Yesterday’s announcement from Apple might’ve damped Palm’s parade, but at least the Pre and exclusive carrier Sprint had a wild weekend. Sprint Nextel says it broke its single day and single weekend sales records thanks to the new smartphone, though it’s not offering specific figures. Analysts guess that between 50,000 and 100,000 Pres were sold. If that’s the case, it’s easy to see why Sprint is staying silent on the numbers: Apple sold one million iPhone 3G phones in its debut weekend. If Palm is really supposed to rival the iPhone, it will probably want to avoid direct sales comparisons. Supply shortages will make it even harder for the Pre to catch up, but a sell-out’s a sell-out, right? [via CNet]

We’ve subsisted on hype long enough. The final details on the Palm Pre have come into view. All we do now is wait for June 6, when you can plunk down $200 (after rebate, natch), sign your soul away in a two-year service agreement with Sprint and raise your new smartphone in triumph. We’ve known the specs for a while now: 3.1-inch 320×480 resolution display, sliding QWERTY keyboard, a 3 megapixel camera with LED flash and 8 GB of built-in flash memory. Palm’s also talking up its WebOS platform, which makes for smooth multitasking between business and entertainment uses. With service plans that mimic those of AT&T and the iPhone — $70 for 450 minutes and so on — will the Pre be able to sway those who haven’t joined the Church of Apple? We’ll see. [Sprint via Crave]

Boost Mobile Service Problems Due to Surprising Growth – Verizon can talk about the strength of its network, and AT&T can peddle its rollover minutes, but in the end, customers are looking for a bargain. That’s why Boost, the prepaid service that’s part of Sprint, is growing on the might of its $50 unlimited phone, text and data plan, even as Sprint itself sheds subscribers.

The average estimate from seven analysts, according to Reuters, puts 180,000 more subscribers over to Boost in the first quarter. Meanwhile, Sprint is expected to lose 1.1 million postpaid subscribers. Overall, Boost is giving hope to the company, with Sprint shares doubling in the first quarter. Boost may not be enough to save the ailing Sprint, but one analyst said it’s at least doing well enough to sell out phones in some areas.

Still, with growth comes the stress of a larger subscriber base, and Boost is feeling it. Users are reporting delays in the delivery of text messages, which can arrive hours late. In denying that the problems point to an underlying issue with the network, a spokesman told the Associated Press that this is, in fact, a matter of growing pains.

“The popularity of Boost Mobile caught us off guard. It overwhelmed our system,” John Votava said, adding that the problems would likely be “much improved” by next week. Hopefully your friends won’t have any troubling finding out Where You At by then. [via AP and Reuters]

Sprint Nextel Chief Executive Dan Hesse may be full of rosy optimism in those commercials, but it’s a little gloomier behind the scenes. The company announced today that it will lay off 8,000 employees, costing $300 million in severance payments and other expenses but ultimately saving $1.2 billion. For the remaining workforce, salaries have been frozen, 401(k) matching is suspended and tuition reimbursement is on hold.

From September 2007 to the same month last year, Sprint lost 3.5 million subscribers, leading some analysts like John Hodulik at UBS to predict the company’s doom. However, a new $50 per month plan for Sprint Nextel’s Boost pre-paid brand could bring in some fresh customers, especially in this economy. “Labor reductions are always the most difficult action to take, but many companies are finding it necessary in this environment,” Hesse said. “Our commitment to quality will not change.” [Associated Press]

The Palm Centro is expected to be released next week in two hot new colors, olive green and vibrant rose. The new Centro’s have twice the storage of the original models and come with Facebook for Palm and Google Maps with the My Location feature. Look for them next week for $79.99 at select retail locations and online November 2nd.  [Palm]

The HTC Touch Diamond is scheduled to be released in not one, not two, but SEVEN colors. The multicolored handsets are currently available in France only and will have a 3.2 megapixel camera, Windows Mobile 6.1, and have the ability to access Sprint TV and the Sprint Music store. US buyers can pick up the phone now from Sprint for $150 after rebate with a 2-year contract. [phoneandphone via Gizmodo]