Rumor: Tungsten T5 Spotted in Retail Database

UPDATED According to new information in the PalmInfocenter Forums, the rumored palmOne Tungsten T5 has been spotted in a major retail store's database. While the listing does not provide much new information, it confirms the the upcoming model name.

According to the post in the forums, there is a listing for the palmOne Tungsten T5 in the inventory system with a SKU of 584372 and a Palm part #1035NA. The listing also shows new accessories including a T5 Travel Charger (SKU 583850) for $29.99 and a Tungsten T5 hard case (SKU 583845) for $39.99 as well as a soft leather case and a desktop charger.

The last report on the next Tungsten indicated it would skip a numeral and be named the Tungsten T5. Previously, there was speculation that the next Tungsten will have the non slider design and large 320x480 screen. It may be one of the first devices to run Palm OS Cobalt. It will also include a higher capacity battery and will make use of the more advanced power management features found in the Intel PXA270 series processors for better battery life. There was also speculation that it would include both Bluetooth and WiFi wireless.

UPDATE:
A mention of the Tungsten T5 and Treo 650 has been spotted on the palmOne online store. The product description at the top of the page for the Bluetooth GPS Navigator kit, lists the Tungsten T5 and Treo 650 as compatible with the accessory. A screen capture of the listing can be found here.

In addition the URL Treo650.com redirects deirectly to palmOne's Treo 600 official page. The Treo 650 is also expected to be announced in the fall/October time frame.

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Great

northstar31 @ 9/16/2004 6:03:52 PM #
Thats very nice, i hope it will be in stores very soon with price less than 500$ and icludes these specfications :

1 ) Bluetooth
2 ) WiFi
3 ) 320 * 480 with OLED screen
4 ) Multi Processing
5 ) MP3 player
6 ) Voice recording
7 ) At least 1.0 Mega Pixel camera
8 ) Hi speed processor
9 ) At least 128 MB of RAM

RE: Great
hkklife @ 9/16/2004 6:14:18 PM #
My predicted specs:

1. BT
2. No wi-fi
3. 320*480 screen, same as T3's but from a single source (Sony). This model's been in the works far too long to be OLED-equipped.
4. ? Who knows?
5. Yup
6. Yup
7. No chance in heck of that happening! This is a business-oriented unit!
8. At least 412-450mhz
9. I figure at least 64mb maybe 128. No more than that.
10. No UC but with new Athena connector.


RE: Great
JonathanChoo @ 9/16/2004 7:11:37 PM #
atleast 520Mhz
Flash ROM available
Bluetooth v1.2
Will have UC and mUSB

--
Generic PDA > 5mx > Vx > m505 > N770C > T625C > NR70V > e310 > m550 > h2210 > T/T3 & h4150
StarTac > T28m > T39m > T68m > T610 > T630 > K700i (nxt week)
RE: Great
stringbeanie @ 9/16/2004 9:38:57 PM #
Now if someone knew if the Treo 650 was coming out in Oct 1....
RE: Great
LiveFaith @ 9/16/2004 10:44:09 PM #
I keep hearing about the "athena" conector. Exactly what does this thing bring to the table & how is it better than the UC, notwithstanding $ale$ of new accessories for P1? Is is a mini-usb = others?

Pat Horne; www.churchoflivingfaith.com
RE: Great
hkklife @ 9/17/2004 11:19:25 AM #
From what I've been able to gather, examine and speculate, the "Athena" connector will unify the Tungstens (at least the pricier ones) and the new post-600 Treos.

Someone on the 1src forums, kezza I believe, commented that it looked like a smaller locking connector similar to the recent Sony/Ericsson ones. I think that P1 is trying to take a cue from the cell phone industry and have a cable that connects to handhelds solidly enough for you to be able to "dangle" the Palm by the charger cable and have it still securely attached.

I suppose Palm figures the advent of improved batteries & the deathknell of dial-up models eliminates the need for "sled" batteries & modem accessories. Wi-Fi is best done via SDIO or hardwired into the handheld. So that just leaves serial communications out of the picture for industrial/testing/hobbyist applications.

I suspect the P1 units releaed in '06 at $200 or above will have the Athena connector and possibly even have native USB 2.0 sync capabilities as well as trickle-charge over USB.

So think of Athena as UC 2.0 with faster USB, no serial, a smaller physical connector and without the notches in the rear of the handheld. That's just my prediction, of course! Oh, I still maintain that there will be some form of 2D acceleration ala Zodiac in the T5.

RE: Great
Altema @ 9/17/2004 10:13:08 PM #
"So that just leaves serial communications out of the picture for industrial/testing/hobbyist applications."

And everyone in the telcomm industry that uses rs232 on their Palm on a regular basis. The sell apps and accessories dedicated to this function. I'll seriously have to think about this one, as it will mean I go back to lugging my laptop around again for network configurations... or NOT buy the T5.

RE: Great
hkklife @ 9/17/2004 10:25:27 PM #
The thing I find so ironically funny was that just 2 years or so ago, when the OS 4.1 update was released for the OS 4.0 m500 and m505, it didn't run under WinXP and required a serial cable/cradle as Palm somehow couldn't write a decent OS installer that could run over a USB sync connection. Anyone else remember that debacle? Actually I think that Win 98/Me could do it over USB but 2k/XP had to use serial. I remember having to go and order a Palm serial cradle off of E-Bay just to get the installer to run since I didn't have immediate access to a Win 9x machine.

Now here goes P1 abandoning not only the UC but serial connectivity in general for the whole platform. Not a smart move especially when I see Symbol & Handera/TRG units still in use on a regular basis by workers in various fields.

P.S. I still maintain that there's a decently profitable niche market for a ruggedized, oversized Palm OS 5.x handheld with 320*480, wi-fi, a huge battery and RS232 connectivity. A Panasonic "ToughPalm", anyone?

RE: Great
JonathanChoo @ 9/18/2004 2:36:48 PM #
The GPS ad probably confirms that the T5 probably has UC or miniUSB since the GPS unit comes with interchangeable power connection tips for T3 and Zire 72.

Anyway I was just thinking, the speculation that the T5 would have a new connector was based purely on the reason that there is a new cradle and portable charger. What if the portable charger and cradle are actually the new interchangeable kinds where users can remove the power tip.

Also redesigning the cradle is normal. Look at Sony and HP. Almost all their models uses the same serial connectors but for every model there is a new cradle. And who knows, its possible the T5 would have removable battery hence a redesigned cradle to accomodate a spare battery.

I have to add that this are just my speculations.

Generic PDA > 5mx > Vx > m505 > N770C > T625C > NR70V > e310 > m550 > h2210 > T/T3 & h4150
StarTac > T28m > T39m > T68m > T610 > T630 > K700i

RE: Great
hotpaw4 @ 9/19/2004 2:25:33 PM #
For connectivity from PalmOS devices without serial ports to legacy devices with serial interfaces, there are both IrDa-to-serial and Bluetooth-to-serial adapters available. Some seem not much larger than a folded serial cable.
RE: Great
Altema @ 9/21/2004 10:02:15 AM #
"there are both IrDa-to-serial and Bluetooth-to-serial adapters available. Some seem not much larger than a folded serial cable"

Sounds great if they will fit in my back pocket and work with "Online", the app I use for that type of work. The BT verson would be way cool, as most of the routers and switches I work with have the console port on the back, making line-of-sight for IR difficult. Have any links?

I'm impressed.....

PalmAddict @ 9/16/2004 7:30:42 PM #
pa1mOne has done an incredible job of keeping this one secret. It is only 2 weeks from release (Oct. 1 is a standard role out date) and there is nothing on this device in the way of photos or really hard info on new capabilities.

Even with the T|3 last year, there were leaked photos 2 1/2 months early. I love the fact that I have no idea what is coming until it actually gets here. It feels like Christmas Eve knowing that there is a present waiting downstairs!

Now, the SD WiFi card on the other hand is just a cruel joke in its delays and real limited availability, but I am still waiting for that as well!

BTW, last year I was let in on the secret of the T|3 almost 2 months early. This time: bupkiss! eh, That's the way of the world!



-

"If it weren't for electricity we'd all be watching television by candlelight." - George Gobol.

RE: I'm impressed.....
I.M Anonymous @ 9/16/2004 8:08:25 PM #
At least two independant sources leaked pictures at the end of August. See http://www.brighthand.com/articles/pictures.php?imageURL=palmOne_T5_RU_Co_L.jpg

RE: I'm impressed.....
gfunkmagic @ 9/16/2004 8:13:38 PM #
Umm... sorry, but those pics have already been established as hoaxes:

http://www.1src.com/?m=show&id=437

I support http://Tapland.com/

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

RE: I'm impressed.....
RAMdŽd @ 9/18/2004 2:00:42 PM #
I love it when somebody "debunks" photos that turn out to be the real thing.

Can't wait to see if this is the exception.


______________________________
An armed society is a polite society.

RE: I'm impressed.....
Timothy Rapson @ 9/19/2004 8:13:53 PM #
I am betting that whatever PalmOne has to replace the T3 won't be here until after November 1. Why? Because the prices of T3s have not plunged and there is no big promo to clear out inventory. Sure, the T3 has been successful, but even the HP 2215 that may have been the most consistently top-selling PDA HP ever offered is selling for $100 less than it was before the new HP models were revealed.

I don't care, as I am not in the market for a PDA without a camera, but I don't expect anyone here will buy a T5 until Novemeber.

Already auctioning my old Tungsten T and m515

GearHead @ 9/16/2004 10:41:14 PM #
I hope it'll come with all the goodies we all hope. Let's keep our fingers crossed guys!

Bring it on!!!!!!!!!!!

Palm III>Palm IIIx>PalmV>PalmVx>Palm m505>Palm M515>Tungsten T
Dell X30 624Mhz w/BT+Wi-Fi
Nokia 6600 w/BT

All I want is WiFi

Analytical @ 9/17/2004 1:36:35 AM #
Well thats not true I want lots of things, in fact what i really want is a Palm with a similar or better spec than Sony's TH55. Otherwise i'm seriously considering other alternatives.

I see this all the time in these groups people asking for features and yet Palm seems oblivious, don't the marketing guys at Palm HQ have internet access or something?

All I want is to be heard. Palm are you listening?



-----------------------
kn0xster/@/hotmail.com

RE: All I want is WiFi
Timothy Rapson @ 9/19/2004 8:18:29 PM #
I would have already bought a Zire 72 if it only had included soft graffiti. As it is, I bought a Zire 71 for only $118 after the Zire 72 was as good as shipping and there is so little advance in the 72 over the 71 I can wait until next February for a $118 Zire 72. There will be lots of them leftover. I expect to see Plam drop the regular price to $250 soon and even that won't make it a best seller this Christmas.

I am with you on the whole Palm marketing folly. PPCs may be boring, but at least they know how to make full featured model after full featured model for about the price of a feature curtailed PalmOne TE. This may be changing as HP shows a terrible lineup for this season-- $279 for a PPC with 25 MB of RAM! Are you CRAZY, HP? I hope PalmOne goes the extra mile to gain back some sales momentum.

Unimpressed

heavyduty @ 9/17/2004 4:28:20 AM #
This is p1's top of the line product, yet they didn't include WiFi (supposedly).
If this is true, then I'm very unimpressed: except for the cpu it will fall short next to the older TH-55, which has everything (at least the European version) most people in this forum wish for.

P1 always seems to hold back so that they have something to advance to in their upcoming models. Compare this to the PPCs; there are *plenty* of models with the latest specs: 480*640 screens, WiFi+bt, camera, etc.....

no wifi is fine by me... as long as...
quadrac @ 9/17/2004 7:34:07 AM #
you can't get it all BT WiFi.. and ask for a device that costs 400$ so i guess it's allright to leave the WiFi out as long as they give 2 SD slots!!!! (one slot to put the wifi sd card in)

RE: Unimpressed
palmdoc88 @ 9/17/2004 7:47:55 AM #
Well bad news. I heard there's no Wifi, only one SD slot and no UC...
As T3 user, I am not upgrading.

T3 user
RE: Unimpressed
JonathanChoo @ 9/17/2004 8:05:29 AM #
Don't really care bout WiFi either. By the time wireless hotspots become common it would be 2006. Only then will WiFi (or WiMAX) become mandatory.

--
Generic PDA > 5mx > Vx > m505 > N770C > T625C > NR70V > e310 > m550 > h2210 > T/T3 & h4150
StarTac > T28m > T39m > T68m > T610 > T630 > K700i (nxt week)
who says no WiFi?
bluedoc @ 9/17/2004 10:58:32 AM #
"They didn't include WiFi"....according to whom?

From the above "Rumor" article: "There was also speculation that it would include both Bluetooth and WiFi wireless."

RE: Unimpressed
AyDb @ 9/17/2004 1:47:05 PM #
you can't get it all BT WiFi.. and ask for a device that costs 400$

Of course you can. Dell and HP both have dual wireless units for under $400, and dual wireless Dells sell for $250 or less. To say that PalmOne can't build a dual wireless unit for under $400 is lowing the bar to a ludicrous extent. PalmOne needs to face tougher expectations, rather than have people praise them for just showing up.

RE: Unimpressed
hkklife @ 9/17/2004 3:27:01 PM #
Dell has far, far greater leverage from suppliers than P1 does. They can really put the squeeze on the industry to meet certain price points. Dell's prices also fluctuate regularly since they sell direct and adjust to market conditions. P1's products are generally purchased at retail so there's some markup there as well.
By all indications, Dell's quality for handhels may be even lower than Palm's/P1's has been lately. Also, keep in mind that Dell can afford to subsidize their PDAs and stuff with higher-margin items like printers, LCD monitors, plasma TVs etc. P1 has handhelds, smartphones, a handful of acessories and that's it.

Basically, P1 has determined that dual wireless is still not yet "crucial" and has some sort of evangelistic favoritism towards BT over wi-fi (and battery life concerns as well). I think it'll take them until spring '05 at the earliest to intro a dual wireless model.

RE: Unimpressed
AyDb @ 9/17/2004 5:17:48 PM #
Dell has far, far greater leverage from suppliers than P1 does. They can really put the squeeze on the industry to meet certain price points.

PalmOne sold 950,000 units in the second quarter, Dell sold 150,000. If PalmOne can't get a better deal on handheld parts, they need to seriously reconsider how they do business.

Dell's prices also fluctuate regularly since they sell direct and adjust to market conditions. P1's products are generally purchased at retail so there's some markup there as well.

$150 worth of markup? I don't think so. Even if there were, there's nothing stopping them from selling them lower online.

By all indications, Dell's quality for handhels may be even lower than Palm's/P1's has been lately.

Not in my experience. I've had all three high-end Dells, plus the Tungsten E, Zire 71, and Zire 72. I've never felt like the Dells were lower quality, and I've never had defectivity problems with them. In fact, I've found them to be consistently reliable and well built.

Also, keep in mind that Dell can afford to subsidize their PDAs

Dell doesn't subsidize their handhelds, they make a solid profit off them. More profit, as a percentage of price, than they make off their desktop sales.

Basically, P1 has determined that dual wireless is still not yet "crucial" and has some sort of evangelistic favoritism towards BT over wi-fi (and battery life concerns as well). I think it'll take them until spring '05 at the earliest to intro a dual wireless model.

I hope they don't take that long, because if they do they're dead. Just getting WiFi into a few models would help, since PalmOne is completely missing the boat on the huge adoption of WiFi. But dual wireless is very neccessary. It's getting closer to being an entry level feature, and once wireless internet becomes standard I doubt that most buyers would find an unconnected Palm very appealing.

NO WIFI? OUTRAGEOUS!!!

Gekko @ 9/17/2004 9:59:08 AM #

DAMN YOU, PALMONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

RE: NO WIFI? OUTRAGEOUS!!!
mikecane @ 9/17/2004 11:22:26 AM #
Yeah, what he said.

RE: NO WIFI? OUTRAGEOUS!!!
quadrac @ 9/17/2004 12:06:30 PM #
well..... come to think about it... if there's no wifi and no OLED screen... what is the upgrade from T3? the name?
no way... my guess is that it's going to be something bigger then a better CPU..

RE: NO WIFI? OUTRAGEOUS!!!
WileyCoyote @ 9/17/2004 12:18:42 PM #
I think the WIFI can wait untill there is a real need for it and the product has the specs to take advantage of the potential..
Whats the point of WIFI browsing on a miserable small screen
I see the real need now is to move to the brighter thinner OLED screens that Sony has developed. I'm not buying a new PDA untill Palm has an OLED model to offer. OLED is the future in PDA screen technology.
again...who says no WiFi?
bluedoc @ 9/17/2004 1:43:28 PM #
The article says: "There was also speculation that it would include both Bluetooth and WiFi wireless."



RE: NO WIFI? OUTRAGEOUS!!!
AyDb @ 9/17/2004 1:56:34 PM #
I think the WIFI can wait untill there is a real need for it and the product has the specs to take advantage of the potential..
Whats the point of WIFI browsing on a miserable small screen

There's been a real need for it for years. WiFi is incredibly popular all over the U.S. and elsewhere, with millions upon millions of access points in homes, businesses, and hotspots. And, besides web browsing, there's email, IM, streaming media, network access, and dozens of other things that you can do with WiFi quite comfortably even if you don't like web browsing. To not have WiFi would be inexcusable.

I see the real need now is to move to the brighter thinner OLED screens that Sony has developed. I'm not buying a new PDA untill Palm has an OLED model to offer. OLED is the future in PDA screen technology.

OLEDs aren't really that good. Sure, they're bright and thin, but they die after a few years of heavy use and are difficult bordering on impossible to see outdoors. Their benefits don't really outweigh the disadvantages.

RE: NO WIFI? OUTRAGEOUS!!!
Gekko @ 9/18/2004 9:12:37 AM #

NO WIFI? OUTRAGEOUS!!!


RE: NO WIFI? OUTRAGEOUS!!!
mikecane @ 9/18/2004 10:43:41 AM #
Yeah, what he said again.

RE: NO WIFI? OUTRAGEOUS!!!
Gekko @ 9/18/2004 11:09:58 AM #

CNET Hotspot Zone

Want the Web wherever, whenever? The same wireless networking that is invading homes and offices is now going public, with thousands of so-called hot spots throughout the United States. All you need is a notebook or other device with Wi-Fi, and you can get high-speed access at cafes, airports, and hotels. Whether you subscribe to a commercial service such as Boingo or T-Mobile HotSpot or go it alone with a community connection, chances are there's a hot spot right around the corner. For a list of nearby hot spots, just enter your zip code and click Go. Or if you have something more specific in mind, you can fill out any of the power search options.

http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-6659_7-726628-1.html



RE: NO WIFI? OUTRAGEOUS!!!
ozz @ 9/18/2004 12:05:28 PM #
Gekko: that is exactly why I want a built-in wifi in my next Palm....so I can go online on-the-go. I don't want to fool with a wifi card that could get broken or lost (not to mention the extra cost of the card). If the T5 doesn't have wifi built-in, I won't buy it.

_________________________
Lord, help me become the person my dog thinks I am!
RE: NO WIFI? OUTRAGEOUS!!!
RAMdŽd @ 9/18/2004 2:04:03 PM #
And now there is speculation that there is no Wi-Fi.

All pretty funny.

Some people here have already made up their minds based on what may or may not be true about a product that hasn't shipped, and has no press release.

Comical.

______________________________
An armed society is a polite society.

RE: NO WIFI? OUTRAGEOUS!!!
skygazer @ 9/19/2004 8:16:36 PM #
I would say it's quite natural for humans to speculate and have opinions. We have current wants and a future focus. You may have saintly patience beyond most, but I don't. I've been waiting for this October since January, consuming every bit of rumor I can get my hands on.

I personally like substantiated rumor more than the baseless variety, and I think the jury's still out the inclusion of WiFi. I'm ambivalent about it, because I've already invested in Bluetooth, and am afraid that most would be unhappy with the battery life of a WiFi T5 -- I'd rather have built in low power GPRS so I could get ride of my Blackberry. But I wouldn't want to sacrifice my 360x480 screen for a Treo 650.

That's my point. We all have our own needs. A PDA doesn't need to be a religion, and differing opinions don't need to be ridiculed. =)


RE: NO WIFI? OUTRAGEOUS!!!
Timothy Rapson @ 9/19/2004 8:36:49 PM #
Wow, I guess WiFi is the big thing here. In my town of 80,000+ population that CNET site offered exactly one, (1), yes ONE WiFi hotspot.

I can wait for WiFi. Now, maybe for a $400 PalmOne it should be included. I agree with the above postings that note Dell includes dual wireless in $250 models so PalmOne can certainly afford to incude it in $400 ones. Indeed, much of the code needed in built right into the latest Intel ARM processors.


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