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palm Treo 700w Phone (Verizon Wireless)
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Average customer review:
Product Description
The Palm® Treo 700w is the first Treo with the familiarity of Windows Mobile® and the speed of BroadbandAccess! It offers Wireless sync, built-in Bluetooth® wireless technology, a 1.3 megapixel camera, and Windows Media® Player 10 for all your personal and professional needs.
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #16850 in Cell Phone Accessories
- Color: Blue
- Brand: palm
- Model: LG-VX9800M
Features
- Integrated thumbable QWERTY keyboard makes sending email3 and editing documents fast and familiar
- Send and receive email from multiple corporate and personal email accounts, with built-in support for Microsoft® Outlook®, Hotmail, Yahoo!, AOL, and other POP3 and IMAP accounts
- Uses EvDO network with average download speeds of 400-600 kbps
- 1.3 megapixel camera to shoots crisp, clear digital images
- Play your favorite MP3 files and other PlaysForSure audio content using Windows Media Player Mobile
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Product Description
To keep your smartphone's applications up to date, and to optimize the performance of your device, you may need to perform firmware and/or software updates just as you would on your PC. To learn more about updates for your device, please visit Palm's support site. Note that by clicking this link you will be leaving Amazon.com.A lot of folks said it would never happen, but here it is: a Palm device running Windows Mobile software. This isn't just any device, either. It's the latest version of Palm's wildly popular Treo series of Smartphones. Everything that's great about the Treo hardware is here, plus all the power of Windows Mobile 5.0. And to top it off, the Treo 700w is fully compatible with Verizon wireless' EV-DO mobile broadband data service. Simply put, everything you need to do your work on the move, and at blazing speeds, has arrived.
Design
 Legendary Palm hardware meets Windows Mobile 5.0 software. View features. |
 The innovative Today screen keeps all your vital info in one place. View details. |
 An integrated application captures and organizes your photos and videos. |
Like the 650, the top of the 700w features an expansion card slot for SD, SDIO, and MMC memory and expansion cards, and get this: Unlike the 650, the 700w supports the Palm Wi-Fi card. Up top there's also an infrared port for line of sight data transfers, as well as a handy switch for turning off the phone's ringer. Below the screen, a five-way navigator controls most of the phone's menus and operating system functions. The left side of the unit features a volume up/down toggle plus a handy user-customizable button that can be assigned to any phone or PDA function. The rear of the unit houses a loudspeaker, as well as the 1.3 megapixel camera unit. A touchscreen stylus can be tucked away on the right side of the phone. Meanwhile, a combined charging, data, and accessory attachment port, called the Palm "multi-connector" is housed on the bottom of the unit, as is a standard 2.5 mm stereo headset jack.
Calling and PDA Features
Like the Treo 650, the Treo 700w's phone and PDA functions are designed to provide an integrated, seamless experience -- only this time its all handled by Windows Mobile. The hallmark of the Windows Mobile experience is the "Today" screen that summarizes all the important information you need to make it through the day. Here you'll get message notification, upcoming appointments, dialing functions, and a Google Web searching all in one spot. As a phone, the Treo 700w features all the functionality folks expect from a cell phone, including a handsfree speakerphone, polyphonic ringtones (polyphonic MIDI, MP3, WAV and video ringtones are supported), a vibrate mode, and picture caller ID. Microsoft Office Outlook Mobile combines email, calendar, contacts, tasks, and notes into a single application that seamlessly integrates with the 700w's phone functions. Meanwhile, headsets, car kits and other wireless peripherals can also be paired with the unit via Bluetooth (the Bluetooth 1.2 specification is supported).
Staying productive on the road is made possible by the Microsoft Office Mobile suite, which includes Word Mobile, Excel Mobile, and PowerPoint Mobile. You also get Picsel PDF Viewer for viewing PDF document attachments, and the File Explorer application makes it easy to browse the files on your 700w.
Messaging and Internet
The really big news about the 700w is that it supports Verizon's BroadbandAccess high speed wireless data service, allowing you to get DSL speeds wherever you have broadband data coverage. And what can you do with all that speed? Surf the Web faster than ever before using the bundled Internet Explorer application, or log into Pocket MSN and check your Hotmail, use MSN Messenger, or browse the MSN Mobile portal. Robust SMS and MMS functionality is built into the Windows Mobile interface, too.
One of the most important tools bundled with the 700w is Microsoft ActiveSync, which allows you to quickly synchronize your device's tasks, calendars, email, and contacts with your desktop. You also get Exchange ActiveSync, an application that lets you synchronize data with an Exchange server. Syncing can be done via USB, or wirelessly via Bluetooth.
Imaging and Entertainment
Another great feature of the 700w is that it supports Windows Media playback right out of the box. With Windows Media Player 10, Palm users can finally play streaming and downloaded video and audio content in a variety of formats, even purchased music from "Plays For Sure" supporting stores. You can also keep your tunes loaded on a memory card and listen to stereo sound wherever you roam (requires an optional stereo headset adapter).
The Treo 700w's built-in camera sees a bump in performance with the ability to take 1.3 megapixel (1280x1024) stills. The camera also features a 2x digital zoom, a self portrait mirror, and automatic light balancing. While the camera is great for taking stills, it can also function as a camcorder, allowing you to capture MPEG4 video to the unit's memory. An integrated media application organizes your captured photos and videos.
And last, but certainly not least, the Treo 700w keeps the fun going when you've got some downtime with great games. Bubble Breaker and Solitaire ship with the handset, but more Windows Mobile games are available.
Suggested Service Options
To get the most from the Treo 700w, you'll need to choose two additional service features on top of a voice plan. First, consider a Verizon BroadbandAccess plan, which also includes lower-speed data access in areas where broadband service is not available. If you are a frequent SMS or MMS messaging user, it's a good idea to get an Unlimited IN messaging plan to avoid pay-per-message charges. To learn more about phone options, consult our cell phone options guide.
EV-DO Wireless Broadband Coverage
Learn more about where BroadbandAccess (EV-DO) coverage is offered. View EV-DO demonstration.
Vital Statistics
The Palm Treo 700w weighs 6.0 ounces and measures 4.4 x 2.30 x .90 inches. Its lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 4.7 hours of digital talk time, and up to 15 days of digital standby time. It runs on the CDMA 800/CDMA 1900 frequencies, as well as the EV-DO and 1xRTT data frequencies. The phone comes with a one year limited warranty.
Customer Reviews
Do it all (one at a time)
In theory, this is a great phone. Unfortunately, it is woefully underpowered - enough so to make it unsuitable for most and best to wait for the next version.
I have used several units extensively and have spent hours online, with customer service, and with tech support. Read on for the some critical details.
Before I move on, let's clear up some confusions. Palm makes phones and PDAs. PalmSource makes software. They used to be one company but split up a few years ago.
The Treo 600 and 650 are made by Palm and use PalmSource software. The 700w is made by Palm and uses Microsoft software.
Also, there are two versions of Windows Mobile 5.0. There is a Smartphone version and there is a Pocket PC version. The Treo 700w uses the latter, which is more versatile but usually impossible to use with one hand. However, Palm made some modifications, with Microsoft's permission, to make the 700w very usable without a stylus. That's something to consider when looking at competing phones that also use Windows Mobile Pocket PC version.
Finally, EV-DO is technically broadband, but not quite what you have at home, thus why it is marketed as "near-broadband." Home broadband speeds are at least 768Kbps peak, and 3,000Kbps speeds are commonly available. Verizon's EVDO is 512Kbps peak. 1x, the old cellular connection that the Treo 650 uses, is only 100kbps peak.
Here are the major shortcomings.
312MHz is quite slow. Most leading-edge PDAs use a 624MHz processor now. Considering that the Treo does the job of both a phone and a PDA, nothing less than 624MHz is called for.
Palm really fell asleep at the wheel with the RAM. Only about 25MB ends up being available to run all programs. Windows takes up most of that and leaves less than 10MB available for the rest of your programs. Most new PDAs provide 64MB.
What does that mean? It means your unit will crash a plenty. PalmSource software may run fine with those specs, but Windows is much more of a power hog.
I put my unit through heavy use and it crashes at least once per day. Use too many programs at once - it will eventually crash. Surf the internet a lot - it will eventually crash.
Here's the worst one: If you're using an intensive program or have simply opened too many programs (doesn't matter if they're in the background) and you happen to receive a call - it will crash.
Given all this, I ask the same thing another reviewer asked: why isn't the reset button easily accessible?
I also frequently experience lags as long as 30 seconds. I have also experienced 5-second lags in the phone picking up an incoming call.
Unfortunately, the only way around this is for Palm to add more RAM to the Treo 700w. The only way to minimize the problem is to frequently hit [function key] + [OK key] to bring up the program manager and close all programs. Especially do this after you use intensive programs, such as Internet Explorer, finance software, GPS software, and music software.
Here's another problem that can probably be fixed with a ROM update: The unit sometimes shuts off certain sound sources whenever the screen auto-shuts off. This means you can't use it as a portable MP3 player. To get around this, open Media Player and assign a key to turn off the screen. Then turn off the screen before the auto-shut off and it will keep playing.
Here's a mind-boggling oversight: When you're on two calls at the same time (e.g. call waiting), you cannot end just one call. You have to end both. Moreover, even if one of the callers hangs up, the phone will still show the call as being active. I have yet to figure out if those minutes are being charged to me.
If you have the patience, this can still be a useful product, especially if you need the faster EVDO connection. Despite its fatal flaws, I would still say it's one of the best implementations of a phone/pda.
If you have a Treo 650, the 700w will be more of a downgrade if you donn't need EVDO. If you need Blackberry, the 700w is a laughable alternative.
My suggestion is to wait out for the next version.
*Update: Palm released a patch in April that drastically improves stability. It doesn't crash nearly as much as before. What changed? Memory management was improved to shut down programs instead of leaving them in the background, usually leaving only 1 program running at time. However, the opposite problem now exists where the Treo closes a program that you want to come back to (e.g. after retrieving info from another program or after receiving a call), which itself can be frustrating. But I'll take that over 3 daily crashes.
Lockup Galore and Poor Design
Buyer Beware! This is without a doubt the worst phone I have ever purchased.
********** Minuses **********************
1) The phone must be soft booted at least once every 3 days
2) The phone doesn't always respond when pressing the power button
3) The phone dials out automatically from your speed dial list without the user knowing it.
4) The phone connects to the internet automatically without the user knowing it. (Who knows what its transmitting)
5) Java is not supported yet
6) Dialup with bluetooth is not supported (via of Verizon)
7) If resources are low, the phone will not ring (Missed Calls)
8) Random applications start up while talking on the phone (Date/Time usually)
9) If the volume is too loud when talking on the phone, the user on the other end will hear themselves echo
******************* Pluses ***************************
1) The EV network is pretty fast (up to 50 KBytes/sec for downloads on EV, up to 17 KBytes/sec for all other areas)
2) Battery life is pretty good
3) Synchronization with PC
Not perfect but still fits my needs
I've been hesitating getting the Treo 700w for several months now, for two reasons:
1) I was with Cingular and I was waiting to see if and when they would add this phone to list of PDA phone offerings. I was also a bit hesitant to switch to Verizon, as many reviews I've read of their service, especially signal coverage in some areas, was pretty poor.
2) The cost of the phone, compared to how new it was. I didn't want to leap at new and untested technology and be both disappointed and $500 poorer (plus stuck with a 2-year contract) if it turned out to be a dud.
I had missed out on the PDA revolution a few years back and always thought it would be nice to have one, but couldn't justify the expense and the hassle of having to carry a cell phone, a work-issued pager AND a PDA all the time. So instead all my PDA "functions" over the past couple of years have been carried out by a 50-cent pocket-size spiral notebook.
The last straw was when I was sitting in the car on a Friday afternoon right after work, trying to call my wife to let her know I was outside her building to pick her up. Cingular's network, as is typical on a Friday afternoon, was flooded, and I wasn't able to get a call through despite repeated attempts. At that point I figured that Verizon couldn't be any worse than Cingular, so we went out to the Verizon kiosk at Circuit City the next day and set up our account.
This phone has literally changed my life. Not in any earth-shattering ways, but coupled with the unlimited EV-DO internet access (which I've speed-tested at up to 750 kbit/sec in a good signal area), I can take my web-browsing just about anywhere. The calendar and task list tools are indispensable to me. With the addition of Pocket Quicken from Landware.com, I can track all my expenditures on the go and sync up when I get home - no more tedious entry of a stack of receipts that I've been putting off for days or weeks, and then hoping I didn't forget any. I enter the transaction while I'm at the register and don't worry about it. With PDAnet from junefabrics.com I can use the phone as a modem for my laptop in a pinch, and speeds are quite impressive, all things considered.
One thing I don't like about it is that when it's set to periodically connect to check e-mail, it closes the internet connection upon completion... even if you were busy using the internet at the time. It's also running a version of Internet Explorer that identifies as version 4.0, which many web sites detect and redirect you to a page that says you need to upgrade your browser. It would be nice if Microsoft brought the Windows Mobile browser into the 21st century with an upgrade sometime soon. I tried running Minimo (a mobile version of the Mozilla browser) but it has lots of problems.
I added a 2GB SD card for additional storage and have a small collection of mp3s on it. They sound reasonably good, but a little tinny, over the phone speaker. I haven't tried using the earphone jack. A nice feature of this phone is that you can use your own mp3s as ringtones, AND you can use them from the SD card, they don't have to be resident in phone memory.
The other main shortcoming of this phone is the small 240x240 screen. Compared to the larger screen of the Palm phones in the Treo line, this is a big negative. Let's face it - this is a cell phone. You weren't really expecting to do extensive high-end web-browsing anyway. It's good enough to get by on though for simple tasks on the go. I've used it to look up business phone numbers and addresses, look up product information and reviews while standing in the store looking at the item in question, bought movie tickets through Fandango, and even posted on some message boards.
In conclusion, I'm glad I made the leap. The phone has enough compelling features for me to overlook its few (but not entirely insignificant) flaws, such as the small screen and some quirky behavior. I've been pretty happy with Verizon's service so far, especially the speed of the data connection which is quite snappy, and the coverage area seems pretty extensive... I haven't found many places where the signal is unusable (except when I'm inside the local supermarket... I have to say that it must be something to do with the construction of the building itself, because the signal is fine right outside the door).
