For the handful of you left still getting stoked on Palm news, here's some interesting tidbits. The folks over at WMExperts have gotten some "possible" specifications of the Sprint-bound
Treo 800w (or as we like to call it, the
Gatesnote Palm) and are sharing them with the world. According to the sources, the new Windows Mobile 6-based Palm phone will be
Centro-thin, trade the old proprietary HotSync connector for a mini-USB jack, has a dedicated hardware switch for turning WiFi on and off, will sport EV-DO Rev. A, Bluetooth 2.0, as well as 802.11g, and utilizes microSD cards in addition to its 256MB of memory. The article also says that the 2-megapixel camera takes "decent" pictures, and there is an additional 128MB of memory for "something else." More shocking (and possibly stupid) is that Palm has removed the headphone jack altogether, and users must employ some type of miniUSB contraption or go Bluetooth. Ed, if this is one of those
breakthrough devices you mentioned, color us unimpressed.
[Via
Treonauts]
posted Jan 24th 2008 10:35AM
Yeah, not exactly any "breakthroughs" going on here.
But even still, you have to admit that the specs *are* looking pretty good on this device. A 320x320 screen is certainly impressive, and what other CDMA phone is available in this small of a form factor with Windows Mobile Professional, WiFi, and GPS?
The switch to mini-USB will possibly (and finally) make hacking a CDMA Windows Mobile Treo a reality, allow access to ubiquitous USB chargers and sync cables, and improve transfer speeds that the old Athena connector limited.
Palm, if you do it, then I promise to quit. You've tortured the masses with the idiotic 2.5mm headset jack on BT enabled Treos since the dawn of time. If you have enough eeeejots over there to force music / movie audio to go through USB, then I'm done with you.
Every Treo board imaginable has been bashing you forever about not including a standard 3.5mm jack. Many Treo audio jacks are failing, probably due to the rediculous converter that must go on the 2.5mm.
It's one thing to not listen to your customers. It's entirely another matter to actively try and make them angry.
Anyone planning to switch from Palm to another Windows Mobile smartphone because of the audio running through a mini-USB port, you might be in for a shock: many other devices have the same set-up. Every model made by HTC does it this way, for example.
The reason is simple. Most people use Bluetooth headsets, not wired ones.
Ohhh, btw. The Centro aint THIN! The iPhone is thin. The iPhone is the form factor and design that your customers (me included) have been begging you for since 2003. It's selling like mad at a premium price, BTW.
The Centro is thick and narrow. Just narrow enough to make the keyboard even less useable for all other than children. Just narrow enough to shrink the already tiny 320x320 screen down even more. Sounds real exciting.
Yeah, uninspiring stuff from Palm but if it shifts enough units to keep them going and fund development of the new Garnet-replacement devices (and those are as good as they have the potential for them to be) then I won't begrudge them shipping this sort of bog-standard gear.
So is it 256MB of ROM and 128MB of RAM ? Is that what is assumed?
--James
I would assume that it's 256MB of ROM Storage and 128MB of RAM, but I've been wrong b4.
I personally don't want a phone as thin as the iphone. I too think that the centro is too narrow, but I don't think it too thick either. It feels great in hand (other than how slippery it is). If the 800w has all of the cool Palm tweaks that the 700wx brought to WM (and maybe some new ones) and includes mini USB, WiFi and GPS then I will be all over this thing. I love the one handedness of the Palm.
I am growing tired of finding the best ROM for my Mogul that runs stable and doesn't run out RAM with only a couple of programs open. I've given up on using BT with the Mogul too. If the reviews of the final product look good, then all I can say is "Palm to the Rescue". I never thought I'd say that in 2008.
BTW, Although I've referred many people to Palm devices, I've never owned one myself.
I still like the Centro over the BB curve. You can get used to the keyboard and did anyone say SERO? Still the most functional, cost effective solution available!
Amen. Getting a plan with unlimited data for less than most people's voice-only plans is totally worth the limited phone selection.
But when is it coming out?! Hearing all these rumors but I need to upgrade my 700w - was going with the 700wx til I heard about this one. But really...enough! When is it being released????
April from Sprint according to my sources.
This is no breakthrough relative to the rest of the mobile world, but considering it has specs pretty much in line with other manufacturers, one might say that Palm not being BEHIND everyone else is a breakthrough for them. Of course that assumes it were available today -- by the time it comes out, everyone else could be a generation ahead. But at least they don't seem to be moving backwards.
"Centro-thin" a.k.a. "chubby"
I think this would look fine if it were thin. Looks sort of sciency, like a field unit for testing midichlorians.
Bet Bono doesn't use a Palm despite owning the joint.
i hope i am not the only one that this palm is smoking crack... seriously this phone is f-ugly, fat and utterly boring... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
This was in production way before the statement about revolutionary devices. Those won't be coming out for about a year.
Sounds like a disguised HTC device. Another reason to avoid it.
HTC makes the hardware on Palm devices.
--James
Have seen these device. All specs are accurate. Not sure if launch by April but definetly by end of Q2. Last stages of testing of production model. It will actually be blue not silver. Because it would be impossible for Sprint's product development and marketing to get together as produce a phone in colors consumers would like. Would it be hard to get a silver phone? Is it that impossible I mean and amethyst black with 24k gold trim pearl is nice and all but compared to VZW its a joke.
If sprint didn't have the absurd blackberry fee Treo's would have died a long time ago.