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Handspring Shows Treo 600 Smartphone at CeBIT
securitas writes "Handspring unveiled its final product before being acquired by Palm: the Treo 600. It runs Palm OS 5.2 on a Texas Instruments ARM processor with 32MB of RAM, has a 160 x 160 color display, comes in GSM and CDMA versions, includes a digital camera plus various camera applications and supports Good Technology's Goodlink e-mail software, competition to RIM's BlackBerry. Of course it also comes with a keyboard, SMS capability, MP3 player, Web browser and Secure Digital/MMC memory-card expansion slot. Measuring 4.41 inches x 2.26 inches x 0.87 (LxWxD) and weighing about 6 ounces, analysts say that the Treo 600 is what clinched Palm's takeover of Handspring. The only problem that they forsee is a seriously crowded market for PDA/mobile phone combinations. Availability for the Treo 600 is this fall. Images at eWeek, SFGate or Reuters. Streaming movies from Handspring (QuickTime dial-up 56k| QuickTime dsl/cable 300k)." Reader Michael Ducker points out this longer article at TreoCentral as well.
I do like the idea of a threaded SMS client (IM style). Looks interesting ... a step in the right direction however, what about Bluetooth? Wi-Fi?
KARMA TAG! You're it.
This comment really applies to the US market mostly:
As a frustrated user of PDA/Phone combos, one thing that is missing from many of these is AMPS (old fashioned US analog service). This means that there are big gaps out in the sticks where no service is available. It also means that it is more difficult to roam with data service, since analog provides a universal carrier for analog cell phone modems while they don't work with digital unless you have digital data service with them.
I live in Phoenix, AZ. We have plenty of service here, but if I drive in any direction from here for more than 30 miles, I am in nowhere land (except along the interstate highways). I don't want to lose cell service there. Furthermore, during my annual storm chasing vacation in the midwest, the situation is even worse.
The other Treo's do not have analog service as far as I can tell. This one doesn't have enough info to tell.
Naturally, this is also a good place to rant about US cellular service provider issues in general. Buy your Treo and you probably have to get it from a service provider. Just taking one to a compatible service provider will, if my experience is any guide, get you the answer that "we only support phones that you buy from us."
Not "we only support the kind of phones that we sell" but "you have to buy the phone from us or screw you."
Sigh.
I am almost ready to give up, buy a little palm that is not a cell phone, and go with the flow and buy stupid little cell phones separately - carrying two around (as opposed to my current Kyocera 6035 Palm/CDMA cell phone).
The only good weather is bad weather.
I can't seem to find any indication of when OS 4.1.2 will be released; now that the Tungsten C, with OS 5.2 and the new Graffiti, is out, you'd think it would be soon. Does anyone know anything more?
Well, according to Brighthand.com, "Handspring says it was successful at creating a keyboard for the Treo 600 that makes dialing the phone and sending messages and email easier than before, even with the significantly reduced size of the product. Each key on the Treo 600 has a dome shape that gives it more surface area than those on existing Treos, and letters and numbers have been enlarged for better readability. In user testing for speed and accuracy, the Treo 600 performed on par with RIM's Blackberry keyboard and significantly faster than Graffiti and T-9, the text input method found in most mobile phones. "
I think I'll give them a try before I say they're too small.
-- derby
I haven't been able to determine whether or not this unit allows use of an external folding keyboard. The two reasons I haven't bought the 280 is lack of an expansion slot and inability to use the external keyboard. At least one of those problems goes away with the 600.
With the keyboard, this unit comes very close to my ideal handheld computer. Taking notes in meetings, coding html, reading email and web browsing are what I use the computer for about 90 percent of the time. With this unit I can get rid of my Pocketmail device that I've used to check email remotely for about 4 years. I can also ditch my cell phone.
I just hope their release date doesn't suffer from oqoitis...
The caveats:
Display: 160x160 is not only "old school", it's will eventually disappear, as more and more palm apps are writting to the 320x320 that's the standard for newer units.
Memory: 32Mb. Why manufacturers are still shipping these tiny amounts of memory ( and then taking even some of that away for "scratch space" or "auxiliary application space" in some cases ), is beyond me. The prices of RAM have dropped incredibly, and why on a unit that's listing for $500, 32Mb sounds kinda chincy.
Processor: Since the article didn't specify WHICH TI ARM processor, I'll make this tentative statement. Shipping a next-gen system with the OMAP processor at 144Mhz is ridiculous. The Samsung will come with a 300Mhz XScale.
About the one thing that sets it apart feature-wise, is the built-in keyboard. Then again, the keys are so small, that they look like chiclet keys.
I sure hope that if Palm is going to get into the SmartPhone business directly ( or indirectly through HandSpring ), that they SERIOUSLY look to compete.
Everytime there is any story about some new cell phone, someone has to say something along the lines of "How about you just get me better reception?" or "How about one that can get and keep a connection reliably?". Then, of course, that message must be modded up as "Insightful".
Is there some sort of Slashdot Book of Laws that dictates that these things must happen? Or does everyone just have a short-term memory loss problem?
Forget the whales - save the babies.
The one thing that i really loathe about these spiffy PDA phones with integrated keyboard is that you have all these buttons WHICH ARE TOTALLY EXPOSED. This means, as big as the unit is already, it's going to get about 1.5 times BIGGER with a leather holster case (I don't do those stupid looking soft leather / see through plastic cases that you clip on to your belt)
Sharp had an excellent idea with their keyboard cover, even something as simple as Sony's on the SJ-33, hard plastic cover, I can hold the entire PDA in my pants without a case, and not worry about the screen.
Am I the only one who likes this thing?
I have a hand-me-down Samsung I300, which I really like. The only thing I would change would be to add a keyboard (and do something about the insanely short battery life). I really like having an integrated phone/PDA- I really don't need yet another thingy that needs synching.
So the Treo looks great to me. Yeah, it doesn't have a lot of memory, and the 160x160 is a little weak, but it looks like a well-balanced compromise between size and functionality (and yes, I have smallish fingers).
Simple Unexpected Concrete Credible Emotional Stories
Contrary to the comment, it is unlikely that this device will support Goodlink upon its release.
While Good does an excellent job of hyping its product, they have yet to release a client for anything but the Good G100, the RIM 950 and 957. When they do, it will be release for the PalmOS in general, so naturally it would be supported with this device.
There is no announced release date for this client.
In fact, it seems just as likely that RIM will release a version of the Treo 600 with BlackBerry service on it, as RIM and PalmSource have also announced a deal.
Despite its fancy new features, I wasn't even considering upgrading to a Treo 600 until I noticed the dedicated Home key on the keyboard. This feature alone, believe it or not, might be the one reason I need to upgrade.
There is one oft-overlooked advantage to these 'big' PDA phones... the batteries. (Except for the inexplicable negative-charge the original Treo's had.)
I've been using the Kyocera 6035 for about a year and half. It was $19 after rebates and with a service plan. Make no mistake... This thing is big. It is also tough. And -- the battery is amazing! I charge this thing maybe once week. I think it actually gets better battery life than is advertised.
Sure, you all take your small, sexy 'portable' phones. But understand that there is a select group of people out there whose minds don't register the phrase 'I have to go, my phone is almost dead'.