Are you wondering how Palm came up with the name for the upcoming Palm Pre smartphone? They hired a corporate branding agency. That agency, Catchword, has posted a new case study on how it came up with the name and branding ideas behind Palm Pre. Palm hired the firm to "reclaim their brand luster." Did they accomplish their job? Time will tell.

"The creative exploration was mammoth. Yet after developing many thousands of names (and screening hundreds for legal snags and global suitability) the answer was almost elemental in its simplicity.

The Palm Prē. Refreshingly direct, unlike many of its hipper-than-thou competitors that take themselves way too seriously. The name Prē also subtly conveys the device's ability to predict its user's movements. And we like the fluid alliteration and upscale tonality (reminiscent of Grand Prix). An added bonus: the Prē links naturally to its sibling, the Trēo, both aurally and visually (with the long bar over the "e"). "