available from Verizon Wireless on January 25. Pricing was not disclosed.

The Pre Plus differs from the original in that it has a redesigned exterior, improved navigation, two times the storage (16GB), and it will now ship with a Touchstone-compatible back cover.

The Pixi Plus now includes Wi-Fi, which was not previously available on the Sprint version.

Both devices will have a new application exclusive to Verizon which turns them into mobile hotspots. Similar to a Novatel MiFi, it uses Verizon’s 3G network to connect to the Internet. It will then allow up to five other devices to tether via Wi-Fi for Internet access.

Read the full story on InformationWeek.

Add new tag · Consumer Electronics Show · Novatel Wireless · pixi · Pixi Plus · Sprint · VerizonWireless · Wi-Fi · Wireless