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Examining the Treo 650 Smartphone

aws910 writes "Many sites are reporting on the upcoming PalmOne Treo 650. According to MobileMag, 'The 650 will have a 1.3MP digital camera, bluetooth, higher resolution screen, backlight keyboard and voice recording. The processor will be a speedy 312MHz with 32MB of RAM, and of course an SD memory slot for expandable storage. No timeframe or price is known.' Some of the forums at other sites are reporting around 2 months as the timeframe for release. A good summary of the new device can be found here. More gossip can be found on the forum here." Gizmodo and Endgadget have pictures as well.

28 of 212 comments (clear)

  1. Sexy! by ghettoboy22 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Of course all it needs now is the obligatory built-in Wifi and you'll be set. EvDO provider support would be a major boon as well. I think Palm should also look at a design with the camera in the front (hello mobile video conferencing!!!!!).

    Anyone remember the Smartphones from Earth Final Conflict?!

    1. Re:Sexy! by Kenja · · Score: 3, Funny

      Taking candid shots down the blouse of the woman next to you on the train is, unfortunately, a larger market demographic then video phones.

      --

      "Have you ever thought about just turning off the TV, sitting down with your kids, and hitting them?"
  2. Should have expected this by DarthBart · · Score: 4, Funny

    I just bought a Treo 600.

    1. Re:Should have expected this by identity0 · · Score: 3, Funny

      Quick, buy a new iBook so they come out with a better model!

  3. Phone as a PDA acessory by erotic_pie · · Score: 5, Funny

    How long will it be beofre phones are touted as add ons to PDA's instead of PDA fuctions on a phone

  4. Competitive Analysis by daviddennis · · Score: 5, Informative

    Okay, fans, how does this compare to the T-Mobile Sidekick or RIM Blackberry?

    I've had a Sidekick for some time, and the snap-out keyboard is a next to ideal form factor for Internet and email use, since it lets you type things with surprising speed on a screen that's actually a usable size.

    My impression is that both the Treo and Blackberry have much smaller keyboards and displays, so they'd be a lot harder to type on. Because of that, I think the Sidekick is nearly ideal, and the just-introduced Sidekick II (available in roughly the same timeframe as this Treo) matches or beats most of the features I'm reading about.

    Are there any phones out that would let you connect your laptop through WiFi? THAT would be a cool feature since you wouldn't have to worry about tiresome wires or even drivers on the laptop side.

    Thoughts?

    D

    1. Re:Competitive Analysis by foxtrot · · Score: 3, Informative

      I currently carry a 'blueberry'-- the RIM 7280. The keyboard's not that bad until you try to use the thing as your UNIX terminal and have to type characters like ~ and |. (It's still better than nothing).

      I find the 7280 makes a neat toy, a passable handheld, and a lousy phone. On the other hand, some of my cow-orkers have Treo 600s and have had what seems to be an overly large number of hardware issues. Otherwise they seem to like them.

      I like the idea of the Treo 650, and may switch when it comes out. The RIM 7280 really needs a bigger screen with more resolution.

      -JDF

    2. Re:Competitive Analysis by agtwilight · · Score: 3, Informative

      You can buy a piece of 3rd part software called pdanet - lets you have the IP stack on your laptop via the USB cable - works good - using it on a Treo 600 daily.

      Works great in those lame places that try to charge for WiFi access heh.

    3. Re:Competitive Analysis by zephiros · · Score: 5, Informative
      I can't speak for the Blackberry or Sidekick, but I own a Treo 600, and am fairly pleased with it. Once you add enough software, it's a pretty complete device. After ferreting out the right apps, I now can: PdaNet in particular is killer if you have a laptop handy, but no internet access. I get about 144k down via Sprint PCS, which isn't screaming, but it's adequate for browsing and downloading small files.
    4. Re:Competitive Analysis by foxtrot · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Sort of. Yes, you could remap the console-- but then you'd have to do away with one of the other keys that's also handy to have. Doing Unixy things on thumboards is always likely to be a problem-- the reduced size means a) you can only fit so many keys on the unit, and b) you can only get so many labels on a given key. (and you can't expect people to chord stuff when they can't see what they're doing...)

      My Blueberry has room for only 34 keys-- note that's not even one for every letter and number. :-/ You can do some fun stuff on the remote end to effectively get back ~, but you'd have to give up, say, # to get it.

      -JDF

      -JDF

    5. Re:Competitive Analysis by Tal0n · · Score: 3, Informative

      What kind of hardware issues? I use (and develop for ) at Treo 600 regularly, and while I don't particularily like the device itself (ugly screen, terrible keyboard, phone a bit annoying to use), overall it's not a bad device. In the past I did have some connectivity and stabiliy issues, but the latest ROM update seemed to fix most of the problems. If your cow-workers haven't done upgraded the ROM, the might try that. It's nice to see that palm is trying to address the major week points of this device....

  5. Old and Grumpy by Doesn't_Comment_Code · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I feel like I'm getting really old, and I'm only in my 20s. This little palm thing, or pda (or whatever the kids are calling them these days) has way more power than my first computer.

    I remember playing games on my Apple IIgs. Man was that baby sweet! And I remember when I got a 300MHz computer and everyone thought that was the greatest thing ever! Wow, do you think they'll ever make a 400MHz cpu? Can you even imagine how fast that would be?

    --

    Slashdot Syndrome: the sudden, extreme urge to correct someone in order to validate one's self.
    1. Re:Old and Grumpy by savagedome · · Score: 5, Funny

      We need nostalgic mod points

      *tears in eyes*

  6. All very good but.... by leathered · · Score: 4, Insightful

    ..will it survive a 40 degree cotton program with fast spin?

    Sadly no phone I've owned has passed the test.

    --
    For all intensive porpoises your a bunch of rediculous loosers
    1. Re:All very good but.... by gekkotron · · Score: 3, Informative

      I assume this is a clothes washing/drying reference.

      If so, my Kyocera 5135 passes that test.

      It went through the washer and dryer two weeks after I first got it. I was certain it was ruined, but pulled the battery out and let it air dry overnight. Next morning I plugged it in to charge and it worked. Still works fine a year later.

  7. Please reference true source! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    This information and the photos were originally published on TreoCentral.com by WeeBitObessed.

    All these other site copied it, and none cited the source inline (MobileMag's source link does go to TC, but not the thread).

    Although this is AC, please mod up, as people should know where things are sourced in fair manner instead of passing themselves off as the source.

  8. Optional accessories by FlimFlamboyant · · Score: 3, Funny

    ... A 15 pound backpack, carrying a 12V battery that will allow you to use all of these wonderful features for more than 15 minutes at a time!

    --
    But God demonstrates his love for us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us - (Romans 5:8)
  9. Good, but... by StevenHenderson · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Finally, a high-res color screen. This will make wireless web surfing bearable. On a low-res screen it was basically worthless.

    However, the inclusion of a camera continues to be a deterrant to some corporate customers. No matter how much I like this, I cannot have a camera or photo equipment in my office, so I could never get one. I'd imagine in this age of security, I am not the only one. I guess we'll have to wait for the non-cam model just like they did with the 600. Why don't they have a Treo 650-NC for ~$50 cheaper right off the bat?

    1. Re:Good, but... by gamgee5273 · · Score: 3, Interesting
      I will say one thing about camera phones:

      When you and your wife are rear-ended in a four-car collision on the interstate because the driver of a Jaguar wasn't paying attention the camera becomes VERY useful at that point.

      Before that happened, I agreed with you. Now that it happened, I think every phone should have a camera.

  10. I take it all back! by chadwbennett · · Score: 5, Funny
    I previously said that it was about time that someone sells the whole shabang but I was wrong. This doesnt have it all.
    The whole shabang
    a cellphone with these features
    -has a digital camera (atleast 3 megapixels)
    -works as a pda
    -bluetooth
    -20 Gig hardrive (minimum) for music and other stuff
    -and wipes my booty (not required)

    this is my ultimate one, It is pretty much an IPOD made into a phone/pda/camera/toiletpaper :) If anyone has seen this one tell me about it and I will buy it.

    It's for real. I normally don't go for these things but...Free ipods (click here to get yours) .

    1. Re:I take it all back! by Lumpy · · Score: 3, Insightful

      -has a digital camera (atleast 3 megapixels)

      I dont care if it has a 100 megapixel camera in it. if it does not have good glass lenses and OPTICAL ZOOM it will still suck.

      i have yet to find any camera phone that can take a photo anywhere as good as my 4 year old Canon A20 2 megapixel digital camera. Most 3 megapixel cameras cant touch it.

      also a 20 gig hard drive is pretty dumb idea. make it a solid state drive to survive daily torture a phone get's. ipod's are very delicately handled compared to how phones are handled.

      If they make the device correctly with bluetooth then your bluetooth storage drive in your pocket full of music, photos and the last episode of friends that you simply love to watch over and over again on your train ride into work every morning?? THAT is a great device.

      but having a phone that will access a General pourpose storage device and play open media formats?? are you nuts??

      Cellphone companies love their "special" formats and the fact you have to use phone minutes to send your photos. (very few phones will store to a sd card)

      let's get a phone that is designed WITHOUT any of the cellular companies having their fingers in it.

      --
      Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
  11. But will it work with Linux? by HRbnjR · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I just bought a Kyocera 7135 because it has recently been made to work with Linux. Though there are still some rough edges with gnome-pilot syncing (with Evolution), I easily got it working with J-Pilot. I like the 7135 because it's a more 'phone like' phone - rather than a PDA with a microphone and antennae :P

    The good thing with the Treo is that it's CPU should allow for Vorbis decoding, whereas the 7135 relies on it's built in DSP for the cycles, which only supports MP3.

    1. Re:But will it work with Linux? by csnydermvpsoft · · Score: 3, Informative

      I have a Treo 600. pTunes, which costs $30, has a plugin for Vorbis decoding. The Treo also works with Linux, both for syncing and for using as a modem.

  12. Don't buy it for the camera! by gbulmash · · Score: 3, Informative
    I haven't examined the camera on the 650, but I have a 600 and the camera on that is a piece of junk. Impossible to get good pics indoors, and only so-so in sunlight. If you're buying this phone for the camera, rethink your choice. If you're buying it for all the palm apps, color screen, PDA, phone integration, mobile e-mail, etc, then if the camera works consider it a nice bonus.

    My favorite app is PDANet (separate application you can buy at junefabrics.com), which turns it into a cellular modem for your laptop via the hotsync cable. LOVE *that*!

    1. Re:Don't buy it for the camera! by goldspider · · Score: 3, Insightful
      "If you're buying this phone for the camera, rethink your choice."

      I agree. Perhaps they should instead consider buying a camera.

      --
      "Ask not what your country can do for you." --John F. Kennedy
  13. Treo 600 vs. Treo 650 by sampson7 · · Score: 4, Informative

    I've had my Treo 600 for about 8 months now... and I love it.

    My two complaints: the low resolution screen is fine, but doesn't give that "wow" factor I want in a $500 toy. The second complaint is that the camera (which I use far more than I ever imagined I would), quite frankly, sucks.

    Other really minor complaint - there's no real backlighting or Bluetooth.

    During the same time period I've also had access to an Audiovox PPC4100 and a very similar phone from Erikson (I think it was - really, it's the same as the PPC4100, just slightly older). The Treo 600 blows both of them away at every level.

    A number of people mentioned battery length - I think the battery length of the 600 is awesome. I often take three day weekends and use the phone extensively - both for games, appointment tracking and phone calling - I charge it up at work on Friday and it holds a charge until I get back to work on Tuesday just fine. Another day would be pushing it, but heavy use over a long 3 day weekend? That's fine for me. I can't imagine Palm1 would release a phone with a shorter battery length - even with the new features.

    So, they are taking a phone I love, fixing my two 'major' issues (in quotes because I consider those problems really minor), and fixing my two 'minor' issues as well..... Where do I sign up? Will it truly be worth the $$$ to upgrade? Well, honestly, probably not. But then, how do you put a price on love?

    PS - for the record, I have no financial or other stake in Palm1 - I just like the product.

  14. Re:So let me get this straight- by sulli · · Score: 4, Funny
    so now /. is a speculation site?

    New here, eh?

    --

    sulli
    RTFJ.
  15. Examine Phone by teamhasnoi · · Score: 5, Funny
    You look closely at the phone, and see it is a pinnacle of techology. This phone has a camera, a color screen, and lots of buttons. The screen is pulsing with an unholy light. You can definitely see a midlevel executive or overachieving soccer mom driving poorly while holding this.

    >Push Buttons

    You randomly push some buttons on the phone. Other than some beeps and a battery icon appearing, this has no effect.

    >Throw phone at marketing overlords

    The phone hits the marketing overlords with a satisfying thump. The marketing overlords, who were busy adding new buzzword features to the next model, fall to the floor and cry. Between the sobs, you can hear their promises to sell a phone that just makes calls, and uses fuel cells to last for weeks on end.

    Congratulations! You've won the game!

    Play again? Y/N

    >N