Reviews written by Christopher Meinck

It's hard to believe that we haven't seen a new Windows Mobile powered Treo from Palm since January of 2007. During that time, we've seen evolutionary changes to the Palm OS based Treo and a repackaging of the Palm OS in the "built for fun" Centro smartphone. The Treo brand has long been the flagship for Palm, but in the past year the Centro has been front and center. While the Centro is certainly a capable, value-based smartphone, it does lack the fit and finish of the higher end Treo series of smartphones. It seems that Everything Treo, along with most other tech blogs, have been talking about the Treo 800w for quite some time. So here it is, how does it stack up in this new era of smartphones and do the new features make the Treo 800w a worthwhile upgrade? Read on for our take on the new Treo 800w. We also encourage our readers to submit their Treo 800w reviews in our new customer review section.

Phone

Like any Windows Mobile device, the Treo 800w offers a host of features. From the Today screen, you can either dial a number directly or start typing the name of a particular contact that you'd like to call and the Treo 800w will automatically search both first and last names providing you with a convenient list of filtered contacts making it easy to place your call. You also have easy access to an old fashioned dialing pad. The dial pad is responsive and numbers will also "flash" orange when you select them. Call quality was great and volume was more than adequate. It's not as loud as a Motorola Q, but few phones can match Motorola's prowess when it comes to phone call quality. Pressing the green "call" button will also provide access to recently dialed numbers, or access to either the dial pad or call log. The call log offers duration of calls and the ability to filter based upon your selection (Missed, Outgoing, Incoming). Once in a call, it was easy enough to switch to speakerphone or put a call on hold. The Treo 800w does a fantastic job of integrating your contacts, managing your calls and making your phone work for you. You'd be hardpressed to find a smartphone that offers robust call management features in line with the Treo 800w.

Usability

From a usability perspective, Windows Mobile can be a daunting operating system for some. Out of the box, the operating system does little to welcome the user. Thankfully, Palm acts as an intermediary between the OS and the end user. Palm's software tweaks make the operating system more approachable and in general they just make things easier to use.

You'll notice the familiar "chat-style" interface that chronicle conversations or SMS messages with colleagues or friends. This makes it easier to manage your messaging and will please Palm OS converts who are making the jump to Windows Mobile. The Today screen is where most users will spend their time and for good reason. For those familiar with previous Windows Mobile based Treo smartphones, the Today screen was developed by Palm. If for some reason you find yourself lost while navigating through Windows, pressing the red power button and you'll be escorted to the familiar and friendly confines of the Today screen. If you break it down, here's what you can do from the Today screen:

1. Search contacts by first, last or company name.


2. Search for POI's either near your current location or enter a specific location


3. View number of unread messages and access your email


4. View number of unread text messages and access your messages.


5. Search the internet using Microsoft's Live Search.


6. View upcoming appointments


7. Access GPS, Internet Sharing and Bluetooth settings

This is just from the Today screen and only a part of what Palm brings to a Windows Mobile device. The features alone do not make this device a Treo, it's the tight integration of the Today screen with the OS that makes it a power users best friend.

There are also small, yet useful enhancements. For example, phone numbers that appear in web pages or an email can be dialed by tapping on the screen.

There is a small switch at the top of the Treo 800w which allows you to switch from ringing to vibrate mode. Having a physical switch is not only easier, but more efficient than devices that require you make the change in the OS. If you have to jump into an improptu meeting, you can switch the ringer to vibrate mode without removing the Treo from it's case or holster (which unfortunately is not included).

Features

There are two new features that debut with the Treo 800w: GPS and WiFi. First up is GPS. The Treo 800w is built for business. Having done my fair share of business travel, there is certainly a need to find local eateries, ATM's and directions to those locations. From the Today screen, I was able to search for 'pizza' near my location. Within seconds, I had a very accurate list of pizzeria's near my location. You can view the POI's in either map view or list view. Need to call before hand for reservations, the Treo 800w provides the option to call the phone number. Need directions? Selecting Drive To... launches Sprint Navigation, a 3D turn-by-turn route guidance software that comes bundled with the Treo 800w. You won't find it compares with a high end Garmin, but overall it's very good and it's built into your phone. It took sometime for Palm to build in GPS and they have done a very good job of bringing it all together. Instead of just adding a feature, Palm has taken it once step further and made the GPS an easy to use feature.

WiFi

Any wireless service can be spotty and at times frustrating. For many WiFi helps fill in the gaps and the Treo 800w represents the first Treo to offer WiFi. At the top of the Treo 800w is a dedicated WiFi button. Once you've configured the Treo 800w to a WiFi network, the once touch WiFi button turns the feature on/off. An ascending on descending tone will confirm your choice. The addition of a one-touch WiFi access is a surprisingly nice touch and one I didn't see coming.

Design

The Treo 800w takes some design cues from the Centro and merges them with the Treo 750. The overall build quality is excellent and that's always been the mark of a Palm's Treo series. It's hard to put into words, but the device just feels like care when into the design and construction. Typing on the QWERTY keyboard is fast and offers responsive tactile reinforcement that resulted in error free typing. One surprising mistep was the included stylus. It's lightweight, but that's about it. Quite honestly, it's not usable and you can plan on purchasing a suitable replacement once they become available.

Also new with this Treo is the inclusion of a microUSB, which replaces the old Palm multiconnector. Despite the need for new Treo 800w accessories, this is a welcome change and has become a bit of a standard on smartphones including RIM's BlackBerry devices. Palm includes a sync cable, but I'd certainly recommend a car charger. With a smaller device comes a smaller battery. I used the vast array of features on the Treo 800w and the battery lasted until early evening. Granted I used Navigation, Sprint TV and WiFi, but be prepared for less than stellar battery life when using those features. If your day to day consists of calls, productivity apps and email, the battery should be more than suitable. If you plan on taking advantage of everything the Treo 800w has to offer, you might want to consider carrying a spare battery or have access to some method of charing. Removable media on the Treo 800w changes to the smaller microSD. While a more expensive memory expansion, it no doubt contributed to Palm's ability to slim down the Treo 800w.

Software Bundle

Here you'll find familiar programs from Office Mobile to Instant Messaging which allows you to access AIM, MSN Messenger and Yahoo Messenger. One noteworthy addition is Sprite Backup, a third party application valued at $29.95 that comes standard on the Treo 800w. Sprite allows you to easily back up all of your critical data and easily restore it should the need arise.

One great thing about Sprint carrying the Treo 800w is the inclusion of Sprint TV, a service that allows you watch live television on the Treo. The standard package offers a nice selection of programming, with premium offerings also available. In our tests, the Treo 800w accessed Sprint TV in no time and there were zero buffering issues. If you don't currently own a Slingbox, SprintTV is the next best thing and it's included. Thumbs up!

With changing standards (ie. 320x320 resolution screen), comes heartache that some applications will not be compatible with the Treo 800w. When a major manufacturer such as Palm releases a new phone, you can expect developers to get on board. I certainly advise readers to contact developers if there is a particular app that you must use on the device. Expect developers to adapt to the new display, which was hardly a secret.

Value

The Treo 800w retails for $599, but after rebates and a 2-year agreement, the price drops to $249. While it would be nice to see it fall below the $200 plateu, it's certainly understandable given the feature set and bundled software package.

Conclusion

The Treo 800w represents the complete package offering WiFi, GPS, support for EVDO- REV A. and Windows Mobile 6.1. When you consider the included software bundle (Sprint Navigation, Maps, Sprite Backup, Sprint TV, Office Mobile), it's easy enough to justify the price point. Battery life could have been better and the included stylus was not in keeping with the overall good build quality of the Treo 800w. The 320x320 resolution was a bonus when reading Office docs and you can expect major developers to provide updates that are compatible with the new device. Overall, I found the Treo 800w to be a peppy, full-featured Treo that represents an nice evolutionary move from the Treo 750. Palm has once again proved they understand how people use their phones and delivered a powerful, yet easy to use smart device in the Treo 800w.

The Palm Centro for AT&T Wireless is the first GSM smartphone from Palm since the release of the Treo 680. Palm positioned the Treo 680 as the smartphone for soccer moms, young professionals and typically first time smartphone owners that might otherwise be intimidated by a Treo. While the Treo 680 had a modest reception among this new target demographic, the diminutive Palm Centro has turned out to be quite the successful smartphone. Read our comprehensive review of the Palm Centro for AT&T Wireless.

Phone

First and foremost, the Palm Centro is a phone first. For those making the leap from a traditional cellphone, you'll appreciate the size of Centro. While internalizing the antenna on the Treo 680 paid dividends among previous Treo owners, the phone itself still had significant bulk to it when compared to a RAZR or any typical cellphone. The Centro bypasses those objections by delivering a truly "pocketable device". Even down to the glossy finish which makes it easy to pull in and out of your jeans or jacket pocket. Having spent the better half of last six years exhaulting the benefits of a smartphone, it's taken the iPhone to get friends who swore against carrying a smartphone to take notice. It's this same group that will consider the Centro given it's size, function and value. At the end of the day, not everyone will allocate $399 to a phone purchase or consider a phone that does not offer the tactile responsiveness that comes with a QWERTY keyboard.

Keyboard

Appealing the text messaging generation and list making mom's, the Centro comes outfitted with a small, yet responsive QWERTY keyboard. I've read members of our forums comment how the keys have a "gummy" feel to them. Outside of more space, it couldn't be easier to type on the Palm Centro. While I appreciate a larger overall space for the keyboard, it's simply not possible given the size of the Centro. The tactile feel of the "gummy" keys easily makes up for the lack of a larger keyboard. Essentially, I found the way I type is slightly different than using a Treo.

Welcoming Back the New Phone App

Thankfully, Palm has included the new Phone application that made it's appearance on the Treo 680 and then mysteriously disappeared from the Treo 700p and Treo 755p. The new Phone application provides tabs for quick access to the favorites list, dialer, call logs and a desktop homescreen for your favorite photos. Suprisingly, this application is not being touted by Palm or AT&T, but it certainly makes the Palm Centro easier to use.

Software Glass Half Full

Looking at the Palm OS that comes standard on the Palm Centro, there will be two schools of thought. Either the glass is half full or half empty. If you are new to the Palm OS, then it will most certainly be a step up from the often confusing operating systems found on pedestrian cellphones. Additionally, there are a wealth of software applications that expand the capabilities of the Centro. Visit Everything Treo for a wide variety of free Centro software titles or browse the available commercial titles in our Centro Software Store.

I tend to be in the camp of the glass being half full and then some. While the Palm OS is in sore need of an update, Palm customers have the benefit of tried and true software. Taking this one step further, Palm has gone ahead and included some of the most popular Palm applications that also offer practical usage. PocketTunes has long been the mainstay when it comes to playing music on a Treo and now the Centro and it's included as part of the software bundle. The Centro also includes the popular Documents To Go, bringing with it the ability to edit and read Office documents including Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint. From a mobile perspective, the Docs To Go suite are simply the best when it comes to editing documents on a smartphone.

Those unwilling to pry themselves away from Windows Live Messenger, AOL IM or Yahoo IM will appreciate the bundled Instant Messaging application. It supports all three major services, allowing you to be logged and chatting on multiple clients. During the Treo's infancy, IM apps were upwards of $30 and some even required a yearly subscription. With a data plan, there are no added fees for this service and the included IM application works great.

As you'd expect, there are a host of useful applications that allow you to easily manage your calendar, contacts, appointments, memos and to-do lists. Rounding out the software applications are Pics & Video to manage your photos, VoiceMemo to record important voice memos and Voice Dial that allows you to command the Centro to dial contacts or open a specific application. The Voice Dial app worked well in my testing.

Those looking to further extend the capabilities of the Centro can easily do so with subscription based services. XM Radio offers a three-day trial offering a host of satellite music channels streamed direct to the Centro. With the addition of a Bluetooth GPS accessory, the Centro can be used as a GPS using TeleNav, albeit for a monthly subscription fee. AT&T also offers MobiTV, although our past reviews have noted that the ability to stream video content over an EDGE connection is suspect. If you're looking for PushToTalk functionality, that feature is also available allowing you to easily annoy passersby who get to listen in on your daily life. In all seriousness, those who rely on "walkie-talkie" like communication will be thrilled, as this marks the first Palm device with PushToTalk.

Design

I'll be honest, I wasn't a fan of the Centro design when I was first introduced to Palm's new smart device. After spending time with the Sprint Centro, I got it. The size, functionality and pocketability is where the design of the Centro shines. This phone will just seamlessly fit into anyone's life. Colors for the most part are a personal decision. I like the colors when I purchased my xBox 360 and I continue to the like them on the Palm Centro. Those who prefer a more traditional color will have an option later this month, when AT&T will make "obsidian black" available. In a stable of silver and black, the white Palm Centro stands out and that's a good thing in a crowded field of smartphones.

Value

Clearly, this is where the Palm Centro is a flat out winner. Priced under $100 after rebates, the Centro offers robust functionality that rival even the most expensive smartphones. In addition to a peppy device, the Centro comes packed with software and includes all the necessary cables to connect to your Mac or PC. Compared with the Sprint Palm Centro, the latest Centro doesn't compare when it comes to data speeds due to AT&T's slower EDGE network.

Conclusion

There is a reason that Palm's Treo had been the most popular smartphone for years and the Centro wraps all of those features neatly into a pocket friendly device at pocket friendly price.

One of the best selling headsets for the Treo has been the Palm Wireless Headset, so it is not surprising that Palm has introduced a follow-up to that companion product. The Palm Wireless Headset Series 3 is the latest follow-up, offering a few improvements over the previous models.

As with other Palm products, the Palm Wireless Headset Series 3 comes neatly packaged with a host of accessories. The headset features 3 ear gels. Since the headset actually fits in your ear, these replacements would come in handy over time. The gels fit securely over the speaker. On the headset, there is a nifty diagram which points out the correct position of the ear gel depending on your ear preference (L,R). This is actually quite useful making it easy to use. If you find the headset does not have a snug fit, the kit also included an ear loop. During my testing, I found no need to utilize the ear loop. In fact, my previous experience with headsets such as the Jabra JX10, I found the ear gel to be easier to place on my ear when receiving a call. Either way, this set offered both options.

The Palm Wireless Headset Series 3 comes with a charging pocket and adapter. The headset snaps into place in the charging pocket with ease. It can also double as a holder of sorts, as it comes with a clip that you could feasibly attach to your shirt pocket. The adapter snaps to the bottom of the charging pocket and simply allows for connection of a power charger which is not included. Fortunately, the Palm Wireless Headset uses the same charger familiar to Treo and Centro owners. However, this requires a bit of power management skills for the owner. Most typical owners will charge their Treo overnight, so a spare charger is almost a must with this headset. If you are the type that believes the "glass is half full", then this set-up is perhaps nice for business travelers who do not want to carry multiple power adapters. The headset is rated at 5 hours talk-time and 70 hours standby. I did not conduct extensive tests on battery life, but had no major issues with battery drain during my usage.

Palm's wireless headset offers compatibility with the entire line of Palm Treo smartphones and the new Palm Centro. Pairing the device took seconds. Sound quality was great on both ends. Callers remarked that I sounded crystal clear and the volume was more than sufficient. The headset has volume adjustments on what I would call the front of the headset. Since they are beveled, it was easy to discern the buttons. I did find it was a bit difficult to select the buttons, while in my ear. Changing the volume requires you to press the '+' or '-' buttons and you have to push harder than I would have liked. I found the key was holding the headset and then depressing the buttons. The same problem exists for the Call Control button. Again, I would have preferred the buttons to be more touch sensitive or placed on the sides of the headset.

Priced at $69.95, the Palm Wireless Headset Series 3 offers great sound quality and works with the entire family of Palm smartphones including the Treo and Centro. I found it to be extremely lightweight and the included ear gels fit perfectly. The controls can be a bit clumsy to use while in your ear, as the headset requires you to depress harder than I would have liked to answer a call or adjust the volume, pushing the headset into your ear. The headset does not ship with a power adapter, requiring owners to utilize their existing Treo chargers. If you own multiple chargers and/or a car charger for your Treo, this would not be an issue. Business travelers might appreciate not having to lug multiple chargers on trips. The ability to charge via a USB connection would have been a nice addition.