Palm Closing Retail Stores: About Time

Has-been smartphone maker Palm is closing all but one of its 31 retail stores, the San Jose Mercury News reports.

Smart, belated, move: We can't think of any other handset maker besides Apple that should operate its own retail stores in the U.S. That's because Americans buy almost all of their phones through the big carriers, who subsidize the handsets, price service plans, and offer most customer support.

That could conceivably change down the line, if carriers like Verizon Wireless offer truly "open" access, but we don't see that happening soon.

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