Quickies: PalmSource, Treo Availability, TreoModem, Hot Games Pack

According to Cnet, Palm has asked the IRS declare its spin off of PalmSource to be tax-free. It will take six to nine months to get the IRS's approval so Palm's operating system group should become a separate company sometime around the end of this year or early next year. -Ed

The Handspring Treo 90 is now available in retail stores across the U.S. It can be found at Staples, Best Buy, Circuit City, Good Guys, Fry's Electronics, J&R and within the next few weeks at CompUSA and Office Max. -PR

Both the Treo 270 and Treo 90 will be available in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia starting this week. They are in IT retail outlets as well as mobile phone stores. -PR

Notify Mail has released TreoModem, which allows a Treo smartphone to be used as a wireless modem for a laptop. It is available now for $15. -Larry

TB Labs is offering a summer discount for its Hot Games Pack: $40 for a pack of 14 games that is regularly $50. Each game has grayscale and color version, and some games have special versions adopted for high-res devices such as Sony Clié and HandEra 330. -PR

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Wrong article link

I.M. Anonymous @ 6/27/2002 8:30:21 AM #
Hi Ed, The CNET article link appears to go to the news regarding VPN, and not the IRS story - don't know whether this is intentional or not, but just thought I'd point it out. Thanks
Right article link
Ed @ 6/27/2002 8:40:45 AM #
Read the last paragraph of the Cnet story.

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News Editor

TreoModem

mtg101 @ 6/27/2002 8:52:50 AM #
Doesn't the Treo accept standard AT commands that would allow it to be used as a GSM modem without any additional software?

I'm not sure on this as the spec for the Treo is a bit ambiguous on this point.

Anyone have an answer on this one?

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russ@russb.fsnet.co.uk

RE: TreoModem
I.M. Anonymous @ 6/27/2002 9:03:12 AM #
What the $15 gets you is the ability to actually talk to the GSM modem in the Treo - otherwise how would you do it???? Plugging a cable in won't be enough... you need software to route data to/from the modem/PC
RE: TreoModem
big_raji @ 6/27/2002 9:59:29 AM #
I think Russ is saying that most GSM phones already have this ability, without requiring a $15 program put on the phone. I also think that it's strange that the Treo requires this program.

I wonder if you can use the Treo as a modem for another Palm device? Useless, I know... but still curious.

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What's Wrong With This Picture?
http://raj.phangureh.com/picture.html

RE: TreoModem
I.M. Anonymous @ 6/27/2002 11:52:15 AM #
The Treo can not inherently be used as a wireless modem for anything other than the Treo itself. It makes no sense to me, or anyone else either, but that's the fact, jack. This limitation has long been a thorn in many Treo owners' sides, particularly those who used to carry a regualar GSM phone and a laptop (and a Palm) and used the phone for both the Palm and laptop. They had eliminated the need for the phone when carrying their Palm (by getting the Treo) but they still needed their old phone to use with their laptop. With TreoModem, that's no longer necessary. No more SIM swapping, and no more superfluous gadgets.
RE: TreoModem
mtg101 @ 6/27/2002 11:56:32 AM #
I've just had a meeting with a Handspring guy, and he confirmed that the Treo can't be used as a moden via the IR port. The Treo fully support the AT command set, it's just that there's no hookup between the IR port and the AT functionality.

So TreoModem must provide the link between the IR port and the AT command set. Seems a little steep to pay $15 for this - but if you want it you don't have much choice at the moment do you?

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russ@russb.fsnet.co.uk

RE: TreoModem
I.M. Anonymous @ 6/27/2002 1:59:26 PM #
Does anyone know how to use this thing? The demo I downloaded had no documentation....
Treomodem to use IR port of palm with PC
cyruski @ 6/27/2002 3:59:38 PM #
Can I try treomodem to use my Palm's IR port with the pc? It has settings for redirecting IR to serial..

cyruski
RE: TreoModem
I.M. Anonymous @ 6/27/2002 10:05:43 PM #
The documentations have been added for TreoModem

http://www.notifymail.com/palm/treomodemdocs/help.htm

RE: TreoModem
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/3/2002 4:37:32 AM #
From: support@notifymail.com

To answer a few questions

1) Yes, TreoModem can be used with another Palm. I used a CLIE to connect to the Internet via IR to the Treo.

2) The Treo can be used as a wireless modem, but it requires linking the wireless modem and the serial port together.

3) Is $15 too steep for TreoModem? Are there any other solutions out there? I don't think it is too steep. Should Handspring have included it like Kyocera (sort of) does on the 6035? Yes. (Kyocera doesn't let you use IR, I believe.)

4) Documentation is continuously being updated as more information becomes available. Please check out our website: <http://www.notifymail.com/palm/> for more information.

RE: TreoModem
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/5/2002 6:46:04 PM #
I agree fully that a ONE TIME fee of $15 is not that bad. I mean, this is for people who can AFFORD the Treo 180/270 in the first place. Yes, I realize that some people have them and maybe they couldn't afford them, but $15 is no big deal.

--JM

Typo

IanJD @ 6/27/2002 9:02:26 AM #
I think "versions adopted for" should read "versions adapted for".

RE: Typo
I.M. Anonymous @ 6/27/2002 9:19:27 AM #
Ian, you need to get a hobby other than being a nit picker.
RE: Typo
I.M. Anonymous @ 6/27/2002 10:32:46 AM #
I think pointing out typos is helpful, but posting them to the discussion forum instead of just e-mailing them to Ed seems needlessly officious.

Treo 90's Weak

I.M. Anonymous @ 6/27/2002 4:11:55 PM #
While I was impressed with the size & weight of the Treo 90, I have to be highly critical on a couple of items:

1) I found the keyboard to be very difficult to use. The thumbboard on the Sony NR series is far superior.
2) The screen is LAME! The Palm m130 has a much better screen for this level handheld. I liked how Handspring implemented the contrast & brightness adjustment, but I was unable to find any setting that worked well indoors, and the screen was all but unreadable out. Yikes, what a disappointment!

RE: Treo 90's Weak
kevdo @ 6/27/2002 6:22:19 PM #
>The thumbboard on the Sony NR series is far superior.

Are you kidding? I know every person is different, but I can't imagine any world where the Treo keyboard is worse than the one on the NR series.

Then again, some people liked the old Atari 400 keyboard.

-Kevin Crossman

RE: Treo 90's Weak
I.M. Anonymous @ 6/27/2002 10:02:37 PM #
I gotta see the m130's screen again. It must be amazing cuz I think the screen on my Treo 270 is very good (indoors).
RE: Treo 90's screen
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/1/2002 2:02:23 PM #
Interesting... some people have said the Treo 90's screen is better--definitely that it's bigger, which is good, IMO. Different strokes, I guess...

Who is the owner?

I.M. Anonymous @ 6/28/2002 5:02:36 AM #
Who will be the owner of PalmSource. Now it's a subsidiary of Palm, so every Palm stock holder is "owner" of PalmSource.

I worry about they cannibalize Palm Inc. Split of PalmSource completely (new owner?) and then shut off the hardware part ...

Treo 270 Available now

MadMax @ 7/5/2002 7:31:15 PM #
Saw the 270 at Fry's in Fremeont, CA on 7-5-2002. $699.

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