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.

[Andrew Ruess]

Reedie1965, I would strongly argue for the Treo 700p. It has more storage space, better defined keys for easier thumb-typing, and EV-DO capabilities. It has fewer bugs at its initial offering that the Treo 650 did, and the OS is already pretty mature; most third-party programs will still run on it and updated version of older programs are quickly being released. The Treo 700p also looks better, physically, in my personal opinion. =)

You haven't mentioned your cell-phone provider or what situation you're in, such as still on contract or looking for an upgrade. So, my thoughts on that:

If you're getting a new phone number and new service, I would strongly recommend Sprint and the Treo 700p. Their data plans are the cheapest, should you want to get online with high-speed, and their coverage is pretty good around all major metros.

If you're out of contract and transferring a phone number, I would also strongly recommend Sprint and the Treo 700p.

If you are currently a Sprint customer and want to continue with their service, I would strongly recommend the Treo 700p.

If you are currently a Verizon customer and want to continue with their service, I would strongly recommend the Treo 700p.

If you are a Cingular customer, your only upgrade option is the Treo 650. Some people prefer Cingular & T-Mobile to Verizon or Sprint because they are GSM (one of two competing wireless technologies) providers, meaning your phone will work almost anywhere in the world. Sprint and Verizon use CDMA, which doesn't have very widespread international adoption.

If you are a T-Mobile customer, you will have difficulty finding a T-Mobile branded Treo 650; you would have to purchase an unlocked version at full retail price on palm.com (currently about $650 I think).

You also didn't mention if you use Windows or Macintosh. If you're on a Mac it is extremely easy to duplicate data over by using iSync. If you are (more likely) using a PC, syncing your information to the latest Palm Desktop first from the IIIxe and then resyncing to the 700p/650 should fare well.

[Reedie1965]

Thank you for your thoughtful response, Andrew. I have an old AT&T 3-way phone (TDMA, Digital, Analog) and I'm not under contract any more. Our full time traveling friends hate the GSM network (some of them are hanging on to their 3-way phones for dear life because the coverage and performance is so much better--they are buying older phones on eBay to make sure they will have one if their old ones fail) and the Sprint customer service reputation is so bad that I am willing to pay more to get Verizon. I am intrigued by the EV-DO. Your comments now have me thinking 700p again. ( I am on a PC)

[Andrew Ruess]

and the Sprint customer service reputation is so bad that I am willing to pay more to get Verizon.

I concur that the Sprint customer care is horrible. I might call in to find out if there is a network problem in my area and no one will know how to find out. But, I still maintain service with them instead of Verizon because of the price difference and network expansion. And as for you, since you've found a Treo related website and could easily make changes to your Sprint account online through the PCS portal at Sprint.com, you can probably troubleshoot any device problem by yourself. Is a Verizon premium worth it?

As you remember, Nextel was absorbed by Sprint. Nextel's network had much greater rural coverage than Sprints original network, and while their wireless technologies are incompatible (Nextel uses iDEN, and Sprint uses CDMA), Sprint has commited to putting Sprint transceivers on all Nextel towers that are not covered currently by Sprint's natural network.

Additionally, Sprint has signed roaming data agreements with Alltel in the United States, Canadian provider Bell Canada, and Mexican provider Iusacell. If I drive up to Vancouver, BC, I can use my Treo 700p on EV-DO and not have to think twice.

I am intrigued by the EV-DO. Your comments now have me thinking 700p again. ( I am on a PC)

EV-DO will really amaze you, and with Sprint its free for the first month and $10/15 a month after that (depending where you live). Compare that with Verizon's data plan for Treos that sits at $45 a month. That is already a $360 annual difference, just on DATA! Cah-razy.

And if you do decide to go with Sprint, sign-up online at Sprint.com/sero, where you can get a great plan for $30/month that includes 500 minutes, unlimited roaming, data, and Sprint mobile2mobile.

You could of course activate a new Treo with service through eBay for something like $80-100, which is what I did and am loving. Getting $550 off the normal retail price is nice. =)

[zachofalltrades]

I am also down to decision time, but I live in an area that is far from a metropolitan area. I can get Sprint's SERO plan, but EVDO is not going to come to my area anytime soon (they are not even talking about it in the long term). Is it worth the extra $100 bucks for a 700 over a 650 if I can not get EVDO? Am I shooting myself in the foot for internet access with a 700 (can the 700 downgrade to the slower network)?

[Andrew Ruess]

I am also down to decision time, but I live in an area that is far from a metropolitan area. I can get Sprint's SERO plan, but EVDO is not going to come to my area anytime soon (they are not even talking about it in the long term). Is it worth the extra $100 bucks for a 700 over a 650 if I can not get EVDO? Am I shooting myself in the foot for internet access with a 700 (can the 700 downgrade to the slower network)?

It depends on your usage and applications. The 700p can utilize the older 1xRT network just fine, but it also has a more refined operating system with less bugs and far more memory.

Do you use a lot of programs? Have things like Versa mail running downloading mail in the background? Go for the 700p. If you even feel like you might be putting lots of extra stuff on the device, get the 700p.

Otherwise the 650 will work great too. =)

[zachofalltrades]

thanks -- the point about being able to utilize 1xRT is critical -- because I don't want to have a crippled device just because of where I live. I am a bit of a palm power user (have owned a couple of handspring devices, and currently use a sony clie nx80), so I think I can certainly appreciate the extra built in memory.

Is the OS really that different? -- I thought they were both running 5.4...


I'd be real curious to hear about the practical differences between the two devices (from someone who has owned/used both), because they don't look that different on paper.

Thanks.

[jmjii]

What Andrew said. There is not much I would be able to add. Very thorough report and good advice (in my view).

As for Sprint "Customer Care" issues, feel free to PM me at any time for an "experts" assistance. Regardless of your issue, I have been there and done that. They have lost thousands on this high maintenance user! "Stick it to the man!"