Rumor: Next Generation Treo Details and Picture

Possible details and an image of the next generation palmOne Treo Smartphone have surfaced. The image shows a similar Treo design, with a higher resolution screen and integrated Bluetooth wireless.

What appears to be a camera-phone picture of a slide or printout detailing the next generation Treo has been posted to the discussion forum at TreoCentral.

According to the details listed on the picture, the next Treo will retain the same basic form factor and layout with a number of improvement, It will be powered by Palm OS 5.x, have 32MB of RAM and a 312 MHz ARM processor. It will include integrated Bluetooth and a 320x320 pixel, 65k color TFT display.

The smartphone will also have a new camera with digital zoom and video capture, dedicated answer and disconnect phone buttons and a SD/MMC expansion slot with SD I/O. The report also claims a number of web Browser enhancements.

The source image lists the release timing as Fall 2004, but does not offer any other details on price or availability. You can click on the image on the right for the full slide. palmOne CEO Todd Bradley has repeatedly mentioned that they are developing a family of smartphones due in the Fall.

Thanks to Guarav for the tip.

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Wow, Just what the Doc Ordered!

LiveFaith @ 6/24/2004 7:47:14 PM #
BT + Hi-Rez ... this is just what the doctor order to keep the Treo600s roaring outta the phone dealers. What a fabulous device that seems to be getting some serious traction out there.
Can this run the Blackberry software? If so, what a deal.
Still has the antenna ... :-|

Pat Horne; www.churchoflivingfaith.com
RE: Wow, Just what the Doc Ordered!
kevdo @ 6/24/2004 8:22:39 PM #
64 mb of RAM would make this much closer to perfection...

Well, that and a price I could afford. ;-)

-Kevin Crossman, Palm Powered Software Champion

New Treo

TheRealZero @ 6/24/2004 8:41:01 PM #
They all look the same too me....

Close!

sub_tex @ 6/24/2004 9:15:37 PM #
Close to perfection. I would take wifi over bluetooth any day (although a BT headset would be nice), but the hi-res screen finally makes its appearance!

I agree more RAM would be nice too.

This is a great thing, though. I expect lots of good stuff from the future Treo line.

RE: Close!
TooMuch @ 6/24/2004 10:04:48 PM #
Bluetooth before WiFi is right. Bluetooth is about wireless accessories, pda-to-compu syncrhonization and person-to-person communication. Bluetooth first...is a BIG YES!

Please, Please, Please May There Be A Verizon Version

4s @ 6/24/2004 9:23:54 PM #
Please.

<><
RE: Please, Please, Please May There Be A Verizon Version
kp* @ 6/24/2004 10:31:02 PM #
Amen! I'm about to shell out major cash for the v710 whenever it comes out because I need BT right now. Of course by the time this new Treo comes out and Verizon releases it I will be old and gray and ready to upgrade my v710 anyway. But this may be the device that gets me into smartphones so I can drop my PDA and just go laptop-smartphone. I was waiting for hi-res, and BT so I can go online with my laptop. I wish it didn't have a keyboard, but I guess the graffiti thing failed the first time. I'm a Clie user a little worried about the future, good to see that Palm is on the right track.

RE: Please, Please, Please May There Be A Verizon Version
treo007 @ 6/25/2004 2:06:03 AM #
Yea, I can't decide whether Verizon is yet to release the 600 because:

1) They knew this one was on the way;

2) They just overly conservative and wait years to release what everyone else already has;

Here's hoping it's reason #1 as Verizon's the only decent network out there (Sprint's a close second) in terms of coverage and performance. If it is reason #2, that means they'll be releasing the 610 2 years after it's been released.

One last thought: the 610 would have to be EV-DO and EMTS compatible right? 'Twould be a collasal screwup on Palm's part if it isn't.

RE: Please, Please, Please May There Be A Verizon Version
vesther @ 7/6/2004 4:53:14 PM #
Verizon has the most strict approval processes amongst all major carriers. Much of the reason why I have not yet seen a Verizon version of the Treo 600 was mainly because it has not yet been approved by Verizon, and Verizon has yet to test out the phone before it is approved by them. Damn Verizon for their super-strict approval processes. Hopefully Verizon is given a prototype Treo 610 for them to use.

Sooner or later, all Palm-Powered Handhelds running under Intel's PXA27X line of processors need to implement Centrino Technology in addition to Intel's XScale technology and Intel's WMMX.

Antenna

Gekko @ 6/24/2004 9:33:21 PM #
They can put a man on the moon, but they can't get rid of that f-ing antenna.

RE: Antenna
cbowers @ 6/24/2004 10:06:43 PM #
I'm amazed that your beef with it is large enough to warrant a post. Half complain about an antenna sticking out, half complain about reduced RF performance (and yet never seem to link it to the fashionable lack of an external antenna). Reference the few hacking their Tungsten C to add a jack for an external WiFi antenna. Maybe PalmOne should sell the empty shell of the Tungsten W for out of warranty Tungsten C users to move the guts over to...

Seems the best any manufacturer can do is put in an antenna that you can remove and replace with a plug. Those who prefer jewelry to communicating can just take the sucker off.



RE: Antenna
Gekko @ 6/24/2004 10:18:55 PM #
RE: Antenna
Rome @ 6/24/2004 11:10:02 PM #
I will take the next generation of Treo over any of the phones on that Nokia page you posted.

Any day, with the antenna.

RE: Antenna
sixty-four @ 6/25/2004 1:05:26 AM #
Yeah but look at all the antennas those dolts at NASA had to rely on: http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/image/spacecraft/apollo_lm_diagram.gif

Thanks for pointing out that hallmark of flawed design: the antenna.

----
Forty Six and 2 are just ahead of me

RE: Antenna
LiveFaith @ 6/25/2004 11:48:13 AM #
Gekko,
I don't think Handspring put a guy up there. But hey, nothing a good hacksaw can't handle? :-0

Pat Horne; www.churchoflivingfaith.com
RE: Antenna
orol @ 6/25/2004 1:08:25 PM #
> I will take the next generation of Treo over any of the phones on that Nokia page you posted.

well, he wanted to show that modern phones don't have antenna and still get great reception.

I'm with him. antenna is obsolete. even MDA2/XDA2 don't have an antenna!

btw nokia phones that were introduced in europe 3 weeks ago can beat treo anytime.

they have 1mpix camera, bluetooth, can read native pdf files, have quickoffice, have 3G(UMTS/WCDMA) & EDGE support. something treo is lacking

and well they are smaller and ligher (around 120g). have FM-tuner & HW radio.

RE: Antenna
Altema @ 6/25/2004 1:19:03 PM #
I agree that the external antenna is not necessary (my SE-T616 has better reception than any of my past phones with external antennas. No, not the 610, the 616). However, I think it looks ok on the Treo and helps with the perception that this device is more than just a PDA with a cell radio tacked in.

RE: Antenna
mikecane @ 6/26/2004 10:17:56 AM #
Gekko rants about an antenna... hey, Gekko! How's that fat antenna on your damned AXIM, pal? Amazing that the SMALLER and MORE STYLISH hps can include BT/WiFi *without* it, eh? Troll elsewhere.

RE: Antenna
ackmondual @ 6/26/2004 6:44:58 PM #
You could probably get rid of it yourself and get away with it. I know some1 whoaccidently broke their antenna on some Sprint phone and it worked just as well. Other ppl online have also made the same claim. However don't blame me if it messes it up tho.

[signature0]the secret to enjoying your job is to have a hobby that's even worse[/signature0]
[signature1]My PDAs: Visor --> Visor Neo (blue) --> Zire 71.... so ends the "marathon", for now[/signature1]
OT ... RE: Antenna
LiveFaith @ 6/27/2004 3:50:08 PM #
Altema,
What's the diff in the 616 & 610? I thot it was just the networks? Just got the 610 on T-mobile yesterday. Is the 616 that better? Why?

Pat Horne; www.churchoflivingfaith.com
RE: Antenna
iJITSU @ 6/28/2004 1:08:24 AM #
Pat,

The SE T610 is 900/1800/1900 mhz. The SE T616 is 850/1800/1900 mhz. Tmobile has the 610 (all 1900 network) and Cingular has the 616 (850/1900 network).

RE: Antenna
e_tellurian @ 6/28/2004 1:24:23 PM #
Good point.

Other RF choices will not offer an external antenna as its interactive purpose is not the same. However, will interact with all including those with antennas.

BT is a good interactive ear that listens well.

E-T



e-tellurian

completing the e-com circle with a people driven we-com solution

RE: Antenna
Winter_ @ 6/28/2004 3:20:38 PM #
So, do dogs have Buddha nature?

:>

RE: Antenna
JonathanChoo @ 7/2/2004 12:08:31 PM #
Well I don't mind the antenna. It is similarly designed to the classic Ericsson T28/T39 mobile phones. I rather have an antenna poking out like that than a US mobile (StarTac) style pull out antenna.


--
Psion 5> Vx > m505 > N770C > T625C > NR70V > e310 > T/T > HP h2210 > T/T3 & h4150
StarTac 75 > T28m > T39m > T68m > T610 > T630

Is that all?

mbaker @ 6/24/2004 10:06:35 PM #
Well, they cerainly aren't taking any big leaps here. Sure, I'd like a higher res camera and display, but I'm glad I didn't wait for the next version to com out. I am quite happy with what I got now. With add on software, I already have movie capability. The new camera does not have any more memory than my Treo600 and it runs the same 5.x version of Palm OS. I would have hoped for more memory and 6.x OS as well in the next version. It also looks to be basically the same form factor as the current version.Yes, I like the new features, but I'm also glad I got the 600 now rather than waiting until an unnamed date.

RE: Is that all?
neuron @ 6/24/2004 10:24:01 PM #
SmartPhone is OS5 only in the future. You won't see any OS6 smartphone.

You need go back to check PalmSource News.

RE: Is that all?
TooMuch @ 6/24/2004 11:44:35 PM #
"Well, they cerainly aren't taking any big leaps here..."

Yeah, like make it bigger and heavier and ugly and more power consuming. What P1 really needed to do was change the design so inventories aren't overstocked. But then again they could have made fold 'n fly like a paper airplane so that it could be the first "shared" smartphone. Now that would be a "big leap." Of course, that still wouldn't impress a terminal cynic.

RE: Is that all?
TooMuch @ 6/24/2004 11:55:34 PM #
"fold 'n fly"

Or how 'bout "fart 'n fly." Now that might impress the like.

RE: Is that all?
treo007 @ 6/25/2004 2:11:40 AM #
>>"SmartPhone is OS5 only in the future. You won't see any OS6 smartphone.

You need go back to check PalmSource News."

Actually, I would advise you to go and do the same. Neither PalmOne nor Palm Source ever said there wouldn't be an OS 6.0 smart phone. They only said they were developing a OS 5.0 version geared towards smart phone that would be low cost.

With Treos making up a considerably larger portion of Palm's revenue (and overall increased financial success) on a daily basis, I highly doubt they won't be releasing an OS 6.0 phone in the near future.

Might want to tone down the arrogance next time if you don't know what you're talking about...


RE: Is that all?
Calroth @ 6/25/2004 3:10:31 AM #
What is the point of making an entire OS for smartphones (in this case, Garnet), if the single biggest selling range of smartphones isn't going to use it?

P.S. It doesn't make sense for PalmOne to have some Treo models with Garnet and some with Cobalt.

RE: Is that all?
treo007 @ 6/25/2004 4:18:00 AM #
>>"What is the point of making an entire OS for smartphones (in this case, Garnet), if the single biggest selling range of smartphones isn't going to use it?

P.S. It doesn't make sense for PalmOne to have some Treo models with Garnet and some with Cobalt."


There is if there's going to be an entire family of Treos or smart phones from Palm as this and other articles have stated (right from the mouth of PalmOne's own executives).

They can't all be high end, therefore an OS 5.0 device might make sense.

Face it, PalmOne is probably going to be producing a lot more smart phones than PDAs within a couple of years.


RE: Is that all?
Calroth @ 6/25/2004 8:41:20 AM #
An OS is not something that you can swap in or out of your PDAs at will. On a PDA, an OS is transparent... it's just there. We're not talking PCs here.

People expect every Treo in a family to act the same, but have different physical features. More RAM, faster processor, built-in Bluetooth, built-in camera or lack thereof etc.

Having a family of Treos, some with Cobalt, and some with Garnet, makes about as much sense as having a series of Tungstens with OS 5, but some with OS 4. (OK, the Tungsten W aside.)

RE: Is that all?
a3 @ 6/25/2004 9:45:45 AM #
Treo 007: I have to agree with the other guys. I think that Garnett will be exclusive for smartphones (at least in the next few years). It is a stable, proven and fast OS for PalmOne's most important business (if not now, at least in a near future).

Cobalt will be used for the laptop replacement PDA. As soon as they have it settled, tested and bug-free (to some extent at least) they might think on exporting it to the Treo family.

____________________________________________________
Current fan of a 320x480 tablet shaped Palm with built in BT+Wifi for less than US$450

RE: Is that all?
hkklife @ 6/25/2004 10:28:09 AM #
Well, as I and many others suspected, the specs of this new Treo mimic the Zire 72 almost identically. IMHO that's a smart move on Palm's part--"share" specs/components with a midrange Tungsten or Zire handheld and 6 months to a year later, release a Treo with most of the same featureset. In the less-demanding smartphone world, specs that might relegate a dedicated PDA to midrange status still make for an ultra-high-end killer smartphone.

Good move, Palm. Also, isn't it funny how the Treo sync/charge connector is staying put and not being replaced by flimsy AC/mini USB cords? At least PalmOne won't screw that connectivity "standard" up! (though I do feel the Treo connector in its current form is a touch big for by "cell phone" standards)

RE: Is that all?
Edward Green @ 6/25/2004 11:29:11 AM #
The connector is the same as on some other Smart Phones like the SPV.

I bet we see this on Orange in Europe before it hits the States.

Edward Green
--
http://www.khite.co.uk

RE: Is that all?
cbowers @ 6/25/2004 1:01:02 PM #
"What is the point of making an entire OS for smartphones (in this case, Garnet), if the single biggest selling range of smartphones isn't going to use it?"

That's only the single biggest selling one *today*. And recall we've already had Treo's across two OS flavors OS4 (up to the Treo 300) and OS5 for the Treo600.

"P.S. It doesn't make sense for PalmOne to have some Treo models with Garnet and some with Cobalt."

Sure it does. The same way it does to have a Tungsten C or T3 on one end, and a Zire 21 on the other. The basic OS experience is the same, but the actual OS is considerably different.

"An OS is not something that you can swap in or out of your PDAs at will."

As one who's done licensee beta testing, I would beg to differ. All Palm OS flavors are very tailored for devices any way. Assuming the OS was targeted for the specific device running OS5 or 6, is as simple as it was running OS2,3 or 4 on dragonball units.

"People expect every Treo in a family to act the same". To an extent that was the case with OS4 Treo's and OS5 Treo's, but there are also plenty of evolved changes. That will continue.

For the rest of the naysayers, get used to it. It's been made very clear to developers. They they want to get down to a particular pricepoint to drive sales, and that can be done with Garnet. However Cobalt will remain on the higher end, and as it was pointed out, it's even MORE suited to smartphones than garnet with it's abilities of locking down a device in terms of what software and drivers can be installed and how they may or may not interact. These are features cellular carriers are demanding (much as I loathe the entire concept). Carriers want Cobalt lockdown ability, and consumers want what will be Garnet pricepoint. PalmSource and licensees are going to give out both.

RE: Is that all?
cbowers @ 6/25/2004 1:37:44 PM #
And speaking purely of PalmSource news and the re-reading thereof, I'll make the jump easier:
http://www.palmsource.com/press/2004/021004_cobalt.html

Clearly there will be wireless and "smart" devices in both OS groups.

In fact, I tend to grimace at the term "smartphone" these days because it's so limiting. A connected device can be so much more than a phone. When you have a multi-media PDA with Bluetooth/WiFi and multiple bands of GSM or CDMA flavors (as HP is market leading with), it's much more than a smart phone.

Camera? And they'll fail in business again!

T.W.G @ 6/25/2004 3:51:52 AM #
Hi,

when do they recognize this?
In many companies cameraphones are forbidden and here palm one will - again - sell no single unit!

I can't understand this; hopefully they'll release an official cameraless version.


Thomas

T.W.G www.twgmusic.de

Palm Powered Handheld Reviews from T.W.G at: www.pdaforum.de

RE: Camera? And they'll fail in business again!
Snerdy @ 6/25/2004 7:30:01 AM #
Patience -- you'll get your thing:

http://discuss.treocentral.com/showthread.php?t=51904

RE: Camera? And they'll fail in business again!
cbowers @ 6/25/2004 1:17:02 PM #
Jeeze man, they're already selling a cameraless Treo 600, and likely would future models.

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