There is an inherent trade-off in all PDA/Cell phone hybrid devices. People generally want their cell phones small for portability. However, if you use a PDA, you don't want it too small because the LCD screen won't be large enough to display enough information. In fact, one of the biggest selling points that PDA makers try to emphasize is screen size. The Treo 650 probably strikes the right balance between these extremes. As cell phones go, it's larger than average while for PDA use, it's smaller than average. But it sure beats having to carry around a separate cell phone and a PDA.
Here are the key features:
-32MB memory
-Intel PXA270 312MHz processor
-Palm OS operating system
-Bluetooth
-320x320 16 bit display with 65K colors
-0.3 megapixel camera with video capture
-stereo headset jack (requires adapter)
-external speaker, speakerphone
-QWERTY keyboard
-expansion slot for SD, MMC and SDIO card
-removable Li-ion battery with 6hour talktime, 336 hour standby
-2.3" x 4.4" x "0.9" size and 6.3 ounce weight
For those familiar with the Palm operating system, the interface will be quite familiar. The contact utility easily integrates with the phone function for dialing anyone on your contact list. The 4 way navigation control just beneath the screen is very useful for operation with one hand. There is a very handy toggle switch on the top of the unit which allows you to silence your phone when needed without having to push a series of buttons. All cell phones should have this feature.
The features of this phone I find very useful are the following. The 320x320 LCD screen is very readable in almost all lighting conditions. Photos I have stored on my SD card look great, and you can dial up the brightness to a level that's almost too bright to look at. The bluetooth connectivity can be very useful for those who spend a lot of time on the phone while their hands are busy. It easily integrates itself with a bluetooth wireless headset (I use the Treo bluetooth headset). It can also Hotsync with your computer if you have a buetooth USB adapter, but it's not as easy as pairing it with a bluetooth headset. The bluetooth Hotsyncing is also much slower, and personally, I prefer to Hotsync directly with the supplied USB connector. The speakerphone is also of fairly decent quality. I also like the fact that it uses a removable battery. In case I use this unit longer than the life of the battery, I like the idea of having to option to easily replace the battery instead of taking it apart.
Things that I am not too crazy about are the following. First, the weight. At over 6 ounces, it's a fairly heavy unit. It will easily fit into a shirt or pants pocket, but it will definitely weigh you down. The keyboard is also a bit too small for the average sized hand. In all fairness, it's unfair to criticize the unit on this point since making the keyboard any bigger would make the entire phone almost too big. Still, I find it faster to use than the Grafitti system used on most Palm PDA's. The camera is not the stellar selling point of this unit. It'a fine for capturing casual pictures in bright sunlight, but indoors, everything takes on a yellowish tint that seems unnatural. Also, the shutter speed is terrible. The same goes for the video capture capability. In summary, you don't get this phone to shoot your family portraits with or to video record a wedding.
The RealPlayer application that come pre-installed is adequate for playing music files. The on board memory is only 32MB, so if you want to keep a sizable MP3 collection you will need to buy a media card with large capacity. I have also tried viewing movies on this unit. Although the processor is fast enough to smoothly play properly encoded video files stored on my SD card, it's tough trying to watch an entire movie on a 320x320 screen. It just isn't worth it.
Finally a word about OS itself. I have read several reviews complaining crashes requiring soft resets. I suppose as cell phones and PDA's get more and more complex these things will happen with greater frequency. My friend had a Treo 650 when it first came out and he told me it crashed all the time. After he installed the firmware patch, he said this became an infrequent event. I've had mine for about a month and I had to reset it once. I can live with this.
Fully integrated phone and PDA with digital video and camera capabilities Integrated Bluetooth technology Vibrant 320 x 320 touchscreen display Backli...More at Amazon Marketplace
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