Treo 850 First Real Image!

why do you think it isnt touchscreen? that looks like 6.1 professional to me...

mambo - you're right! The Treo 850 apparently runs Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional and has a touchscreen. It is therefore the very first time that we _finally_ get to see Palm release a Treo smartphone with a completely flush touchscreen instead of the recessed version that has been standard on all models until now.

This alone is a huge improvement for me and I'm hoping that we'll see other things as more information emerges.

Cheers, A.

wooooow. Looks really great. Definitely a step in the right direction. But what about PalmOS devices (Palm Linux Platform, codename "nova")and does the 850 also have build-in GPS (I'm really getting rid of carrying those bluetooth gps receiver and a whole bunch of cables and adaptors with me) ?

Michael - no confirmation yet but the Treo 850 is indeed rumoured to have built-in GPS as well...

Similar Palm OS (NOVA) devices are expected to be released before the first half of 2009 and the new OS is anticipated to be unveiled by the end of this year.

Cheers, A.

...
MUCH. Much better. That's more like it, kids. You will get more than a few nods for this one. Thanks for toying with us by giving us the 800W photos - jerks.

Those buttons, a'la Centro, are much sexier, too.

I really hope that the 800w pictures are wrong. This looks much better.

I would consider buying this product in a CDMA version. I just can't bring myself to buy the 800w as pictured yesterday.

I am not that exicted about the Treo 850's design. It strongly resembles a Centro. I prefer the look of the Treo 800W instead.

I beleive the deciding factor in the design is that the phone comes in black and that it has some metal finish to it. That is critical because it gives the phone a high end professional look. I have been waiting for the Treo 680 to come in (Black) from since they launched the device. I am really disappointed and I won't be thoroughly satisfied until the successor of the Treo 680 comes in a black, regardless of it's specifications.

They should take some design ques from the Sony PSP (Black)and the Blackberry Bold. I am highly tempted to purchase The ATT Tilt phone because of it's (Black) professional look and specifications, but it is a Windows Mobile 6.1 device and I am truly dedicated to the Palm operating system.

I hope Palm is listening to it's loyal customers and provide us with a phone that looks as good as it performs.

Ummm, really, guys? You're THAT much more excited about the form factor in the 850 picture vs. the 800 picture? Maybe it's just me, but if you were to paint the 800 black and remove the cheesy (obviously prototype) word "Carrier" from the earpiece, there's really very little meaningful difference between the two. ("OMG, the 5-way is round instead of oval, it's dreeeeamy..." Right...)

While there is a slight resemblence the two are drastically different. This is definitely cleaner than the 800, which is ugly, IMO. Anyways, hope it comes in pink. :-)

I second Joe's comments (May 22). I don't know why you're getting so excited about the Treo 850 design. Aside from the screen size, the Blackberry is still a lot better looking, and the iPhone swamps them all. Yawn. What's keeping me tied to Palm is my add-on software and extensive collection of ebooks, all in Palm OS format. If it weren't for that, after a decade of various Palms, I'd have switched over to an iPhone by now...

Th ones raving about the new look, are you all kidding me? This is what Palm comes out with? What about a full screen and slide out keyboard. There is no innovation here and both are just another Centro with different buttons. Palm gets a big fat F-! Back to design school.

Well I am glad to see Palm Inc listening.

I personally I being quite hard on Palm Inc. for the previous Pictures of the treo 800.
This Treo 850 it does look like an improvement and a worthy competitor for the Blackberry 9000 (Bold) I hope. So it runs on Windows. I am not crazy about it but it but there is not much of a choice out there. Simple there is not OS that can make anyone happy. As long it comes with all that was promised, the active GPS, Wi-Fi, memory, and 3G, we may be in the good side for once. Remember that the Blackberry Procesor.

I know I being harsh with Palm; but if the price is right, we may have another winner like the Centro. I hope it dosent takes for ever to come to USA, specialy ATT. Remember Apple is comming out with a #G phone, and there is another Blackberry that has touch screen, 3G, GPS, and Wi-Fi.

All I hope, Palm should be working on the next generation as well. I see this Treo 850 as a hold over as something better come down the pipe...

See Palm inc. I am a nice guy after all...

after getting a 700p right after its release, and a centro a few months ago, I have converted quite a few friends to palm os. everything is straight forward to use and third party applications are plentiful. besides I worked tech support for blackberry for some time, I know better. if I wanted to pay extra for a service that seems to go down whenever its convenient, is severely overpriced, and not exactly userfriendly for adding new program then I would have a blackberry. PALM RULES.

PALM SUCKS

I think the 850 looks cleaner, but the keyboard on the 800 looks a lot better. The Centro like keyboard on the 850 looks cheap, just like it does on the Centro. I'm hoping the 850 will cater to business users and not be just a little toy like the Centro...

Too little too late, Palm. As a long-time Sprint customer, I was "stuck" with Treo for a long time, startin with the 650, which of course was a great device in its time.

I just got Blackberry Curve that came out on May 9th and it is so much better than my 755p (sorry to say). I miss a few things from the Treo, but there's so much better stuff to compensate for them that I wouldn't look back even for a second. Plus, just like the Centro these new things are u-u-uh-gly... Adios...

Forgive me for posting PALM SUCKS but with Poster #13 saying they rule... pffft gimme a break.

@chris: you "worked" for BB tech support? Wonder why you don't anymore. With ideas like Palm being the best, no wonder. The service has only gone down a few times, and it's not overly priced. Get a clue. And it's just as user friendly as a Palm if not more. If I wanted a device that resets whenever it's convenient, poorly ancient design, then I would have a Palm.

It looks nice but Palm will lucky to get a distant third in the fight against RIM and Apple...I still think the company is on course for a buy out.

For me, the major talking point of the 850 is it's small size, especially compared to the 800w. Surely, with that keyboard, the 850 is exactly the same size as the Centro. Whereas the 800w is more than likely a re-hash of the larger 750 design.

This begs the question: If they are both Windows Mobile, touchscreen, Wifi, GPS, etc - why the need for the larger 800w at all? Unless it's for people with fat fingers who can't type on a Centro-size keyboard! ;o)

What's with the little yellow circles on the S, Y , C and Alt keys? A weird design cue or a what?

Ken

honestly, can't we have an 850 running palm OS?

@femaad:

"honestly, can't we have an 850 running palm OS?
"

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We do - it's called the Centro...* ;o)

* okay, it doesn't have wi-fi and GPS, but it's got the same diddy keyboard (which i love!)

Please NO MORE PalmOS devices.

We need a device that can multi-thread
We need device that doesn't crash multiple times daily

I love the one-handed thing but someone at Palm has to realize that, as a phone, random resets are simply unacceptable.

I don't get it... I think the above pictured 850 looks like a kids toy POS and the 800W looks like a nice "grown up" smartphone.

What am I missing?

It's funny, every time I read an article on a upcoming phone with rumor pictures etc, when I like the way it looks everyone is complaining about the looks, when I think it looks like a peice of molded plastic kid toy junk everyone is raving about the looks...I guess I'm different :-)

when is the expected release of the 850?