Upcoming Treo Patch Details

Palm is planning to address the recently disclosed Treo security vulnerability with ROM updates for the Cingular Treo 680 and the Verizon and Sprint Treo 700p. A Palm official has confirmed with PalmInfocenter that there are no plans at this time for a security update for the Treo 650 or unlocked models. Palm is "investigating" an update for these devices, but does not have anything on the roadmap at this time.

The ROM update for the Treo 700p will be the long awaited comprehensive maintenance release for the 700p. Palm is currently finishing up work on the maintenance release and estimates that is should be available in April depending on carrier certification.

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Why would they not patch the unlocked models?

honus @ 2/28/2007 3:31:58 PM # Q
Do they think that people who buy unlocked models don't care about security? Are they that stupid?

RE: Why would they not patch the unlocked models?
twizza @ 2/28/2007 5:49:54 PM # Q
I hope that you all do understand that technically, the primary stakeholders for Treos are the carriers. There is most likely an update for unlocked models. Palm has ever incentive to keep us higher paying folks as they do anyone. However, it makes better and more PR sense to make it pubically known that the carriers - who buy the devices and sell them to you with a service month to month - will get theirs.

In terms of timing, don't be surprised if an unlocked update comes a bit earlier or a bit later than the Cingy one and is a step ahead of whatever Cingy will get (their testing phase is longer than Palm's).

mobileministrymagazine.com
antoinerjwright.com

RE: Why would they not patch the unlocked models?
honus @ 2/28/2007 5:56:46 PM # Q
I have no problem understanding why they would want to announce the patch for the carriers but that doesn't explain why they talk about it for unlocked models as if it were an afterthought. Why not simply announce that it is coming for all versions of the 680?

RE: Why would they not patch the unlocked models?
jfme @ 3/1/2007 10:41:54 PM # Q
Yup...customers that pay the full price for unlocked phones are only worth "investigating" the correction of product flaws, and OK to lose to the competition...

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(no subject)

joad @ 2/28/2007 4:07:33 PM # Q
...Palm doesn't (until we make a stink about it). Why should you?

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Yeahbuwhat?

rener @ 2/28/2007 4:47:29 PM # Q
Is there a technical (software/hardware) reason why the patch couldn't be made available for unlocked Treo 680s as well?
RE: Yeahbuwhat?
bbtkd @ 3/2/2007 7:09:33 AM # Q
Not technical - it's all about ROI. The unlocked version would require a separate version from the others, and since far fewer are sold and there is no reseller (Sprint/Verizon) compelling them to do it, it is not cost effective. They'll do it, but it will take a while. Indeed you could argue that Verizon and Sprint don't like Palm selling unlocked models, therefore those companies may pressure Palm to delay updates on the unlocked models.

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Palm is SUCH a tease!

joad @ 3/1/2007 11:14:05 AM # Q
"Palm is currently finishing up work on the maintenance release and estimates that is should be available in April depending on carrier certification."

Wasn't Palm's *previous* excuse for the delay (see "the letter") that they were long ago done with the firmware, but the carriers have been holding it up in their testing? WTF- now Palm is "currently finishing up" their part of it?!?

Treo 700p Timeline:

June 2006: 700p released

June 2006: 700p Bluetooth and other problems obvious after early adopters do their typical beta testing for Palm.

December 2006: Palm announces it's done with 700p's firmware fix and the Carriers are testing it.

March 2007: Palm announces they are "currently finishing up work on the maintenance release" and THEN the Carriers will be testing it until at least April 2007 before release.

(June 2007: 700p Firmware released, fixes bluetooth but makes EVDO unreliable. Palm initially refuses to fix it, but finally acknowledges problem after significant complaints by their users, promise a firmware fix for it by about May of 2008.*

*But only if the device is still within their 1-year manufacturer warranty.)


RE: Palm is SUCH a tease!
freakout @ 3/1/2007 2:40:33 PM # Q
Well, if carrier testing turned up problems, then obviously they'd need to fix them...
RE: Palm is SUCH a tease!
joad @ 3/1/2007 2:47:05 PM # Q
^ Good point. I would hope they would.

I don't know about you, but in the time they are spending to figure out how to fix the bluetooth-drop issue that was obvious when they released the phone in June 2006, they could have designed an entire new phone!


...nevermind.

RE: Palm is SUCH a tease!
bbtkd @ 3/2/2007 7:15:52 AM # Q
Carrier testing? Prove it! None apparent so far - the consumers tested them! Having been in the computer industry for over 30 years, I have to question how much testing they do given the glaring problems that made it to production. You also have to question how much they use their own products when they still seem to deny (or fail to acknowledge) some of the problems months after release.

RE: Palm is SUCH a tease!
joad @ 3/2/2007 12:42:56 PM # Q
WHAT problems? :
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Bluetooth Voice Dialing

a_nonamiss @ 3/3/2007 3:45:13 PM # Q
What do you all think are the chances that Palm will address this gaping hole of a feature in the ROM update? That's the ONLY feature that I miss from my Windows Mobile piece of junk. It doesn't seem like it would that difficult of a thing to fix. The 700p is already capable of re-dialing using a button on the BT Headset, so activating Voice Dialing software can't be too much harder.

I, for one, would throw a parade of this was fixed in the update. We can all hope...

Arthur

Palm Pilot 1000 > Palm Pilot Professional > Palm III > Palm M100 > Sony Clié PEG-T415 > Palm T|T3 > Samsung SCH-i730 > Palm 700p

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