Canadian wireless carrier Bell announced on Tuesday that it was set to launch the highly anticipated Palm Pre smartphone, which would become available for purchase on its airwaves starting with August 27. At the same time, the operator also announced that, as of August 4, its subscribers were also offered the possibility to order a Palm Pre in advance, both online via its website and at Bell stores or selected Bell retail partners.

The new Palm Pre, the company adds, will feature a price tag of $199.95 upon the signing of a three-year contract, but users can also purchase it free of contract, for $599.95. A wide range of voice and data plans are available for Bell's customers, including Smartphone Combos that provide unlimited Internet browsing, personal email, text messaging and Windows Live Messenger. The Pre runs under Palm's WebOS platform and comes with integration of the most popular social networking tools.

“We're very excited to bring the revolutionary Palm Pre and the Palm webOS mobile platform to Canadians exclusively on Bell's national wireless network - the largest high-speed 3G network in Canada,” said Wade Oosterman, president of Bell Mobility and chief brand officer for Bell. “Considering the highly successful US introduction of the Palm Pre by Sprint in June and fast-growing Palm Pre buzz among Canadian mobile users, Bell and our retail partners are preparing for high demand for this breakthrough phone.”

According to the wireless carrier, a large number of users already announced their interest in the Palm Pre, following the company's official announcement that it would have the smartphone exclusively in Canada. As such, the company decided to make the handset available for pre-order on its site, at Bell stores and at Bell retail partners, including Best Buy, Future Shop, The Telephone Booth/La Cabine Téléphonique, WIRELESS etc. and Wireless Wave.

The webOS platform on the Pre will offer users the possibility to enjoy multitasking, while moving easily between the applications they run simultaneously. “Palm is creating a new measure of simplicity and usefulness that is changing how people look at smartphones,” said Katie Mitic, senior vice president, Product Marketing, Palm, Inc. “It's a new experience to access and connect the related but often decentralized information in your life, and we're eager to share the Palm experience with Canada through Bell Mobility.”