Treo 800w Bluetooth Voice Dialing Update in the Works

Posted By: Kris Keilhack Friday, July 25, 2008 1:50:40 PM

As seen in the PIC's review and amidst much online discussion of Palm's new Treo 800w, one of the device's major shortcomings is about to be quickly addressed Palm. According to this post on Palm's 800w support page:

"Treo 800w Voice Dialing Over Bluetooth will be available soon as a download from this web page. Please return to this page in the coming days for the download and details."

No additional details such as whether or not the update will be RAM or ROM-resident are offered, no is an exact release date given.

Treo 800w ReviewWith the new 800w being the first Palm device to entirely forego any sort of standard wired headset or headphone connectivity, the lack of voice commands over a Bluetooth connection out of the box comes as a disappointment to users long accustomed to this feature on older, less-pricey mobile phones. Additionally, the 800w's audio-out functionality is handled entirely via Bluetooth A2DP or via an optional microUSB-to-3.5mm stereo headphone adapter, so one would imagine Palm would have exercised caution to ensure all Bluetooth functionality was enabled at launch on this device.

The 800w's tandem of relatively advanced hardware and the Windows Mobile 6.1 OS are fully compliant for all Bluetooth protocols and functionality, unlike Palm's smartphones based on their aging Garnet OS. So the lack of native voice dialing capability is a major and disappointing omission in what is Palm's newest smartphone release and flagship device.

The Treo 800w had its debut on Sprint earlier this month and is rumored to be heading to the Verizon network sometime in the next 3-6 months.

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wifi help

gmayhak @ 7/25/2008 10:27:31 PM # Q
This has nothing to do with the 800w, I still use Palm OS (although I'm kinda getting more interested in apple's stuff and playing with the ipod touch now).
Here's my problem, I can connect to linksys with wifi in one little spot of my yard with a handheld, (touch or lifedrive) but it would be great if I didn't have to go sit in the yard to get on the net. Is there anything on the market that will boost the signals a little without requiring a computer in the loop?
Thanks,
Gary

Tech Center Labs
RE: wifi help
cstamper @ 7/26/2008 11:44:20 AM # Q
Sure is. Wifi signal booster is the name.

But that's kinda bad, if it's like, you know, your neighbor's wifi... :-)

http://tinyurl.com/2ooncg

RE: wifi help
BaalthazaaR @ 7/28/2008 2:15:36 PM # Q
Not that I've done it, but if you're using certain models from linksys, you can replace the firmware with dd-wrt. One of the things it supposedly lets you do is boost the signal strength up from the half strength the manufacturers use by default.

P.S. use at your own risk.

RE: wifi help
cstamper @ 7/28/2008 4:17:34 PM # Q
To me it seems that he doesn't have his own wireless. He's using the neighbor's.

It's bad enough to use it(but I do all the time), it's way worse to re-flash it... :-)

lol

http://tinyurl.com/2ooncg

RE: wifi help
SeldomVisitor @ 7/28/2008 4:43:46 PM # Q
> ...you can replace the firmware with dd-wrt...

Yes, I did that (with HyperWRT - dd-wrt-similar). Works great, was easy to do, wouldn't think twice about doing it again.

And, yes, power-level changes are possible.

I haven't gotten around to doing it yet, but replacing HyperWRT with dd-wrt is on my list of things to do since dd-wrt is "more maintained" than HyperWRT nowadays.

Ob-link: http://www.dd-wrt.com/dd-wrtv3/index.php

Good stuff.

RE: wifi help
SeldomVisitor @ 7/28/2008 4:48:58 PM # Q
Oh...one thing about increasing power-level...makes you a little more visible to war-drivers:

- http://wigle.net/

That's not necessarily a bad thing...but it IS a thing...

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