Palm Pre UK Release Date Rumors: Late October?

So file this one under "unsubstantiated yet hopeful speculation." The current rumor making the rounds is that the Pre will hit O2 in the UK on October 30th.  We'd actually heard the same from an anonymous O2 employee and though we had little reason to doubt it, it made us so giddy to think that the previous "sometime before Christmas" estimate was incorrect that it seemed too good to be true.

We also know that Palm's strategy for releasing the GSM version of the Pre to Telefonica's carrier group will be like their strategy for the US release and for bringing the App Catalog out of Beta: the same "when it's ready," methodical approach.

Well one of our readers, Andrew, saw the same rumors and decided to do some digging at his local O2 store.  Initially mum, they opened up a bit when he revealed just how many Pre phones he intended on buying - on the DL, the manager told him "Late October."

Assuming this is true, there are three big questions left: Price, whether the radio bands will be US-friendly, and whether or not Palm will go do Apple-like lengths to keep the phone from being unlocked for US use. 

Here's a fourth question: How many folks out there are waiting for the Pre to hit another carrier to buy one?

Thanks Anonymous and Andrew!