More Treo 800w Images & News
Following the appearance of the first real Treo 800w picture last week we now seem to be getting a deluge of additional images and information.
For starters we have the above side shot of the Treo 800w which shows what appears to be a full SD or miniSD door as well as the infrared port unchanged at the upper right side of the smartphone. The body is also rumoured to have the same “rubberized” paint as the previous Treo 750.
Additionally, compared to the Windows Mobile Treo 750 (above) the navigation keys have been flattened and two dedicated Calendar + eMail buttons added. Aside from these minor improvements however the overall body design unfortunately remains pretty much unchanged from previous models and thus delivers a rather outdated (circa 2003) and uninspiring device.
Another blurry image (above) compares the thickness of the Treo 800w (placed in the middle) against the HTC Mogul (at the bottom) and Samsung Upstage (at the top). Although it’s hard to tell exactly from this picture, the Treo 800w appears to have gained a bit of weight with more chunky curves. Having said this, since we know that the HTC Mogul is 0.7 inches (18.5mm) thick we can conclude that the Treo 800w is roughly the same thickness and thus not larger than the previous Treo 750.
However, like many I was expecting considerably better looks and perhaps a complete body redesign from this “next generation” Treo 800w smartphone – slick looks may not have been essential in the past but with competitors such as the new BlackBerry Bold and the ever present iPhone the game has changed in a way that Palm does not appear to have demonstrably understood.
To illustrate just how frustrated some people are feeling about the rather dull looks of these early leaked Treo 800w images (which could _still_ only be those of an early prototype) we have this painfully funny first “video review” below…
Having said all this, as I’ve stated before, while Palm has seemingly not done much about the outside of the Treo 800w the company has nonetheless clearly focused on significantly improving what’s inside. Among others the high-end Treo 800w specifications are rumoured to include:
- 802.11g WiFi with dedicated On/Off WiFi button
- Autonomous built-in GPS
- 2.1 Megapixel Camera
- Bluetooth 2.0 +EDR
- USB Sync & Charge Connector (will likely require new accessories)
- Windows Mobile 6.1
- ARM1136 Processor
- 100MB+ Free RAM
Finally, although Palm continues to keep pretty much all information about its future devices and forthcoming new Linux OS codenamed NOVA closely under guard a recent interview with Palm CFO Andrew Brown at the JP Morgan Tech Show offers some interesting tidbits.
Aside from confirming that “Windows Mobile upgrades will be available this summer”, Brown made clear that “a next generation operating system based on Linux which has been under development for 3 years will be ready to be unveiled by the end of 2008” but that it won’t appear on new products [smartphones] “until the first half of 2009”.
Additionally, Brown also made a point to highlight what he believes is one of Palm’s core strengths – the delivery of a better smartphone experience thanks to the close integration of hardware and software that the company can offer through the ownership of its own operating system. In this respect, we all have to admit that Palm has done an extraordinary job keeping the company alive on the back of its ageing Palm OS Garnet.
Furthermore, Brown also echoed the comments made by Steve Jobs saying that hardware design will not be the winning factor in mobile devices but that “it will be the software”. While I expect Palm to deliver a stunning new software operating system I nonetheless disagree that this alone will be the winning factor. Only the company that can integrate hardware + software + content + services (the idea of “convergence”) will truly be able to win the game and Palm had better learn this fast…
Palm Sees Software Lifting its Fortunes [Tech Trader Daily]
Palm likens self to Apple, sees OS in 2009 [electronista]
Treo 800w Comparison shot [WMExperts]
Treonauts are always looking for more… 
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Tracked on May 27, 2008 1:46:07 AM
Comments
The constant drum beat of complaints about the "appearance" and "unchanged" aspect of the new Treo is starting to sound pretty immature. It is reminiscent of the new flash-in-the-pan thinking that dominates teenages and young adults. WHO CARES if TREO stays the same shape? It's what it DOES that counts (remember "Function over Form" anyone?) The wheel hasn't changed in shape either, but the composition (hence the functionality) is ever improved.
How about let's stop being fashion junkies, as shallow and trendy and useless as they are, and appreciate a solid, working and ever improving package of hardware/software improvements. Otherwise, what's next?
A palm with "low rider" keyboard and a "display hat" worn crookedly as our teenies so love now?
Tony - I think that you're missing the point.
While I can understand that you may not be influenced by the form factor design (fair enough) the fact is nonetheless that it's not teenagers that are buying iPhones and BlackBerries any longer... Adults have considerably changed their expectations and for now at least Palm has not made any visible improvements on this front.
Cheers, A.
Didnt people read our previous coments about the Treo 800.
Still not enought to compete with RIM 9000, the only way Palm Inc. can get the upper hand is that the pricing is so atractive that may overshadow the price of the Blackberry Bold.
So I hope Palm does not come with a $400 plus price on it. I am telling you ... It wont sell. Look at it... is a Centro after little steroids. What made the Centro such a big seller was not the size, nor the features, Nah it was the atractive of $99.00 with two year contract. I almost bought one until I find out I can not type on the small qwery keyboard.
Palm... Get it together I do not want my kids to grow up to became Crackberriers !
Sorry Palm... after many years of being your loyal user of Palm devices from the US Robotics palm device to the Treo 650/680 I have been very dissappointed on your releases and you left me no choice to move to the upcoming Blackberry. Treo 800W... not even a wow factor... too little to late.
I have 2 used Treo 650 and including a Blacktie Edition (unlocked!) Who wants to buy it?
Yawn....I have had my Verizon Treo 700W for almost 2 and a half years. Other than the removal of the antenna...this just feels like the same old thing. In 30 months they could not come up with something at least a little exciting? Why did this take so long to come to market? This might have been interesting a year ago...but now between Blackberry Bold and iPhone 3G this is just blah
Since it appears Sprint has the 800w first...it would be closer to 3 years before I can this on Verizon. Looks like it is time to move to another product family.
Sorry Palm...
I'm getting SOOOOOO SICK of waiting for this d$%# phone! Jeez, whats it been like a freakin YEAR? LONGER? since rumors of this phone began?
Thing is, even if the rumored July 22nd release dates are true on Sprint, I would STILL be waiting for the Verizon version? I can't just switch, we have too much in business communications with VZW, discounts etc to switch...I just hope the VZW version comes out at the same time or VERY VERY SHORTLY AFTER. PLEASE!
Grrr...This phone better be bad ass.
hey, i have the treo 700wx and love it. Verizon offers a free way to upgrade it to Windows Mobile 6 Professional (CE OS 5.2.1620).
With WM6, I was finally able to get AIM mobile working(http://wap.aol.com/boxely/mobileaim.cab), though it is a bit slow, but it works!! I use dial up networking through my phone via bluetooth. I think it is more stable in WM6, and I've had less issues thus far with getting disconnected from dial up. Not sure if this is definitely OS related.
I can sync the phone with outlook, so good to backup your numbers that way, and I am working on a app (because you can write .NET mobile apps for WM) to sync my address book with google contacts.
Anyone else out there developing some cool Windows Mobile apps?
Also, still can't seem to get GPS working in google maps. Kind of annoying, I think I read that verizon has it locked. The new blackberry storms offers GPS capability with google maps.
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