680 price to go down??

[duv]

dudes...i was just birthed into this smartphone world, so help me out. for those of you who have been following treo trends since the beginning, what do you expect to happen to the price of the 680 ($399 unlocked from palm) when the 755p comes out? it looks like may 14 for the new release...

[MleB]

As with any of these whizz-bang toys of technology, if you are constantly looking to he next 'big thing' with an eye that the current will drop in price or the new unit is 'better', you'll never buy - or be happy when you do.

Also, my understanding is that the 755 replaces the 700, not the 680 - so you're looking at CDMA rather than GSM - and CDMA technology is about as current outside of North America as two cans and a string....

But pricing will change when the 755p comes out for sure - though not necessarily in the way you might expect. For example, I bought my 680 shortly after it was released here in Canada and it was $100 cheaper than the 650 it replaced....

Meanwhile - worldwide (as far as smartphones are concerned), its only in North America that Palm and WinMobile OSs have any significant market share - elsewhere, it's pretty much Symbian or, to a lesser degree, a mini Linux distro - which is rumoured to be the next OS for Palm anyway.

Its a little long in the tooth now, but if you are looking for your first smartphone, you might see if you can find yourself a Nokia E61 (not the bastardized E62 as sold thru wireless providers in North America). You'll have the SymbianOS (with a huge hobbyist fan base like PalmOS - so lots of software), a bigger screen and wi-fi built in - unlike any Treo. It'll be unlocked and cheaper than a 680.

[duv]

thanks for the thoughts.

i guess i was just thinking that right now the 680 is the newest palm-based treo, but when the 755 is out that won't be the case...so the price should drop. but maybe that's just too logical??

[MleB]

But again, its a bit 'apples and oranges' - as the 755 will replace the 700 (as CDMA), not the 680 - which is GSM.

Much depends on who your current wireless provider is (and whether you're happy with them) or, if you haven't already got one, which wireless technology works best for you. Its pointless buying a 755 or a 680 if your wireless provider doesn't use that technology - no matter the price.

Plus it seems that with each new incarnation of the Treo, Palm somehow contrives to make it less useful as a PDA (dropping software) and less stable as a phone - if this and other Forums are anything to go by.

As far as a price drop on the 680 (or 700, as the case is) is concerned - well, its possible, but it seems to me there is a very small window of opportunity to pick up 'last week's phone' as most seem to disappear from the wireless providers or Palm's own website almost immediately - doubtless sent back to Palm for parts or mulching. There is no profit to be made from selling an 'old' phone at a discounted price.

'Logical' doesn't matter.

[chris]

Originally Posted by MleB

Plus it seems that with each new incarnation of the Treo, Palm somehow contrives to make it less useful as a PDA (dropping software) and less stable as a phone - if this and other Forums are anything to go by.

I believe that Palm has actually shifted the focus to more software with recent releases. With the Treo 680, the focus was on what you could do with a Treo (GoogleMaps, Docs To Go, PocketTunes), as opposed to hardware improvements. I suppose some of the reasoning behind that marketing message were the lack of serious improvements over the Treo 650. The new Treo 755 will continue this trend with an included IM application. Palm has also improved the usability with the new 5 in 1 Phone app.

As for discussion here, the community is growing and people post questions/problems. It's just natural. There are a large group of users who do not experience problems, but those folks are less likely to post.

I do agree with your reasoning regarding pricing. The Treo 680 is not a direct competitor to the Treo 755, so it isn't likely you'll see a price drop. Also, rarely do I see the unlocked phones leaves MSRP. The big discounts always come when you are locked to a provider and take a 2 year contract. For example, the Treo 680 has been free with contract since December, only one month after its release.

-Chris

[duv]

makes sense...thanks fellas.

i'm with t-mobile, always have been. i don't think i'd get a data plan, so to give up 1000 minutes plus free nights/weekends for $39.99 would be dumb.

peace.

[PoconosKel]

The 750 was actually mean to replace the 680 for Cingular

[chris]

Originally Posted by PoconosKel

The 750 was actually mean to replace the 680 for Cingular

That's incorrect. Both were released within a few weeks of each other, but it just took the Treo 750 longer to get certified. Plus, these phones share a similar form factor, but that's it. Both use different manufacturers and I found the Treo 750 to have better build quality. Nothing drastic, but it was noticable.

The Treo 680 runs Palm OS and features a high rez display. The Treo 750 runs Windows Mobile Pocket PC and is stuck at 240x240 (limitation of WM). The Treo 750 also supports HSDPA (once the patch is available) whereas the Treo 680 supports EDGE. The Treo 680 was meant to replace the Treo 650. The Treo 750 is a completely new model and doesn't replace a model in the existing product line.

-Chris