There seems to be a fire sale going on for the Palm Pre and the Palm Pixi at a number of retail outlets.

The smartphones have received mixed reviews since they were released last year. Verizon Wireless started selling an updated version of the Pre and the Pixi in January, with mediocre results, at best. So Verizon now appears to be making it simpler for third-party resellers to practically give the phones away. Wirefly.com is now offering the Pre for just $40; Amazon.com is doing the same.

You can get the Pixi, while not the phone that the Pre is, at those same outlets for free and 1 cent, respectively. Of course, these prices require a two-year commitment to Verizon Wireless, but if you’re a Palm fan, this is quite a deal.