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PalmOne leaks LifeDrive pic ahead of launch

Exclusive PalmOne confirmed the existence of the LifeDrive Mobile Manager today, when it inadvertently included the new PDA on its web site ahead of the product's formal launch.

A number of readers alerted us when the LifeDrive cropped up on PalmOne's online store on the special offers page. The one-off deal touts free overnight shipping with every LifeDrive order. Alas, clicking on the View LifeDrive link brought up instead information about the Tungsten E2.

However, the unit is there on the special offers page in all its silvery-hued glory, albeit in a reduced, thumbnail form. In case PalmOne pulls it, here is how it looked when we took a peek earlier today.

When Amazon.co.uk posted a page on the product a few weeks ago, it listed 18 May as the LifeDrive's ship date. That's tomorrow, and it's likely the special offer slipped through as PalmOne's webmasters prepared to update the site for tomorrow's launch, which has since been confirmed by sources close to the PDA maker.

Last week, US paper Laptop Magazine the LifeDrive will indeed sport a 4GB hard drive, boast a 320 x 480 LCD, run Palm OS 5.4 'Garnet' on a 416MHz Intel XScale processor, and provide both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi wireless connectivity. The magazine said the device will weigh 193g (6.8oz) and measure 11.8 x 7 x 1.9cm - so it's no iPod. It also confirmed Amazon.com's leaked price-point: the LifeDrive will retail for $500.

PalmOne applied for the LifeDrive trademark back in August 2004.

This story copyright The Register