Palm: Discussions Of Tethering Pre Will Upset Sprint
Palm cautioned developers on the Pre Dev Wiki to put a stop to all conversations that might imply the Pre could be or would be used for tethering -- connecting one device with no Internet connection via another device that can connect to the Internet.
In an effort to retain goodwill with Palm, the owners of the Pre Dev Wiki are curbing all discussion groups and IRC channels related to tethering via the Pre as long as Sprint remains Palm's exclusive carrier. Palm itself has no objection to Pre being used for tethering.
"We have been politely cautioned by Palm that any discussion of tethering during the Sprint exclusivity period (and perhaps beyond -- we don't know yet) will probably cause Sprint to complain to Palm, and if that happened then Palm would be forced to react against the people running the IRC channel and this wiki," according to the Pre Dev Wiki posting.
Although tethering via the Pre is permitted under Palm's terms of service agreements, Sprint does not have a service plan that allows people to access the Internet via the smartphone. Subsequently, the locked Palm Pre can only install applications signed by Palm.
Pre Dev Wiki bloggers, however, hinted that they might once again allow tethering discussions should there be a version of the Pre available for a carrier that allows tethering.
"Once there is a version of the Pre available for a carrier that does allow tethering, or an unlocked GSM version, then we may be able to change this policy," a notice published on the blog said.