Verizon, sunrise on the horizon...
Nope, I don't yet have a definitive date for Verizon's Treo 650 release although judging from our poll it looks like a consumer launch date (not business) of late May (no earlier than May 23) is the most likely... even though cynicism was running high for a June or even July launch...
However, to fan the flames of your desire/frustration 'someone' has managed to actually catch a glimpse of your future Verizon Treo 650. Perhaps the company noticed that people were beginning to think that the it would never come out and decided to take a picture of it - although they could certainly have used a better camera to make their point... Still, here it is.
If you're just too tired of waiting and dying to get your hands on your very own Treo 650 now then you can always look at the existing options for Sprint, Cingular or the total freedom of the unlocked model.
Treonauts hate bad pictures as much as they do waiting...
Comments
I did a blowup of the picture...looks a lot like the manual says Treo 600, not Treo 650...
There's a higher res picture on another site, and the 650 is clearly visible. The units are sitting in a warehouse right now, waiting to be shipped out.
Just called and CONFIRMED with a VZW rep that release will 100% for sure be this month, whether the 11th or 23rd no one's sure yet.
I just noticed that Palmone posted a new Treo™ Voice Dialing by VoiceSignal link. It's available for download and free trial for 14 days. On the other hand, it does not work with Bluetooth phones.
Check www.palmone.com/support and see below:
Posted May 3, 2005
Treo™ Voice Dialing by VoiceSignal for Treo 650 allows you to place phone calls with the sound of your voice:
Dial any person in your Contacts list by name ("Call Bob Jones at home)
Dial digits by naturally speaking any phone number ("Call six-five-oh, five-five-five, one-two-three-four")
Treo Voice Dialing's powerful "speaker independent" technology does not require samples of your speech in order to work. This means you can start voice dialing immediately -- no lengthy setup. Try Treo Voice Dialing free for 14 days, then purchase the application from palmOne to continue using it.
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System Requirements & Version Information
Treo 650, English only
Windows 2000 or XP
Requires 1 MB for the application and approximately 200 bytes (0.2 KB) per contact record. For example, 500 contacts would need about 100 KB additional memory.
Note: Every time you add or change a contact, Treo Voice Dialing automatically updates the voice activation database. This takes approximately 1 second per 200 contacts.
Does not work if GoodLink is installed on device.
Limited usage with Bluetooth headsets.
Current version: Voice Dial v. 1.1.01. Released: 05/03/2005
Improved recognition with large Contact lists
Improved audio playback quality
Reduced RAM requirements (execution space)
Recognition for new Contacts is now a background task
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Free Trial Installation Instructions
Treo 650 smartphone owners can explore the fully functional Treo Voice Dialing free for 14 days. After 14 days, digit dialing continues to work, but name dialing is disabled. Purchase a registration key to continue using the full-featured version: launch Treo Voice Dialing and select the Register button (help with purchasing).
Installation
1. Download VoiceDialInstallerv1101.zip (630 KB ZIP) and unzip the file, or VoiceDialInstallerv1101.prc (658 KB PRC).
2. Double-click the VoiceDialInstallerv1101.prc file, select the HotSync user name of the device on which you’ll install the application.
3. HotSync your Treo 650 to transfer the application to the device.
4. In the application launcher, select "INSTALL VoiceDial" to install the application in memory.
NOTE: Treo Voice Dialing will NOT be backed up to your PC during HotSync. Please keep the original downloaded file on your PC in the event you need to reinstall it.
Registration
1. Dial by number or contact name during the free trial period. To continue use of name dialing, you must purchase a registration key.
2. To purchase a registration key, launch Treo Voice Dialing and select the Register button to get to the Mobile palmOne Software Connection.
3. Enter your credit card information and email address to register the application.
4. You can complete registration automatically after payment with one click.
NOTE: If you ever need to re-register the app, you can manually enter the registration key you receive.
Update note: If you have already purchased and registered your software, updating to a newer version does not require you to re-register the software.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Benefits of Treo Voice Dialing
Notes on using Treo Voice Dialing with a headset
Treo Voice Dialing compatibility with *, #, + and other non-numeric characters
Help with Purchasing
More Treo Voice Dialing FAQs...
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Handbooks
User Guide
(PDF: 139KB / 15 pages)
Do you (anyone) know if one can disable the camera on a 650? I work in defence and no cameras are allowed. I have thought of the simple expedient of putting some silver tape and a wad of gum. I have even idly thought of removing the camera (warranty issues I would presume) or just giving up and getting a no cameral 600 (but the screen, the screen…). I would appreciate any thoughts on the matter from you or your equally knowledgeable readership. Thanks, Ray
I haven't yet seen a no camera version of the 650, but I read along time back that one would be available... not sure if its GSM or CDMA or both. I'd put in a call to the AT&T Wireless Business services group and ask about it.
Bear in mind as well that there is legislation to force the very thing you're asking for. Now that we have kids (boys) sneaking into the girl's locker room with their cameraphone and grabbing pix, then posting them on their personal web pages and chat rooms (under age girls... happened at my kid's school) and lawyers office's and other gov't agencies banning them or making you "check them at the door", there is federal legislation pending that will mandate that all phone/PDA/laptop manufactures that sell camera-included devices in the US be required to offer two versions: a standard w/ camera version and non-camera version. It hasn't been made into law yet, but many of the phones are being offered in a non-camera version. I know for sure that Verizon offered the 600 in a w/ camera and a w/o camera option, but for the exact same price.
Called VZW 611 in Tampa area tonight. Kind rep told me that the 650 will be available on 5/23.
Just called Verizon...no date for the release. I don't have much confidence in these dates. I have yet to find a Verizon rep either at their office or at the local branches that will give a date.
I may have been wrong in waiting for the Verizon 650, but i'm a little confused as to what makes the verizon 650 better than the cingular 650. Can anyone comment on this, the difference between verizon and cingular as i am not a cingular customer now.
There has already been a patch released for CDMA, so the chances of the Verizon phone being released with the patch are good. There is no patch yet for the GSM version. Also, there have been some problems with certain sim cards with Cingular, and CDMA does not use sim cards. The other side of the coin, of course, is that you can swap sim cards between two phones. You don't have that option with CDMA. For me, though, the overriding factor is that Verizon has great coverage, especially in my area, and Cingular has NO coverage in my area. Kinda tips the scales in Verizon's direction.
Just spoke to my Verizon rep who told me I can come in and purchase my Treo 650 tomorrow morning! The Treo 650 is finally here!
Just got off the phone with my rep, she is ordering my 650 first thing in the morning, (May 11). FINALLY!!!!
Hi,
As I told you guys before in a previous post, I announced the May 11th release date for business customrs of the treo 650. I just ordered mine and will receive 2 of them thursday morning!
As I am a teacher, I am not worthy to receive this B2B thingamabobber, so I have to wait like every other schlemp. Maybe I should take a sick day on the 23rd??? I just want to make sure that they don't sell out by the time I get out of work. 12 days...I guess after waiting 7 months for this phone to finally come out, I can wait a little longer. I bought the accessories in February!!!!
Everybody can order the 650 for VERIZON from the palmone website, its a special promotion, and you get a free BlueTooth headset as well! What a good deal.
First time posting.
I am running a Mac Powerbook G-4 with 1.25GB memory, Tiger OS10 and a TREO650 from Cingular.
I downloaded Voice Signal onto my PC, (Windows XP) and it works flawlessly. I then synched it to my MAC. I have tried every variation of the FAQ "workaround" solutions provided but am still unable to synch this otherwise excellent program with my Mac. (treo locks up)Done the soft reset thing a number of times.
Second issue, Voice signal on my TREO650 seems to have a great deal of difficulty translating my voice commands, nothing but the call name/number option works, and the play back sounds peculiar. I am using the trial version, is this rectified in the purchased version, or is this an equipment problem?
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
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