List of Cool Stuff I can do with Treo 600

The D-pad! All PDA’s (agnostic – Palm OS, PPC, you name it) need an integrated D-pad like this. I have almost thrown away the stylus with the great use of this feature. Brings a whole new level of usability.

While I agree with you that not having a default option for Graffiti is bad, there is an after-market app called “Graffiti Anywhere” that takes care of this problem.

http://www.palmgear.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=software.showsoftware&SID=0FE607F9-ECF6-4C54-91E3697BD01A90AF&prodID=45227

FYI

Originally posted by tthiel
You recommend against a two year plan strongly but don’t say why. Why?

Sorry for the delay in responding to this. If you read “The Gadgeteer” and are interested in these types of gadgets, I figure that it’s safe to say that you’re interested in tech gadgets. Well, two years is a pretty long time in the tech world. A lot can happen in that time. Do you really want to be locked into the same device for two years?

Scott

As an aside, I forgot how much I liked the Palm OS. Its good to be back.

Originally posted by robert
[B]The primary reason for my discontinuing my AT&T Siemens SX56 PDA/Cell phone was that GSM reception in our area was so poor. That’s why I went with the Treo 600 with Sprint. It’s nice to be able to have dependable cellphone conversations with Sprint. I wouldn’t go with AT&T’s Treo 600 because it uses the GSM network. Hopefully, GSM will eventually deliver as promised, but right now in our Utah County area of Utah, GSM is very poor. I cannot speak for other areas however.
Bob [/B]

Originally posted by Scott R
[B]I would say this and the Nokia 3600-series are the two best smartphones on the market currently, with each having distinct advantages over the other.

Regarding that $250 price…Know that that’s with a 2-year commitment, which is something that I would recommend against strongly. You can get it with just a one-year agreement for $50 more.

Scott [/B]

Is anyone else having such a problem receiving pictures with their Sprint Vision plan with the Handspring Treo 600?

Bob

Last I spoke with Sprint reps up here (CT) this has been changed to $5/month for up to 50% digital roaming on VZW’s network. Unfortunately I’ve since heard that SMS, high-speed data, and voicemail (?!) is not functional while roaming off-network.

My device of choice to replace my Kyocera 6035, which I love dearly, would be the Kyocera 7135. It is a clamshell, has analog mode, SD/MMC expansion, and color screen (low res, though). Unfortunately, Sprint isn’t offering it. I have considered switching to Verizon, though, just to get the 7135.

Think again. I have the 7135 now and am not happy with the integration of phone/PDA much at all. Granted, basic functionality such as one-handed contact selection and dialing are present, much as was the case with the 6035 series, the phone and PDA are still not nearly as integrated as on similar devices such as the i500 and t600.

Currently I am on VZW and in the area which I travel (NYC -> ME) VZW’s coverage simply cannot be beat, cust service is superb, and pricing simply the best (400 voice, 1000M-M, high-speed data, & free N+W for $40). A similar voice-data plan on Sprint would run me over $60/mo.

Here are my gripes with the 7135…

1) Poor battery life. 2 hours voice +the requisite 5-10 min data runs the batt to nothing by the end of the day. Some days I’m not even sure I’ll make an entire day!

2) Big & Heavy. Small for a PDA, but huge for a flip. I just saw my first i500 at a Sprint kiosk a couple weeks back and was amazed at the size difference. ie: “Is that a couple packs of cards in your pocket or…”

3) Poor phone keys. Touch-dialing is near impossible due to the flush nature of the keys to the phone. Buttons also very small. The polar opposite to the much more easy to hit i500 keys. Also… no T9 text entry! I saw this on the i600 the other day and was blown away. What an incredibly great feature to leave out of Smartphone! (and I know of no way to install this 3rd party)

Having now used the Treo 600 hands-on just yesterday I can honestly say it is a much better integrated phone-PDA device than the Kyo. Mossberg’s review of the 7035, the i500, and Treo are *right on*

My only question now is whether it’s worth it to dump VZW’s superb coverage, cust service, and pricing for (what used to be 2 years ago) horrendous coverage with Sprint in the rural areas of CT/MA/NH, but a much better phone-PDA device in the t600.

Thoughts?

Originally posted by nathane
[B]I pay an extra $10 per month with Sprint for pretty much unlimited analog roaming. I say “pretty much unlimited” because they don’t want you to use more than 50% of your minutes while on analog. This plan is called Sprint Free & Clear America plan. It provides great peace of mind, knowing I won’t be getting any more surprise $300 bills due to roaming fees.

[/B]

Actually, the F&CA plan does digital roaming as well, using the Verizon network primarily…… so the treo can roam….

But to try and help those on the fence between the 600/Palm and PPC devices, I hear M$ product compatibilty as one of the main concerns. Have any of you ever heard of/used Iambic’s Agendus or Dataviz’s Doc 2 Go suites? The give you perfect functionality with Word, Excel, PPoint, AND Outlook. As a MOUS Power User, either of these apps do the trick (although I prefer D2G way better!)

I don’t think that excuse is valid as a deterrent from checking this out. (I’ve used iPaqs in the past) As I have an excellent Palm already, the i500 (i505?) would be more to my needs/wants.

Regarding that $250 price…Know that that’s with a 2-year commitment, which is something that I would recommend against strongly. You can get it with just a one-year agreement for $50 more.

Scott

It is, IMO, the best SMARTPHONE currently on the market.
Bob

P. S. Judie, thanks for your thoughtful response to my previous posting.

http://www.handspring.com/products/communicators/treo600_overview.jhtml
http://reviews.cnet.com/Handspring_Treo_600/4505-6452_7-30520851-2.html?tag=subnav
http://www.the-gadgeteer.com/handspring-treo-600-review.html
http://www.handspring.com/products/communicators/treo600_overview.jhtml
http://reviews.cnet.com/Handspring_Treo_600/4505-6452_7-30520851-2.html?tag=subnav
http://www.palminfocenter.com/view_story.asp?ID=6067
http://www.taekim.com/treo.html
http://ptech.wsj.com/archive/ptech-20030918.html
http://www.phonescoop.com/phones/phone.php?id=342
http://www.treocentral.com/content/Stories/289-1.htm
http://ptech.wsj.com/archive/print-ptech-20030918.html
http://www.handango.com/PlatformSoftware.jsp?siteId=1&jid=6288541XD6X14E7D44DX2A6F4A8FX8AC&platformId=1
http://www.dataviz.com

*SPRINT PROMOTION WITH $100 – $150 REBATES UNTIL JANUARY 3, 2004:
http://www.handspring.com/promos/treo600_sprint_promo.jhtml
(Similar promotions may be available for AT&T, Cingular & T-Mobile)
*NOTE: You must call Sprint to activate your service plan by January 10, 2004 in order to take advantage of this offer. You must agree to a 1-year service contract to qualify for the $100 service credit, or a 2-year service contract to qualify for the $150 service credit.

SPECIAL $200 DISCOUNT PROMOTION THROUGH AMAZON.COM bought by 11-25-03: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000SX2U2/qid%3D1069183737/sr%3D11-1/ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F1/104-1231202-5260739

JOT software for handwriting entry and word completion:
http://www.shopcic.com/product_details/jot_details.asp
http://www.shopcic.com/product_details/wordcomp_details.asp
Individually, Jot sells for $39.00 and WordComplete sells for $24.99. But, CIC combined both of them into a special promotion for one price of $29.99.

CARRYING CASES WITH BELT CLIPS:
http://www.bellagiodesigns.com/showcategory3.php?cod_category3=28
http://www.vajacases.com/pda_eng.htm
http://www.mobileplanet.com/private/covertec/product.asp?unit=H.T600
http://store.treocentral.com/accessories_view.php?a_id=9

Screen protector & Mini-Sync – http://www.boxwave.com/

SimpleTech 256mb SD Memory Card – http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00006JI6U//ref=sr_8_xs_ap_bn0_xgl23/104-1231202-5260739?v=glance&s=electronics&n=507846
A-LEX DICTIONARY: A-Lex English Dictionary & Synonym & Voice 1.35 – http://palmgear.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=software.answernew&sid=D91CE707-871E-45FB-A7E4B3A7EE5A58EB&keyword=english%20dictionary
USER MANUAL – http://support.handspring.com/download/Treo600UG_Sprint.pdf
T 600 wins CEBIT Award for best handheld: http://www.phonescoop.com/articles/cebit_america_2003/;
http://www.phonescoop.com/articles/cebit_america_2003/?p=2
PC MAG TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNER IN MOBILE DEVICES – http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,1383038,00.asp
PC MAG REVIEW: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,1310701,00.asp

I have Sprint right now. I think my poor reception is due to my old non-pcs phone. I look at the coverage maps for GSM and it’s like if you go off the interstate to go to the rest room, you lose coverage.

I don’t know if I will get the Treo…I have a Tungsten T and having the Treo would be like having two PDAs except I like the fact that all my phone numbers would now be on my phone, and the possibility of the data services. Instead of having to look for a Bluetooth phone for CDMA service.

I am thinking about it. But yeah, you’re right…GSM coverage is too thin. The thing I do not like is no analog roaming. I don’t use mine but it is there in emergencies. I always have coverage even if sometimes I have to pay more.

SIEMENS SX 56 WITH AT&T’S GSM:
>larger screen.
>higher pixel resolution.
>better sync between outlook on pc desktop with the handheld.
>more fields are readily accessible for dialing from the device. >thinner (but T600 is otherwise smaller).
>easy built in grafitti entry system.
>allows many more than 15 contact categories.
>allows much larger notes under each contact.
>utilizes pocket word, excel, and powerpoint more naturally because it is a microsoft software driven device.
>comes with a carrying case with a belt attachment; whereas, one must buy a comparable belt attachable carrying case with the T600, which only has a limited slip-on covering included.

HANDSPRING TREO 600 WITH SPRINT:
>brighter screen.
>can increase the size of font for calendar and contacts.
>quick manipulation of programs and features using the 5-way-one finger-control dial.
>much easier and quicker access to frequently called numbers.
>full QWERTY keyboard entry system. additionally, it has a built-in stylus to use as well.
>faster access to the web.
>has picture taking ability, albeit limited resolution.
>a substantially lower monthly charge for web and PCS Vision services compared to AT&T. Only $15/mo for unlimited usage.
>better email system.
>telephone reception and calling is substantially better and more reliable.
>”floating” calendar appointments feature.
>shorter, narrower, and lighter in weight.
>louder ringing of the phone for easier detection.
>speaker phone can be set to be louder, but the sound is not any better than the siemens sx56.
>much safer to use in the car because of the one-handed controlability of the device.
>has access to huge amount of the palmware software on the market.
>conversion from ringing to silent vibration with the flip of a switch.
>longer battery life.
>SD memory slot is on the top (rather than the bottom of the SX56)
>fewer steps in accessing many functions.

The bottom line is that the telephone reception with the SX56 using the GSM AT&T service in Provo, UT is unacceptable. Also, the one-handed capability of the T600 is very handy. With the usage of JOT software, the T600’s stylus can also allow Grafitti if one wants. So, I returned the Siemens SX56 and am using the T600. Others in my family are also adopting the T600. The T600 can (& will) be improved; nevertheless, right now it is the leading SMARTPHONE for its size.
Bob

My son went the other way. He gave his wife his T300 and loves his new T600. He likes the T600 so much better, e.g.: brighter screen, better speaker phone, efficient 5-way dial for one finger control, better integration of the Smartphone, doesn’t have to worry about flip cover breaking, has SD slot, faster processor, more RAM, etc. While the T600 added the picture taking ability (.3 mb is limited) because the T300 doesn’t have it, one needs a lot of light to get a decent picture because it doesn’t have a flash. But, the picture taking ability is not important to me. I prefer my 4mb Canon S-45 camera and may buy the new Rebel Digital SLR (6.3 mb).

I have another son who is getting frustrated with his T300 and is planning to trade up to the T600 as well.

I share your concern about the small keyboard and tiny letters. You may want to buy JOT and use the stylus sometimes. I’m thinking about doing that. I think Samsung will be coming out with a better version of the i500 sometime.

Thanks for your insights. I look forward to getting the SimpleTech 256 SD memory card for family pictures, dictionary, references, etc.

Bob

- I honestly am not up-to-speed on CF cards. Good resources to check would be Pocket PC sites and dpreview.com which is a digital camera review site with its own forums. Do some searches on the forums for “best”, “fastest”, “CF” or some combo of that.

- Good luck with the SimpleTech SD card. Hopefully they won’t prove me a liar and send you a bad one or have changed to using a manufacturer other than Panasonic.

- I’m a Treo 300 owner who was really hoping for more from the Treo 600. I really wanted a high res screen and bigger (not smaller) thumbboard. I’ve also been disappointed with the quality of photos that I’ve seen coming from it. Despite all that, I am still somewhat tempted by it and I may end up getting one for my wife regardless. My ideal phone, though, would be more like a smaller version of the old Nokia Communicator or something like the Danger Hiptop/Sidekick but running the Palm OS. By going the clamshell route (with a separate numeric keypad and small display on the outside) I think you can have both a good decently small phone and a large thumbboard and screen. So, for now I wait for some manufacturer to come up with that same idea.

- Are you sure that your T-Mobile phone is locked into T-Mobile? Have you tried using your AT&T SIM in it? If it’s locked into T-Mobile but uses the same frequency band as AT&T, you may still be able to get it unlocked. You can check HowardForums.com for info about that. If that would work out, you could solve both of your problems.

Scott

I just ordered a 256mb SimpleTech SD memory card from Amazon.com for $74.99. Because I ordered it before November 23, 2003, I qualify for an additional $10 mail-in rebate. Because of a $20 discount promotion for using my new Amazon.com VISA Credit Card the first time, I get another $20 discount. So, I will be able to buy this 256mb Secure Digital memory card for a net price of $44.99–great price! Thanks for the tip about Amazon.com’s SimpleTech SD card. I pay no shipping and no taxes–what a deal:)

Thanks so much for your guidance in this matter. It will be fun having this SD memory card on my Sprint Handspring Treo 600. This is an amazing Smartphone which will only get better with future upgrades. But for now, its the best for its size and functions. While I miss some functions on my Siemens SX56 Pocket PC Phone, overall the T 600 is smaller and more enjoyable. The only negative is the small print on the keyboard and tiny keys! But, if this gets too difficult, I can always get JOT for Grafitti entry with the stylus. The Sprint digital service on the phone use of the device is 200% better than the GSM phone service on my old Siemens SX56.

Incidentally, does anyone have an old GSM phone from AT&T that you want to get rid of? I’ll pay for the shipping. Because AT&T wants to charge me $175 to discontinue my service because my contract ends in 4 months, it would be cheaper to keep my GSM service and find a phone so my son could use it for 4 months since I will be paying each month anyway until March 04.

By-the-way, I have an excellent Nokia Digital phone I used with T-Mobile (previously Voicestream) if anyone needs it. It’s very small and works great, but I no longer use T-Mobile/Voicestream. I would be happy to give it to someone needing it.

Best wishes,
Bob