the world's SMARTEST phone
Written: Nov 25 '03 (Updated Dec 07 '03)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: It can do everything you want it to and MORE!
Cons: A little pricey and slightly bulky.
The Bottom Line: For the busy professional who needs everything within palm's reach. It's got everything you could want and then some.
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| ivy-rose's Full Review: Handspring Treo 600 Handheld |
Let me give a little background before I go full into my review. I have been through numerous cell phones in my short life. This being my fourth "official" Sprint phone. I say "official" meaning that I have used it for more than four days before returning it. The first being a Samsung A50, then the Samsung A620 and the Samsung i500. This is also my fourth "official" PDA. The first being a special edition Palm IIIe, the second my now retired and trusty Palm Vx and lastly the Samsung i500.
I am never without a cell phone and PDA, ever. I was quite happy with my i500, but when the Treo 600 was available for sale ... I couldn't help myself. Newer and supposedly better technology, how could I resist? So I jumped the i500 ship and was on board for the Treo 600.
Features
Out of the box, you'll get the phone itself (no extra batteries since it is an internal battery providing approximately 4 hours of talk time, 10 days standby), an iPod like carrying case, charger/usb cable and an earpiece for going handsfree.
- Camera: Built-in is a VGA 640x480 0.3 megapixels digital camera. The photos are similar to those taken with the first generation webcams, not great, but good enough. I don't expect this camera to perform like my digital camera, but for quick shots this is perfect. You can also take these pictures and share them via email with ease. I've taken a different approach by publishing my some of my shots to a mobile log (see http://ivyrose.textamerica.com) at Textamerica.com. It's quite fun :)
- SD slot: As if the 32MB of built-in memory were not enough, you can expand to your hearts content. If you've got tons of programs, files or pictures ... this option is fabulous. I've purchased a 256MB SD card and reader for use with MP3s. The sound coming out of the speaker was surprisingly excellent (I'm using the free pTunes player included when you register your phone to Handspring). Wow!! Much much better than what I expected. I've also purchased a headset adapter so I can listen to my tunes via headphones or my FM transmitter in my car. If you want, you can even use an FM transmitter to listen to your callers through your car speakers, very nice :)
- Dialing: It's a snap with the 5-way navigation pad. You can either hit "down" for your contact list which allows you to search and scroll, you can hit the "center" button to bring up your most recently dialed calls or you can hit "up" for favorites (see below) where you can set your speed dials (up to 49). But, the one downer is that there is no voice dial. Bummer. I've grown quite used to it :(
- Favorites: I absolutely LOVE this feature. From the push of a button or two, I can dial my husband or bring up a favorite application. Excellent, no more endless searching.
- Keyboard: I've always been more of a Graffiti fan so this thumb board was new to me. I mean how could you possibly type anything accurately with such a tiny keyboard? But, fortunately, I've taught myself to type though I did have to sacrifice the length of my thumbnails. Small price to pay if you ask me :) Oh and did I mention the keyboard was backlit? Very nice for typing in the dark or low light.
- Blazer: Version 3 is substantially speedier than Version 2 which is on the i500. Pages load very fast (even faster if you don't load graphics at all). There are other browsers out there however, in case you want a change. I recommend Web Pro.
- Email: Though this phone doesn't come with its own program, there is a Beta Mail program from Handspring that works wonders (and it's FREE!!!). I have four different POP accounts set up to check every hour (you can set this for what works for you) and I LOOOOVE it.
- Screen: Though the screen is only 160x160, the brightness well compensates for size. Wow!! The first time I used it at night, it was like a flashlight!
- Ringers: The Treo is capable of 16-chord ringers. The built-in ones are ok, though some are a bit soft. I've missed a few calls due to this. But, you can download midi files for ringers. Score!! The volume of the ring of course depends on the file.
- Size/Design: At 4.4 x 2.4 x 0.9 inches, this guy is a little larger and heavier (6.2 ounces) than my i500. It's obviously also more bulky.
- Reception: It's been excellent. Though I can't get calls in the obvious places like elevators, I'm quite happy. Not to mention the speaker and speakerphone are quite clear. I've noticed I've even had to turn the volume down, it was so loud at times. The included earpiece however, is worthless. Callers are very muffled sounding, even at maximum volume.
- Hotsyncing: This is a breeze. Wow!! It synced with my PowerBook G4 with no problems at all. Even after I had the first phone replaced (it was randomly soft resetting, so I got a replacement), the second phone synced easily. It acted like nothing had changed, all my contacts, calendars, pictures and even ringers were moved over.
Conclusion
This phone has got all the bells and whistles you could possibly ask for. This is definitely a SMARTPHONE. And after a month of owning this device I most definitely recommend it. If you have the cash, then by all means, go for it!!
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 434
Recommended for: Business Executives - Powerful and Professional
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Epinions.com ID:
ivy-rose
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Location: california girl
Reviews written: 14
Trusted by: 6 members
About Me:
.. girly girl, but tech/gadget guru at heart ..
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