First impressions!

Stillrockin · 12-26-2006, 09:05 PM

So I loved my Treo 650! And after about 4 hours with the 680, there are still some warm fuzzy feelings for the device! I like the feel and size of the keys on the 680. I am having trouble adjusting to the menu key down on the bottom of the keyboard however. Size and Weight? yea, the 680 is a lot sexier! Signal Strength? Its early, but I believe the 650 was a tad bit better. I have a test in my basement bathroom. The 650 is the first mobile phone I ever owned that kept signal in that room! The 680 doesn't! Anyway, if your curious as to what is in the box and a side by side with the 650, you can check it out here

jfa · 12-27-2006, 11:17 AM

why dont you like the sd slot on the side? Any other beefs

Stillrockin · 12-27-2006, 01:04 PM

Right now I like the SD card slot . . I am a little concerned about how much this little plastic hinged cover holds up over time being opened/closed, rubbed in cases, in pockets, etc. But I really love the size/feel. The jury is out on how much battery life I have sacraficed compared to the 650, but I do like the size and feel . . .

diatribe69 · 12-27-2006, 05:18 PM

Originally Posted by Treofrog

Size and feel is great, I hope palm will make all of there smartphones like this over time, Im just wondering what the Treo 800 will look like

Like this:

ti2gr · 12-28-2006, 12:12 PM

Been using my Treo 680 since the day they came out with Cingular and I love it so far. I used to have a 650 and for me the signal strength is much better. I no longer have to go outside to talk on the phone as I now get a signal inside my apartment, with the 650 I did not so I always had a few missed calls. Since the Treo is my only phone, not very convenient to leave home in order to make a phone call.

Also with the 680, the volume is much better, no need for volumeCare which with the 650, was a necessity.

Personally I don't change SD cards that often. When I do it's just to put a larger sized card in. I love the fact that the card slot is now on the side and hidden behind a door. On the 650 it was on the top of the unit and if you touched it a certain way it would pop out. Now it's hidden, no accidental pop outs or lost cards.

As far as battery lie goes, I have had no issues with this. I've always plugged in my cell phones or treos or even non-phone Palm PDA's when I got home. As it stands right now I can go to work and when I come home 9-12 hours later still have a charge of close to 70%, which was also the average I had with the Treo 650. That even with making a call or two or playing a game of Bejeweled 2 or writing notes in DayNotez and checking appointments and tasks with Agendus throughout the day. In other words it doesn't reside all day in my pocket doing nothing.

As far as feel goes, it feels more solid than the Treo 650 did. With the Treo 650 the battery cover always had this little movement to it and I always felt like it was going to fall off or something. My friend had a Sprint Treo 650 and we switched battery covers just to see if it was a bad cover on mine and even with his on it seemed the same. I also like the way the sides are indented giving teh phone a better grip.

Screen brightness is better on the 680 as well. A side by side comparison has the two at the same brightness, but the difference is that the 650 is at it's brightest whereas the 680 is at half brightness (default setting). This is using a camera meter to measure the brightness level.

Overall I find that the 680 is an upgrade over the 650, maybe it's not a lot to many, but for me I find it an awesome improvement over the 650. Based on what I have read about the 700p, sounds like an improvement over that as well.

I have tried Windows Mobile in the past and came back to the Palm OS, which I feel is far more stable and superior than the Windows Mobile.

Stillrockin · 12-30-2006, 09:50 PM

Originally Posted by ti2gr

As far as battery lie goes, I have had no issues with this. I've always plugged in my cell phones or treos or even non-phone Palm PDA's when I got home. As it stands right now I can go to work and when I come home 9-12 hours later still have a charge of close to 70%, which was also the average I had with the Treo 650. That even with making a call or two or playing a game of Bejeweled 2 or writing notes in DayNotez and checking appointments and tasks with Agendus throughout the day. In other words it doesn't reside all day in my pocket doing nothing.

I am having major battery life issues with my 680! I timed it today to make sure I knew what I was talking about. in 7 hours, I didn't make one phone call, or really even use the device. But I use Chatter email for 4 accounts, three of which are IMAP protocol. At the end of that 7 hours, I was down to 40% battery left. Totally unacceptable to me! I promise, the same set up with the 650, I would have had at least 70%, if not more! Battery life is important to me and how I intend to use this device. Thank God I still have my 650. If I don't find a decent solution, I might migrate back to it! If your getting 12 hours out of yours, and using it even, and still having 70%, it makes me wonder what am I doing wrong????
Are you:

using bluetooth?
using the IR port
using the data connection often such as IMAP, net or an app such as quicknews?

I love everything else about the 680. The size, weight, the new phone interface is awesome . . But if I can't get better battery performance, suddenly my very well worn 650 is more attractive!

Cola Man · 12-31-2006, 12:46 AM

Originally Posted by Stillrockin

I am having major battery life issues with my 680! I timed it today to make sure I knew what I was talking about. in 7 hours, I didn't make one phone call, or really even use the device. But I use Chatter email for 4 accounts, three of which are IMAP protocol. At the end of that 7 hours, I was down to 40% battery left. Totally unacceptable to me! I promise, the same set up with the 650, I would have had at least 70%, if not more! Battery life is important to me and how I intend to use this device. Thank God I still have my 650. If I don't find a decent solution, I might migrate back to it! If your getting 12 hours out of yours, and using it even, and still having 70%, it makes me wonder what am I doing wrong????
Are you:
using bluetooth?

using the IR port

using the data connection often such as IMAP, net or an app such as quicknews?

I love everything else about the 680. The size, weight, the new phone interface is awesome . . But if I can't get better battery performance, suddenly my very well worn 650 is more attractive!

I was able to get a little over 24 hours on my battery with some left over (not great but better than the reported 1/2 a day i keep seeing) before i charged it and i made a lot of phone calls durring that time. I do have the backlight turned sown a bit but im hypothesizing that the draining of the charge is the result of e-mail programs that are downloading all day long and not from making lots of phone calls. This is in keeping with the other posts about poor battery life where users stated that they such programs. So maybe one option is to have the phone check for new messages less often? Just a thought, i dont know much about these programs.. Also, they did come out with an extended battery i believe- although the bulging of the extended battery defeats the new slim factor. Personaly i bought a cradle and extra battery just in case i start expiriencing battery life issues when i go back to school and start using it more intensely

Stillrockin · 12-31-2006, 07:07 AM

Originally Posted by Cola Man

do have the backlight turned sown a bit but im hypothesizing that the draining of the charge is the result of e-mail programs that are downloading all day long and not from making lots of phone calls. This is in keeping with the other posts about poor battery life where users stated that they such programs. So maybe one option is to have the phone check for new messages less often?

You see with Chatteremail, you are not just checking more often. You are contantly connected! I don't want to go down the road of turning Chatter on/off to save the battery. I mean, with the 650, I didn't have to. I am not throwing in the towel just yet, but I am very disappointed with battery life so far. I have my Treo set up to use and depend on the data connection. Chatteremail/quicknews/4Info/IM+/PdaNet/etc. As much as a data connection costs, you can bet I plan on using it! Either with the 650 or the 680!

ti2gr · 12-31-2006, 08:10 AM

Originally Posted by Stillrockin

I am having major battery life issues with my 680! I timed it today to make sure I knew what I was talking about. in 7 hours, I didn't make one phone call, or really even use the device. But I use Chatter email for 4 accounts, three of which are IMAP protocol. At the end of that 7 hours, I was down to 40% battery left. Totally unacceptable to me! I promise, the same set up with the 650, I would have had at least 70%, if not more! Battery life is important to me and how I intend to use this device. Thank God I still have my 650. If I don't find a decent solution, I might migrate back to it! If your getting 12 hours out of yours, and using it even, and still having 70%, it makes me wonder what am I doing wrong????
Are you:
using bluetooth?

using the IR port

using the data connection often such as IMAP, net or an app such as quicknews?

I love everything else about the 680. The size, weight, the new phone interface is awesome . . But if I can't get better battery performance, suddenly my very well worn 650 is more attractive!

To answer some of your questions,
1. I do not use bluetooth, can't wear headsets on the job, it's not a part of the "costume" or work uniform.
2. I do not use the IR port that often, never have found it useful enough.
3. I do check my email via Versamail for my aol account and through blazer for my main email account which is msn since I can't do that through versamail. I do this 2-3 times per day usually on my work break or after work before heading home.

During the course of the day I may make a call or two while on my break, but the rest of the day the phone resides in my pocket on vibrate, and I have alarms to remind me of various appointments and tasks that need to be done through the day. I may use the alarms feature for 4-5 appointments and tasks throughout the business day. Some days, depending on my work location that day I may need to use the alarms up to 10 or more times a day, but the average is 4-5 times.

The majority of days I get home and the battery is at 70 or 71%, the lowest it had ever got to when I got home from work was 44%, just the other day, but at the same time I had worked a 16 hour day since it was a double shift. On days when I do make more than one call on my break I may get home and it will be in the mid 60's.

Also, my screen brightness is at the factory default of 50%. I don't find much reason to make it even brighter and have grown accustomed t the brightness as it is. It was brighter than my former Treo 650 and even the T/X so I just never adjusted it. One day I did let it go 24 hours, and even then, when I went to plug in the charger it was at 38%

jfa · 12-31-2006, 03:35 PM

With my 650 it sits hooked up to the cable at the office except when I go to couyrt or my morning and afternoon walks to the post office (mostly for the exercise) and then on the weekend . If I notice the battery really low I can charge off my home computer but I dont sync to it as of yet.