I've seriously started tuning out Palm Pre rumors. There just seems to be a new one everyday by all sorts of gossip mongers, predicting this or that. But when the New York Times offers a projection, that's a whole other ball game.



While reporting on a hot summer season of knock-out phones yesterday, the 150-plus-year-old institution suggested the Pre will be launched during the first week of June. Did we all know this? Well, sorta. We sure guessed it could be true. After all, that's just before Apple's WWDC, the highly anticipated event starting on June 8th, when the entire mobile phone industry believes the new iPhone(s) will be unveiled. But there's nothing like having ?The Gray Lady? stand behind it.

In addition, according to the Wall Street Journal, Wal Mart is claiming that the Pre will be heading to its electronics aisle shortly. That's news. The rumor mill pegged Best Buy as the destination. But, as PhoneArena reports, the word ?exclusive? was never used, at least not for big-box retail. As for carriers, the scuttlebutt is that Sprint will be the only U.S. service provider for the device until the end of the year.

But for now, says BoyGenius Report, keep your eyes and ears peeled between June 5th and the 7th. That's when the device will probably (finally) launch.

That is such sweet timing. My birthday's on June 4. Between Apple and Palm, looks like I?m going get some awesome presents in the way of juicy handset debuts.

[The New York Times via BoyGenius Report, The Wall Street Journal via PhoneArena]