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"Oustanding.....Hghly Recommended....Don't let pie in the sky naysayers deter you from trying this ph"
on by physiosPros Excellent Phone....Easy One Handed Operation....Fast in EVDO Areas.....CAN tether to laptop
Cons 240x240 screen ( not a big deal but I would have liked better) and lack of WIFI ( again, would be nice but rarely needed in EVDO area )
Summary After reading some negative reviews, I was concerned about this phone. However, after considering the negative comments ( the majority were made by people who either have an axe to grind with the Microsoft OS, made their review before the phone was even available to try out and therefore, haven't even used it, or have an expectation that a small, portable device is a laptop substitute) and after actually TRYING the device myself I am SOLD.
I am fortunate to live in an EVDO area and downloads are Blazingly FAST. I would never even consider using WIFI in these areas. Phone reception is excellent, even when traveling in areas I have had problems with in the past.
Take the time to learn the layout and use of the keys and you will discover that you rarely would need the stylus. This is a main advantage of this phone versus some of the alternatives, such as the samsung i730 or the new 6700.
Yes, I would like a larger screen, but not at the expense of one handed operation. I didn't buy this phone to replace my laptop, only to allow me to communicate and browse without having to boot up my laptop every single time.
If I need to type a long EMail or expect to do extensive browsing, the laptop is a better tool and would be better than any of the smart phone alternatives as well.
You also do not need to hunt for a hotspot anytime you need any information. The EVDO is excellent and I am able to check an Email driving down the road ( Safely due to the one handed capability of the layout )
I have already tethered this phone to my laptop using a very simple to install third party program. PDAnet by JuneFabrics. Free to try and about $ 35 to buy. Installation was a breeze and it works like a charm.
The phone is very attractive, not a huge, heavy brick, and has a definite WOW factor. I saw one reviewer who referred to the brightly lit keyboard as "quite fetching" and I would agree. The keys are solid and responsive.
Despite concerns over the 240x240 resolution, the display is bright and very readible. I have compared side by side with the higher resolution Trea 650 and you have to be pretty picky to notice that much of a difference....SLIGHTLY less vibrant but not a deal breaker. This is the only reason I don't rate the phone a 10.
You DO NOT have to sign up for a $ 45 data package as some have said. I purchased a bundled package for only $ 20/mo more than my voice only package. That gives you another
$ 100 instant rebate. $ 399.00 out the door price.
Lastly, I am a very demanding buyer and don't hesitate in the least to return a product that doesn't meet my expectations. I fully expected to take advantage of Verizon's 15 day return policy. However, I am keeping this baby. -
"What does Palm do this? Verizon charges $45 for data!"
onPros Palm Has made some pretty good PDA's. Large screen with bar style. Full keyboard.
Cons Like the Treo 600, Palm releases it with a low res screen. First network to get the phone is Verizon's overpriced network!
Summary I love Palm PDA's and PDA phones. But they are doing the same thing they did with the Treo 600. They releases the 600 with a low resolution screen with a high price tag. Then they releases a partal update in the form of the Treo 650 with slightly more memory and a better resolution screen. Now they release the Treo 700 using the same tactic. I bet in a few months there will be a Treo 750 with slightly more memory and a higher resolution screen!! On top of this, Verizon of all networks gets first dips on the phone! Verizon, the same carrier who's VCast only works on the EV-DO network! Verizon the same carrier that charges $45 a month for unlimted data! Verizon the same carrier that offers nothing in the way of earlier nights, free incoming, adjustable minute buckets, ect. Why didn't Sprint get first dips? Sprint has better plans with better prices. Sprint's own network is larger at 250 million pop, while Verizon is only 246 million. Sprint has better data prices at $10 visions and $15 EV-DO Power Visions. Sprint has a larger roaming network!
Why Palm did you bring the Treo 700 to Verizon first? Most Verizon customer don't even buy PDA phones because they don't want to spend $45 a month. So you just wasted a new phone on a network does not let their customers use it.
A large chunk of Sprint customers use Smart-Devices because we only get charged $10 and $15 for data access. We are the perfect customers for this phone!
What a mega large waste!Updated
So you want to debate facts, then lets debate.
One: Verizon Wireless is a patchwork of acquired networks. Networks bought out, merged, ect. No matter how hard you try, those network will never work together perfectly. Because they were built by vendors from all over the world.
Sprint's network is built from the ground up by Lucent, Nortel, and Motorola. This gives Sprint the advantage of all features working the same all over their network.
Number one complaint with Verizon, spotty service. Services work one place, but not in another.
Sprint also has more MVNO's then any other carrier in the world. WHY? Because they offer a dependable network with excess spectrum. Big names like Disney Wireless, ESPN Wireless, Quest Wireless, Liberty Wireless, and on all use Sprint's network for their MVNO coverage.
Does Verizon do this? Only for a few MVNO's.
Two: Sprint has had Mobile TV and radio way before Verizon offered EV-DO. There for Sprint's EV-DO Power Visions services work all over their network. Verizon's do not.
So is it better to have VCast in select parts of the nation but not in between? Or for the Power Visions services to work all over the network? I would rather use it all over. Sprint also has the second highest revenue per subscriber because of the Internet access, content and prices. Nextel has the first highest, but because of their Direct-connect and voice plans. What does this say about Verizon's limited web content?
Three: Verizon uses BREW. Which Verizon customers complain about all of the time about this. Verizon forces you to buy from then, while Sprint let's you use and Java mobile applications found on the Internet? Which would you rather use? I would rather have the freedom of Java.
Four: Sprint has three voice plans. Fair& Flex America, Free Incoming, and the Free & Clear America. Verizon has one voice plan. Sprint has more add-ons then any other carrier, and you get to keep free features like loyalty discounts on any of your plans for life.
What else do you want to fight about? I just posted a review pointing out how stupid it is to offer a Smart-Device on a network where most users don't pay for that kind of access.
Would you really pay $44.99 a month for PDA data access? $19.99 for e-mail sync?
come on, what is there to fight about? -
"Another Palm Failure"
on by Mark WPros It's a Treo
Cons No Wi-Fi, Style and form is getting old
Summary After reading and watching the current preview of the new Treo, I am amazed that this device still does not have Wi-Fi included. What exactly is the hold up? In addition, there seems to be no improvement in the design of the TREO. Power users such as myself are really getting tired of the "smaller is better" trend with today's smartphones. Palm, how about a super Treo? Give me a larger screen with better resolution, a larger keyboard for sending email and test messages, and Wi-Fi access. Better yet, how about you include a mini-hard drive as well? How about giving us a Treo flip design which would reveal a larger keyboard and screen? Heck, I would pay a premium for a Treo with that design. I have really large hands and SMS messaging plays a large role in my daily life. I'm tired of these ancient smartphones that I have to struggle to use. Give me the Super Treo 2000. Lol, just my two cents...
Updated
A lot of the posts here mentioned battery life, laptops, and questioned the need for wi-fi. Now that the 700W has been released, it seems a lot of reviewers and consumers are not happy with this phone. My original post was my vision of where cell phones are going. Look around at phones like the iPAQ h6325, Nokia 9300/9500, Sony Ericsson P910i, iPAQ hw6510, i-mate K-jam, LG VX 9800, Blackberry 8750, Audiovox PPC6601, or the HTC 6700, all of these phones include many of the features found in laptops. My wish is to be able to travel with one small device and be able to leave the laptop at home. If you don't like looking forward, fine with me. Maybe you would prefer the suitcase Michael Douglas held to his head in Wallstreet just a few years ago. Thank goodness cell companies kept looking forward. For Palm I would say this, Sony cornered the market for a while with the Walkman but stopped looking forward. Imagine their surprise when they woke up one morning to the iPod. As for batteries, fuel cells may be the answer. Wi-fi? This was too rediculous to answer. Figure it out for yourself Mr. Flintstone. -
"Great Device"
on by txav8rPros Broadband Speeds, Video, 1.3Mp Camera, great one-handed operation
Cons Does not support Dial-Up Networking Profiles in Bluetooth!!
Summary I'm getting a little tired of seeing all these Palm OS cry-babies complain that this phone isn't any good simply because it uses Microsoft's Windows Mobile OS. Get a clue - It's not Palm OS. Move on!
Windows Mobile 5.0 (actually 5.1.1700) is the version that comes with the latest 700w's, and it is MUCH more refined than previous versions of Windows Mobile, or the Pocket PC OS of the past. It includes many nice enhancements which make this device a real pleasure to use.
I have been using PDA phones since the original Visor Prism with the bulky Visor Phone add-on. I've used the 270 with the flip screen, the 600 and even the 650.
When it was released, I called all over the city looking for one and I actually found one* and bought it on the spot.
This phone is the best PDA phone I have ever used for many reasons. First off, the original Visor Phone interface was an afterthought - so the integration wasn't very good. This one, after many revisions since the 270/300 series finally feels like a very smart phone. They keyboard is laid out logically and with the included "OK" button, you can dismiss any window with one key. You don't have to thumb your screen to death (leading to much frustration on the 600 series) -- just click one easy to reach "OK" button and the window disappears.
The soft menu buttons are welcomed as well since they are easy to reach and big and again saves you having to fiddle with tapping the screen with your thumb or fingernail. Simple well placed buttons on the base of either side of the screen makes this an easy task.
Also, I see a lot of complaints about no WiFi access. I guess I'm just spoiled because I live in a large metropolitan area where EVDO Broadband access is readily available, and the idea of having to go hunt out a WiFi access point to be able to surf the web seems a little like stepping backwards - but that's just me. Broadband Access is plenty fast enough, from anywhere, so I won't miss it.
For those that can't live without WiFi however, there is an optional SDIO WiFi module that you can purchase and pop in the phone to connect to 802.11 networks.
I'm using my 4Gb SD card loaded with video clips and MP3's, as well as large documents, etc. so adding another SD card to the mix doesn't make much sense to me.
As for the low resolution of the screen. I must say I was disappointed at first by the 240x240 res. I owned a Toshiba e805 with a 480x640 screen and loved it (before it was stolen- but that's another story). But when I went into the settings on the Treo 700w, I found that I could reduce the font size to "smallest", and turn on the ClearType font smoothing, and achieve almost as much horizontal "resolution" as the larger screens. I can now read a significant amount of text on the device so the actual resoltuion is a non-issue as well.
MY ONLY COMPLAINT with this phone is that Verizon does not include DUN (Dial-up Networking) as one of the supported Bluetooth profiles!!!!!!!
I gave up my Treo 650 over this shortcoming alone because when I travel with my laptop, having the ability to connect to the Internet THROUGH MY PHONE wirelessly using Bluetooth was a VERY nice feature. I became so accustom to this feature in fact that when the Treo 650 came out and had Bluetooth built in, I rushed out and bought one right away, only to be disappointed that it wasn't supported. I returned it within the 2 week period.
I bought this phone with the hope that Verizon had finally gotten it right -- that they had stopped crippling power users and let us have the tools we need to do our jobs on a daily basis. But sadly, no. They have chosen to disable that profile once again. Hopefully this will backfire on them with Class Action lawsuits like the V710 issue, etc., and they will open it up like Sprint and some Cingular models have done.
As an IT consultant, I had to use my laptop to connect to remote servers using Remote desktop connection while I was traveling. This need meant that I needed a phone with Bluetooth DUN support so I could connect using my laptop and RDC. The great thing about Windows Mobile vs. Palm OS is that Windows Mobile COMES WITH a Remote Desktop Client! I can now connect to my remote servers using my phone and fix little problems without ever having to use my laptop! As a result, I am not going to return this phone like I did the 650 since it will allow me to do the two most critical items for me - email and RDC.
I can honestly say that if this phone had DUN enabled, this would be the PERFECT phone for me, bar none!
NOTE: If you are a Palm OS user that is stuck in the past, stay with the Treo 650 - You just won't "get" the new interface. But if you're looking for a very intelligent mobile phone that also has some very powerful laptop-like features (i.e. Pocket Word, Pocket Excel & Powerpoint), awesome email integration, video both on-demand and live streaming, broadband access, easy one-handed keyboard layout, then this is the phone for you!
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NOTES:
*(If you're looking for one right away and don't want to wait for it to be shipped to you, here is what I did to get mine so early. You need to call the bigger Verizon Wireless stores in the morning and ask to speak with the inventory specialist. Befriend that person and then ask if they have any 700w's showing up on their daily "in-transit" report (a report that shows what's expected to arrive that day). If they do, ask them what time they usually get their shipments, and then arrive around that time and be the first to pick up a new phone).
** Also, even for existing Verizon customers, you can get the phone for $399.95 - just sign up for the unlimited data plan and they will discount your phone an additional $100 off the regular price of $499.95 but you have to be persistent. -
"I ACTUALLY HAVE THIS PHONE!!!"
on by tmcclurePros Very fast, resonsive; awesome web browsing; software has learning curve but is very robust; included apps/features
Cons Low RAM; reduced screen res.; No push email yet
Summary Ok, don't listen to all of the idiots on here waging their pissing contest of POS v. WM5. I ACTUALLY HAVE THIS PHONE so if you want a REAL review, read on.
First off, this phone is great. Not outstanding, but great. WM5 definitely has a learning curve. I am a complete newbie with POS experience only, so I can attest...after about 4 days I am flying on WM5 and I like it much better.
The response is quick. My roommate has a Treo 600 and when he used this he said, "Damn, this thing is FAST." The web browsing rocks (except for the lack of RAM...more on this later). The keyboard is small but very easy to use and the navigation is quick yet not very intuitive at first.
Setting up active exchange was painless over the VZW network (couldn't do it over my work network for security reasons). Also synched Hotmail & Gmail. Didn't bother to pay the $20/yr Yahoo POP service fee so I just check that on Palm Mobile, not a problem. Loaded some mp3s on my SD card via the included File Explorer (very nice) and I was ready to go.
One thing to keep in mind...don't even think about getting the 10mb or pay-as-you-go data plans. You will get soaked! After only 4 days I'm over 10 megs, and I don't do a ton of surfing. You might get away with it if you don't sync any email and surf only, but I wouldn't recommend it.
I have only a few complaints so far. First, the included amount of RAM, which is about 11 MB free after soft reset, is just not enough. I will have to hack the registry to get my PIE files onto my SD card...if you don't the device will lock up after extended browsing. The screen is nice but could have been better, and the same with the camera (***, no flash?) Also, VZW support is worthless thusfar but Treocentral.com and HOFO are great.
I would definitely recommend this device, but not if you have no patience for being an early adopter or if you can't free yourself from POS.
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