Down to decision time: 650 vs. 700p

[Reedie1965]

I’ve been “lurking” on the Forums for over a year, but am finally at my long-awaited purchase point. When I started dreaming about replacing my IIIxe (yes!) which is my constant companion and on which I totally rely, the 650 was the new thing. When the 700w came out, I knew I would be staying with the Palm OS so I hoped the 700p would arrive before the red-letter day. So when it was announced I was all set to get one.

Now that I have been reading about the 700p on the Forum, I’ve been vacillating between the 650 and 700p. One day I think I should just go for the most advanced thing I can get—glitches and all. The next day I decide that I should stay with the 650 to avoid headaches. What to do, what to do?

I expect to continue to heavily use the Addresses, To Do, and Memo features, I will use the phone with Bluetooth, and I will occasionally go on the web—I’ll be retired so I won’t be checking e-mails a lot, we’ll be traveling with our laptop so I’ll probably use it as a DUN when I am away from a hot spot. I have very few extra programs on the IIIxe—HandiBase is one I use frequently, and I have some MS Word and MS Excel documents that I’ve synched and consult once and a while. We have a laptop GPS program for the motorhome and a navigation system in the sedan, so I’m not likely to get a GPS (although I love electronic things and having one sounds neat).

I am relatively good with computers, but am not interested in spending my days struggling with the problems I have been reading about when new owners post for help. Also, I'm a little nervous about getting all my IIIxe stuff migrated over to the Treo. I've read about how to go about it and I think I will leave the old program on the laptop in case I have to revert back.

So, I am posting this on both the 650 and 700p Forums in the hope that people who have used both can shed some light on my quandry. Knowing what you know now, what would you do if you were in my position? Thanks in advance for your help.

[Rockr4lfe23]

i say stick with the 650...my friend has the 700p and he says its too much of a headache compared to the 650

[Reedie1965]

Thanks Rockr4lfe23. Andrew on the 700p board thinks the 700p came with fewer squawks than the 650 had new. But your friend's experience is what I am trying to avoid. I suppose I'll be up in the air about it until I lay my money down. [I tend to go for the very latest thing and then keep it a VERY long time: My 1984 Fat Mac lasted me 10 years while I took it out to 2 megs, added a scuzzy port and a 20 mb hard drive. Then my 1st PC was a P90 which I kept 7 years: "doubled" it to P150, added memory, changed the 14.4 modem to 28.8, and changed the 2x CD-ROM to 8x. As I mentioned, I am still using my IIIxe which I bought when it first came out.] Thanks again.

[Antoine of MMM]

Since you are coming from a IIIxe, you will not really have as many issues as a person who has a 600 or a 650 going to a 700. On your end, most of what you have will transfer over just fine.

The thing that seems most for you is a device that will last a long time. In that case, it is almost always smarter to go with the latest device as it seems that you really do get the most value out of your devices. It is not wrong to assume that within the next year that the 650 will no longer be supported. However, if the same release cycle keeps, the 700p has about another two years of solid support from Palm before it is no longer supported with updates and what have you. So in my opinion, go with the 700p and be a happy person. I would only say that you should choose your carrier carefully. Sprint does seem to do a better job of rolling out updates for Treos than VAZ does.

[Cofe]

Go with the 700p. Granted there are good reasons to go with both options, I wish I would have waited the 2 months to get the 700p. (I did not even know about it when I bought mine)

700p has...
Faster wireless web in major metro areas.
better camera (I actually use my camera on my treo since it is so easy to use and email pictures)
more up to date technology built in (i would assume)
more internal memory
can support, without hacking the rom, 4gb memory cards. If you use it to watch movies you will be in love with 4gb.

I will upgrade fairly soon and the wife will get a 650 for her birthday. lol

[Stillrockin]

I agree with the others that say go for the 700P. I am 8 months into a contract with Cingular/650. I LOVE it! And I very satisfied with the purchase! Its still a solid phone/PDA and should be for a while, barring no accidents. If purchase price is the most important thing, then I would say go for the 650.

You didn't say that! The 700P has addressed a few shortcommings of the 650. Besides the fact that the 650 will no longer be supported, and the 700P will for a while, its got more memory, High Speed Data, Should soon support larger external memory, is compatible with many 650 accessories, is compatible with most 650 applications and more and more are coming online weekly to support the 700P. Your going to pay more, but your going to get more Treo, better/longer support.

My $0.02 . . .

[Kreth]

Should soon support larger external memory...

The 2GB limit of the 650 is due to the FAT16 file system used. If the 700P has a true FAT32 implementation, it should be able to support cards of up to 2TB (that's Terabytes) in size.

[kdallen]

If the 700P has a true FAT32 implementation, it should be able to support cards of up to 2TB (that's Terabytes) in size.

Wouldn't that be something!

[Kreth]

Wouldn't that be something!

Well, I doubt we'll see anything that big from SanDisk, et al; before the next media standard is developed. But if it is true FAT32, then then next few releases: 4GB, 8GB, 16GB should all work on the 700P.

[kdallen]

Well, I doubt we'll see anything that big from SanDisk, et al; before the next media standard is developed. But if it is true FAT32, then then next few releases: 4GB, 8GB, 16GB should all work on the 700P.

Then something must not be quite right. Not all 4GB cards are working properly on the 700p, so I don't even want to think about bigger ones.