Comments on: Sprint Treo 650 Orders Begin to Ship

Reports are now coming in that Sprint customers who pre-ordered are now beginning to receive the new palmOne Treo 650 smartphone. Sprint is currently the only carrier taking orders for the new Treo 650.
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Treo 650 is the best smartphone ever made. Period.

The_Voice_of_Reason @ 11/18/2004 9:57:27 PM #
Brilliant design + improved features + better quality manufacturer + better rollout (unheard of for a Treo!) = smash hit.

Potential snags:

1) GSM rollout should have coincided with CDMA. Yeah, Palm/Handspring owes its existence to Sprint, but the delay in getting GSM units out only hurts Palm.

2) Will HTC cut corners in construction quality?

3) Will phreaks eventually eXp10!T the PalmOS? News at 11.
;-O

4) What happens when a dozen other (Windows) companies copy the Treo design? This is already happening.

5) The phone is WAY too expensive for mass consumption. (But if the Treo 650 is marketed properly to businesses, that won't really matter.)



******************************************************************
Sony CLIE UX100: 128 MB real RAM, OLED screen. All the PDA anyone really ever wanted.

RE: Treo 650 is the best smartphone ever made. Period.
gfunkmagic @ 11/18/2004 10:44:58 PM #
1) Sprint's eclusive shipping deal ends next month! Don't worry GSM 650's will be here shortly! ;)

2) HTC is known for their excellent QA. They also manufacture a number of PPC etc and all have been known good quality

3) Hehe...there's presumably already a workaround for the disabled BT DUN profile on the Sprint 650. ;)

4) What you mean like the Benq P50. That's been delayed until late 2005...

5) I agree. PalmOne needs have a Treo in the $200 price point fast. I along with many others assumed the Treo 600 would stick around and be discounted at that price point, but it doesn't seem to be so. P1 needs to act fast if it want to quickly expand its smartphone share beyond the uber high end...

I support http://Tapland.com/

--------------------
GNM

RE: Treo 650 is the best smartphone ever made. Period.
The_Voice_of_Reason @ 11/18/2004 11:38:51 PM #
1) Sprint's eclusive shipping deal ends next month! Don't worry GSM 650's will be here shortly! ;)

I don't think GSM Treo 650 will be available until February in many markets. Payback to Sprint for standing by Handspring/Palm for the past three years...

2) HTC is known for their excellent QA. They also manufacture a number of PPC etc and all have been known good quality

I know. But like all contract manufacturers, they manufacture to a price point. If Palm tells them to cut corners and use the 1 cent distorted grapple grommet instead of the crystal clear two cent model, they will. Palm authorizes parts selection and the past three years have shown how little they now care about quality.

3) Hehe...there's presumably already a workaround for the disabled BT DUN profile on the Sprint 650. ;)

Never underestimate the power of hackers to mess up corporate plans. It's time to get the Treocentral Gang together again. Unlocking, cloning, Treo-as-Bluetooth-modem, etc should all soon be a flash "upgrade" away. Despite whatever Palm may have done (e.g. encrypt the compressed OS) to try and tighten up OS security.

4) What you mean like the Benq P50. That's been delayed until late 2005...

The BenQ P50 looks to be just one of many Elvis impersonators that we'll be seeing. The Treo 650 is already only a few minor evolutionary changes (make it smaller + lighter, add bigger P910-style screen + more memory + WiFi, lose the antenna) from being the perfect smartphone, so I think this will become the standard design for these devices.

5) I agree. PalmOne needs have a Treo in the $200 price point fast. I along with many others assumed the Treo 600 would stick around and be discounted at that price point, but it doesn't seem to be so. P1 needs to act fast if it want to quickly expand its smartphone share beyond the uber high end...

Keeping the Treo 600 is not what Palm needs to do. A cheap Treo 600 would mainly cannibalize sales from the high margin Treo 650. Palm needs a cheap phone-centric smartphone that runs the Treo OS. Imagine a Sony Ericsson S700 (or T630) running PalmOS. This would lure a whole new type of end user into PalmOS, revitalize the platform, and potentially entrench PalmOS as a major player in the phone OS world. On the other hand, if Palm doesn't put out a model like this in 2005, they'll probably just see Microsoft licencees keep chipping away at Palm's smartphone sales (as has happened with PDA sales) until Palm becomes the next Netscape/WordPerfect/Apple/Lotus 123. Just goes to prove that being the first and/or best doesn't ensure long term survival.




******************************************************************
Sony CLIE UX100: 128 MB real RAM, OLED screen. All the PDA anyone really ever wanted.

Use the Treo 650 as a Bluetooth modem?
The_Voice_of_Reason @ 11/19/2004 2:20:41 AM #
Until Sprint enables the Bluetooth profile with a patch (don't hold your breath) or someone hacks the OS, this may be your only solution:

http://www.junefabrics.com/palmnet/

Sprint might just be starting to crack down on Bluetooth users...



******************************************************************
Sony CLIE UX100: 128 MB real RAM, OLED screen. All the PDA anyone really ever wanted.

RE: Treo 650 is the best smartphone ever made. Period.
The_Voice_of_Reason @ 11/19/2004 2:20:41 AM #
1) Sprint's eclusive shipping deal ends next month! Don't worry GSM 650's will be here shortly! ;)

I don't think GSM Treo 650 will be available until February in many markets. Payback to Sprint for standing by Handspring/Palm for the past three years...

2) HTC is known for their excellent QA. They also manufacture a number of PPC etc and all have been known good quality

I know. But like all contract manufacturers, they manufacture to a price point. If Palm tells them to cut corners and use the 1 cent distorted grapple grommet instead of the crystal clear two cent model, they will. Palm authorizes parts selection and the past three years have shown how little they now care about quality.

3) Hehe...there's presumably already a workaround for the disabled BT DUN profile on the Sprint 650. ;)

Never underestimate the power of hackers to mess up corporate plans. It's time to get the Treocentral Gang together again. Unlocking, cloning, Treo-as-Bluetooth-modem, etc should all soon be a flash "upgrade" away. Despite whatever Palm may have done (e.g. encrypt the compressed OS) to try and tighten up OS security.

4) What you mean like the Benq P50. That's been delayed until late 2005...

The BenQ P50 looks to be just one of many Elvis impersonators that we'll be seeing. The Treo 650 is already only a few minor evolutionary changes (make it smaller + lighter, add bigger P910-style screen + more memory + WiFi, lose the antenna) from being the perfect smartphone, so I think this will become the standard design for these devices.

5) I agree. PalmOne needs have a Treo in the $200 price point fast. I along with many others assumed the Treo 600 would stick around and be discounted at that price point, but it doesn't seem to be so. P1 needs to act fast if it want to quickly expand its smartphone share beyond the uber high end...

Keeping the Treo 600 is not what Palm needs to do. A cheap Treo 600 would mainly cannibalize sales from the high margin Treo 650. Palm needs a cheap phone-centric smartphone that runs the Treo OS. Imagine a Sony Ericsson S700 (or T630) running PalmOS. This would lure a whole new type of end user into PalmOS, revitalize the platform, and potentially entrench PalmOS as a major player in the phone OS world. On the other hand, if Palm doesn't put out a model like this in 2005, they'll probably just see Microsoft licencees keep chipping away at Palm's smartphone sales (as has happened with PDA sales) until Palm becomes the next Netscape/WordPerfect/Apple/Lotus 123. Just goes to prove that being the first and/or best doesn't ensure long term survival.




******************************************************************
Sony CLIE UX100: 128 MB real RAM, OLED screen. All the PDA anyone really ever wanted.

RE: Treo 650 is the best smartphone ever made. Period.
mikecane @ 11/19/2004 8:18:33 AM #
One again, Voice of Narcissism loves his words soooo much he subjects the rest of to them TWICE. Keep showing us what an absolute jerk you are. You make Gekko look like genius.

RE: Treo 650 is the best smartphone ever made. Period.
The_Voice_of_Reason @ 11/20/2004 11:19:57 AM #
And the winner for Dumba$$ of the Year: Mike Cane


Go back to spending 40 hours a week playing with the PDA displays in CompUSA and Circuit City, Mikey. I hope someday you'll find a job and will finally be able to actually BUY a new PDA. Someday...



******************************************************************
Sony CLIE UX100: 128 MB real RAM, OLED screen. All the PDA anyone really ever wanted.

Don't tell me the BAD PEOPLE already hacked the Treo 650!
The_Voice_of_Reason @ 11/20/2004 1:07:30 PM #
http://discussion.treocentral.com/showthread.php?t=62918

I hope for Palm's sake this guy is joking. Palm couldn't have been dumb enough to expose the Bluetooth stack, could they? Nah. Must be a joke.



******************************************************************
Sony CLIE UX100: 128 MB real RAM, OLED screen. All the PDA anyone really ever wanted.

RE: Treo 650 is the best smartphone ever made. Period.
mikecane @ 11/20/2004 4:07:43 PM #
And, Voice, YOU keep proving that you have no life whatsoever aside from wanking to porn sites and reading *every* damned PDA board there is (your links here to several prove this latter point; your shrink won't comment about the first point).

RE: Treo 650 is the best smartphone ever made. Period.
The_Voice_of_Reason @ 11/20/2004 4:42:57 PM #
"Go back to spending 40 hours a week playing with the PDA displays in CompUSA and Circuit City, Mikey. I hope someday you'll find a job and will finally be able to actually BUY a new PDA. Someday..."

Did that cut a little too deep, Mikey? Good.

By the way, have you ever been arrested, Mike? It will be interesting for people to see what you were charged with. You pervert.



******************************************************************
Sony CLIE UX100: 128 MB real RAM, OLED screen. All the PDA anyone really ever wanted.

RE: Treo 650 is the best smartphone ever made. Period.
mikecane @ 11/20/2004 4:59:27 PM #
The truth about you really hurts, doesn't it? It must be the truth. You've never been so inflamed before. Don't give me this righeousness about protecting the chilllldren. That's not what you do to them.

Get help, Mike.
The_Voice_of_Reason @ 11/20/2004 5:25:47 PM #
The truth about you really hurts, doesn't it? It must be the truth. You've never been so inflamed before. Don't give me this righeousness about protecting the chilllldren. That's not what you do to them.

Inflamed? No, Mike. Most of us here know that attempting to make jokes about child pornography is inappropriate. That you fail to recognize this is not unexpected.




******************************************************************
Sony CLIE UX100: 128 MB real RAM, OLED screen. All the PDA anyone really ever wanted.

I'll take my Treo 650 WITHOUT the stupid NAND Flash, please.

The_Voice_of_Reason @ 11/19/2004 1:19:23 AM #
http://mytreo.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=Treo650;action=display;num=1100743887

The Treo 650 should have shipped with at least 128 MB memory.


PowerRUN will be a must have app for a lot of Treo 650 owners:

http://homepage2.nifty.com/hackerdudesan/index-e.html



******************************************************************
Sony CLIE UX100: 128 MB real RAM, OLED screen. All the PDA anyone really ever wanted.

RE: I'll take my Treo 650 WITHOUT the stupid NAND Flash, please.
hkklife @ 11/19/2004 9:56:11 AM #
Another potentially disasterous move by P1 (with the flash ram). Since P1 is so ram-stingy these days, 64mb would still be an acceptable amount for this model--especially considering the jaw-dropping price. All of these "little" concerns, of course, coming on the strongest model they've fielded since the T3.

Other thoughts:
The Treo 600 will have to stick around for a while longer in order to keep the high-middle price range propped up. I agree with everyone above in that a cheaper Treo is needed. In fact, a resurrection of the Treo 300 unit (in theory, not in FF) might be interesting. No SD slot, no BT, and a flip design might be just the ticket. As long as its specs are roughly Zire 31 level or so, it could be a fine unit.

RE: I'll take my Treo 650 WITHOUT the stupid NAND Flash, please.
twalk @ 11/19/2004 12:22:49 PM #
Samsung already has a PalmOS4.x flip phone using an industry standard 176x192 screen. If P1 would just copy that, throw out the graffiti area (save $$$), and stick PalmOS5 on it, they could probably make them profitable to sell at $200 without a contract.


RE: I'll take my Treo 650 WITHOUT the stupid NAND Flash, please.
The_Voice_of_Reason @ 11/19/2004 3:59:43 PM #
Samsung already has a PalmOS4.x flip phone using an industry standard 176x192 screen. If P1 would just copy that, throw out the graffiti area (save $$$), and stick PalmOS5 on it, they could probably make them profitable to sell at $200 without a contract.

That would make too much sense. Plus, Palm's execs seem more concerned about boosting per-unit profits than the big picture (expanding the platform's user base).



******************************************************************
Sony CLIE UX100: 128 MB real RAM, OLED screen. All the PDA anyone really ever wanted.

RE: I'll take my Treo 650 WITHOUT the stupid NAND Flash, please.
ginsberg @ 11/19/2004 8:37:10 PM #
Who is the idiot who posted such a STUPID remark?
He either does not understand the difference between NAND and NOR flash memory, or else he works for or holds stock in a company that manufactures NOR.

RE: I'll take my Treo 650 WITHOUT the stupid NAND Flash, please.
mikecane @ 11/20/2004 10:21:43 AM #
>>>Who is the idiot who posted such a STUPID remark?

Stick around. You'll find out just how big an idiot he is.

RE: I'll take my Treo 650 WITHOUT the stupid NAND Flash, please.
The_Voice_of_Reason @ 11/20/2004 11:17:07 AM #
The real idiot is wiating for you in the mirror, Lapdoggie. Join him.



******************************************************************
Sony CLIE UX100: 128 MB real RAM, OLED screen. All the PDA anyone really ever wanted.

And I'll post it twice, Lapdoggie
The_Voice_of_Reason @ 11/20/2004 11:17:07 AM #
The real idiot is waiting for you in the mirror, Lapdoggie. Join him.



******************************************************************
Sony CLIE UX100: 128 MB real RAM, OLED screen. All the PDA anyone really ever wanted.

The Treo 650 memory system is ridiculous. Here's the proof:
The_Voice_of_Reason @ 11/20/2004 1:47:03 PM #
http://discussion.treocentral.com/showthread.php?t=62773&page=3&pp=20



******************************************************************
Sony CLIE UX100: 128 MB real RAM, OLED screen. All the PDA anyone really ever wanted.

RE: I'll take my Treo 650 WITHOUT the stupid NAND Flash, please.
vesther @ 11/20/2004 3:24:10 PM #
I've encountered a lot of HotSyncing problems with the PalmOne Tungsten T5 due to BOTH the NAND Flash RAM AND the "hiccups" associated with Garnet 5.4.5. I'm expecting the Treo 650 to experience the same problems since Bits and Bolts announced this anomaly at their website. Hopefully, palmOne will be able to address this HotSync Problem on BOTH the Tungsten T5 and the Treo 650 in the future.

I pledge to the Palm-Powered community that I will seek to make a better handheld through research one day!!!
RE: I'll take my Treo 650 WITHOUT the stupid NAND Flash, please.
mikecane @ 11/20/2004 4:06:28 PM #
Voice does not disappoint in displaying his neuroses.

RE: I'll take my Treo 650 WITHOUT the stupid NAND Flash, please.
ginsberg @ 11/22/2004 6:19:05 PM #
Also note that he has bought into all the hype about OLEDs. The guy just parrots what he reads elsewhere and demonstrates zero critical thinking of his own. Loser.

RE: I'll take my Treo 650 WITHOUT the stupid NAND Flash, please.
The_Voice_of_Reason @ 11/24/2004 7:52:55 PM #
Ginny, Ginny, Ginny. Rule # 1 in your Misinformation Handbook: Try to discredit the source. Only problem is now everyone knows the extent of Palm's boo boo. Try Rule # 2.

Sorry, Bubba, Pandora's box is already open.

Feel free to try and insult me all you want, but that doesn't change the FACTS.



By the way, Ryan, can you do something about the namecalling here? This dumba$$ loser really hurt my feelings!

;-O



******************************************************************
Sony CLIE UX100: 128 MB real RAM, OLED screen. All the PDA anyone really ever wanted.

GSM vs. CDMA

Bjorn @ 11/22/2004 2:16:06 PM #
Does anyone have a clue on when the GSM version will start shipping relative to the CDMA version? palmOne does not officially.

I am more interested in GSM because the SIM card flexibility, especially during overseas travel. Also, palmOne claimed CDMA and GSM had roughly similar coverage in the U.S.

Thanks!

Bjorn

RE: GSM vs. CDMA
The_Voice_of_Reason @ 11/22/2004 2:25:29 PM #
February for Europe, probably mid-January for USA.



******************************************************************
Sony CLIE UX100: 128 MB real RAM, OLED screen. All the PDA anyone really ever wanted.

RE: GSM vs. CDMA
Bjorn @ 11/23/2004 8:57:07 AM #
How sure are you of those estimates? Where did you get that information? Thanks for the quick response! I'd love to get the Treo 650 but I would feel cheated if I had to go with the CDMA.

The BAD PEOPLE already hacked the Treo 650 Bluetooth stack!

The_Voice_of_Reason @ 11/22/2004 2:31:20 PM #
Oh dear.

As usual, Palm's lazy a$$ coders took the easy was out + just inactivated the standard DUN stacks instead of rewriting everything. Palm's laziness has its advantages - for Sprint customers!

http://discussion.treocentral.com/showthread.php?t=63250



******************************************************************
Sony CLIE UX100: 128 MB real RAM, OLED screen. All the PDA anyone really ever wanted.

RE: The BAD PEOPLE already hacked the Treo 650 Bluetooth stack!
BradNike @ 11/22/2004 10:18:02 PM #
Has anyone noticed how seemless the bluetooth technology in this product works? It's getting pretty amazing.

Dead SD slot

dnicolaou @ 11/24/2004 12:59:59 PM #
Anyone else have a 650 with a dead SD slot?

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