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Handspring Treo 600 Handheld |
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palmOne TREO 600: Looks & Smarts!
Written: Sep 17 '04 (Updated Mar 11 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: keyboard, integrated MMS and SMS, compact, style, PalmOS 5.2.1, integrated
Cons: Display quality, no bluetooth or WLAN, camera controls and quality, VZ removed Mail application, heavy
The Bottom Line: All you need in a Smartphone with PalmOS. Make sure to pick the right provider!
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| theuerkorn's Full Review: Handspring Treo 600 Handheld |
This is my fourth handheld and probably the most useful one I have ever owned. Critics agree that the Treo 600 is a major hit (and much needed) for palmOne. So how good is this highly praised marvel really, and should you run out to get your own? Or would you want to wait for the Treo 650?
Important: This review covers the VERIZON version of the palmOne Treo 600.
CONTENT
1. Natural evolution - background
2. What's in the box? - Treo 600 content
3. Main features: Phone - "phone home"
4. Main features: PDA - daily helper
5. Optional: Camera - worth something?
6. Verizon specific - customers beware
7. Overall Impression - in a nutshell
8. Treo 650 - preview
9. A cautionary note! - stand-by can cost you
Treo 600: NATURAL EVOLUTION
I loved my first handheld (Palm V) for its style and functionality, back when color screens, built-in cameras and wireless were terms from an Utopia dictionary. When Sony entered the handheld market with their PEG-N610C it sure looked like Palm fell asleep and jeopardized the non-PocketPC handheld world. Models like the Sony Clie PEG-NX60 redefined handheld computing by introducing usable high resolution (320x480) and built-in cameras to palm-sized computers. In fact, it may have been due to Sony's efforts that PalmOS didn't completely loose its market position and the reinvented palmOne was allowed a comeback with successful models like the T3 (after an embarrassing attempt to establish Palm in the low-end market with their original Palm Zire).
PalmOne's most successful model, however, is a product of the recent merger between Handspring and Palm Inc. - palmOne Inc.. The Treo 600 is the 4th attempt to define smart phones (w/ PalmOS) and this time a successful one. Many providers in the US are adopting the Treo 600 and that basically results in several different version. Verizon is one of the last adopters with the CDMA version of the Treo while Sprint insists on the PCS version and AT&T customers receive the GSM version. In a nutshell, taking your Treo from one provider to another is just as impossible as it is with general cell phones. (Note: Only GSM phones like the AT&T version of the Treo work in Europe and most other parts of the world.)
Since Sony pretty much turned their backs on the traditional handheld market outside Japan* to focus on SmartPhones, one might argue that PalmOS reached the end of its rope as well. Well, not quite yet ... PalmOS pretty much sports all the functionality needed: The flashier PocketPC interface (out of the box) leads many people into believing that this is the more powerful device. However, the ease of use of the PalmOS and the seamless integration in the Treo makes it a more user friendly package. With the big software library there is practically nothing the PalmOS cannot do. Including a pretty skin if needed. (PalmOS Cobalt will add multitasking and more multimedia.)
*... Sony just released the Clie VZ90 handheld in Japan only, a multimedia handheld with the world's first commercial OLED screen (in a commercial handheld).
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WHAT's IN THE BOX?
The content slightly differs between the different providers but hardware is basically the same and only the pre-installed network settings and phone technology are major differences.
Verizon Package:
- Treo 600 smartphone
- Charger cable
- USB sync cable
- Earphone
- Protective cover
- Treo manual
- Treo software (desktop, sync & productivity)
- Verizon instruction CD (incl. VZEmail install)
- Lots of Verizon offers etc.
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PHONE FEATURES
One part of the Treo 600 is more or less just a cell phone (or handy as it's called in Germany). As such, it uses the PalmOS to control the phone, but basic features are still the same as a 'regular' phone.
Standards: The Treo does not come with a multi-band phone and that results in specific models. All available modes are pure digital and no analog mode is provided. Verizon customers use CDMA (1900/900) while Sprint insists on their own PCS systems. Only AT&T and its affiliates are more 'worldish' with the widely used GSM. (An argument that would have won me over if the AT&T offer was available in my area.)
Reception: Using my LG VX-1 and my wife's LG VX-10 as a reference, the Treo's signal strength is at least on par with either phone and sometimes slightly ahead. However, the difference is not enough to distinguish one from the other.
Voice quality: The built-in ear phone is of good quality, but a little bit of the quiet type. Even full volume is not exactly loud, but still usable. The microphone surprises since it's hidden away and not in an acoustically ideal position to capture your voice, yet it's quite clear and sensitive.
Speaker phone: This is both breakthru and annoyance in some modern cell phones. Speaker phones are great for group conversations and the Treo does very well with reasonable speaker volume and sound quality. However, that doesn't mean I have to listen to everybody else's conversation ;-).
Headphone: PalmOne includes a head set with the Treo which is quite usable. The wire is a little bit stiff and may rip the ear piece out when reaching for the button (to pick or hang up). Nevertheless, the microphone is quite sensitive and the ear piece loud enough.
Ringtones: The world is full of all kinds of ring tones and the Treo allows to use its own share of polyphonic midi ringtones or mp3 files if desired. The included sounds are crystal clear and the ringer can be very noticeable. For meetings and other situations when ringtones are inappropriate, the Treo offers a switch to silence the tones and vibrate only. The only thing I am missing is an intelligent management that detects when the unit is in charger mode and switch automatically to audible signals. Another version would be that the first ring could be vibration and then switch to audible - assuming the person is not in contact with the unit to feel the rumble. I am not aware of an existing tool that might create this effect either.
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PDA FEATURES
- HARDWARE
It's a basic PalmOS handheld with the latest currently available version 5.2.1 of the OS and a power saving ARM processor with 133 MHz. While this doesn't sound too speedy anymore, keep in mind that it only has to fill 160x160 pixels (25k) in comparison to 320x480 pixels (153k) which are usually served by 200MHz to 400MHz processors. So it turns out that the Treo can actually display Bejeweled 2.3 quite fast and still play background music without holding the game up.
The screen is an ultra bright CTST display with 160x160 pixels which can show up to 3375 different colors (11.5 bit) Thinking back to 1985 that was actually top notch for graphics workstations (Amiga, 12bit) but today even for PDAs below average. Display quality is strangely inferior at high contrast settings and reveals something like a moire pattern especially in dark areas.
The keyboard and key pad, however, are the Treo's true strength. The keyboard may be tiny, but still quite usable and even readable in the dark due to the illuminated keys. the domed design of the keys allows easy access despite the high density. Any smaller would be close to unusable. The 4-direction pad is another outstanding feature and included application mostly allow navigation without using the stylus.
The expansion port fits SD memory cards and Palm game 'cartriges'. Compatibility with the latter is surprisingly low, or at least with the Sega Classics which simply refuse to start. It currently does not offer SD I/O. A minor annoyance is the lack of access lamp which signals that the memory is currently in use. Unplugging the external memory while writing to it may corrupt the files.
Size and weight are hardly objectionable since the PDA wants the screen and keyboard to be as big as possible and the Phone sure would like to be as small as possible. I feel that the Treo 600 strikes a great balance between the contrary requirements.
The integrated battery allows for 4 hours of talk time and up to 10 days of stand-by. This is quite reasonable and certainly differs depending on the application. Charging time is relatively long (3 hrs) and a cradle-type docking station is available as an accessory only.
Bluetooth is unfortunately not included in the Treo 600 and that misses out on opportunities like wireless headphones and using the Treo as a modem for other Palm handhelds. At least an IR port is included and that allows to transfer data and programs from one device to another.
- SOFTWARE
The included PIM programs are 'optimized' to work together and Calendar (Datebk3) may be well known from older Palms, nothing much has changed. The Launcher is standard fare as well and a little bland without any improvements like Silverscreen or ZLauncher. ToDo and Memo Pad are nothing different either and most programs are just adjusted to fit the integrated environment of the Treo. In fact, Memo Pad lacks the sketching mode from other Palms.
New applications are SMS, MMS and Phone. Phone is not only a dial pad but also a phone log and mini Launcher for 4 applications and 50 favorites which can be anything from websites to phone numbers and applications. Very handy but not pretty. In case you like it a little nicer, look for Skinner. SMS and MMS require special subscriptions with SMS being the cheapest and MMS actually requiring dataservice which is somewhat expensive.
PalmOne's Treo 600 normally has a Mail application included to access POP3/SMTP mail accounts, but the Verizon Treo comes with VZEmail instead. For details see the respective section ...
The Treo 600 also includes a view-only version of DataViz' Documents2Go which allows to view Word and Excel attachments from a mail program, but more than that is really not practical with a 160x160 screen. Afterall, this is a SmartPhone and not a desktop computer.
PalmOne offers a nice perk for registering your device with them. It offers to download PocketTunes for free and that turns your Treo into a mp3 player, but only if an expansion card is present (with song files of course).
Unfortunately, PalmOne does not include a backup tool (as seen with Sony's Clie's) and relies completely on Hotsync for datasecurity.
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CAMERA OPTION
If you're picking the Treo 600 for its camera be advised that as with many other ultra small digital cameras, the quality sure does not match even low-priced dedicated digital cameras.
Now that we've established its gimmick character, the camera is still a useful thing in some situations. The most practical one may be to shoot pictures of your friends and family which can be used in the Picture ID function of the Treo. (Low resolution of 120x105 pixel works just fine)
Unlike the Zire 72's 1.2 MPx camera, the Treo's highest resolution of 640x480 pixels equals the VGA mode and still doesn't sound to bad for that snapshot that otherwise would have been missed. However, the quality is marginal at best and looks more like an interpolated 200x150 pixel picture. That is mainly for two reasons.
1.) The slow chip requires a lot of light and ultimately causes blur and noise in normal situations.
2.) The used JPEG compression is extremely high and resulting losses are significant.
The extreme wide angle lens further requires a relatively short distance to your subject. (Imagine to be as close as one to two feet for a normal portrait.) Cool for panoramic-like shots from very close distance. Not so cool if it's any further than 30 feet (10 meters). Expect significant distortion for portraits.
Camera controls are limited to setting the picture name and resolution as well as the actual capturing. No white balance, brightness, zoom or any other kind of adjustment is available. The capturing tool is rather primitive and no match for Sony's version.
Company Policies: Be aware that many companies do not allow camera phones on their premise anymore and in that case you may be better off with the similar priced version without the camera. It's not like your missing out on much anyway.
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VERIZON CUSTOMERS BEWARE!
Each provider is specific in the Treo version that customers are receiving. Different logos and phone standards aside (CDMA vs. GSM vs. PCS), a major difference is in the e-mail handling.
Verizon specifically removed Treo's Mail program, and as it turns out for a good reason ($$$). By 'pushing' VZEmail & WirelessSync (an IntelliSync based solution), customers can access any e-mail account (including corporate) as long as the desktop computer where the e-mail program is installed is turned on. New email is monitored and a notification sent to the phone along with a forwarded copy to Verizon's online mail solution from where the mail is then retrieved ('pushed') to the handheld.
As convenient as this sounds, it only works with dataservice enabled and that means an additional $29 or $45 per month. By the way, the same is true for using MMS (multi-media messages) with the Treo 600. Hence, this is mostly for corporate users. However, besides the benefit of instant notification, the included mail solution is rather 'tame'.
Private customers usually are better served with direct access to POP mail accounts, but it turns out another investment of $29 - $60 is necessary, due to the stripped mail application. Such programs for PalmOS are anything but easy to choose. (POP3 access is needed for online services like YahooMail anyway.)
I love ClieMail on my NX60 but it refuses to work on anything but a Clie. Arrgh! VersaMail 2.x is not approved for use with the Treo 600, and starts to look like its receiving very little support these days anyway. Iambic's AgendusMail 4.x looks great and is a little bit bloated but quite feature rich. However, as with previous versions I could not get the SMTP server to cooperate in order to send mails. Receiving works just fine. (This may have to do with Verizon's access management.)
In the end, I decided on SnapperMail 2.x despite the high price and the somewhat unappealing Inbox view, but everything works just fine (including the better handling of attachments and preview of mail size before downloading). And a basic ZIP program is included. (Lite = $29, Standard = $39)
Providers like AT&T, Cingular and Sprint now distribute the original TreoMail to their customers in form of an Updater (for free), and I hope that Verizon rethinks their current proprietary approach as well: "At this time there is no standard mail application included with the Treo 600 due to our Wireless Sync service. You may also decide to purchase a third party email client if you choose not to use our Wireless Sync service." (17-Sep-2004) I guess that's what they mean with "We never stop working for you!" (Really?)
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OVERALL IMPRESSION
How should I put it, the Treo does not replace my Sony Clie PEG-NX60 mainly due to screen, but sure solves some communication issues. To have Avantgo, my email and internet access up to date at any time along with SMS messaging is worth the few tradeoffs from the tiny screen and missing bluetooth.
The Treo 600 is not perfect and the interface sure could use a face lift as well as the screen an upgrade and a few applications an update, but other than that it may be the most complete solution in the market in a small package. It sure beats having to carry a pda, phone and sync cable.
Further, the Treo 600 just looks right and may be a little bulky as a phone but the geek factor is very high. I just love it. A few additions like Skinner and Wassup fix the bland appearance of the PalmOS.
I am not so sure if I picked the right provider, but for now I am 'locked' in a 2 year contract and there is no point in dreading this choice. You on the other hand may still have the choice. Make sure it's the right one!
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PREVIEW: PalmOne Treo 650
As I finished this review, first information of an updated Treo surfaced and magically addresses pretty much all of the issues above.
The new Treo 650 supposedly remains similar to the Treo 600 in form factor and design. That's not a bad compromise at all. The keyboard has been revised a little bit to bigger keys and no 'dedicated' numeric block.
What's new is a hires screen with 320x320 pixels and 65k colors. The display is a TFT instead of the current CSTN and that should result in a higher quality picture. Given the small size of the display, the high resolution will be enough for years to come.
And another improvement made it into the Treo 650: Bluetooth. Now that almost makes me wish I had waited a little bit before getting the 600.
The ARM processor is repordedly upgraded to a 312MHz version and the PalmOS will be the updated PalmOS v5.4 a.k.a. 'Garnet'. That comes at a surprise as first handhelds with the new PalmOS Cobalt (v.6) were expected for this fall. Given the deep integration of wireless services in Cobalt and the newly announced revision 6.1 for smartphones, one may wonder when we're actually going to see it. (Even the new PalmOne T5 flagship uses Garnet (PalmOS 5.4), and an actual Cobalt PDA has yet to be announced.)
Snapshooters will want the new 1.3 MPx camera, but don't expect 'professional' results from that one either. However, digital zoom and video capture sure will make it a little bit more useful. [Update:] The camera apparently turned out to be still a VGA resolution (640x480) instead of the rumored 1.3MPx version. Everything else, however, turned out true. [End of Update]
Last but not least, the memory slot now supports SD I/O which is only important to those users who plan on extending the Treo with more than memory.
Watch out for the official release at the end of October.
http://www.palmone.com/us/products/smartphones/treo650/
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A CAUTIONARY NOTE
Be aware that the Treo's Stand-by Mode counts as online and some software does not disconnect correctly (i.e. Stockmanager, AvantGo etc.) and will keep the Tre600 in stand-by mode after 'disconnecting'. Watch out for the grey arrows over the signal strength indicator. If your plan doesn't cover unlimited data access, this can be very expensive. In fact, I know because my phone bill raked up $1000.- because I missed to disconnect the stand-by mode (manually) for about 2 days.
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Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 249
Recommended for: Business Executives - Powerful and Professional
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