Palm, Vodafone, and Microsoft Collaborate on Next-Generation Treo for Europe

[Darius Wey]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.palm.com/us/company/pr/news_feed_story.epl?reqid=881569' target='_blank'>http://www.palm.com/us/company/pr/n...pl?reqid=881569</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Palm (Nasdaq:PALM) today announced it has forged a new relationship with Vodafone targeted at expanding the adoption of wireless push email in Europe. The Palm(R) Treo(TM) smartphone that will result from this collaboration will represent an industry first by operating on Vodafone's 3G/UMTS network and delivering the hallmark Palm experience on top of the Microsoft Windows Mobile(R) operating system. The new Treo smartphone will be available first to Vodafone customers in multiple European countries, including the UK, Germany, Spain, Italy and Netherlands, before the end of the calendar year."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/wey-20060713-Palm.jpg" /><br /><br />Palm is set to introduce their next Windows Mobile-based Treo in Europe, which should give both themselves and Microsoft a huge boost in a market that is typically dominated by other prominent phone manufacturers such as Nokia. Unfortunately, no word yet on the guts and glory of the device itself, though more will be revealed closer to the release date.

[signothefish]

Lemme guess what this new Palm Treo will sport...

* 64MB RAM (&lt;20 free)
* 240x240 screen
* SD slot
* 300-400MHz processor
* QWERTY thumboard
* CDMA/EVDO/blah/blah/blah
* Digital Camera
* Bluetooth

How original. :cry: I know, I know, it's for the masses, not most of us who visit PPCThoughts. :wink:

[fredng]

Since it's for Europe, it'd be tri-band GSM and UMTS. But of course, the rest of the (disappointing) specs remains the same. Palm, can't you guys drop the square screen and go for a slide-out keyboard?

[Ed Hansberry]

Since it's for Europe, it'd be tri-band GSM and UMTS. But of course, the rest of the (disappointing) specs remains the same. Palm, can't you guys drop the square screen and go for a slide-out keyboard?
Why would they do that? As much as I love my K-Jam, I curse it when I want to dial a number, which is rare as most are in contacts, but I still have to fiddle with it when navigating voice mail systems. the always available phone dial pad and one handed operation of the treo without having to turn it sideways, an unnatural position to hold, makes the treo the success it has been.

You can get what you want in other HTC devices. I still prefer my K-Jam over the Treo by a large margin, but when I recommend a mobile device to a newbie, I recommend the treo because it is the most phone-like of the Pocket PCs.

[fredng]

You're right with the physical vs. soft keys point, but then the 240x240 square screen is just too low of a resolution to get any spreadsheet on. I guess that's why I still can't part with my JASJAR despite its long list of shortcomings...