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View Full Version : Why SHOULDN'T I buy a Treo 650?


Zack Mahdavi
12-11-2004, 07:34 PM
The Treo 650 is beginning to look better and better to me as the days pass. Ignoring the memory problem, the device has a lot of potential, and I'm thinking about selling my iPaq 4155 for a Treo.

Data prices have fallen like crazy on the cellular side of things, plus Cingular's EDGE service is supposedly very fast.

So here's my question. Why shouldn't I switch to a Treo? It's small, pocketable, and seems to encompass the best of both a phone and a PDA.

Here's the only reason I've found. I've spent so much money on Pocket PC software.. it would all go to waste if I did switch. Is it possible to sell your license code on eBay?

Kowalski
12-11-2004, 07:51 PM
do you need a small and phone capability integrated device or do you need to go back to palm world?
if you want a phone+pda device i am sure you can find solutions running windowsCE

yslee
12-11-2004, 08:33 PM
Software for me. Nothing like Pocket Informant, Textmaker and Planmaker. Snails too! If not for the software I'd probably would've bought the Treo 600 given its current low prices.

The hardware is nice though, and I'm sure the integration of phone and PDA is going to be top notch again.

Oh, wait, the other thing that bugs me is the file system on Palms. No directories, and also, stop the prc pdb thing already! I want easy transfer of files between my PC and my handheld, not some cheesy conduit thing.

Zack Mahdavi
12-11-2004, 08:41 PM
Yeah, the "real" filesystem was one of the things that made me switch to a Pocket PC in the first place.

Kowalski, I currently keep my iPaq in one pocket of my jeans, and my cell phone and PDA in the other. I've been on the lookout for a good smartphone, but none of them looked good or were too bulky for my tastes. All of the Pocket PC "smartphones" are basically full size PDAs with phones attached.

There's one exception, and that's the upcoming BenQ P50. It looks promising with one problem... it needs to get released! I might hold out for this to get released...

shawnc
12-11-2004, 10:03 PM
I can't give you a good reason as I think the 650 is a s-w-e-e-t machine (other than the memory management issue I've been reading about). But I sure would not do this...

I'm thinking about selling my iPaq 4155


Good luck,

dh
12-11-2004, 10:44 PM
The Treo 650 is beginning to look better and better to me as the days pass. Ignoring the memory problem, the device has a lot of potential, and I'm thinking about selling my iPaq 4155 for a Treo.

You might want to read some of the comments over at treocentral.com. There seems to be quite a lot of disapointment that the 650 is not as much of an upgrade over the 600 as many would have liked. There are a lot of posts along the lines that what was needed was a Treo 600 with better screen, BT, WiFi and more memory.

What has been delivered is better screen, part of BT, no WiFi and less memory.

I had been hoping that the 650 would be the Holy Grail of Smartphones, but there are just too many issues with it to make me want to get one.

Should Pa1mOne happen to make one for Dell as has been rumoured, with a proper OS, then sign me up!! ( As long as there isn't a dumb camera of course :lol: )

surur
12-12-2004, 12:37 AM
I suggest you go ahead and report back to us. There is no law that says you can ONLY use pocketpc's, and I could do with some feedback from the Dark Side (notice we are both the "dark side" to each other).

The only thing that may be a problem is that it may turn out to be an expensive mistake, but I suggest it would have to be *really bad* for you to regret it that much.

Surur

Jonathon Watkins
12-12-2004, 01:06 AM
Or, based on recent news you could wait for the Treo 700 running PPC200X! :wink:

(Just a guess, I don't know anything you don't at this point). :D

bdegroodt
12-12-2004, 01:33 AM
Hearing reports that due to a switch in the radio device used in the 650, the RF strength and voice quality have slipped versus the 600.

Zack Mahdavi
12-12-2004, 02:42 AM
Hearing reports that due to a switch in the radio device used in the 650, the RF strength and voice quality have slipped versus the 600.

Hmm.. I plan on getting the GSM version, which isn't out yet. Hopefully they didn't switch out the radio device for that version.

Man, it seems like the Treo 600 is the better way to go at the moment. Much cheaper for more (minus bluetooth, which stinks).

ignar
12-12-2004, 07:03 AM
I don't go back to Treo because of following. (I am a former Treo 300 and 600 user)

- Small screen
- Not quite comfortable in Pants pocket. (It's too fat and a bit heavy for my taste. My pants look ugly with Treo in)
- You will have hard time using Treo during the flight. (That antenna is too big to deny it's a phone. You can argue phone part is off, but some flight attendants are pretty stubborn.)

Bluetooth rocks, by the way. 8)

yslee
12-12-2004, 07:36 AM
I'm waiting for the Benq P50 myself. =P I just hope it gets released soon!

surur
12-12-2004, 01:07 PM
Man, it seems like the Treo 600 is the better way to go at the moment. Much cheaper for more (minus bluetooth, which stinks).
Now I have to object. Switching OS's, fine, but buying a unit without bluetooth! Thats sacrilege!

No phone device should be sold these days without the ability to use a BT headset, and no PDA without the ability to use the many bluetooth peripherals (especially bluetooth keyboard and GPS).

There may not be many reasons not to try the Treo 650, but the Treo 600 is just a dinosaur. If you just want a phone with a PIM, there are plenty of smaller and equally capable Symbian products available.

Surur

dh
12-12-2004, 04:42 PM
Man, it seems like the Treo 600 is the better way to go at the moment. Much cheaper for more (minus bluetooth, which stinks).
Funny thing is, the 650 has just arrived on the Sprint PCS site. The 650 and 600 are listed as exactly the same price ($419.99 with new service).

I thought they would have a sale on the 600s by now, looks as though Sprint does not consider the 650 to be an upgrade either.

ignar
12-12-2004, 07:35 PM
Funny thing is, the 650 has just arrived on the Sprint PCS site. The 650 and 600 are listed as exactly the same price ($419.99 with new service).

I thought they would have a sale on the 600s by now, looks as though Sprint does not consider the 650 to be an upgrade either.

Oh, that's a good news since I have a Treo 600 to sell. ;)

Zack Mahdavi
12-13-2004, 09:13 PM
Funny thing is, the 650 has just arrived on the Sprint PCS site. The 650 and 600 are listed as exactly the same price ($419.99 with new service).

I thought they would have a sale on the 600s by now, looks as though Sprint does not consider the 650 to be an upgrade either.

I would buy the GSM model, and as of yesterday, Amazon.com was selling the Treo 600 GSM for $199 after rebates.

All in all, I think I'm going to give it a few more months before I buy the Treo. I want to see how the memory fix turns out, as well as I want to try out the BenQ P50.

The one thing that worries me about the BenQ is that it lacks an external antenna. I absolutely need good reception....

ignar
12-13-2004, 09:35 PM
The one thing that worries me about the BenQ is that it lacks an external antenna. I absolutely need good reception....

Personally I can't stand an external antenna. Also I love my Nokia 6620 too much to switch to Treo. If you get bad reception in your area, you may want to switch your carrier. I think you are using T-mobile? I can't speak for your area, but after merger Cingular reception has been really great, and they have a decent data plan, too. So you may want to consider them.