Multimedia Phone Reviews

The Palm Treo 750v has been reviewed over at Trusted Reviews. ‘There is a definite look of the BlackBerry about it at first glance, but it is only at first glance. A second glance reveals that the Treo 750v a different device altogether. There is no jog wheel, for example, and no need for one well. You can get around one handed thanks to a front facing navigation button, a large central select button along with big soft-menu keys, an OK button, a Windows Mobile Start menu button and a Call and End button. You can tap the screen if you need to as it is touch sensitive in true Windows Mobile fashion.’

The Treo 680 is powered by Palm OS Garnet v5.4.9. It runs a 312 MHz Intel processor and has 64MB of user available storage memory and 64MB of SDRAM. The screen is a 320 x 320 pixel color touch-screen display. The 680 features a full size SD slot for memory expansion. It has a slimmer 1200 mAh rechargeable battery for up to 4 hours talk time. Bluetooth v1.2 wireless and IR are included as well as a VGA digital camera.

Laptop Magazine has posted a review of the Palm Treo 680 Smartphone. ‘While not nearly as thin as the Samsung BlackJack or Motorola Q, the Treo 680 is certainly sleeker than earlier Palm designs, due in part to its internal antenna. The device weighs 5.5 ounces and measures 0.8 inches thick, compared with 6.3 ounces and 0.9 inches for the Treo 650. The 680 is also easier to hold than the 650, thanks to its tapered design and subtle grooves on either side of the device. All told, the phone isn't exactly sexy but feels a lot lighter than it looks.

A review of the Palm Treo 680 smartphone has been posted on Brighthand. 'The Treo 680 (and it companion model the Treo 750) mark the first major design changes for the Treo series of smartphones since the introduction of the Treo 600. While the most notable change has been the removal of the antenna, numerous other design tweaks have been made to the Treo design to make what has long been regarded as an impressive form factor for a smartphone even better for prolonged use. The top of the 680 still has the familiar on/off switch and Infrared port. Nothing else.The left side has toggle buttons similar to the Treo 700 series. The buttons while having good feel, are harder to discern which is up, down, or third button. By default the third button is set to Voice Recorder.'

Mobility Today have posted their review of the Palm Treo 750 smartphone. 'When we received our Palm Treo 750 we were eager to dive right in since we were previously using the Cingular Treo 680 which runs the Palm OS and loved the form factor. Unfortunately prior to us opening the box we were informed that the Treo 750 would not be running HSDPA out of the box but would be running UMTS. UMTS -- supports up to 11Mbit/s data transfer rates in theory, although at the moment users in deployed networks can expect a performance up to 384 kbit/s for R99 handsets, and 3.6 Mbit/s for HSDPA handsets in the downlink connection.

A comprehensive review of the Palm Treo 680 smartphone has been posted over at The Gadgeteer. 'The style / design of the Treo 680 has not changed much from the Treo 650 and 700 series devices. The most noticeable physical difference being the lack of the stubby antenna in the upper left corner. The 680 is also the first Treo to be made available in different colors. In addition to good old Grey (Graphite), the unlocked 680 also comes in Arctic, Copper and Crimson. Unfortunately the 680 which is locked to Cingular (AT&T) is only available in Graphite. I decided to go with and unlocked White.'

A review of the Palm Treo 750 multimedia smartphone has been posted over at Brighthand. 'The Treo 750 was released about a month after the Treo 680 and shares many the same refinements to the original Treo design. Despite width and thickness only decreasing by 1 mm and 2 mm respectifully, it feels much smaller in the hand due to the curves of the rear of the device. Also similar to the 680, the Treo 750 has larger thumbboard buttons and larger "action" buttons just below the screen that correspond to the soft buttons on the screen. Turning the device on and off is done by the right-most hardware button. Though a similar complaint to the 680 is that the buttons are flush, making it hard to distinguish between the power button and the 'ok' button without looking at the keypad.'

A review of the Treo 755p communication device has been posted over at Brighthand. 'As a phone, this Treo performs just as well as the 750 and 680 do. As the 755p keeps the same user interface as the 700p and 650, the usability is simple and easy to pick up. Voice quality matched that of the 680, with calls being extremely clear on both ends. I had no reports of fuzziness in my voice whether in a Sprint area or roaming on Verizon's networks. Contact integration is the same as previous Treos, as well. The ability to dial or do a contact search from the dial screen is as simple as dialing should ever be. The 755p also offers the after-call task ability of asking if you would like to add that number to your contacts if it is not already there. Simple, but something that comes in handy pretty often if you make a lot of voice calls.'

A review of the Palm Treo 500v smartphone has been posted over at Pocket Lint. 'Available in "glacier white" and "charcoal grey" it is virtually identical in handset size, and both models come with a 2 megapixel digital camera, QWERTY keyboard and a large screen that dominates the proceedings. However it's once you start looking inside that you start to notice the differences. The 500v runs Windows Mobile 6 and offers 3G connectivity compared to the BlackBerry interface and just GSM on the Curve. There is also a stronger focus on pre-installed apps such as Google Maps, a mobile eBay offering and Instant Messaging via Microsoft Live.'

A review of the Palm Centro smartphone has been posted over at MobileTechReview. ‘The Centro feels great in the hand and is easy to operate one-handed, including the keyboard. Text message addicts will no doubt love the phone since it makes one-handed SMS-ing a breeze. Like the Treo, the device has call send and end buttons, but the call send button doesn't bring up the phone dialer screen. We still don't see the point in having two buttons, call send and phone dialer screen launcher, when one would do. The incredibly loud and clear speaker is on the back of the Centro, and it worked well for calls and Sprint TV video playback. The phone has a 2.5mm stereo headset jack on the bottom, but no headset is included. The standard Palm connector lives on the bottom edge, along with the charging port. Sprint includes a compact world charger and and adapter to use "Sprint approved" 1 amp chargers with the Centro.’

Laptop Magazine have published a review of the affordable Palm Centro (Sprint) smartphone. 'This compact phone (4.2 x 2.1 x 0.7) fits easily in your pocket and is available in two colors: a hip Ruby Red and a more elegant Onyx Black. The touchscreen measures only 2.2 inches, but it has a nice 320 x 320-pixel resolution, which is perfectly fine for the light-on-graphics Palm OS. The phone has a microSD slot on the side but isn't bundled with a miniSD Card. Even though Palm claims the miniSD slot is external, you still have to remove the phone cover from the back of the phone to get at it. That's annoying. On the front of the phone just below the screen you'll find a silver bar with the navigation buttons. The Centro comes with a comfortable five-way navigation key, two large answer on and off buttons, and quick-launch keys to access the dialpad, main menu, calendar, and e-mail. On the side you'll find the up and down volume buttons and a programmable key.'

A review of the Palm Centro smartphone has been posted over at The Gadgeteer. 'Available in Onyx (Black) and Ruby (Red), I was sent the Ruby Centro to review. The Onyx version is available now and the Ruby model will be available in November. Unlike the Treo 680, the casing on the Centro is slick plastic. The kind of plastic that easily attracts smudges and fingerprints. You don't notice this on the face of the Centro, but it is visible on the back. Compared to Treos, the Centro is smaller in all dimensions. This is a good thing as it is much more pocket friendly. The smaller display is still comfortable to view though. It's crisp, bright and has vivid colors. I had no issues even reading ebooks on this device.'

IT Reviews have published their review of the Palm Treo 500v smartphone. ‘As a 3G device the Treo 500v is good for mobile Web access while on the move, but without HSDPA it is hampered as far as ultra-speedy data exchange goes. Without a front-facing camera you can't do video calling either. And without Wi-Fi there is no hopping on available networks for a bit of GSM-free Internet access. However, the Treo 500v has a mini keyboard so you can do mobile e-mail and the use of Windows Mobile 6 Standard as the operating system gives you the wherewithal to edit Microsoft Word and Excel documents (though you can't start brand new ones from scratch). You can also view PowerPoint and PDF documents, incidentally.’

Register Hardware have published their review of the Palm Treo 500v smartphone. 'It's a Palm device that might have been made by Nokia. Indeed, the 500v's look has a decidedly Finnish tone to it, which is interesting given the rumours earlier this year than Nokia might be about to acquire the PDA pioneer. Makes you think, doesn't it? That the 500v can operate stylus-free is because it runs the version of Windows Mobile 6 designed for regular handsets rather than the form of the OS designed for the PDA-style devices Palm is famous for. Stylus lovers will disregard the 500v, but in many respects it's Palm's best Windows Mobile device yet. The older 750v may have a higher number, but that's because of extra features rather than inherent superiority.'

A review of the Palm Centro smartphone has been posted over at Digital Trends. ‘The Palm Centro resembles a Tic-Tac. It is small in dimensions, about 2 inches wide and 4 inches tall, and about a half-inch deep. The model we reviewed was a cough syrup red. Most of the front is dedicated to the screen, which is about 2 inches squared. The bottom half has a full QWERTY keyboard, with a squared-off section, starting at E, dedicated to the number pad. The other keys have an additional subset of characters, like slash, asterisk and parentheses. They are accessed by pressing the Alt key. There is also a surprisingly long space bar. The remaining keys are small, like rows of corn on a cob. A silver band separates the top and bottom of the phone. On the band’s far left and right are the call and hang up/power buttons. Towards the center are quick buttons for call dialing, calendar, home and email. In the very center is a round, wide control pad to traverse menus.’

PC Magazine have published a review of the Palm Treo 755p (Verizon) smartphone. 'Like all Treos, the 755p is a good voice phone. Test calls over Verizon's network were clear, loud, and distinct, with some minor reception issues outside. I landed a particularly windy day for testing and the 755p held up well, although the other party could tell readily that I was outside and heard prominent wind noise. The 755p also sounded bright and punchy in both directions through a Plantronics Voyager 510 Bluetooth headset albeit with some intermittent dropouts in the connection. The speakerphone is tinny but loud enough to use outdoors.

Laptop Magazine have published a review of the Palm Centro (AT&T) smartphone. 'This compact phone (4.2 x 2.1 x 0.7 inches) fits easily in your pocket and is available initially in Glacier white with a green shaded keypad (a more elegant Obsidian black will be available in March). The touchscreen measures only 2.2 inches, but it has a nice 320 x 320-pixel resolution, which is perfectly fine for the light-on-graphics Palm OS. Annoyingly, you have to remove the battery cover in order to slide a microSD Card into the slot.

InfoSync World have publsihed a review of the Palm Centro (Verizon Wireless) smartphone. 'The aging Palm OS just can't compete with the newer messaging features found on other phones. Verizon's Wireless Sync did a fine job of getting our e-mail onto the device, but once on the phone, it wasn't very pretty, literally. The e-mail is black-and-white, very textual, and relies heavily on menu digging and keyboard shortcuts. We miss HTML e-mail and other niceties that improve the messaging experience. Verizon Wireless also failed to bundle any instant messaging clients with their version of the Palm Centro. Though we've used some good third-party IM clients on Palm in the past, it's always nicer to have a pre-loaded, free client on board from the start. Typing on the Palm Centro is also very difficult. The keyboard is tiny, so only the daintiest of fingers need apply.'

A review of the Palm Centro (Verizon) smartphone has been posted over at PC Magazine. 'The Centro has always been a good voice phone, and the Verizon version continues that streak. Compared directly with an original Verizon Motorola Q—a perennial benchmark for voice quality—the Centro is just as clear and punchy sounding. If anything, it had a bit more gain in both directions. Its reception also matched the good quality of the Q's both indoors and out. In addition, it's easy to hold for long periods due to its lightweight design and curved shape. The Centro sounded full and clear when paired with a Cardo S-800 Bluetooth headset, and its speakerphone was louder than I expected given the handset's small size.

InfoSync World have publsihed a review of the unlocked version of the Palm Centro smartphone. 'The unlocked Palm Centro looks almost exactly like the AT&T version of the same device, inside and out. It doesn't get the green keyboard that we liked on AT&T's white Centro, but it retains the improved calling interface that has become common on the GSM versions of the Palm Centro and the AT&T Palm Treo 680. We wish there was more to say here, but Palm has done very little to improve the Centro beyond the standard model offered by the carrier. The keys are still a bit small for our taste, but the phone has an appealing shape and design. Unfortunately, once we turned it on we got the same Palm interface that we've been staring at for a few years now.'

A review of the Palm Treo 800w (Sprint) Windows Mobile smartphone has been posted over at CNET. 'When it comes to design, the Palm Treo 800w takes a little bit of the old and a little bit of the new. The overall shape falls more along the lines of previous Treos, but Palm has definitely trimmed it down and given the Treo 800w a more modern look. The smartphone measures 4.4 inches high by 2.2 inches wide by 0.7 inch deep and weighs 5 ounces. It may make for a tight fit in a pants pocket, but the Treo 800w is really quite a compact smartphone, especially considering it has a touch screen and full QWERTY keyboard. The smaller size and attractive slate blue color really adds much to the appeal of this device. Plus, the back features a soft-touch finish to give it a rubberlike texture.

PC Magazine have published a review of the Palm Treo 800w Windows Mobile 6.1 smartphone. 'The Treo 800w's well-balanced design and rubbery grip is a pleasant middle ground between the small but cramped Centro and the bulky Motorola Q9c. The dark-blue handset measures 4.4 by 2.2 by 0.7 inches (HWD) and weighs 5.0 ounces. Its full QWERTY keyboard is identical to prior Treos in size, layout, and feel, right down to the raised plastic keys. It's certainly not as slick as the iPhone 3G, but it's very comfortable to hold and talk into.

MobileTechReview have published their review of the Palm Treo 800w Windows Mobile 6.1 smartphone. 'The Treo has a touch of the newer Palm Centro design, with straighter sides and a Centro style d-pad button cluster. The Treo is bigger than the Centro but is by no means large among QWERTY phones. The curved bottom and back edges mean the phone feels good in hand, and though it's a hair narrower than the old Treo 700wx, the 800w maintains the same usable keyboard. Thankfully, the 800w has lost the 700wx's stubby antenna and joins the Palm OS Treo 755p on Sprint and the Treo 750 on AT&T in the modern age. The Treo's keyboard is still one of the best in the business; it's equally as good as the BlackBerry Curve's and better than the Centro's. The keys aren't too slippery nor are they too rough textured, and the doming and spacing are just right.'

PC Magazine have published a review of the Palm Treo Pro smartphone. 'Unlike Treos of old, the Pro measures a slim 4.5 by 2.4 by 0.5 inches and weighs only 4.7 ounces—surprisingly svelte considering that it packs so many features. In fact, it weighs 0.7 ounce less than the HP iPAQ 910, one of the Treo Pro's direct competitors and our current Editors' Choice for unlocked smartphones. The Treo Pro is constructed of glossy black plastic; combine that with its slippery, curved back and it ranks up there with the iPhone 3G as a serious fingerprint magnet.

CNET have published a review of the Palm Treo Pro (unlocked) smartphone. 'The Palm Treo Pro represents a complete redesign for the Treo line, and it's most definitely welcome. The Treo Pro completely sheds the outdated, clunky design of previous models and trades it in for a sleeker frame, measuring 4.4 inches high by 2.3 inches wide by 0.5 inch deep and 4.7 ounces. When compared with the recent Palm Treo 800w, which measures 4.4 inches high by 2.2 inches wide by 0.7 inch deep and weighs 5 ounces, the numbers might not that seem that significant, but in hand, you can notice the difference, especially in thinness. You should be able to slip the Treo Pro into a pants pocket with no problem, and it's still the only smartphone we can think of that successfully combines a full QWERTY keyboard and touch screen into one sleek device. The eye-catching black lacquer casing is icing on the cake, but it does have a tendency to hold smudges.

A review of the Palm Treo Pro smartphone has been posted over at MobileTechReview.com. 'The Treo Pro is an unlocked GSM world phone with triband 3G HSDPA that works in the US on AT&T and in Europe. Currently, there's no US carrier for the $549 Pro, so there's no carrier subsidized price. The good news is that you need not sign a contract if you already have a GSM SIM card (that means T-Mobile and AT&T in the US). It runs Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional on a 400MHz Qualcomm processor and it has 128 megs of RAM and 256 megs of flash storage. The Treo has Bluetooth, WiFi and an internal GPS. There's a 2 megapixel camera and an SDHC-compatible microSD card slot. Like the Treo 800w recently released on Sprint, the Pro has a 320 x 320 display but it has one wonderful improvement: a flush display with no raised bezel, which makes it easier to use the touch screen with fingers. The Treo Pro is Palm's thinnest phone to date, and it's the same thickness as the US unlocked GSM HTC Touch Diamond and the Sprint Diamond.'