Comments on: Palm Officially Announces i705

At this point, it will probably come as no surprise to anyone that Palm Inc. officially announced the i705 today. Information has been leaking on this new wireless model for weeks and it has actually been on sale at numerous stores across the U.S. since late last week.

Of course, the main function of the i705 is to provide "always on" wireless email. The user is notified as soon as a new email is received, even if the handheld itself is turned off.

It is available now for $450. It will only be offered in the United States.

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Looks cool to me....

Davy @ 1/28/2002 12:06:36 AM #

I personally think this is the future ahead of mobile phones. In a day where we all live on e-mails, and Instant Messages, Phones will someday take a backseat. This could be the beginning, where the divergance happens between the PDA-Phone, and the PDA-Web.

RE: Looks cool to me....

ImpReza @ 1/28/2002 12:21:36 AM #

or it could be the bloody end, as Palm really needed this one to be color for it to be more innovative. and plz, hide your secrets better, Palm, as this one was the worst kept yet.

RE: Looks cool to me....

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 12:31:00 AM #

> plz, hide your secrets better, Palm, as this one was the worst kept yet.

Do you really want that? Or do you just like to whine?

RE: Looks cool to me....

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 12:38:30 AM #

"Phones will someday take a backseat"
????
How did you come to this conclusion? Voice is still the fastest way we communicate. This is a supplement to cell phones, NOT a replacement. Try recounting to a friend a recent event that happened in your life, and I guarantee that you'll do it much quicker on a cell phone than a wireless PDA with IM.

RE: Looks cool to me....

ImpReza @ 1/28/2002 1:20:41 AM #

no, i don't like to whine, but i don't like people whining over every little thing Sony does wrong either.

RE: Looks cool to me....

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 2:56:53 AM #

I could someday see a device like this, with a wireless Bluetooth headset (earpiece/mic), if it had the bandwidth to do voice. Way more practical than dealling with a dinky mobile phone.

RE: Treo beats it hands down

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 7:50:33 AM #

Look at that thing and look at the treo. The treo is more compact, more useful and for heavens sake has a color version in the making.

RE: Looks cool to me....

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 8:24:34 AM #

"Look at that thing and look at the treo. The treo is more compact, more useful and for heavens sake has a color version in the making."

The Treo is in a whole different "class" than the i705. People...the i705 isn't and never was designed to do voice comm, so don't compare apples and oranges

RE: Looks cool to me....

Quik_Fix @ 1/28/2002 8:30:19 AM #

True. But the Treo doesn't have the always-on feature that makes this an instant interest to some.

In regards to an earlier post, it is unfortunate we can't have this in color; I agree. But if they tried to do that now without further advancements in battery longevity, we'd have to charge our 705s every few hours instead of once every day or two, and that's just not an acceptable trade off. I'm sure they would have made it color if it was practical to do so.

...In accordance with the prophecy...

Quik_Fix
quikfix@hotmail.com

RE: Looks cool to me....

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 8:38:11 AM #

> The treo is more compact, more useful and for heavens sake has a
> color version in the making.

How do you know Palm doesn't have a color version of the i705 coming? Handspring pre-announcing the color Treo will hurt sales of the b&w 180. Palm could be waiting to announce its color one.

RE: Looks cool to me....

escobar @ 1/28/2002 10:05:09 AM #

The Treo will get always-on mail when GPRS is implemented in the software, but this will only be useful where GPRS is available (which to my understanding is mostly outside the US).

I live in Europe and we've had GPRS for some time now, so I look forward to getting the Treo!!

Hope it will be available soon in my country (Norway)!

RE: Looks cool to me.... NOT

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 10:15:45 AM #

"It will only be offered in the United States."

Well I'm from Canada, so this is just a pretty doorstop. Too bad. That's 6 fewer Palm's that they won't sell.

We have a bunch of Palms that need upgrading/replacing. Since I can't get the wireless, I may as well go for more capable machines (16MB RAM, high res screen) from Sony.

Of course, it would have been nicer if they hadn't been sending me teaser emails the last few weeks. Must have been doing that just to piss me off. After all, they had my address along with the email...

RE: Looks cool to me....

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 3:51:19 PM #

GPRS is available anywhere you can get Voicestream service.

RE: Looks cool to me....

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 4:57:35 PM #

According to the voicestream website "To access iStream, your PDA must be running the Windows CE operating system."

How would this help with a Palm?

RE: Looks cool to me....

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 8:03:14 PM #

VoiceStream is clueless on their own service. I use a Handspring Prism + a RED-M bluetooth springboard to connect to my T68 phone on voicestream and use GPRS. This combo is far superior to this i705 - the only thing I lack is the "always on" e-mail. As soon as VoiceStream uses the "push inbox" features of GPRS, that would mean surpassed functionality with a Treo.

For those who think that this device is better than a Treo - voice is still the killer app. If the Treo does indeed support GPRS, even without push inbox, the combo of voice, with the ability to get fast internet access in your one Palm based device is the clear winner.

RE: Looks cool to me....

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 9:52:37 PM #

Sounds like you still need to connect your Palm to a cell phone. Ick. Need to have a wire between the two and some people would not
have a phone that would do the job.

Maybe I need a (cheap and getting cheaper) Visor and (integrated) Visorphone rather than the "two pieces of hardware connect by a wire" solution.

Of course, the Visor site says that it is not supported in Canada...

RE: Looks cool to me....Nah!

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 10:34:09 PM #

only available in the US? nah, not good
no color? nah, not good
no voice capabilty? nah, not good
no virtual graffiti area? nah, not good
clunky design? nah
8MB? nah

This is not a winner!
i'll wait for somthing better....

RE: Looks cool to me....

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 10:49:14 PM #

"Sounds like you still need to connect your Palm to a cell phone. Ick. Need to have a wire between the two and some people would not have a phone that would do the job."

Read it again guy - he said BlueTooth - that is wirelessly connected - hone in the pocket, Palm in hand and still connected. Nice idea.

RE: Looks cool to me....

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/29/2002 10:04:01 PM #

No. I still need a cell phone to do that. I'm quite happy with my StarTAC (sans Bluetooth). I'm not buying a new phone to do what the damn Plam should do (and can do) in the first place.

The idea is to carry a nice light cellphone to talk to people and PDA for everything else.

'bye Palm.

RE: Looks cool to me....

I.M. Anonymous @ 6/13/2002 9:58:06 AM #

Startac...are they still around, it's almost 6 years since I had one of them. Brings back happy memories.

Way to go Palm!

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 12:16:53 AM #

To pack all those goodies in a palm w/that form factor. WOW! Keep up the good work and what a time to be alive!

RE: Way to go Palm!

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 6:49:16 AM #

OK... sounds that you are so exciting about this..will you buy it ? $449 "only" ..

RE: Way to go Palm!

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 1:27:34 PM #

how about color and mp3 might as well have it "all" Anyone know who will have this item next?? I like what the sony
n760c has but no do like the screen - so I'm holding off until.. I can have it all I want to
get rid of my phone too...

RE: Way to go Palm!

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 3:56:45 PM #

Forget MP3 in a PDA, get an iPod for MP3 playback. I think mono screens are just fine. Color ones cost too much money. Maybe in the future.

RE: Way to go Palm!

mikecane @ 1/29/2002 8:57:13 AM #

The T615C has a superior screen to the N760. But I must agree with the above post too -- iPod is best for MP3.

light speed is nothing comparable to ed ;-)

SaxonMan @ 1/28/2002 12:23:16 AM #

pretty darn fast
way to go ed

regards,
SaxonMan

--------------------------------------
may the holy palmostles be with you

RE: light speed is nothing comparable to ed ;-)

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 5:19:15 PM #

I'll agree that Ed is pretty darn quick, but the speed of light isn't all it's cracked up to be. In the last few years, researchers have been able to slow down light to the speed of a bicycle and have actually stopped it on occasion... This work may have relevance to PDAs in the (very) distant future! Let's hope Palm is still in business by then (although I expect a company like Apple to actually come through with this first)

midnight

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 12:22:17 AM #

and they released it at midnight - go figure

RE: midnight

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 10:17:49 AM #

could be tax reasons for the midnight release.

Not great, but not bad.

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 12:34:39 AM #

At least it is a substantial form improvement over the Palm VII/VIIx series.

Now for one with an integrated smartphone. Color would be nice, too.

RE: Not great, but not bad.

donpdonp @ 1/28/2002 11:09:54 AM #

How is this different from a Palm VII?

The i705 and VII both use the CDMA standard and run PQA apps. I think making yet another CDMA data device is a mistake - GSM/GPRS is the wireless data standard that will prevail in the US. To be tied to palm.net/cingular is another reason I didnt get a palm VII.

the i705 looks to be a Palm VII in a shiney case. What a waste of R&D efforts! I get the feeling it does not cost palm much at all to pump out new models. In this case, use the M500 internals and add a CDMA radio. They need to be focusing on ARM hardware, bluetooth, and OS 5.

PS. GPRS is available today from Voicestream in my "market" - Portland, OR. Although it tops out at around 56kbit/sec.

RE: Not great, but not bad.

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 11:46:42 AM #

As to how this is different from the VII, that's clear - it has an always on, which the VII didn't (forget that it's on the same network).

When you combine that with the email, etc. sw (and the email server that palm will make available) and the dataviz, it is clear that this goes after the corporate market.

Palm seems to have perceived a little while back that they needed a blackberry killer, and this is a step in that direction, albiet coming from the pda side. It's got always on email and IM, supports mutiple email formats, will have its own email server and msexchange interface, etc. And, it has all the great palm stuff that the blackberry will never have.

The form factor is consistent w/ the product line, so I can't fault them there. I personally think the sony's have more user pizzaz, but I don't think that was the intent for this first wireless release (ok second). Whether there's a market for the always on + color/hires remains to be seen. Those would be great machines but depending on the $$ involved....

RE: Not great, but not bad.

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/29/2002 2:18:16 AM #

They're not CDMA devices....Cingular doesn't use the CDMA band. They use GSM in some parts, TDMA in others.

still no e-mail from Palm.

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 12:39:49 AM #

I actually think that this device is really cool. If the casing were non-plastic and if the screen were color (ie, m505-ish), I don't think that I would hesitate to pick one of these up. Of course, I'm still not sure why Palm bothered with all the e-mail hype over the past two weeks. They more-or-less promised to give "the faithful" first dibs on these units. Instead, they started showing up in stores and on the Palm website before we even receive the much-anticipated "guaranteed next-day delivery" e-mail, alerting us to the product release. What gives?

RE: still no e-mail from Palm.

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 7:28:36 AM #

Very true! I thought it was a joke that they were sending these Shhh type emails to us while people were buying them at compusa

I would have bought one today if it simply had a color screen. *sigh*

I refuse to buy the i705 when the color Treo is coming down the line or perhaps or something similar.

RE: still no e-mail from Palm.

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 10:19:19 AM #

Hope you don't mind waiting close to a year from now for the color Treo...

Question- can I get wirless

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 12:38:39 AM #

The University where I go has a wirless network throughout the whole campus...they have these tiny pods in the ceiling creating the wireless network for all the students to use....if I get the i705, can I be connected to the internet wirelessly for free or do I still have to sign up for Palm.net.....if the i705 has a built in modem, can't I just access the network and bypass palm.net....the teacher said something about a laptop with a wireless modem can connect for free....can i do the same with an i705?

RE: Question- can I get wirless

Ed @ 1/28/2002 12:53:51 AM #

Almost certainly the wireless networking your school has is called 802.11b, not what the i705 uses. But all isn't lost. There are several 802.11b options, depending on what handheld you have.

Palm m500 series:
http://intel.com/network/connectivity/products/xirpwe1130.htm

Visor:
http://intel.com/network/connectivity/products/springport_modules.htm

HandEra:
http://www.handera.com/accessories/symbol80211.asp

---
News Editor

RE: Question- can I get wirless

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 12:57:03 AM #

haha, I spelled wireless "wirless"... maybe I should go back to kindergarden...

RE: Question- can I get wirless

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 1:05:25 AM #

thank you so much Ed, you da man...

RE: Question- can I get wirless

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 8:00:55 AM #

>The University where I go has a wirless network throughout the whole campus...they have these tiny pods in the ceiling...

Oh my god! That's not a wireless network, that's a mind-control matrix! You are in grave danger! GET OUT OF THERE!!!

RE: Question- can I get wirless

I.M. Anonymous @ 4/4/2002 4:21:01 PM #

How can the i705 connect to a network from a remote location ? Our NT admins. would like to travel and be able to troubleshoot server problems. Is this possible.

What type of modem and speed can I get ?

Cytec

RE: Question- can I get wirless

schav @ 9/12/2002 3:05:43 PM #

The i705 operates on the Mobitex paging network and thus requires a proxy to get onto the "Web"/tcp/ip world. Palm.Net service plays this part. Once your device goes through Palm.Net, Palm.Net relays HTTP/S requests to web-sites to retrieve for your palm. So on the i705 you're mostly stuck with Web-based connectivity...

Download speed?

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 12:45:01 AM #

Just out of curiosity, what's the speed of the Cingular Interactive network that the i705 connects to? Does it offer something similar to dial-up? I wasn't able to find an exact "speed" spec on the Palm website...

RE: Download speed?

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 2:10:39 AM #

If it's still the same as the old Palm VII network, and it sounds like it is, I would expect it to be slow. Not bad for email, but sometimes painful for MapQuest in a moving car.

RE: Download speed?

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 10:25:43 AM #

The speed of the network is 9.6 Kbps. Both Palm 7 rim 950/957 and the new i705 use the same network.
Pretty slow by todays standards but it works. Remember also that its mostly text your after. If you want high speed wireless and color in one PDA size useable device your got to be patient. They will be here any year now ;) but don't hold your breath.

RE: Download speed?

donpdonp @ 1/28/2002 11:42:29 AM #

GPRS is here today - its not lightening fast, 56kbit or maybe a little more, but its much better than 9.6kbit. Use a cable from your palm to a GSM cell phone and now you're on the net. Not the palm.net "pqa amusement park" but the real tcp/ip internet. As soon as those SD I/O bluetooth cards come (they are already available to developers) you can forget the cable use the GSM/GPRS cell phone to get on the net while the phone still in your pocket! Cell phone models with GSM/GPPS are scarce - the Ericsson t39/t68 are popular but US customers are pretty much limited to getting these phones off of ebay. Motorola has the timeport 270c and there is a nokia battery with intergrated bluetooth for a GSM model of nokia.

RE: Download speed?

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 3:59:25 PM #

Check Voicestream, they have three phones that utilize GPRS. They are the Motorola T193, P280 and the Samsung Q105. Nokia is coming out with the 8390 soon and that's GPRS too.

RE: Download speed?

SaxonMan @ 1/28/2002 10:22:45 PM #

in europe we have already HSDC.
it's pretty fast and cheap.

regards,
SaxonMan

--------------------------------------
may the holy palmostles be with you

I'd almost consider moving away from ...

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 2:32:04 AM #

my Vx w/ Omnisky for this. Still holding out for color, and the cost for service is still a bit high, although only a few bucks more then OS. The memory doesn't really bother me, although if/when the color version appears they will probably go with 16 megs.

The other part of me would really like to wait for OS5, however my Vx is about ready to die (battery doesn't hold a charge for long anymore) so I don't know if I'll make it. Looks good. Since I've had wireless email for two years now, it's hard to consider something that won't do wireless. You get used to it very quickly.

Mike
miknny@yahoo.com

RE: I'd almost consider moving away from ...

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 6:26:24 AM #

I know what you mean. I'd probably go ahead and get this if it had 16MB memory. I've got a m500 and the wireless access would be nice but more memory wouldn't hurt.

RE: I'd almost consider moving away from ...

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 9:23:35 PM #

What is the big deal about friggin 16 megs vs 8 megs? Buy an SD card and stop whining.

As for color, it is a user preference, but I would rather have the longer battery life.

One problem (and one only)

LarryGarfield @ 1/28/2002 2:38:01 AM #

Overall it looks like a slick little device, and should do well in the corporate market. There is one tiny piece of Palm bashing that I feel I must do, however.

Raise your hand if you actually LIKE the pathetic excuse for a backlight that is the "reverse backlight"? :-) I've never understood why Palm insists on sticking with it, a true backlight is so much clearer.

--
This post is ROT26 encrypted. Reading it is a violation of the DMCA

RE: One problem (and one only)

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 3:44:31 AM #

I agree. It seemed cool at first, but reverse-backlighting is worse than useless. It only works in absolute darkness. In dim lighting, reverse backlighting only serves to wash out the contrast. I think of it as Palm invisible ink. Maybe that's why the military is using Palms.

RE: One problem (and one only)

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 8:44:00 AM #

Palm, Handspring, and Sony are all still using it on their monochrome models.

There are several Hacks that turn this off, like
GreenLightHack 1.3.

http://www.byteswapped.com/palm/

RE: One problem (and one only)

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 9:01:25 AM #

Sony's monochrome devices have a REAL backlight, like the older Palms. It works wonderfully.

RE: One problem (and one only)

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 6:28:11 PM #

Once I am used to the soft graffiti area, the higher resolution and nicer backlight on the HandEra, I just couldn't see myself picking up any other Palm devices that have a 160x160 resolution and reverse backlight. That's the same as the one used on my other unit, the old Palm IIIe. A QVGA and built-in bluetooth would have been nice. The bluetooth SD card would stick out too much on the side now that they've relocated the slot. I'll stick with my HandEra until Palm releases a better unit.

RE: One problem (and one only)

Hed @ 1/28/2002 6:33:44 PM #

LarryGarfield, I like your signature. It took me a sec to get it, though. :-)

i705

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 3:24:11 AM #

Hmmmm....

Plastic case.
Same speed connections as the Palm 7.
$450 dollars
$40 a month to use email practically.
Still have to carry around your cell phone.

My prediction:
This thing is going to tank faster than the Titanic.

My suggestion:
Start thinking revolutionary, not evolutionary.
Take a look at danger.com. This is the type of stuff I'm hoping palm is doing in secret. I hope so anyway, or Palm won't be around in 2 years.

James Scherber
jscherber@tech-pacifica.com
http://www.tech-pacifica.com

RE: i705

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 5:45:36 AM #

I agree. How will this be different with the Palm Viix -- the always-on feature?? Wow, great innovation -not!

It doesn't solve anything. You will still be having your mobile phone with you, which you can actually check email with! Too redundant.

I'll give it a year and Palm will be giving it again for free as long as you subscribe with Cingular's service for a year. It's sad when you can predict something this early.

RE: i705

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 5:55:40 AM #

Yup. I will still wait for a high-resolution, 16 MB, color display, bluetooth capable, Sony-Ericsson device, compatible with Nokia, and linked with AOL-Time Warner. :)

RE: i705

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 7:43:25 AM #

The product on danger.com is not color. How could it possibly succeed? It is doomed without color. heh heh

RE: i705

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 8:13:47 AM #

No it wont be doomed without color. That is in the consumers view. But Palm has not made this in the intention they will get consumers to buy it, but the enterprise. And the enterprise does not care truly about the looks, but about getting things done.
http://pdan.has.it

RE: i705

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 8:45:52 AM #

Agreed!

ZZZZZzzzzzzz.

Having already used a Palm VII for two years, and now a m505 user. I can tell you there is nothing new hear except a sleaker case. If I ever yearn again for expensive and very slow wireless service, I'll reactivate my VII.

The future in wireless is clearly the ability to use always on, high speed connectivity. They should have gone G3, Bluetooth or leverage existing cellular networks..

Palms a sleep at the wheel. Be innovative or get out of the way!

Our investment club sold our last Palm shares last week. Glad I recommended it.

John Sprecher
johspr@hotmail.com

RE: i705

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 8:49:26 AM #

You guys are silly. This i705 will do very well for corporate crowds who considered a Blackberry. I've personally witnessed many times folks going to Blackberry's only AFTER looking a Palm devices. Palm's biggest knock was their weak enterprise offerings. This is a direct shot for that. Corp folks don't care about memory or color. They just want their e-mail.

Next versions will build on the i705.

RE: i705

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 8:52:24 AM #

> I agree. How will this be different with the Palm Viix -- the always-on feature??
> Wow, great innovation -not!

Some of you have become professional Palm-bashers. This is a great new feature that makes the i705 really useful. I think it's because you are too self-centered. You really think that because you aren't interested in something, no-one is interested. Turns out you are wrong.

Or is this sour grapes? Are you pissed that that the company you've sold your soul to, whether it be Sony or Compaq, doesn't have a model that can do this at all? That's sad.

RE: i705

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 9:36:27 AM #

> Some of you have become professional Palm-bashers.

And some of you are amateur Palm apologists.

John the investment adviser!

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 10:06:25 AM #

>Our investment club sold our last Palm shares last
>week. Glad I recommended it.

Telling your club to sell PALM on the eve of a major product announcement really sucks. If only they held on for another week, they'd be 10% better off. I'm pretty sure they must be looking for you now to give you a good kick in the you-know-what.

Hope you did not also advise them to go short, because then you can bend over, take a good and kiss your sorry a*s goodbye - looser!

RE: John the investment adviser!

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 11:36:26 AM #

Palm's stock is up almost 10% today. If I thought you really owned any palm stock I'd feel sorry for you and agree that your investment club ought to kick your ***. But I know you own nothing but M$ and Compaq stock.

RE: i705

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 12:09:09 PM #

With an investment club like yours, who needs enemies! Palm is up huge today.

RE: i705

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/29/2002 9:52:52 PM #

Hey Goofballs

Our club only meets every 30 days.. Hey look! Palm is about down to where it opened before the announcement. We'll see where PALM ends up by the end of the week..

Any of you smarties willing to jump on board with me now?

John, aka Investment Advisor

Web Clipping is Under Rated

Edward @ 1/28/2002 3:39:53 AM #

Hmm, used that title before.

The artical says that the brwoser is "weak" and can't handle tables, but the this is a Palm browser, and WCA handles tables very much like blazer.

Maybe they are going to release a proper bookmarkable front end for browsing?

I would also like to have a look at MM Deluxe, it's been a long time coming, and the new MyPalm Clipping.

Europe -> Oct/Nov 2002

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 3:39:03 AM #

According to a Business Developer Manager @ Palm:
----
[...]
The i705 is definitely NOT comming to europe, but we will have another
wireless solution later the year (oct-nov). Sorry for this, but I cannot
tell you more about this :-)
[...]
----
Hope GPRS will make hurry a bit the wireless market in Europe....we
need devices!

RE: Europe -> Oct/Nov 2002

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 3:49:23 AM #

So we will focus only on the TREO...

RE: Europe -> Oct/Nov 2002

mtg101 @ 1/28/2002 4:48:21 AM #

I assume this is the rumoured PalmOS 5 / GPRS device, touted for Q3/Q4 of this year?

Cheers
Russell

---
russ@russb.fsnet.co.uk
---
Diga ao Falante pelos Mortos
---

RE: Europe -> Oct/Nov 2002

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 7:26:01 AM #

I think this machine sucks! No GPRS which is where the action is. And who wants to be tied to palm NET service. What we really what is a vendor independent IP connectivity. And, bluetooth built in of course.

RE: Europe -> Oct/Nov 2002

donpdonp @ 1/28/2002 11:50:42 AM #

to the last comment post: You Rule! :)

If this 'source' is accurate, then its very reassuring to hear that not everyone at Palm is asleep at the wheel. Still I think its a shame to devote the resources to resurrect the VII when its useful life will be only until the ARM/GPRS device is released.

GPRS is available in Portland, OR from voicestream. $20/mo for 5MB of data or $40/mo for 10MB. http://www.voicestream.com/products/services/istream/rateplan.asp

I am a bit disappointed about the speed of GPRS. 56kbit seems to be the average real throughput. I think GSM/GPRS will continute to grow, but I am also intrigued by CDMA2000. I believe SprintPCS is bringing this to the states and its supposed to have amazing bandwidth - 300kbit/sec.

i705 keyboard?

dethblud @ 1/28/2002 3:55:31 AM #

If the i705 uses the Universal Connector, and the keyboard is for the i705, then why does Palm's site not list it as being compatible with the m1xx and m50x PDA's? Is the Universal Connector not as universal as they advertise?

RE: i705 keyboard?

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 8:58:13 AM #

It uses the universal connector, the main problem here is the form factor, most the accessories will work, check this:

http://www.brighthand.com/newsite/palm/palmi705_page1.html

RE: i705 keyboard?

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/29/2002 1:05:41 AM #

So can I buy this thumb type keyboard and use it with my m505 or no? The brighthand article, unless I missed that part, doesn't say anything about it. If somebody out there tries it, let us know.

CURRENT PALM.NET subscribers

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 3:59:24 AM #

I would recommend all current Palm VII/VIIx users login to my.palm.com and change their service plan, if you were using the unlimited plan, it will stay the same price unless you change to the new "executive" plan.

RE: CURRENT PALM.NET subscribers

Scott @ 1/28/2002 12:19:58 PM #

Anyone know anything about this? If you go to the Palm store, you can buy a VIIx for $100 and the plan pricing is the old plan pricing ($10-45). If you click through the i705, the plan pricing runs from $20-$40 (or $35 with annual commitment).

Scott

Whats not the same?

EnocH @ 1/28/2002 5:10:30 AM #

"It comes with a flip cover that slides into a rail on the left side. This is not the same as the one on the m500 series."

Ed, could you clarify. Is the flip cover not the same or the railing?

Cheers.

God Bless,
EnocH

RE: Whats not the same?

mknowledge @ 1/28/2002 7:39:44 AM #

The railing or spine is very different.. it is a flattish thing, similar to a black wire tie... the back edge has the cover attached to it.... keeps sliding up on my device... but it is a comfortable fold...

What is the data rate?

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 6:52:12 AM #

Why do none of these stories talk about what the data througput is?

With SprintPCS and Verizon coming out with 3G networks within the next few months, palm will have a hard time competing if it isn't up to the 144kbps rate of CDMA 2000 1xRTT.

RE: What is the data rate?

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 10:34:54 AM #

You will be lucky to see GSM rolled out in a usable form to many the big cities by the end of this year. Sure its started in Seattle, but its just a few sites. There are problems to be solved. Im sure they will figure it out eventually but, who wants to wait that long.

RE: What is the data rate?

Scott @ 1/28/2002 11:24:39 AM #

The data rate is slow. About 9.6kbps (I can never remember if I'm supposed to capitalize that "k"). However, for email and web clipping, the speed is actually fine. If you want to browse a real web site, you'll be in for a wait. Web clipping is where it's at. Next best thing is accessing a web site that has a customized version for PDAs.

High speed wireless is not all it's cracked up to be. First, costs are still pretty high. Second, I've tried browsing real web sites on my iPaq and it's over-rated. Even in landscape mode (thanks to a kludgy hack), most sites don't view well.

Scott

Severely missing GPRS and bluetooth

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 7:30:43 AM #

I thing this a big dissapointment. Missing Global technologies like GPRS as well as Bluetooth and a high resloution screen. It is really clear that Palm Inc is going for "US only" way.
It seems a bit bulky and The long awaited Bluetooth expansion card is not yet released. The need to subscribe to Palm.Net is not very attractive when
you already have a cellular service that you pay for.

i705, wL/WAN and Xircom Wireless LAN sled

mknowledge @ 1/28/2002 7:31:12 AM #

The Xircom wireless LAN sled built for the m505 fits... but the drivers don't automatically load as occurs with m500/505. I tried to manually load the drivers from my m505, but that didn't seem to fire
up the wireless LAN module when attached to the i705.

So, it is a structural fit onto the i705 with the same connector as the m505... but it seems that the USB actuated upload of the drivers from the wireless LAN module does not occur nor does module activation with the drivers manually loaded.

Now I'm curious as to what the difference is in the USB port management between the i705 and m505...

It would have been REALLY cool to be able to connect to the office wireless LAN and use those PQAs as we do with the m505s. The first dual wLAN and wWAN device!!! Not yet, however... close, though.

The only thing else missing is color...

Overall, I'm impressed by the i705.... and have worked with wireless WAN technologies for 10 years... next to my current Kyocera SmartPhone and Vx OmniSky... the Palm i705 definitely has it's place ... Couldn't ever get the PQAs to work on the Samsung... trade off is not a "true" TCP/IP connection on the i705... but the PQAs are much faster than even my CDMA networked device.... even brushed off my WCA builder to play some more... definite improvement over the VII and VIIx in form factor...

They must have upgraded the coverage in Indianapolis, too... last fall could hardly get a signal at home, now it's full scale... not bad for a circuit switched technology we thought was dead 3 years ago

Blazer and AG Connect do not work with the i705 radiomodem connection... but they do work with infrared wireless LAN ports (as will most other Palm devices)... and would work, likely, with the wLAN module if it would connect with the i705... when using Pocket Link, Win-Hand Free, Palm VNC, and Blazer, etc the device seeks a network connection (TCP/IP)... not the same thing as the wireless radio modem on the i705 or VIIx.

Already, I have seen an obscure reference while surfing yesterday to a Minstrel hack that allowed the Minstel modem designed for the m500/505 to work with the i705.... must have been an i705 beta tester...

Oh where, oh where are those SD/MMC Bluetooth modules?

-------------------------------------
originally posted in i705 egroup:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/i705/

RE: i705, wL/WAN and Xircom Wireless LAN sled

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 7:58:05 AM #

> Blazer and AG Connect do not work with the i705 radiomodem connection

Since apparently Palm's browser uses some kind of proxy, I wonder if you'll be able to use that with other browsers.

Xircom probably needs to work out some software kinks to get their 802.11b sled working with it yet.

Battery life

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 8:46:38 AM #

Hmm, 1 week of normal use?

According to Palm, my Palm IIIc goes 2 weeks of normal use, and it's battery life is about 13-14 hours (it never lasts 2 weeks).

So according to that, you can probably expect the i705 to last 6-7 hours of use. I don't like that at all.

RE: Battery life

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 9:05:16 AM #

"E-mail always on " ? Does that means your PDA always trying to pop your mail frequently so your battery power is draining off ?

RTA!

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 9:11:12 AM #

RTA = Read The Article

"The i705 can still be checking for messages even when the handheld is off, as long as the antenna is active. The user has complete control of when the antenna is turned on and checking for new messages. It can be turned on or off manually or on a schedule, like from 9 am to 5 pm. It can be set to become active whenever an application that uses it needs it. "

RE: Battery life

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 9:13:36 AM #

Palm's definition of normal use is 20 minutes a day.

RE: Battery life

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 9:30:54 PM #

I was a beta tester for the product, the battery life is really VERY good. It can last more than a few weeks on one charge with light usage (10 or so minutes a day). Palm is being conservitive by saving it will only last a week.

Does PC Have To Be On To Retrieve Mail

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 8:56:35 AM #

Can I use the i705 to retrieve POP3 E-mail from my home PC which uses a dial-up modem when the PC is not connected on?

RE: Does PC Have To Be On To Retrieve Mail

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 9:05:15 AM #

No. Both the i705 and your home PC connect to a central server to get the mail. The i705 doesn't go through your PC to get it.

You may be getting confused because of the desktop app that comes with the i705 that will forward messages on to the i705. That's an option, not a requirement.

RE: Does PC Have To Be On To Retrieve Mail

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 9:35:40 PM #

Not true, the multimail email re-director program can be set up to forward your desktop email to the device. You need to configure your system to dial up and check for email automatically.

Also you have the option of using the Palm.com email address that comes with the service, then your email will go directly to the device. You can also check this email address through webmail at my.palm.com.

WIRELESS -> With a Palm/VoiceStream/Nokia8290

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 9:17:27 AM #

Forget this - from what I understand, it doesn't even do true IP-based stuff, as the VII didn't either.

Get any PalmOS device that has an infrared beam [all of them, for the most part], get a Nokia 8290 cellphone [that has an IR port as well] and cellular service from Voicestream [or Cingular, I believe], and you are all set.

Aaaaand, you can still do all that web clipping stuff too. :)

I have service and a phone thru Voicestream, and it works like a charm. They will try to tell you that you need to buy the DataStream option for extra loot a month - but you don't. [Datastream is an additional 1500 minutes of data, kept track of separately from your voice minutes].

I don't use data THAT much, so I asked them to remove my Datastream service, but to make sure that my phone was data-capable - and have any data calls deducted from my normal minutes.

Works like a charm.

Just an FYI. I've been VERY happy with this set-up. No cables, no hassles, and no additional monthly charges for data service that isnt IP. I've used a variety of cellphone-to-palm cables, I was a beta tester for Omnisky, and I have to say that I am the most pleased with the Voicestream/Nokia 8290/Palm combo.

Hands down.

RE: WIRELESS -> With a Palm/VoiceStream/Nokia8290

joeberk @ 1/28/2002 9:34:23 AM #

How important is line-of-sight to this solution?

Myself, I was thinking about a Treo... but maybe Bluetooth would be better...?

RE: WIRELESS -> With a Palm/VoiceStream/Nokia8290

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 10:32:06 AM #

Coverage can be pretty spotty with this solution once you get away from the big city

RE: WIRELESS -> With a Palm/VoiceStream/Nokia8290

Scott @ 1/28/2002 11:29:33 AM #

This works fine if you have your phone and your Palm sitting on a desk. I thought that's what desktops and laptops were for.

Scott

RE: WIRELESS -> With a Palm/VoiceStream/Nokia8290

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 12:54:00 PM #

Use Cingular Data Service with 8290 with IR connection. Works super with Cingular. Just have to maintain a line of sight. I really don't use it often though, email for me really doesn't work on a PDA. Am looking forward however to video conferencing, streaming video, running java apps. etc. with a 3G GSM connection. Perhaps a year away though. Real excited about what those BE folks are going to come up with.

Best, James Scherber
jscherber@tech-pacifica.com
http://www.tech-pacifica.com/

Wait one year for a $99 Palm I705

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 9:38:34 AM #

Wait one year and the Palm I705 will be selling for $99. If you can't wait, then get a Palm VIIx.

RE: Wait one year for a $99 Palm I705

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 10:51:53 AM #

Wait 2 years and you can buy a i705C for 650.00 bucks. Sorry, 160x160 screen though.

Integrated Keyboard ala Blackberry/Treo?

kevdo @ 1/28/2002 10:07:50 AM #

I like this unit more than I thought I would. However, for the amount of text entry I'm thinking a keyboard is essential.

Sure would have been nice to offer a keyboard built in ala the Treo. THAT would have been a blackberry killer!

-Kevin Crossman

RE: Integrated Keyboard ala Blackberry/Treo?

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 2:46:21 PM #

Er, did you miss the optional mini-keyboard for the i705?

Unfortunately, it's already on back-order from Palm. Anyone know where to get one?

DON'T BUY THE SLIP ON KEYBOARD!!!

I.M. Anonymous @ 3/1/2002 3:56:48 PM #

Don't buy the slip on keyboard -- you have to take the leather cover off to put it on. Some genius designed the keyboard without a slot on the side to let this fit on over the cover.

Is it more or

frauen1 @ 1/28/2002 10:08:04 AM #

Does it look like the SD slot is covered by the clip-on keyboard that they're showing in the pictures? It might be a hardship if you can have memory/other expansion or a keyboard but not both. Other than that, the "always-on" e-mail and the AOL IM are definitely nice features. Can't wait to see one at PalmSource next week...

RE: Is it more or

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 10:35:58 AM #

No, the Mini Keyboard has an opening for the SD/MMC slot. It's an excellent little unit.

Blazer

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 10:13:33 AM #

Hello,

Will HandSrings Blazer work with the i-705?

Jim

RE: Blazer

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 9:42:12 PM #

yep, it uses the same IP stack

Verizon 3G

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 10:59:16 AM #

Can someone comment on the new Verizon 3G technology and how this compares to the Palm and TREO models?

RE: Verizon 3G

Scott @ 1/28/2002 11:30:57 AM #

Verizon's service will be fast but expensive. Right now they're offering a special promo where for $30/month (on top of your regular cell plan cost) you'll get unlimited usage. That's pretty good. But, it's just a promo. After that, it sounds like that $30/month charge just buys you the right to use your voice minutes for high-speed data. Additionally, you won't get instant notification of email.

My opinion? Verizon's 3G makes sense if you use it with a laptop to access real sites. Palm's plan makes more sense for PDA purposes.

Scott

RE: Verizon 3G

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 2:06:28 PM #

It is really 2.5g. The Treo is upgradeable to GPRS which is already available and not that expensive via Voicestream. GPRS is more or less equivalent to Verizon's so called 3G.

RE: Verizon 3G

robrecht @ 1/28/2002 3:18:53 PM #

What Verizon is calling their currently available 3G (as of today) is an Aircard PC-card for laptops that will usually get you about 40-70 Kbps and sometimes up to 144 Kbs. They hope to roll out a couple of phones in the near future (Kyocera 2235 and a something LG VXI).

I think the Handera can now work with a PC card and of course Pocket PC models can.

Hope this is helpful.

Thanks, Robrecht

RE: Verizon 3G

robrecht @ 1/28/2002 3:27:17 PM #

Also, I think there is a Handspring Springboard module that will also allow you to use a PC-card?

Not a bad solution if you can pop the card into either your laptop or your handheld depending on what your using.

Thanks, Robrecht

More comments on the i705

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 11:00:59 AM #

Not to take away from this site, but /. has a thread about the i705 too.

http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=02/01/28/1311247&mode=thread

RE: More comments on the i705

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 4:51:55 PM #

A lot of those people on slashdot are seriously misinformed about the i705 and its service plan. That thread isn't really worth looking at.

RE: More comments on the i705

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/29/2002 2:28:26 AM #

slashdot readers un-informed?? Posting comments without really knowing what the hell they're talking about???

I don't believe it. ;)

Palm hardware being purchased by Apple?

jonmcknight @ 1/28/2002 11:05:26 AM #

With the i705 having similar (if not the same) color of the current mac line.

And Palm recently splitting it's business into two seperate companiesware)

And Steve Jobs saying something to the extent of "Apple and Palm have been working very closely as of late"

Does anyone see Palm hardware being purchased by Steve (err I mean Apple) and Apple releasing a killer PDA within a year?

RE: Palm hardware being purchased by Apple?

mikecane @ 1/28/2002 11:34:00 AM #

No. Apple is using the pixo OS in the iPod. If they release a PDA, it will likely run the pixo OS.

What is the BIG DEAL?

digilaw @ 1/28/2002 1:06:45 PM #

Just for comparison, you can get the Samsung SPH-I300
for only $50 more. It has a color screen, high resolution display, a similar form factor and, not to mention, a PHONE! It is GRPS compatible so when Sprint's upgrade goes online (they project in a few months) you will have "always on" email as well. Sprint wireless web plans start, I think, at around $20 which inclues voice use. And thats just one example. Here's another, how about the Nokia communicator? There are others, my point is that for a huge monthly fee and $450 you get a device that, besides the SD slot, is months behind and many features short. Basically, someone please explain, what's the big deal? How is the i705 not another huge Palm blunder? Maybe if they release this thing for $250 I could see the point. But at $450 I can't see anyone but a lousy IT dept at a "fatcat" company recomending this thing.

RE: What is the BIG DEAL?

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 1:47:11 PM #

Don't get me started on the Nokia Communicator, better known as "The Brick". That sucker is twice the size of the i705 and twice the cost too. Every bit of $800 freakin dollars. I'll pass, thank you very much.

RE: What is the BIG DEAL?

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 2:43:37 PM #

Unlike the Samsung, the i705 has an available physical mini-keyboard -- a necessity for writing e-mails more than a few words.

RE: What is the BIG DEAL?

digilaw @ 1/28/2002 2:56:25 PM #

Ah, so the lack of features and the high price is made up because you can spend another $90 on a keyboard? You are right on the communicator except that I like the screen. Its almost twice the size of the palms'. I am not saying its better though. I wouldn't trade my Clie for it, and symbian OS LOL. Actually I wish someone would come up a screen attachment for palms that give me 6" and 640x480 resolution. Then watching the matrix on my clie would be entertaining instead of a way to kill time on a 6 hour flight.

RE: What is the BIG DEAL?

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 4:56:55 PM #

> the Samsung SPH-I300 for only $50 more. It has a
> color screen, high resolution display, a similar
> form factor

The screen on the I300 is only hi-res in the sense that it
is 160x240, but last I heard there is no programmer's API to support 3rd party software for those bottom 80 lines. Its screen is considerably smaller, and form factor is not at all similar.

RE: What is the BIG DEAL?

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 6:11:53 PM #

>It is GRPS compatible so when Sprint's upgrade goes >online ...
Given that the I300 is a CDMAOne device this is astonishing news to me, and I imagine, to Samsung. Additionally, I read somewhere that this phone's chipset precludes migration to CDMA2000 1x* (or beyond).

RE: What is the BIG DEAL?

digilaw @ 1/28/2002 7:51:11 PM #

My mistake, I was thinking of the communicator as I was typing. That happens when one is IMing and typing at once :). I was referring to the 1XRTT 3g upgrade Sprint is doing. Are you the keyboard person? Because I didn't mean to sound like I was picking on you or being facetious. Upon rereading my comments it could've sounded that way and I am sorry if you felt like that. However, in quibbling with specs you are missing my point. My point, and the point of others here it seems, is "what is the big deal"? For this price range the i705 is lacking in features and that there are other alternatives that are even better and have advantages over the i705. So you didn't like the I300 comparison? It was just one. Let me give some more how about the blackberry? The Accompli 009? The r380? The T68? The treo? And I am sure there are others. One can quibble with the specs of all these devices and others can probably come up with more devices to add to the list (I left out all the windows CE based devices because I do not think any of those are superior). But again, "what is the big deal"? I guess what it boils down to is that this is a variation on the YAWN posts but, add to my not being impressed, a sense of disappointment that Palm, after so many problems and complaints, chose to produce this. I buy a new palm device on average of once every 8-10 months. I currently use a Clie n760 but I had (and still have) the first palm pilot. I am rooting for Palm. However, in the flurry of new devices coming out since the m505: the Clies, the treo, the hand era and all the CE 2002 devices; the i705 seems a very poor comeback.

Obituary: Rest in Peace Palm VIIx

PalmPowered @ 1/28/2002 1:35:29 PM #

The Palm VIIx, along with it's siblings, the Palm Vx and the Palm IIIc officially passed away on January 28, 2002.

The Palm Vx was born on October 4, 1999, the offspring of the original Palm V, which dates back to February 22, 1999. It was the sleekest, slimmest, and later, the most powerful handheld of its kind for several years. It is survived by two descendents, the Palm m500 and the Palm m505.

The Palm IIIc was born on February 22, 2000, and was the first Palm OS handheld to bring a little color into our lives and revolutionize the future of handheld color computers. It was also the last surviving member of the III family, which traces it's roots back several generations to the original Pilot.

The Palm VIIx was born on August 7, 2000, the offspring of the original Palm VII, born December 2, 1998. It was the first handheld to bring the outside world into the palm of our hands without any extra hardware. It is survived by one descendent, the new Palm i705, born (officially) January 28, 2002.

They are all survived by several nieces and nephews, namely the m100, m105 and m125. To honor their memory, Palm, Inc. has today included them all in the Handheld Hall of Fame, where their memory will live on.

All of these models were clearly pioneers in their individual areas of expertise and no matter how advanced their peers have become in the past few months, it is all because of the path which they blazed, for their "firsts" in the field, and for their remarkable stamina that has touched the lives of millions.

The family has asked that in lieu of flowers, SD cards will be accepted. In Pace, Requiescat

-If you only knew the power of the Palm side-

RE: Obituary: Rest in Peace Palm VIIx

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 6:29:45 PM #

Pie Iesu Domine
Dona Eis Requiem
* whack *

Bring out yer dead!

RE: Obituary: Rest in Peace Palm VIIx

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 6:58:01 PM #

Why is this message board being censored? I remember reading a comment from someone regarding the above topic, and now its gone...what gives?

Palm I705 is Junk

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 2:09:56 PM #

Palm is still behind the times. Just looked at it at circuit city. Wouldn't buy it for 200.00, Plastic case, b&w screen. Palm is gone. Sony should just put them out of their misery already.

RE: Palm I705 is Junk

bradleyboy @ 1/28/2002 2:32:12 PM #

so does that mean that all the plastic-cased, monochrome sonys are junk too? (rolls eyes)

RE: Palm I705 is Junk

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 3:34:46 PM #

Almost all wireless devices have plastic cases since metal cases cause interference problems with embeded antenna's. Yes, I know that nokia has an aluminum case phone but have you tries it? Compared to the plastic case version of the same phone the signal strength is much weaker.

RE: Palm I705 is Junk

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/29/2002 2:29:49 AM #

believe what you want. It looks like garbage. Silver color looks painted on. My first palm was the professional, (still have it) i just think they could have done better.

RE: Palm I705 is Junk

mikecane @ 1/29/2002 8:59:23 AM #

I must agree. I held the i705 at CompUSA yesterday. It feels and looks like a toy. It feels like cheap plastic and looks like cheap plastic. The open stylus channel cuts into your hand when you hold it. It is also much wider than any photos let on. At $169, the Sony S320 puts it to shame for quality of plastic and feel. Go see for yourself. I'd resent paying $450 for it.

Accessing Corporate E-mail?

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 2:13:51 PM #

One of the best things about the RIM Blackberry for enterprise customers is the ability to access corporate e-mail by installing re-direction software on either the corporate e-mail servers or individual users' desktop machines. Is there anything similar for the i705? If not, how does Palm expect to make any headway in the enterprise market with this? What use is secure encryption if you can only access unsecure e-mail servers on the public Internet?

RTA!!

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 2:22:05 PM #

RTA = Read The Article

"The i705 comes with Palm MultiMail Deluxe Desktop Link, a Windows application that can forward email from a PC to the handheld based on criteria selected by the user. For example, it can be set to forward messages only from certain people.

Palm will soon be releasing a beta of server software designed to let large companies serve their own email. "

RE: Accessing Corporate E-mail?

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 9:46:46 PM #

BTW... this freaking software is the reason that this device was not out 4 months ago. I hope people appreciate it. ;)

RE: Accessing Corporate E-mail?

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 11:42:46 PM #

Bleh. If that were true, they should've just shipped the unit and made the software available later. I can think of a few people that might use that, but plenty more who won't or can't.

SD slot on side?

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 2:56:11 PM #

When you look at the pictures of the i705 on palm.com, you'll notice that SD cards are inserted in the side. If SD/IO periferals become very popular, then the form factor of this device is shot.

RE: SD slot on side?

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 3:07:22 PM #

The fact is: up to this point, nobody, even Palm
themself, consider SD is used for modules
other than Memory.

Sad, but true. :-((

RE: SD slot on side?

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 3:08:54 PM #

Looks like the other option would be to stick the antenna out the side instead. Sometimes you can't have everything.

Question for Ed:

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 2:57:10 PM #

Ed, thanks for the review. Very interesting. One thing though - is the screen really as crisp as that shown in the promo picture? What about the physical dimensions? Is it like the m500 or m125? Is it better or worse?

I ask because, ever since the T415 'paper white' screen debacle, you can't be too careful about this sort of thing. That experience also taught me that the main issue is not the actual resolution, but the overall standard of readability.

Thanks in advance and please keep up the good work.

RE: Question for Ed:

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 10:19:38 PM #

Answering my own question.

Pen Computing like the screen; they think the contrast is better than the m500 (which sets the standard for monochrome, in my book). Shawn Barnett's review is here:

http://pencomputing.com/palm/Pen45/palmi705.html

YAAAAAWWWWWWWN

robrecht @ 1/28/2002 6:34:52 PM #

Wake me up when this or the Treo becomes hi-res color with soft graffiti and 16 MB of RAM.

So many people think this cannot be done because of battery technology, but why not use replacable rechargable batteries like every cell phone on the market? I always keep a large-capacity spare battery charged up.

Otherwise, I think the B/W Treo is only going to allow for something like 2 hours of talk time. That's not a cell phone; its a more like a peep-show.

Thanks, Robrecht

So would you buy one.........?

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 7:15:35 PM #

I see a lot on comments, pro and con, but I don't see many notes about if you'll buy one. How about an unscientific poll? YES or NO?

RE: So would you buy one.........?

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/29/2002 10:02:09 PM #

No way.. I'll just react my VII if I want to hand over $40.00 a month to Palm

Like Hotcakes baby...

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 7:15:55 PM #

I don't care what all you guys say. I work here at the Palm Order Center (1-800-881-7256) And these things are selling like its nobody's business. Well, I guess it is Palm's business. I can't remember the last time I sold so much in one day. Anyway, we got them in stock and ready to go out on the morrow! Give me a call!

RE: Like Hotcakes baby...

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 8:03:35 PM #

Ya, I work at Palm Store room and I do not see any stock move at all. We are still struggling to send the units to those ordered online from us.

Register yourself if you say who you are. Otherwise what you claim to be is as creditable as what I claim myself to be with the above message.

RE: Like Hotcakes baby...

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 8:32:07 PM #

How can an spelling idiot challenge anyone's credibility?

RE: Like Hotcakes baby...

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 9:50:06 PM #

I think they are both fakes: one is long on the stock the other is short.

Best Wireless Combo - i705, Treo or.....

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 8:10:53 PM #

In this corner you have the i705 - standard Palm/PDA functions, SD/MMC slot, 9.6Kbps "always on" wireless connection, no voice or phone capabilities, gray scale, available now, $449 + $40/month unlimited.

In the other corner you have the yet to be released Treo, standard Palm/PDA functions, no expansion or memory capability, 9.6Kbps wireless data (via VoiceStream's WAP ISDN service, or any ISP dial-up), should be able to do GPRS (about 40Kbps, no dial-up needed) by time of launch as VoiceStream has this service now, lacks always on e-mail - but could be implemented on VoiceStream network, obviously has voice/phone capabilities, gray-scale with color by year end, $399 + $19.99/mo for 5MB data GPRS service, + $39.99/mo for 500 anytime voice minutes (cheaper plans available).

Interesting. My choice there is the Treo, but they aren't out yet - the i705 beat them to the market.

So until that is ready - an interim choice might be:

- GSM/GPRS/Bluetooth Cell phone - such as Ericsson T39 or T68 - buy on ebay or from Europe, get the unlocked version - buy a free VoiceStream phone, swap the SIM card and you are ready to go

- Handspring with RED-M Bluetooth springborad (out and avaiable), or m500/505 with Toshiba Bluetooth SD card (if out yet, not sure)

= seems like the best solution until the Treo (with GPRS enabled) comes out

2 Questions for ALL...

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 9:01:08 PM #

1. Would any current COLOR Palm users get rid of their color unit for this i705? In other words, would anyone be willing to scarifice color for this wireless service? Can you go back to Greyscale? I own a 505 and no way can I go back to Greyscale.

2. Why doesn't Palm create a Wireless Modem SLED for the 505 which can slide on the back of your 505 or Clie and allow you to pay the $35/Month and access Palm.net? In other words, take the Radio guts of the i705 and create an add-on device for the other Palms. Yes, I know about Omnisky etc. but I am talking about Palm.net accessability right out of the box. I think they could charge like $199 for this radio-modem but more importantly is the annuity revenue they could get of $35/month from many more Palm users!

What do you think?

RE: 2 Questions for ALL...

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/28/2002 9:43:46 PM #

1) I'm not giving up my m505 even for wireless email

2) That's a great idea

RE: 2 Questions for ALL...

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/29/2002 12:22:05 AM #

1. Me neither!
2. I totally agree with the idea. Look at the palm stocks in Nasdaq.

RE: 2 Questions for ALL...

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/29/2002 10:04:43 PM #

This is the most intelligent post regarding the i705 I've seen. What is Palm thinking?

RE: 2 Questions for ALL...

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/29/2002 10:19:07 PM #

Thanks. I love it - my last post someone called me an "idiot" and now this guy calls me "most intelligent". It just goes to show you...one man's brilliance is another man's idiocy...

RE: 2 Questions for ALL...

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/29/2002 11:21:42 PM #

It wasn't your idea. This was suggested by someone else a couple of days ago. I don't know if are an idiot but you do take credit for other people's ideas.

http://www.palminfocenter.com/view_Story.asp?ID=2867&MODE=FLAT#33971

RE: 2 Questions for ALL...

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/30/2002 9:59:20 PM #

Take Credit? Hey dummy, I'm posting Anonymously!!!

My Palm home page

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/29/2002 8:22:48 AM #

"As part of their Palm.Net account, the user is given access to MyPalm home page, which can be configured to display information the user finds interesting."

How do you access this? I cannot find it in My Palm app.

Color Issues

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/29/2002 9:39:12 AM #

A color wireless is not a feasable option. A document in color can realistically be 8 time the size of the same document in Black & White. Do we really want huge files slowing down our wireless access? I think that I'll stick to a non-color screen and faster wireless access. Any thoughts?