Peek, mobile email for the masses
Sometimes an idea comes along that’s just so good you wish “why didn’t I think of that”
Flip was one of those, as was Kindle now I think they will be joined by Peek
Numbers wise there is an issue with mobile email, lots of people don’t want the complicated Windows Mobile or Blackberry based devices, they just want to be able to pick up their personal email without getting a new number and I think Peek fills this gap.
Peek goes on sale today at Target stores and online at getpeek for $100 with a monthly service fee of $19.95.
Analyst Gerry Purdy of Frost & Sullivan there are 264 million cell phone subscribers in the United States. But only 15 million of them are using their cell phone to access their e-mail.
This is a huge imbalance and certainly shows a market for Peek. I have put an email into them regarding international plans and am awaiting a response.
The monthly fee is much too expensive. The bandwith should be included in the sale price like Kindle does. I pay about €1 per month to check my emails on the phone via IMAP.
Peek’s monthly price is a no go.
I know that they are aiming at the non-tech community. But these people are even more price sensitite because they aren’t so addicted to emails.
Interesting product.
I’m not convinced for the rest of the world outside of the US though.
Another device to carry around, it just does your personal email and nothing else.
Surely personal email is solved on your existing mobile device. gmail, facebook, yahoo, twitter not so sure about hotmail? either an app on the phone or mobile web access to your mail.
looks a lot like the original blackberry service before that got integrated with voice.
if they are really interested in ‘the rest who do not have have mobile email’ they should really offer a prepaid option that allows cash payment. currently you must register a credit card for recurring monthly payments.
If they want to hit the masses, they need to integrate a QWERTY keyboard into this. But I love the idea and hope they nail the pricing and do well. As you say, it’s a ripe, ignored market out there for this kind of thing.
It’s been pointed out to me that this IS a QWERTY keyboard. So that’s it – world domination belongs to Peek.
i am curious about something. anyone know if these have SIM cards in them? if so could be fun to see what happens if you put another data enabled GSM card inside.
Now you’re thinking
only one more step and you will say eureka, MAXroam
i went to my local target and picked one up; will probably turn into gift for one of my email addicted non-tech oriented relatives. nice, simple, but limited. seems all mails are moved via peek’s servers. there is about a five to ten minute delay meaning this is not an effective back and forth email thread device. I also see no reason why IM should no t be included in an update. also would be very nice to be able to enter any POP3 email setting. as it is they only support the major free providers(gmail, yahoo, hotmail, etc.).
there is a t-mobile SIM card hidden under a stick with a warning not to remove(peeling back the sticker apparently voids the warranty. due to the fact that emails are routed through the peek servers changing SIM’s would not likely be a possible way to avoid the $20 monthly fee; it also makes possible the chance that it may work with another data enabled SIM if a regular TCP/IP connection is used and there is no authentication of the SIM in place. that could be useful for international travel. will be trying some SIM swaps soon.