O2 today finally committed to specific dates for launching the Palm Pre in Europe. The multi-touch smartphone should ship in the UK and Ireland on October 16th and Germany on October 13th. While prices vary by area, UK pricing notably matches the iPhone's and will give the phone away for free on any voice/data plan, which starts from £34 a month. Those who prefer shorter 18-month contracts can get the phone for free with a £44 or £73 monthly rate.
