Comments on: Palm Intros GSM/GPRS Wireless Tungsten W

Palm Inc, today introduced the Palm Tungsten W handheld, the first Palm branded integrated GSM/GPRS wireless handheld with a built-in keyboard for easy data entry; one-handed navigation; and a high-resolution color screen. In a separate news release today, Palm also introduced the Palm Tungsten T handheld.
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Picture

I.M Anonymous @ 10/28/2002 12:18:37 AM #
For the official picture, go to http://palm.com/products/handhelds/tungsten-w/photos/images/02.jpg

Official Photos / Link

GhettoBuddha @ 10/28/2002 1:06:16 AM #
Official Site:
http://palm.com/products/handhelds/tungsten-w/

Official Photos:
http://palm.com/products/handhelds/tungsten-w/photos.html

I like I like.

I don't swim in your toilet, so don't pee in my pool

RE: Official Photos / Link
Brucew @ 10/28/2002 6:07:53 PM #
me too!!
I just saw the photo of W.Itlooks cool!! much better than T.it look high tech,futuretic.
btw, i think T look much better if there is no slider,it would look like in one piece...look better..
just my opnion..:-)


RE: Official Photos / Link
T.W.G @ 10/29/2002 5:32:04 PM #
you wanna see real photos?

check out my review of a preproduction unit. It's german but you just can enjoy my photos :)

http://www.pdaforum.de/tungsten-w/

and if you want to reenjoy your palm soon check out my personal website: www.twgmusic.de (it needs some time...)

RE: Official Photos / Link
Zippy @ 10/30/2002 2:20:24 PM #
great pics, man!

Delay?

asiayeah @ 10/28/2002 1:35:51 AM #
Does that mean the device is delayed? Originally I've thought the device is coming out with the Tungsten T together.

--
With great power comes great responsiblity.
RE: Delay?
SaabCaptain @ 10/28/2002 1:41:40 AM #
It isn't coming out till the first 3 months of 2003. Question: How desirable is this going to be after the holidays when it arrives with a 33 mHz dragonball processor and OS 4.1.1? By that time we will be awaiting the T2 with faster processor, more RAM, etc. and OS 5 of course. :-)

owned: Pilot 5000, PalmPilot Pro, Palm V, IIIc, m505, Sony T615.
RE: Delay?
asiayeah @ 10/28/2002 1:48:40 AM #
It is indeed worrying. While the device's specifications are not so new right now, it's difficult to assume the device will be competitive several months later.

--
With great power comes great responsiblity.
RE: Delay?
Fly-By-Night @ 10/28/2002 7:51:15 AM #
It just seems to make the whole Tungsten line more confusing. I initially assumed that the W would have OS 5 as all Tungstens would be ARM based; with on the D(Z)ire range chugging along with Dragonball and OS 4. It seems there's nothing that this can do that a T|T and BT mobile (eg. T68i) can't. As most people have mobiles already, and the T|T isn't much more expensive than the T|W -- even if your mobile doesn't have BT, future-proofing yourself doesn't seem too pricey.

FBN

RE: Delay?
hkklife @ 10/28/2002 11:29:57 AM #
I agree. WHile there's no pressing NEED to have the absolute latest and greatest OS on the Tungsten W (look at how long Handspring's milked OS 3.5x), it would make things simpler from a developer standpoint, and certainly from a consumer's perspective. Also, for such a pricey unit, some customers might worry that the unit uses "old" technology. Joe Six-Pack doesn't/won't care what speed of Dragonball the T|W is using, but he might equate OS 4 vs. OS 5 to a Win 98 vs. Win XP type of situation...

My guess is that the Dragonball/OS 4 combo is used primarily dur to battery life and cost. However, there's also the issue of timing here: this unit (like every other wireless Palm before it) has had a longer gestation period than a conventional Palm, thus the slightly older tech. contained within upon its release. For example, look at how inferior the original VII (clockspeed, screen etc) was to the Palm Vx and IIIx, even though all were relased at the same time...and then with the i705 only having 8 megs of ram instead of 16.

RE: Delay?
frauen1 @ 10/28/2002 12:04:45 PM #
The delay is probably due to getting carriers to certify the device for their networks. Cellular carriers are a fussy lot and assume any device they haven't cerified will bring gloom and doom to their network (since the network is their business I think that's fine).

RE: Delay?
Brucew @ 10/28/2002 6:11:28 PM #
it is a bit pitty that W still using OS4.1 as by the time it releases, there maybe many OS5 models in the markets already.however, despite this small thing,,T|W is still a good design pda. :-)

RE: Delay?
Hubbub @ 2/12/2003 5:00:01 PM #
Hi Guys,

I am seeking information about Tungsten W. If anyone used it or trialled, I would like to find out more about the functionality and does it really works? I know that it is not out yet but any info will be considered.

Regards


I am working in IT Industry, and curreently I am working on a little project which may involve Tungsten W, therefore, I am seeking assistance or any information regarding to the product. Thanks guys

OS 4.1 and Hi-Res??

glenngillery @ 10/28/2002 1:45:52 AM #
How come they didn't do that before? Like in the case of m515? Specs are ridiculous though. I just got a treo, but this looks off the hook.

Glenn
RE: OS 4.1 and Hi-Res??
bcombee @ 10/28/2002 3:23:31 AM #
Actually, Acer is announced the s50 and s60 which are color devices with the Palm OS 5 high-density API but running Palm OS 4.1... so now, there are at least six devices supporting the new API: the Sony NX60 and NX70, the Palm Tungsten T and W, and the Acer s50 and s60.

--
Ben Combee, CodeWarrior for Palm OS technical lead
Programming help at www.palmoswerks.com
RE: OS 4.1 and Hi-Res??
hkklife @ 10/28/2002 11:24:07 AM #
Well, I'd always maintained that Palm made a huge mistake by not releasing an "interim" m5xx unit with a faster Dragonball and/or high-res. The m505 should have had the m515's specs from the beginning and the m515/525 could/should have had a screen like the Tungsten W, and a faster CPU would have been icing on the cake.

It's have given developers time to come to grips and get some apps out using a non-Sony 320*320 high-res API so that there would have been plenty of stuff available by the time the Tungsten T was/is released.

That's just my thoughts on the issue, but I am honestly surprised Palm's been able to tread water as well as they have sales-wise throughout 2002 with hardly any "new" products at all up until today.

Tungsten W & Graffiti

gulmatan @ 10/28/2002 2:36:49 AM #
Now, my question is about the Tungsten W. With the integrated keyboard, does that mean that there is NO Graffiti input method whatsoever?

Matt A.

RE: Tungsten W & Graffiti
GhettoBuddha @ 10/28/2002 3:19:12 AM #
According to infosync.no it ships with a full version of JOT for those who want to contiunue using grafitti.

I don't swim in your toilet, so don't pee in my pool

Head to Head with TREO....

speed-angel @ 10/28/2002 4:40:09 AM #
Looks like this is a special weapon to target speicifically to TREO users. I don't know if people would switch but maybe if some independent source (palminfocenter or fellow palm poeple) would do a item-by-item comparison then it would be clear who would be switching.

As for me I am still waiting for the revolutionary T series with OS-5 from Sony.....

RE: Head to Head with TREO....
glenngillery @ 10/28/2002 6:43:48 AM #
It has a lot of cool features, but i do notice that there is no jog dial. Hi Res, SD slot are nice though.



Glenn

RE: Head to Head with TREO....
bcombee @ 10/28/2002 12:56:23 PM #
I would guess that Palm is targeting the RIM Blackberry much more with this device than they're targeting the Handspring Treo... feature wise, this looks similar to the recent GSM Blackberries, with the advantage of a beautiful color screen and a standard operating system.

--
Ben Combee, CodeWarrior for Palm OS technical lead
Programming help at www.palmoswerks.com
RE: Head to Head with TREO....
gfunkmagic @ 10/28/2002 10:28:22 PM #
Exactly, TW is geared more towards the blackberry enteprise market. Also has anyone heard of a new POS 5 based TREO coming out from Handspring? They just lowered the prices on the 180 (see PIC article), is that a sign that they're coming out with a new device?

RE: Head to Head with TREO....
speed-angel @ 10/28/2002 11:27:16 PM #
Hmm.....I do not disagree with its competition with blackberry, However I do think they are in the same market competiting with TREO. After all TREO is meant to be also a all-in-one device communicatino device. If Blackberry and Palm are going head-to-head, is TREO targeting small business owners/sole proprietors/small shop owners?

Would love to get an insight on market segmentation issues.

The Kyocera 7135 it's more appealing

alexito @ 10/28/2002 10:39:44 AM #
If you letme chose I'll take the Kyocera if I have the cash.

Technology moves faster than you can afford... at least for me.
RE: The Kyocera 7135 it's more appealing
alexito @ 10/28/2002 10:46:38 AM #
Did anybody know if the 7135 has an Universal Conector?
It's great that the new Palm models have UC so we don't have to trow away our peripherals.

Technology moves faster than you can afford... at least for me.
RE: The Kyocera 7135 it's more appealing
bcombee @ 10/28/2002 12:57:48 PM #
No, the 7135 doesn't have the Palm Universal Connector. The only major peripheral used on the 6035 was their version of the ThinkOutside keyboard, and Kyocera has indicated that they will sell an adapter to allow that keyboard to work with the new phone.

--
Ben Combee, CodeWarrior for Palm OS technical lead
Programming help at www.palmoswerks.com
RE: The Kyocera 7135 it's more appealing
gfunkmagic @ 10/28/2002 10:25:54 PM #
The Kyocera 7135 is nice if you want more hone than pda. The TW (Tungsten W) is more of a data centric device targeted at the blackberry enteprise market. Also the screen on the 7135 is just too small for anything but simple PIM functionality.

Handsfree headset only way to use phone?

BillFugina @ 10/28/2002 10:55:53 AM #
From what I can tell, the handsfree headset is the only only way to use this as a phone. I think that is really annoying. I can't imagine that I'd want to always carry a headset with it. Maybe I'd want the headset while I'm at my desk or in the car, but when the unit is in my pocket, I don't want to cary a wire. I can imagine the phone ringing and not having the headset around and having to pass up on the phone call.

It's a shame; if this thing didn't need the headset, I'd be all over it.

RE: Handsfree headset only way to use phone?
alexp @ 10/28/2002 11:42:46 AM #
I think this is similar to the Blackberry in this respect. Blackberries can be used for voice, but only with a headset.

My guess is that Palm believes most users of this product will seek the e-mail/web functions as opposed to the phone functions. Treo assumes people will use the phone & data just as much.

I would also guess all these companies are assuming these devices will be more for productivity than games and/or video. This would be why they've left out OS5 and the extra processor power. Battery life would be another factor.

Personally, I'd like to check out the upcoming Kyocera smartphone.

RE: Handsfree headset only way to use phone?
pecka @ 10/28/2002 1:00:47 PM #
Well I can see it's really a pitty that there is no mic and speaker on the unit but it would make the unit more expensive and maybe even bigger. And w/ help of a bluetooth you can hook up a BT headset

RE: Handsfree headset only way to use phone?
I.M Anonymous @ 10/28/2002 1:38:37 PM #
Wait, the Tungsten T has a speaker and microphone, and the Tungsten W doesn't? Hahahahaha.. wait, no, hahahahaha, someone at Palm really screwed up on this one!

tungsten w with mic, spkr with fliptop accessory
maheshmurthy @ 12/9/2002 4:44:30 PM #
I saw and tried out the tunsten-w at comdex. i also asked about the lack of built-in mic and speaker - their answer was to show me a 3rd party accessory which basically slid into the side of the w to connect with and cover the face of the w protectively.

this had a speaker and microphone on the front, if one wanted to speak into it. the fliptop (which resembled the cover on a paperback) seemed to be made of leather also had a rectangular hole cut into it so you could see the caller ID of the person who was calling.

just my $0.02

RE: Handsfree headset only way to use phone?
Jammy @ 2/14/2003 9:17:38 AM #
Are the keys backlit? or is that another convienece that they forgot to add?

Thanks!

I have to wait? Ahhhhh...I see.

james_sorenson @ 10/28/2002 10:59:44 AM #
Palm needs to shorten the time between announcing a product and making it available. As expected, announcing a newer version of a product essentially stops on all sales of the current version. Now that they have announced a SamrtPhone with hi-res color and expansion support, who would want to buy the current Palm phone?

Oh...that's right. The current Palm phone is the HANDSPRING Treo, isn't it? Gee, I wonder if Palm is trying to stop potential PalmOS Smartphone buyers from picking up a Treo before they can get the Tungsten W out the door?

Nah...they wouldn't do that! ;-)

-------
James Sorenson

RE: I have to wait? Ahhhhh...I see.
gfunkmagic @ 10/28/2002 10:30:34 PM #
I don't think the TW really competes with the Treo's in any case since there is no built in mic or speaker on the device. Also I think Palm is targeting the blackberry crowd. I would gather that they're trying to shore up their customer base who see an aging and inferior i705 line compared to various other products...

we're faster: Review of a Tungsten W Unit!

T.W.G @ 10/28/2002 11:53:38 AM #
Hi, there

I did the review on a Tungsten W unit!
http://www.pdaforum.de/tungsten-w/

This time it's in german but we're working on an english version!

So, enjoy all pictures!

Thomas
T.W.G

RE: we're faster: Review of a Tungsten W Unit!
pecka @ 10/28/2002 1:06:13 PM #
does it mean it will be available earlier in the good ol' Europe? that's somethin Handspring did w/ it's Treo 270

RE: we're faster: Review of a Tungsten W Unit!
T.W.G @ 10/28/2002 1:51:46 PM #
yep,

the Tungsten W is official announced in Europe.
Very simple case:
Nearly all european countries are using the modern GSM-GPRS digital networks and not the analogue CDMA-System like in USA which I can't understand because most High Tech came out of Japan, USA and Germany.

The Tungsten W uses GSM-GPRS on the european frequencies 900/1800MHz while the USA features 1900MHz GSM-Technology which is rare to find in your country.
So, most of our Triband-mobile-phones here don't work in every US-Location.

Hope to solve this with UMTS but no one believes in this technology...

greetings from Germany

Thomas

www.twgmusic.de (coming soon)

RE: we're faster: Review of a Tungsten W Unit!
legalalien @ 10/28/2002 2:45:10 PM #
So, how did you do the screenshots?

What a letdown!

anondude @ 10/28/2002 1:59:33 PM #
As a consumer, I would much rather have the Tungsten T w/ built-in Bluetooth and the new OS. Plus the Tungsten W is absolutely ugly- look at the Mickey Mouse ear antenna! These goofy PDA's that aspire to be cell phones make no sense to me. I'd much rather have the super sleek Tungsten T and a Sony-Ericsson T68 than a behemoth Tungsten W bulging in my pants pocket! Afterall, who wants to carry a big Tungsten W around nights and weekends when you can slip a T68 into your pocket? Not many people, I'm sure. I think they'll sell a ton of Tungsten T's...
RE: What a letdown!
Macisgreat @ 10/28/2002 3:24:15 PM #
Yeah, well, many, if not most use their PDAs at night and onweekends, and when travelling as well. I personally at this time would not buy another PDA-only product, nor another phone-only product.

A good PDA/phone combo would be my next purchase, but it is not this Palm. This thing has ugly, Detroit-like design and is crippled by the headset requirement. Somebody should loose their job at Palm over this one.

Let see what the new Kyocera brings to the table. If it is tri-mode, it will be perfect (until OS 5:-). If not, I am sure Sony will step in before long.

The W shows the genius of the Treo

lechter @ 10/28/2002 5:58:12 PM #
By the time the W is shipping in February the Treo 400 will be announced. With 320 x 320, a better speakerphone, a card slot and replaceable battery, it will be miles ahead of the W. It will also have OS 5.0.

The Treo has another thing that the W will have to prove: workability. Though the Sprint network is not perfect, it works. And the unit is designed to work, and to have its elements work together beautifully. It is easy to create a frankenstein...look at the Samsung owners describe their pathetic units.

The Kyocera is nice if you like inputting text with 10 digits. How do you spell Kyocera? 5 2 9 2 6 3 2 3 3 2 7 3 2 1 no problem...by then you'd have crashed the car!

RE: The W shows the genius of the Treo
james_sorenson @ 10/28/2002 8:13:48 PM #
Not quite right.
By the time the Tungsten W is RELEASED in the USA, then Handspring will probably have ANNOUNCED the new Treo 400 (with all the stuff you mentioned). Just like the Treo 180 and 270, we'll be waiting a few months after that to get it. It's the same ol' game: something better will always be available about 4 months later. The Tungsten W is the first to make my minimum requirements to upgrade from my beaten-up VisorPhone. I'll be picking one up.

As a side-note, I seriously doubt the next Treo will use an Arm processor, as Handspring has shown little interest in it yet (battery life, cost, etc). Sony has shown minimal interest in making cell-phones for the screwy US network. The Treo 270/300, Kyocera 7035 and the Tungsten W will probably be the best-of-breed for a while.

-------
James Sorenson

RE: The W shows the genius of the Treo
gfunkmagic @ 10/28/2002 10:35:17 PM #
Quote:

As a side-note, I seriously doubt the next Treo will use an Arm processor, as Handspring has shown little interest in it yet (battery life, cost, etc). Sony has shown minimal interest in making cell-phones for the screwy US network. The Treo 270/300, Kyocera 7035 and the Tungsten W will probably be the best-of-breed for a while."


I disagree. For one thing Sprintpcs offers today perhaps the most inexpensive plans in its 'vision' promotins. You can get unlimited web access for $10 or unlimited web access in nay plan over $85 bucks. The shear competitiveness and easy understanding of thses plans make the Treo 300 a good choice. Furthermore, the real question to ponder is not what kind of Treo Handspring will come out with next, but if they will be around at all in the future. I would love to see the CDMA Treo with 320X320 screen, SDIO, POS 5, BT, 16MB , virtual graffiti...


questions

glennmarclee @ 10/28/2002 10:03:11 PM #
does any one know if the keypad's backlit?
wot bout the battery?? can it be taken out?


you laugh at me cause i'm different... i laugh cause you are all the same...

RE: questions
T.W.G @ 10/29/2002 5:29:08 PM #
HI,

the keypad of the preproduction model of which I did the german review has NO backlight and this is very bad in my opinion and I hope Palm is going to change this in the upcoming production models!
The device itself feels very solid and comfortable!

they're working on a translation of my review and if they aren't fast enough I'm gonna try it my own.
But don't laugh about my english as a german, cause I'm not a native speaker.

greetings

Thomas W. Geuting



RE: questions
glennmarclee @ 10/30/2002 10:32:05 PM #
hey thanks for that quick response...you're just being modest..you're english is great.. anyway would you know if the W could be used with a bluetooth headset?

you laugh at me cause i'm different... i laugh cause you are all the same...

Any news on the Treo 400?

maheshmurthy @ 12/9/2002 4:50:30 PM #
What will it have - when will it come out?

I use the 270 right now - and am bugged that it's just dual band, not tri-band. Currently keenly eyeing the Tungsten W

Anybody else in the same spot?

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