Too difficult to figure out, and I'm a Techie!
Written: Jun 18 '08
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Takes pictures, synchronizes Calendar/Contacts/Email etc. about as well as most.. almost. & is a phone.
Cons: NOT a true Palm device. Small buttons/text, hard to navigate/use/understand. Not Techie? Don't buy.
The Bottom Line: Don't buy it if you have a choice of other, better options. If you have never used the stylus and ALWAYS used a thumb pad, it *may* be for you.
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| theqman's Full Review: Palm Treo 700wx Smartphone |
I was so excited to receive this as a gift; I could hardly wait to get it into service.
BIG disappointment.
Let me say this up front, I am VERY techie (as a Technical Instructor, I TEACH others not only how to repair computers etc., but how to help others repair them themselves over the phone) and I am a huge Palm fan from waaaay back.
This is NOT a Palm device. It is a Windows Mobile (think CE) device. After playing around with it
(finally) working/synching/phoning, I have found the following to be true (for me).
It sucks.
Stay with me dear friend as I point the many *features* that sucketh:
1. It is NOT really a phone, it is a Windows CE (mobile) device that has an unfortunate phone program
attached to it.
2. It took me almost 5 hours to figure out that there was the choice to use the stylus (I've been tearing
my hair out trying to use the itsy-bitsy buttons at the bottom of the device).
3. It took me over 30 minutes to change the default number for voice mail from calling the person who gave
me this to the correct number at Verizon (*86, I had to finally look it up on my old (clamshell) phone.
(it took me another 10 minutes to finally get my voice mail from the last 2 days)
4. It is loud enough when it rings, but there is absolutely NO vibration. Basically, Mute is NOT an option
if you are expecting a REALLY important call.
5. There is no way to just check calls that you missed/made/received etc.
6. the phone MUST USE Microsoft's "ActiveSync". I have not decided yet whether it is spyware. However,
- It MUST be allowed to act as a *server*
- It MUST be allowed to have an *Internet connection*
- It MUST create 2 extra network connections
- It MUST be given an IP Address.
- You are NOT given an option of just using it on a stand-alone computer, but instead you:
_Connect to the Internet. ---OR ---
- You connect to the Network at Work.
Personally, I would prefer NEITHER!!! I do NOT want some device sending MY information to God know
s where on the Internet. (The question is not, "Am I paranoid?", it is, "Am I paranoid enough!". If you
don't know what I mean, you don't know enough about networks and the multitude of security holes built
into the various Windows programs to know better. Be happy in your ignorance. Although I do NOT receive
MILLIONS of *true intrusion* attempts every day like the DOD, I DO receive my fair share. But, don't get
me wrong, I like Windows, teach Windows, use Windows. It's just not all that secure.)
Therefore, I do NOT understand why, since it connects via USB, it cannot connect using ONLY USB!
7. It must be made for a woman or a man with small hands/fingers. They (the makers) tried to fit the
entire keyboard alphabet in a space that's 2"x1". My thumb alone covers up over ONE THIRD of the keyboard.
NOT cool!
8. It is difficult to answer the phone at most times, more difficult if you have any kind of
protection/security lock turned on.
9. The device should have a choice of being a PDA --OR-- a Phone. and a switch to change from one to the
other. It is waaaaayyy too HARD to get to a call in time to pull the phone out from where it is stored
(hip/purse, etc) press the correct buttons to turn OFF the security and then press the ANSWER button. Big
PITA IMHO.
10. There are absolutely NO easy ways to do what you can do with a *normal* phone. you MUST press either a
bunch of tiny keys (buttons really) or go through teeny-tiny menus, which brings me to my next point of
contention which goes along with point #7 (btw, I did NOT mean to be sexist in anyway and apologize to
anyone who took it as such. In the over 100,000 people I have taught in the last 15 years, I have found
women tend to have longer, more slender hands/fingers... men, not so much. In general, at least)
11. If you are over 40 (hit it at 42 myself, *surprise!*), you may need reading glasses. You will
DEFINITELY need them for this thing. I found it almost suicidal to try and read the screen while driving
this morning. Never again. (!!)
Although you *can* make the "text" larger, you can NOT make any of the menus or headers, or
date/time or other stuff you might like to actually READ... any larger. Period.
12. It does NOT connect wirelessly. True, it *will* connect via "Bluetooth" (720 Kbps TOPS - just a bit
better than the phone modems of 10 years ago!), but it will NOT connect to your home or work Network
wirelessly (via Wi-Fi, 802.11b or g). Nor will it connect while in the mall or at or favorite
Seattle-burnt-coffee shop. You must PAY for the privilege of having sloooowww internet access throughout
the
13. Every time I start it up, it tells me it found an SD card (it's been there the whole time!) and asks
me if I'd like to search it for new movies or music. Well.. yeah, duh. But, it would be so much nicer if I
could tell it to STOP ASKING ME!!! Let me check a box to stop that annoying nagging question until I get
to the player. Oh yeah, speaking of which, it takes me to the player, NOT the "Today" screen", when I get
that message (basically EVERY TIME I start it up - VERY annoying!).
14. It will NOT (DEFINITELY NOT) play/use/run any of my previous *true* palm programs and such. No games,
not utilities, no books, not ANYTHING!. Again, this is NOT a *Palm* device, it is a Windows device. The
ONLY *Palm* part of it is the ability (which I finally found after many hours of use) to input using the
Palm (2.0) version of script writing, which I have learned to use/enjoy/find useful. I do NOT know who
thought that adding the "Palm" name to such a catastrophe was a good idea, but they should be [IMHO]
slapped, fired and banished to Windows devices forever)
15. It is *open* to the elements. That is, it has NO cover. Any button could be pushed at anytime in a
pocket or purse. Its screen is EASILY broken if no care is taken to avert damaging it (by using some third party protective stuff)
16. Every single FRIGGIN' time I turn it on, I have to press the Center button. (See #15 above).
17. The controls require AT LEAST TWO HANDS at any time to use.
There are a lot of other things I dislike (oh yeah!) but cannot recall right now.
Here are some things I actually (maybe, sort of) like:
1. It's pretty bright
2. The screen is visible in daylight (although the words aren't without reading glasses)
3. It takes, *ok* pictures. No flash. Ok *moves* (but the only last 30 seconds unless you change the
default settings) It seems like everyone and their brother, sister, aunt & 2nd cousin are out to make
some money on this thing. You can't just take some video or pictures without having the product want you
to send it all over the phone network (which is ANOTHER $25-$90 cost OR MORE!!!!) just to send the results
to others. It's almost as bad as having an iCrapPhone and not being able to do anything without big
brother (Microsoft or Apple) track every move in your life.
4. It fits in your purse/side holster (though the tiny buttons make it impossible to use quickly!)
5. Its says, "Palm" on the front (though it's REALLY a Microsoft Mobile device!)
6. The speaker on the back only cuts out on about a third of the spoken word(s) when in "Speaker-phone" mode (but it takes 4 clicks (with a stylus) to get there and doesn't stay there!).
Needless to say, I am unhappy with the device. But, I gave it a 2 out of 5 stars because it DOES:
- Work as a phone (albeit badly)
- Play music or videos, (again, not that well)
- transfer (synchronize) Contacts, email, Todo's, Appointments, etc. (again, difficult to make work)
but, it is awkward, hard to learn, use and not very friendly.
I hope my evaluation has helped you. I do not want to put you off of receiving this as a give, if you had small hands, have never used the stylus for Palm stuff and do not mind the inability to connect to Wi-Fi, then this *may* be fine for you.
As for me, I will be sending my 6 month old Palm Tx back for repairs ( I somehow broke the screen in a side pocket) even though it will cost me an extra $168, and I will be transfering my phone number back to my OLD (clamshell) phone when it is completed. The only thing the *new* phone (Treo 700w) does that my current doesn't is take pictures and video.
I have other hardware for that stuff. syonara Palm treo, Hello Palm Tx! (again)
-Q
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Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): $200.
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Epinions.com ID:
theqman
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Reviews written: 10
Trusted by: 0 members
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