For a couple of months now we’ve been hearing rumors of the newest Treo smartphone from PalmOne. I’ve heard lots of rumors and seen the occasional photo, but hadn’t really found out anything definite. Not, that is, until this last weekend when my sources delivered to me the ultimate goody… an actual working model of the new Treo 650.
I had limited to time to use it, so as you read this review, please keep that in mind.
The new Treo is of the same form factor and size as the Treo 600. However, that’s where the similarities end. The biggest difference is the new screen. I’ve gotten spoiled with the screen on my Tungsten C and I’ve always wished my Treo 600 had the same type of resolution. Wait no more. A side by side comparison gave me the impression that the new 650 screen is every bit as good as the Tungsten C. The screen is crisp and bright. Using this to their advantage, the folks at PalmOne have designed a new higher definition layout of the phone screen.
The keyboard is redesigned as well. The keyboard buttons are a bit larger and easier to use. The keyboard also has a better feel and the keys themselves are easier to read. One of my complaints about the 600 has always been the keyboard buttons which are too small and sometimes hard for me to read (the disadvantage of being over 40). By enlarging them slightly, the keyboard now has a better overall “feel” as I typed. The buttons seemed to require a bit less pressure to depress which made typing seem easier to accomplish. The buttons are also white instead of black which makes them easier to read in the dark.
The button layout has been changed and it’s pretty obvious that it was done with the idea of making the Palm aspect of the device easier to use. There is still the large 5 way control button, but in addition to the phone, calendar, and SMS buttons, there is now a dedicated phone hang up button and two smaller buttons above these and the 5 way. These 2 smaller buttons are the Palm “Home” button and the menu button. These make accessing the Palm functions easier and more intuitive. I always fumble when trying to access these 2 from my 600, but found them easy to find with just my thumb on the 650.
The camera is much improved. One of the things I immediately noticed is that you can actually see what it is you are taking a picture of. Due to the resolution of the camera and the screen of the 600, the pictures are grainy and often it’s been hard for me to tell if I’ve gotten a good photo. The camera software is also improved and allows you to add a voice memo to your pictures. The sound is clear and it definitely adds something to your pictures. I sent a few photos to my friends and they were very impressed. The 650 also has the ability to take movies. I remember when I first got the 600 and began taking pictures and sending them. It didn’t seem like a big deal, but then as I got used to always having a camera handy I found myself taking lots of pictures. Soon I was wishing I could also take movies. I’m not sure of the resolution of the full motion video, but having the option from a phone is pretty cool.
The 650 also has integrated Blue Tooth which for many isn’t a big deal, but I’ve got a Jabra Blue Tooth headset and I’ve become spoiled by it. Having a wireless headset is one of those things that doesn’t seem like a big deal until you use it. Wireless is a wonderful thing.
There is also a detachable battery, which quite honestly, should have been included in the 600. This is a great feature that I am glad to finally see the Treo line incorporate.
Overall, the new 650 is a great new unit with some nice features. I’m not sure any of these warrant someone like myself with a 6 month old 600 to run out and buy one, but if you want the best cell phone PDA on the market, you can’t go wrong with the Treo 650.
