Palm Treo 650 user reviews (AT&T)

Pros Display, Keyboard, Software, EDGE, Reception, E-Mail

Cons Lockups, Size, Ringers, Carrier/Palm Support

Summary All that, and then some!! No Regrets!!

I'm not going to re-state what everyone else has said, so I'll refer to the things I like the most, the least, and defend some false issues. Keep in mind, this is the 10th phone I've had in a year (I'm VERY picky). I've been searching for the perfect phone and this is the closest out there.

In Defense -
Everyone constantly complains about things like quadband, battery life, no megapix camera, no universal translator, no WI-FI, no Voice Recorder, Carrier/Palm support and hold times, price, etc.. etc.. I can go on and on. A-lot of people just have seriousally unrealistic expectations. The phone is for PIM and phone calls. This is a total luxary item. Show me a product which can do IT ALL VERY WELL?!?! It doesn't exist, but in my experience the 650 comes the closest I think.

Favs -
1) Browser - Who needs a PC? It's that good!
2) Voice Connect - Had to buy it, but it is well worth it!!
3) Apps - Gobs and gobs of apps
4) Camera - Takes great PICS and you can Zoom and move the pic view around.
5) EDGE - I constantly us it as a wireless modem with PDANet (recommended)
6) Touch Screen - Need I say more?
7) Keyboard - Feels nice, easy to use
8) Reception - This thing works in places my other phones didn't

Hates -
1) Speakerphone could be better, but is OK
2) Have to reset it every few days, but is WAY more reliable than a Windows mobile device
3) Size - It is big, but it is also a PDA..I'll get over it
4) No native Graffiti App - I just got a freeware app called Graffiti Anywhere. The device supports Graffiti by default, just no app is installed.
5) Ringers - They mostly suck. I haven't figured out how to get others on there yet.
6) Call Quality - Sometimes the calls sound tinny. Not quite as good as Ericsson or Motorola but better then most.

To defend the battery life, as soon as I turned off bluetooth and IR receive (when I didn't need it) the phone could go 2-3 days without having to charge. I also installed a freeware app called KB Lights Off which automatically turns the keyboard light off and on depending on if I'm using it or not. The phone also feels a little different when talking, but I'll get used to it.

If you don't believe me, try doing half the things you can do on this phone on a Windows Mobile, Symbian or standard cell phone. The Windows devices are SLOW and constantly crash. The Symbian devices have rare and expensive software. You can forget about everything on a standard cell phone. Try it!!

Pros All the usual you expect in a PDA

Cons Shuts off a LOT, hang up button is often hit instead of speakerphone, bluetooth doesn't connect half the time

Summary In the past 3 weeks I have replaced my treo once, and have been told to do it again by Treo support (but may just return it instead).

Both units have had the same problem, phone is just off... the little light to indicate service even continues to flash green!

I have never turned my phone off, it has been off 50+ times in the past 3 weeks. Every morning when I wake up, the phone is flashing happily green, I pick up the device, turn it on and it looks good and runs for about 5 seconds, then a complete reboot happens. At which point I get my messages and text messages for all my missed calls since the phone had actually been off for hours.

Treo support essentially says, brand new phone, replace it... and has ZERO to offer, no suggestions, no try this, nothing.

This phone MUST have a feature added that prevents you from accidentally shutting it off too, since the button to turn off the PDA, if clicked twice, also turns the phone off, with no confirmation.

Latest problem: received a beamed application from a friend on a Treo 600, received file, Treo 650 says need to reset, click here to reset, and then, wham. The phone is now dead, completely... boots to the Palm Powered screen, and won't go further.

Treo support: replace the unit.

This phone is NOT ready for prime time. Where's my paycheck for being an alpha tester?

Pros If the phone worked, there would be many.

Cons The phone is not ready for the market.

Summary I have never written in to offer my experiences before on a product, but after going through 2 Treo 650 phones, and then reading all of the other complaints people are having with the phone, which match my experiences with it, I had to write in and say that I am having all the same problems everyone else is mentioning.

The first 650 I had (from Sprint) permanently crashed on day 2. It continiously tried to reboot itself with no end. The phone was completely DEAD. No solution to be had. I had to return it to the Sprint Store. Mind you, when I bought the phone originally, there was a person in the store who was on his 3rd 650 because of all the problems he had been having with it. I decided to give it a 2nd shot, and so when I returned my first 650, the replacement seemed to work fairly well. Until about 2 weeks later when then headset port ceased to recognize when a headset was plugged in.

So before returning the 2nd phone, I decided to look online and see if other people were having the same problems. And viola! TONS of people are having the same problems. Makes me feel better in a way, but it also makes me completely see that this phone is NOT READY FOR PRIME TIME YET.

I have also experienced what other users were saying about the Bluetooth not working well with Bluetooth headsets, and the volume being too low when it did work. Also, with people not being able to hear me when I'm using the speakerphone, and with the phone freezing up for long holds when swithing between different screens or applications.

I have to say I'm really dissapointed. I have owned the Treo 600 phone for a long time now, and have loved it. I figured with the stability of that phone proven, the 650 would be a surefire winner, and would have the same stability and only add lots of great features. It's always been my understanding of electronics that when the first model comes out (the 600) it could be glitchy (which it wasn't) and then they will come out with an update (the 650) which will solve all the problems. In this case, it is the exact opposite. I'm going to return my 2nd Treo 650 phone back to the Sprint store, and go back to my Treo 600 which I know works.

I agree with a previous user on this board who said "Where's my money for being an alpha tester?"

Palmone... get your stuff together before releasing a phone that's not ready.

Pros Great updated desktop app integrated with some of phone features. Loads of great software for latest Palm OS - will do almost anything you've ever dreamed of doing with one`device

Cons Can require some patience getting used to and may require a few hard reboots when installing some new apps. - GREAT navigation keys

Summary Why do we all buy these new phones? 'Cause we all want to be able to do all the things the last one didn't. I've owned them all over the past 25 years and after extensive use of the Treo 650 for several weeks I can now say that it's the best purchase I've ever made.

Of course, like with anything else it does some things great and others just OK, but it really does it all!

I bought a 1GB ultra SD card for mine for $80 on ebay, and since then, with the tons of software I've loaded I can do things I never imagined. I still can't believe I just recently watched the entire Lord of the Rings DVD on my phone while on a recent trip.

It take pictures, makes videos, browses the Web, does my email, reads me Audible books, plays MP3s through my car stereo has bluetooth for my wireless headset, has a great speakerphone, awesome navigation keys (what stylus?) and that's just the beginning.

The updated Palm Desktop, while remaining beautifully simple to use has added some new, and much needed, information fields. Its also updated the sidebar icons to integrate the phone's multimedia, email and Docs to Go apps.

Oh, yes, it is also supposed to be a phone.... have had some a bit better and many more much worse. All in all, this is a GREAT piece of equipment for the road warriors and gadget freaks of the world. Just be prepared to resist the stylus - don't need it for much anymore. Take some time to get comfortable with the new keypad and 5 way navigation pad and be persistant with tweaking the tons of software you'll want to load. AND, Sync often, since you'll no doubt have to do a hard reboot at least once to correct a problem. Those of you complaining about how hitting the center of the navigation button reboots the phone when trying to initiate or answer a call will find hard resetting the Palm makes things all better. Then just sync, and you'll be back in business.