Palm Treo-650-GSM Review - Introduction

Introduction

Editor Rating: 4.3

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Styling:  4 

Ease of Use:  4 

Display:  5 

Voice Quality:  4 

Battery Life:  4 

Quality/Durability:  5 

A new wave of gadgets commonly referred to as "smartphones" combine the features of cell phones and PDA’s into one device.  The proliferation of the Internet and new wireless networking technologies including 802.11 (“Wi-Fi”), Bluetooth, and High-Speed cellular networks like EDGE, have made Smartphones full-on personal data and communications powerhouses that keep people connected to voice, email, and data networks even when they’re away from the office.

The Treo series from Palm is the most successful line of smartphones to be released in the United States to date.  The Treo 650 combines a cell phone with the flexible power of a Palm-OS PDA, touchscreen navigation with handwriting recognition, and QWERTY thumbboard for advanced email support.  The 650 also features a VGA camera, Bluetooth connectivity, stereo audio support with headphone jack, and an expansion card slot capable of everything from additional memory to GPS connectivity.

All of this pocket power does come with a price, but it’s not all that steep when you think about it.  The Treo 650 is larger and heavy than today’s average cell phone, but at 59mm W x 113mm H x 23mm and 6.3oz it’s really not all that bad.  While the unlocked 650 does sell for $549 direct from Palm, the locked version is commonly available for under $300 when purchased with a service contract; GSM (Cingular, T-Mobile) and CDMA (Sprint, Verizon) versions are available.  It should be noted that a new Windows Mobile-based Treo, the CDMA-only 700w, is also now available.

Treos have become so popular because they do what other smartphones until recently couldn’t quite pull off, combining phone, PDA, and email functionality into a device that’s ergonomically comfortable and easy to use.  The Treo 650 is no exception – this is an awesome device in many ways, and that was clear from the first few moments I spent with one.  Just as quickly, I thought back six years to my aforementioned go-around with PDA’s, and as I set about reviewing the 650, my guiding question quickly turned from, “So how good is the Treo?” to “Is the Treo the right device for me?”

The question is somewhat complicated by the newly emerging breed of smartphones running on Windows Mobile, Symbian, and Linux platforms.  While the Treo is certainly the forerunner for most business-centric users, consumers looking for the ultimate in cutting edge and/or powerful design and features might find the 650 a bit dated in look and feel, citing obvious factors such as a lack of included Wi-Fi support with more individual concerns like the outdated VGA camera, or frustrations in running applications designed for Palm touchscreens on a device that begs for its thumbboard to be used as often as possible.