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View Full Version : Treo 700w To Launch January 5?


Ed Hansberry
12-28-2005, 06:00 PM
<a href="http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=803423">http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=803423</a><br /><br />A member at Howard Forums that purports to be a Verizon Wireless employee states the Windows Mobile powered Palm Treo 700w will launch on January 5. Some key specs and pricing include:<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/hansberry/2005/20051220-wmtreo700w.jpg" />•128MB Flash/60MB RAM <br />•1XEVDO, 1XRTT <br />•Camera Resolution - 1.3M Pixel <br />•Up to 280 Minutes Usage Time <br />•Up to 360 Hours Standby Time <br />•6 oz. <br />•1Yr Contract - $549.99 <br />•2Yr Contract - $499.99 <br />•No Contract - $619.99 <br /><br /><br /><br />Now, the 60MB of memory is a question in my mind. I don't get WM5 RAM specs at all. My iMate K-Jam has 64MB of RAM per the Device Information icon, but when you look in the memory control panel, it only shows 49.97MB. So, could the 700w have 64MB but only 60MB available to the user, or is the 60 a typo? On top of that, there are images floating around that show the device to only have 32MB of memory, which matches earlier specs from this summer. That device and those specs though could be preproduction or early developer devices. Assuming the date is accurate, we'll just have to wait until next week to see.<br /><br /><i>Gulp!</i> $499 for a <i><b>2 year</b></i> contract. They are proud of that device aren't they? 8O

Rod3
12-28-2005, 06:04 PM
What about the no contract option? Does it use a SIM card or something? And didn't I hear that Cingular will have it as well? Or am I losing it a bit. Holidays do that to me. :roll:

Ed Hansberry
12-28-2005, 06:24 PM
What about the no contract option? Does it use a SIM card or something? And didn't I hear that Cingular will have it as well? Or am I losing it a bit. Holidays do that to me. :roll:
No SIM like a GSM phone. I have heard CDMA phones are moving to a SIM-type model, but no clue if this or any other CDMA phone has that yet. No contract by the way does not mean unlocked, it just means no discount.

Rod3
12-28-2005, 06:31 PM
Well, that's a bummer. I have Verizon, and am not due for any update on my phone, so that means I'd have to pay the full price, I suppose. I'm not going to do that. I might switch to Cingular. I was hoping they would have the 700W. Oh well, they will have something fancy, I suppose. :?

Ed Hansberry
12-28-2005, 07:15 PM
I might switch to Cingular. I was hoping they would have the 700W. Oh well, they will have something fancy, I suppose. :?
They probably will, but I think Verizon has this exclusively for 5-6 months. Cingular/Sprint/T-Mob may see it in July/August 2006.

possmann
12-28-2005, 07:28 PM
OUCH 8O

That is a hunk o' change for a 2 year contract...

I'm betting that it will be this time next year - at the earliest before Cing or any GSM comes out with this phone publically.

I'm on T-mo now, but am most likely going to bite the price on this and switch to Verizon for this phone - it's just too cool. I'm looking forward to reading the first reviews on it next month... I was seriously thinking about getting the new smartphone at Cing (2125) but then pulled short when I heard this was going to hit the street so soon. Woo Hoo!

Hi expectations...

mpaque
12-28-2005, 07:34 PM
I'm going to pick up one of these when they come out as long as it has more than 32MB of RAM. I just don't see how a PPC could run with only 32MB of RAM. I like the form factor and I don't care about the square screen.

Does it use a SIM card or something?

I'm a long time GSM user, so the whole CDMA thing is new to me. I guess CDMA uses something called an ESN which is a unique number assigned to the phone.

jngold_me
12-28-2005, 08:15 PM
I'm betting that it will be this time next year - at the earliest before Cing or any GSM comes out with this phone publically.

Hopefully by that time the specs will be improved to include 3G.

Janak Parekh
12-28-2005, 08:42 PM
Does it use a SIM card or something?
I'm a long time GSM user, so the whole CDMA thing is new to me. I guess CDMA uses something called an ESN which is a unique number assigned to the phone.
Like Ed suggested, no CDMA phones in North America use SIM cards. There are SIM-like technologies in Asia, but they're not universally adopted yet.

As for the ESN, every phone, be it GSM or CDMA, has a unique identifier. On CDMA phones there's an extra programming step that involves punching a bunch of numbers on the keypad, and which ties the phone to the service. Providers could (not sure about Verizon) let you do it yourself. Some, like Sprint, will only activate a Sprint-branded phone on their service.

--janak

Sven Johannsen
12-28-2005, 08:43 PM
Gulp! $499 for a 2 year contract. They are proud of that device aren't they? 8O

Yea, but it's $619 for a no contract phone (presumably unlocked) and an unlocked 650 at Palm is $599 (http://web.palm.com/products/communicators/config/unlocked_gsm.jhtml?categoryId=30025)
That doesn't seem that much different. Guess it's a matter of how much the carriers want to subsidize it, or dealers want to discount it. Probably think the combo of WM OS and Palm hardware (or Handspring hardware ;) ) is worth a premium. Imagine what you could get for an iPod with Napster support.

mel
12-28-2005, 08:47 PM
Anyone hear any updates on the HP 67xx (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/articles.php?action=expand,43176:dont_paginate,1&amp;sid=a229f8485d831ab6606c3e42a2835704)? It's approximately the same size as the Treo 700, includes Wifi, uses GSM (not CDMA) and has GPS built-in. I see that as a better option, but have no idea when it will be released.

alese
12-28-2005, 09:30 PM
A lot of money for somewhat anemic specs (lo res screen and no WiFi) in Europe you can get Wizard or even Universal for less on a contract.
I really hope that Palm will offer better design (no antenna), better specs (3g, WiFi...) in GSM version, as it stands now it's outdated even before the launch.

aroma
12-28-2005, 09:56 PM
as it stands now it's outdated even before the launch.
Outdated, sure, but it will be the most succesfull and best selling PPCPE device to date.

Ed Hansberry
12-28-2005, 10:21 PM
A lot of money for somewhat anemic specs (lo res screen and no WiFi) in Europe you can get Wizard or even Universal for less on a contract.
I really hope that Palm will offer better design (no antenna), better specs (3g, WiFi...) in GSM version, as it stands now it's outdated even before the launch.

The no antenna thing is a euro deal. Americans could care less. I think Palm is working on 3 new Treos and one is a WM5 device targeted at the Euro market, so it would be sans antenna if Palm is smart.

Is EVDO not 3G?

And WiFi, I agree. That is another American thing. The carriers are loathe to let you use the device on another network, even a non-cellular network.

Chris Spera
12-29-2005, 04:45 AM
Probably think the combo of WM OS and Palm hardware (or Handspring hardware ;) ) is worth a premium. Imagine what you could get for an iPod with Napster support.

Actually, both the 700w and 650 Treos were made by HTC (they made the Blue Angel, Wizard, Magician, etc.), not Palm. However, they were made to Palm specs. I am also pretty certain that Palm did a lot on the software side to make this a better WM experience; but we'll have to wait and see...

dh
12-29-2005, 03:09 PM
Gulp! $499 for a 2 year contract. They are proud of that device aren't they? 8O

Yea, but it's $619 for a no contract phone (presumably unlocked) and an unlocked 650 at Palm is $599 (http://web.palm.com/products/communicators/config/unlocked_gsm.jhtml?categoryId=30025)
That doesn't seem that much different. Guess it's a matter of how much the carriers want to subsidize it, or dealers want to discount it. Probably think the combo of WM OS and Palm hardware (or Handspring hardware ;) ) is worth a premium. Imagine what you could get for an iPod with Napster support.

I wonder if the unlocked (if it is indeed unlocked) one could be activated on Sprint. I would certainly be interested if that's the case.

aroma
12-29-2005, 03:12 PM
I wonder if the unlocked (if it is indeed unlocked) one could be activated on Sprint. I would certainly be interested if that's the case.
Well, as Janak said earlier, Sprint can be very anal about activing a non-Sprint branded device on their network.

MG
12-29-2005, 03:13 PM
It is my understanding that EVDO IS 3G, also.

These phones are all basically "locked" by design now. Both Sprint AND Verizon will no longer activate an ESN that they did not sell originally.

The HP 67XX will be much wider, but thinner than this device.

$.02

Mark

ventivent
12-29-2005, 05:42 PM
If you're underwhelmed by the Treo 700w, there's been a rumor circulating that Verizon will release the HTC Apache, too, within the next couple of weeks.

Also from howardforums, via Engadget, posted now to PPCT:

http://www.engadget.com/2005/12/27/verizon-xv6700-htc-apache-goes-on-sale-january-5/

Janak Parekh
12-29-2005, 10:27 PM
I wonder if the unlocked (if it is indeed unlocked) one could be activated on Sprint. I would certainly be interested if that's the case.
Well, as Janak said earlier, Sprint can be very anal about activing a non-Sprint branded device on their network.
From what I've heard, anal is an understatement. Apparently, they check the ESN of the device and if it's not in their database as being their unit absolutely point-blank refuse to activate the phone. I've heard the opposite, e.g., unlocking a Sprint phone to use on Verizon. That said, I haven't checked recently, but I'd be surprised if things have changed.

If you're really anxious about a Pocket PC Phone on Sprint, I'd suggest taking a hard look at the PPC-6700. It's pretty compact, with a bigger keyboard and screen.

--janak

alese
12-30-2005, 11:38 AM
as it stands now it's outdated even before the launch.
Outdated, sure, but it will be the most succesfull and best selling PPCPE device to date.

I hope you are right, since it would help the platform. But I fail to see how sellinfg it through one USA carrier would make it so sucessful?
And as I said - Treo brand is not such a success outside USA to be a sure seller, especially with existing desing and specs.

alese
12-30-2005, 11:44 AM
The no antenna thing is a euro deal. Americans could care less. I think Palm is working on 3 new Treos and one is a WM5 device targeted at the Euro market, so it would be sans antenna if Palm is smart.

Is EVDO not 3G?

And WiFi, I agree. That is another American thing. The carriers are loathe to let you use the device on another network, even a non-cellular network.

That's why I said that I hope GSM version will have different design (hopefully one of the rumored).
EVDO is 3G just not used outside USA. UMTS is more or less standard around the world - it's the same as GSM and CDMA stuff...

aroma
12-30-2005, 04:01 PM
as it stands now it's outdated even before the launch.
Outdated, sure, but it will be the most succesfull and best selling PPCPE device to date.

I hope you are right, since it would help the platform. But I fail to see how sellinfg it through one USA carrier would make it so sucessful?
And as I said - Treo brand is not such a success outside USA to be a sure seller, especially with existing desing and specs.
*BLUSH* I should have been a little more specific. I really meant that it'll be the most successfull PPCPE in the US. (As I have no idea about the phone / PDA / smart device market outside the US.) Also, it will be carried by other carriers, just not initially.

Janak Parekh
12-30-2005, 04:57 PM
EVDO is 3G just not used outside USA. UMTS is more or less standard around the world - it's the same as GSM and CDMA stuff...
Not quite. ;) EVDO has significant acceptance in Asia, especially in South Korea. I have no clue if upcoming Palm Treos will have UMTS, or just EDGE.

--janak

alese
12-31-2005, 12:48 PM
EVDO is 3G just not used outside USA. UMTS is more or less standard around the world - it's the same as GSM and CDMA stuff...
Not quite. ;) EVDO has significant acceptance in Asia, especially in South Korea. I have no clue if upcoming Palm Treos will have UMTS, or just EDGE.

--janak

That's true, EVDO is in Korea and also I think in Japan, New Zeland..., but I belive it's not really compatible with US version.
I was beeing to Euro-centric with my statement sorry.
Although I belive that UMTS will be more widespread than EVDO internationally in the future.
As for Treos, I hope they will have UMTS not "just" EDGE, again in Europe UMTS is gaining fast and EDGE is not all that popular.

Janak Parekh
01-01-2006, 04:13 AM
As for Treos, I hope they will have UMTS not "just" EDGE, again in Europe UMTS is gaining fast and EDGE is not all that popular.
I think it's safe to say it will have EDGE, because of its extensive rollout in the US. We'll find out about UMTS though.

--janak