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Palm Treo 700w review (gray, Verizon Wireless)

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CNET Editors' Rating

3.0 stars Good

CNET Editors' Rating

3.0 stars Good
  • Overall rating: 6.3
  • Design: 7.0
  • Features: 6.0
  • Performance: 6.0
Review Date:

Average User Rating

3.0 stars 277 user reviews

The good: The Treo 700w runs Windows Mobile 5 and sports the same great, compact form factor of the Treo 650. This smart phone also comes with Bluetooth, a 1.3-megapixel camera, and EV-DO support.

The bad: Unfortunately, the Treo 700w doesn't include integrated Wi-Fi and has a somewhat poor 240x240-pixel resolution.

The bottom line: The Palm Treo 700w brings Windows Mobile and a number of useful features, such as push e-mail and photo speed dial, to the much-beloved smart phone, but its heft and its washed-out screen has us giving the edge to the Treo 650.

Back in September, Palm, Microsoft, and Verizon Wireless released a few tantalizing details about the Palm Treo 700w, then called the Palm Treo on Windows Mobile 5, but left us wanting much more information on the long-fabled smart phone. Finally, at CES 2006 in Las Vegas, the three companies announced its availability and many more details, including the final name. Yet while we were initially excited by the Windows-based Treo, our elation slowly deflated as we spent more time with the device. The once fresh-seeming features, such as photo speed dial and responding to calls with text messages, are now available on the Palm Treo 650 through third-party apps, so they're no longer unique to the Treo 700w. Also, we couldn't help but find the Treo 700w's washed-out screen uninspiring over time. Still, for those who want native Windows support, the smart phone offers good call quality, solid battery life, and excellent one-handed operation. The Treo 700w is now available to all through Verizon for a pricey $499, although it should be a bit cheaper with service. The companies will release GSM versions of the Treo 700w but probably not until the middle of the year. Part of what makes Palm's Treo line so successful is its form factor, so we're glad to see that the company didn't mess with a good thing when designing the Treo 700w. Like its Palm OS-based sibling, the Palm Treo 650, the Palm Treo 700w measures 4.4 by 2.3 by 0.9 inches and is a hair heavier at 6.4 ounces. Although the dimensions of the two devices are the same on paper, the 700w actually feels heavier and looks thicker. The heft may be a turnoff to some, but the device feels solid in the hand and comfortable while held up to your ear. Also, the Treo 700w sports a classic silver and charcoal-gray color scheme that will look good in any boardroom.


Lights out: The Palm Treo 700w's screen is a bit washed out and doesn't have the same sharp resolution as the Treo 650.

Unfortunately, the Palm Treo 700w doesn't share the same sharp resolution as the Treo 650 (320x320 pixels). Rather, at 240x240 pixels, images and text don't look as defined as on the Treo 650, and though the Treo 700w displays 65,000 colors, they look a bit washed out. That said, the display isn't all bad. Below the display is a navigation keypad that's similar to the 650's. There are two action keys that give you quick access to various functions, depending on which screen you're in; for example, from the Today screen, you can launch your messages or the menu. Beneath the soft keys are the Talk, Start, OK, and End buttons, split in pairs by the four-way navigation toggle and the center Select key. All controls are well spaced and easy to use, and we love the fact that you can operate the smart phone with one hand--you don't have to rely on the stylus to access menus and applications.


It's hip to be square: The Treo 700w features squarish keys rather than the oval buttons found on the 650.

Of course, the Treo 700w's QWERTY keyboard is even handier (are you reading, e-mail fanatics?). The device sports rectangular buttons instead of the oval-like keys found on the 650, but the two smart phones do have something in common: a squished layout. Users with larger digits should take note, but on the upside, the keyboard is well backlit and provides a nice tactile feel. There's a volume rocker on the left spine of the smart phone, as well as a customizable quick-launch button just below it. The infrared port, the MMC/SDIO expansion slot, and the ringer/silent switch sit atop the 700w, while the MultiConnector port and the 2.5mm headset jack line the bottom. As noted in our review of the Treo 650, we find the placement of the headset jack a bit inconvenient, but it's not a deal breaker. Finishing out the design elements of the Palm Treo 700w is a camera lens, a self-portrait mirror, a speaker, and a user-replaceable battery on the back. The smart phone comes packaged with an AC adapter, a USB ActiveSync cable, and a wired headset.

The feature that sets the Palm Treo 700w apart from the rest of the Treo family is obviously its Windows Mobile 5 operating system. With it, you get the new Microsoft Office Mobile Suite, including Word Mobile, Excel Mobile, and PowerPoint Mobile. The first two apps add support for charts and tables--an enhancement to previous versions--while the latter is completely new. Although you can't edit slides in this version of PowerPoint, it's nice to be able to view presentations right on your device. The biggest draw for many, however, will be Outlook Mobile. The Treo 700w will be upgradable to Microsoft's Messaging and Security Feature Pack, which includes support for push e-mail. Now, you can receive Outlook e-mail in real time (along with POP3 and IMAP4 accounts, including Hotmail and Yahoo), appointments, contacts, and tasks directly on your device via a connection with Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync. The Treo 700w's complementary support for Verizon's EV-DO network sweetens the deal, as it means faster download speeds of around 400Kbps to 700Kbps. Other wireless options include Bluetooth for hands-free calling (there's also a speakerphone) but unfortunately no Wi-Fi, and you can't use the device as a wireless modem for your laptop when you are on the road. Palm says the Treo 700w will support its Wi-Fi card, so you can gain access that way.


Got files? Carry your large work documents and multimedia files on a memory card.

Also unique to the Treo 700w is the customizable Today screen, which provides convenient and quick access to widely used apps. For example, you can now dial by name just by entering the first couple of letters of a contact, rather than having to dig through your whole address book. You can also easily surf the Net by entering text in the Web search field at the bottom of the Today screen, and Internet Explorer Mobile kicks in.

 

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Quick Specifications

  • Service provider Not specified
  • Cellular technology CDMA2000 1X
  • Talk time 282 min
  • Weight 6.40 oz
  • Sensor resolution 1.3 megapixels

Bonnie Cha is chief correspondent for Crave, covering every kind of tech toy imaginable (with a special obsession for robots and Star Wars-related stuff). When she's not scoping out stories, you can find her checking out live music or surfing in the chilly waters of Northern California. Full Bio

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