Treo Zen Reference Design: Treo 700
[TREO 700w UPDATE: Please follow the link below if you're looking for additional information about the forthcoming Verizon Treo 700w running Windows Mobile 5 due to be released in January or February 2006.]
About two months ago you may recall that I wrote a post entitled "After the Treo Ace will it be Treo Zen?" where I openly 'dreamed' about the future and the technology that the Treo family might benefit from. Well, I hope that you'll be glad to hear that I haven't stopped dreaming and the pictures below represent but the first batch of upcoming Treos that I envisage appearing on the market in the coming 12-18 months (whether palmOne or another company releases it first is another story...).
I would also like to mention that I will be keeping a section of the blog dedicated to all things related to 'Treo Zen' which I'll use as a codeword for all the emerging technologies that could have a direct or indirect impact on future Treo smart phones such as screen technology, battery, memory and storage, PalmOS refinements as well as wireless network developments among others. In this area, although I come across a lot of new material on a daily basis I greatly welcome your emails with any references to new technologies that you believe could impact future Treos.
Let's get started with Treo Zen 700 then...
Borrowing much from his cousin the Tungsten T3 and naturally the Treo 650, the Treo 700 comes with a sliding keyboard. Note that this Treo Zen loses his sibling's external antenna as it is now built-in to the unit. On the other hand it gains both WiFi and Bluetooth as standard and thanks to PalmOS Cobalt 6.1 you can now make a call, use the GPRS network, WiFi and BT all simultaneously...
The Treo 700 has full portrait and landscape mode support like the Tungsten T series but more importanly benefits from a VGA screen (640x480) and with the enhanced PalmOS browser you'll be able to view the Treonauts bloguide without any difficulties 
It's also pretty neat for watching movies or videos with MMPlayer (stored on multiple 1GB SD cards or streaming), television programs (recorded, live and/or streamed from your TiVo), looking at your growing picture collection (taken with the 3.2 megapixel built-in camera) and playing games while on the road... Naturally, as it benefits from a 866MHz chipset there's really no problem throwing all other kinds of multimedia applications at it as well... I know I'm biased towards the entertainment aspects of the Treo but you'll undoubtedly see the many benefits for business and productivity applications as well.
The real beauty of the slider on this Treo 700 is that while we benefit from a large screen when closed the form factor is still identical to the Treo 600 and 650.
Identical in all other respects to the Treo 700, the Treo 700C (C for Compact) above does not benefit from the slider but comes with a 480x480 screen resolution.
Also, the Tungsten T7 above shares the specifications of its cousins without the mobile phone capabilities and comes with a basic keyboard layout.
The Treo 700 and all its variations dreamed here are not yet available (not likely until end 2005 or early 2006) but in the meantime our Treo 650 continues to be the best smartphone choice.
You can see other future Treo designs such as the Treo 710, 800 and 810 in our Treo Zen Preview section.
Comments
I find this design unlikely as PalmOne has decided to drop the slider in the T5.
Love the overall idea...but not the slider. Adding any mechanical movement to a smartphone is looking for trouble. Would rather see a longer Treo to achieve the large screen, so long as the width/depth factor remained slim. You're on the right track, Andrew...we're going to have to nominate you for pa1mOne's Designer-in-Chief.
Another highly insightful and amusing article from Mr. Treonaut. I loved the idea with the slider on the Treo. It proved to be stable and quite popular on the T series so why not.
I was totally excited about the 650 until I read this. Thanks alot!! it would be nice to see this product in the market.
Will I buy a Treo 650 when it is released?
Absolutely.
Am I over the moon about the Treo 650?
No.
Would I buy this Treo 700?
In a snap.
Why keep the keyboard at all? Give me a T5 format device with a "soft" Graffiti panel, and I'd be other the moon. I've owned PalmOS devices going back to the original Pilot, and what is stopped me moving to a Treo is the keyboard. I'm almost tempted by the T650, but I'd rather a bigger screen than the keyboard.
I consider one of the attributes of a "real" mobile phone is physical buttons for dailing without having to look at it. The qwerty keyboard is a big advantage for composing SMS / email. Of course a larger screen would be nice, but for a "phone" the keys are more important than larger screen. Having said that, the T slider design and SE's P91x flip keypad are perfect for that purpose! Wouldn't it be nice if the lower keyboard portion can be removable at user's choice?
About keyboards: I recently lost the ability to synch and charge my Treo 270 (connector literally fell out) and have "down graded" to a Treo 180g, the monochrome one without the keyboard. The only time I miss the keyboard is when lokking up a contact, while driving. I can't with the T180g, I could, thanks to the keyboard, with the T270.
BTW: Installing RecEcho+ on the T270 (and I presume on the T6xx as well) allows one to use the whole screen as a writing area. Great, best of both worlds.
Treo 700 need to have A DIGITAL VOICE RECORDERS to use for work, and play. Recording high audio quality with the ability to adjust the volume, quick start and stop botton on the side, 5+ Hours of record take time for both Meetings on the Telephone and School, Voice-Activated or Manual Record Mode, and A way to store it all on MMC cards.
I like the your thoughts. Maybe, instead of a sliding mechanism, how about a flip up/down keyboad a la the asus 505. Or make a version with a VGA screen and a removable keypad. The device will be much larger in any event with 640x480. So portable comfort suffers.
i couldn't agree more with one of the comments for Treo 700....e.g., personal digital recorder.....That would be awesome, unique and just another feature to raise the bar on Treo's innovative design!!!...put in personal digital recorder capability
[COMMENT DELETED. PLEASE KEEP OBSCENITIES AND PROFANITIES TO YOURSELF.]
I probably buy any new version of the Treo, but I would really like to see Grafitti writing on it, regardless of the size.
Larger screen (higher resolution): good. Please keep the keyboard (allows one-handed input). Problem with the proposed design is that the keyboard only works in portrait mode. In landscape it's sideways. How about a keyboard that rotates 90 degrees? In standard position, it covers part of the screen. Rotate, and it uncovers the rest of the screen AND has the correct orientation for landscape mode. Just a thought
Treo700 sounds great (WiFi, more memory) ... but why not make it a flip device so the screen is protected? Add an outside LCD for caller ID. And while you're at it, add a second phone number function for a dedicated alpha-numeric pager - Groan! I know. But in the medical field I see many many people still running around with a phone, PDA and... pager! I'd love a pager function for designated one way info from any old phone!
I like the larger screen idea, and while the slider wouldn't bother me I'm thinking that this could also be done with a flip-down keyboard. The biggest benefit of this would be that on the outside of the flip when closed could be a normal phone pad. On the opened side of the flip could be the QWERTY keyboard. If they could figure out a way to do that it would be killer, and it would make the phone experience much better for non-techies (like my wife!) who first and foremost want a phone.
I'm really excited about all the new features that may be added to the Treo but I really care the most about the Grafitti!!! Please put it back on.
I wonder can i use this in cape cod (mass) beach as far will it working with network?? And how much treo 700? thanks let me know asap
I have been using GrafittiAnywhere. I turn it on with my unused mail button and then the entire screen is a grafitti surface.
Works ok, but I have to learn Grafitti 2.
Wishing for more memory and better camera in the 700, but hope they don't add moving parts.
MORE INTERNAL MEMORY! A LOT MORE!!!!! I like the flip cover idea as well.
i support the slider idea. It doesn't take anything away from the current treo, so why the hell not?
and to those who are talking about graffiti, seek a community other than the treo's.
i have a dream: a treo 600
+ high resolution
+ BT (and IR)
+ 2-5 megapixel
+ microdrive
+ inbuild-antenna
excuse me for my bad english
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