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macrophyllum · Oct 13, 2003, 01:39 PM

Hansprings website says they are available now. I would like to hear some accounts about them before I fork out the cash for one. The look pretty sweet.

Has anyone used one? If so, what did you like, what did you not like?

nbnz · Oct 13, 2003, 06:04 PM

They look like great units. You should probably check out a dedicated handheld site, like Brighthand forums. Actually just found a big article/discussion on Palminfocentre

Disgruntled Head of C-3PO · Oct 13, 2003, 09:50 PM

http://www.pdabuzz.com/News/SiteNews...6004269,52939,

CambAngst · Oct 14, 2003, 11:39 AM

After what I went through over the first couple of months with my Sprint Treo 300, I can honestly say that I wouldn't consider buying a 600 for at least 2 months. It will take the cell carriers at least that long to work the kinks out of their support. The Treo's are such a small slice of their overall support picture that they never get the attention that high-end users deserve.

chrisutley · 02:53 PM

I've had a Treo 300 since they first came out and will be upgrading to the 600. The Sprint support is a non-issue if you are computer/gadget savvy.

Go register at TreoCentral.com, you can get all the support you need there and then some.

But seriously ... don't let support scare you away. I haven't had a wireless provider yet that didn't suck at support.

The Treo is the first device of it's kind that has been truly useful to me. The Internet speeds aren't so slow that you never want to use it, and messaging (Instant, SMS, eMail) are all so much effiecient with the keyboard. I can enter text way faster on the keyboard than Grafitti, which means I actually use the messaging functionality all the time. I send email from the barber shop, in a traffic jam, in the bathroom (sorry), it's great!

I have also attached the Treo to my PowerBook using the included USB cable, and done demos for clients in resturants and coffee shops. The speed isn't great, but it's fast enough that I wasn't embarrased to do the demos.

macrophyllum · Oct 14, 2003, 04:41 PM

How do people like Sprint as a service provider? I don't have a cell phone, but I am seriously considering a Treo 600. I have heard that T-Mobile is really good.

What is the difference between GSM/GPRS and CDMA?

Stingrey · Oct 16, 2003, 03:03 PM

And it is everything they say it is @ treoforums.com and then some. I love it, and I just got it today (was scheduled for 3pm delivery but I came in to work today @ 11:30 so got FedEx to help me and I met the driver on course) and already sync'd w/the 17" this morning and am almost all the way setup, all before coming in to work. Anyhow, I love it! It sync's much faster than the 300 for some reason, I mean MUCH faster... And it is so much less star trek looking, people don't make fun of the phone anymore. But they still make fun of me. Oh well :)

Rey!

macrophyllum · Oct 16, 2003, 03:06 PM

awesome ray, how do you like Sprint's service?

I hear t-mobile has no roaming charges?

maxintosh · Oct 16, 2003, 03:11 PM

I'm waiting for the GSM version which should be out in a few weeks. I have on old Treo 180 lying around... its serial number will get me upgraded for just $399. I figure, I can sell the Tungsten|T2 and 3650 if I like the 600 and come out more than even.

Stingrey · Oct 16, 2003, 03:32 PM

the difference between the two phones I mean. I use Sprint, so not even sure that the gsm version or whatever works for me. I just wanted to replace the flip phone version (the treo 300) I have. It was way to nerdy looking. This phone looks like a phone, AND it is a palm! AND it runs showtimes and everything else I used on the 300. Just haven't tried vnc yet, but if that works, I'm set.

Rey :)

CheesePuff · Oct 16, 2003, 03:47 PM

T-Mobile has a "nation" plan as they call it and it has no romaing, and gives you quite a bit of coverage in the USA. But it also costs a lot - $45 a month for 400 minutes.

But in Rochester, NY area T-Mobile is one of the worst providers.

I have Sprint and I get a lot of reception in the same area where T-Mobile doesn't. Clear static free calls and decent price plans.

CheesePuff · Oct 16, 2003, 03:48 PM

ok I definitely confused Cingular for T-Mobile in the post above. sorry.

But it stands true that T-Mobile has almost no conerage where I live but Verizon, Sprint, Cingular, etc. all do.

chrisutley · Oct 16, 2003, 09:57 PM

I've been pleased with Sprint service. I use to have AT&T which was horrible (for me anyway). I know at least 5 other people on Sprint, all seem satisfied with the coverage and service. Now and then you hear complaints about customer service, but I haven't had a wireless provider yet that didn't suck at customer service.

You can't beat their data deal, and their talk minutes are very competitive too. I just wish they had a better selection of phones, but the 600 should do just fine for now. I'd really like to have Bluetooth, but I'm hoping I can get a card in the future for the 600.

Stingrey · Oct 17, 2003, 12:09 AM

Sorry about the slow reply... Sprint's SERVICE is awesome. I have used my phone all over Texas, in parts of Hawaii, and in all the other states I've vacationed in with NO problem. Sprint had every place I went to covered, no matter what phone I had at the time. Their service itself is awesome... Their CUSTOMER service, it sucks. They are hard to deal with most times, but I rarely call them since the service works and I pay my bills. A lot of people complain about their service since they have billing "issues" with them. I have had one billing issue, but it really was their fault. It took over a month and 40 calls to resolve the issue, even though at least 38 of those calls "assured" me the problem was fixed. Anyhow, the service itself is awesome. I NEVER have to say "can you hear me now" into my phone.

Rey :)

P.S. The treo600 is by far the COOLEST gadget I've had as far as a phone is concerned. The syncing is so fast I don't need to have bluetooth as part of the package. Only thing I can't figure out is how to sync iSync's Spurs calendar that I subscribed to to the phone. I have it checked and everything, every bit of my calendar syncs BUT the Spurs schedules and such. Anyhow, nice phone, would post more but spent ALL day since I got it playing with features between calls through dinner and finally into my normal bed time. Don't get me wrong, bluetooth would rock, but right now, this is just perfect. X support out of the box for the most part. Can't beat it.

Disgruntled Head of C-3PO · Oct 17, 2003, 12:14 AM

That old Treo phone is the biggest clunky peace of junk I have ever seen, this new one looks better but it is more PDA then phone.

maxintosh · Oct 17, 2003, 12:32 AM

T-Mobile really depends where you are. I *love* T-Mobile. Here in uptown Manhattan, Sprint service is by far the WORST. People in my building get 1 bar or NO SERVICE. Sprint cust service is a nightmare. With T-Mobile, I have 7 bars (perfect) reception and the calls are crystal clear, pretty much everywhere in the city. I even got (and answered) a voice call in the subway last week... I was quite surprised!

That said, Verizon still has the best coverage. But man, they are EXPENSIVE and their phones SUCK!

maxintosh · Oct 17, 2003, 12:33 AM

Originally posted by Disgruntled Head of C-3PO:
That old Treo phone is the biggest clunky peace of junk I have ever seen, this new one looks better but it is more PDA then phone.

Erm, but it does everything a GSM phone should and more. It even has a dedicated number pad.

The new one is AMAZING. I can't wait to upgrade. Hurry up T-MOBILE!!!

Disgruntled Head of C-3PO · Oct 17, 2003, 01:03 AM

Originally posted by maxintosh:
Erm, but it does everything a GSM phone should and more. It even has a dedicated number pad.

Ya but the dial pad is TINY, it is bigger then most every cellphone, it has an antenna, shorter battery life and when you talk on it you get face prints all over the phone.

The Danger device is the same, yes it is a phone but the bloody thing is so HUGE!

chrisutley · Oct 17, 2003, 01:07 AM

Originally posted by Disgruntled Head of C-3PO:
That old Treo phone is the biggest clunky peace of junk I have ever seen, this new one looks better but it is more PDA then phone.

Except that it's particularly good at what it does, and far better than anything that came before it.

No it doesn't have any Apple sex appeal, but looks are far from everything.

chrisutley · Oct 17, 2003, 01:12 AM

Originally posted by Disgruntled Head of C-3PO:
Ya but the dial pad is TINY, it is bigger then most every cellphone, it has an antenna, shorter battery life and when you talk on it you get face prints all over the phone.

The Danger device is the same, yes it is a phone but the bloody thing is so HUGE!

The Danger device is a toy compared to the Treo.

- Consider all the advantages of the Palm OS.
- Consider you cannot sync hiptop with your Mac.
- Consider the Treo has removeable storage, the hiptop does not.
- The Treo has a keyboard, which is the most important element for me. I had a Samsung I300 which was okay, but without the keyboard email and messaging (IM and SMS) were a pain in the ass so I didn't use them very often.
- The hiptop is a terrible phone, clunky to use, poor reception, and lacking in standard features found on cell phones today.

I could go on, but I think you get the point. The hiptop and Treo are simply not in the same class, go read some reviews of the hiptop if you think I'm a Treo pimp.

Stingrey · Oct 17, 2003, 06:51 AM

Hmm... Clunky, yes... Piece of junk, no. I used my 300 reliably for just over a year now with no problems. Even though the screen (biggest complaint on these devices) was hard to view in direct light, for the most part I am the only person that uses this phone... You can easily dial the phone number using the physical keypad on the phone and then hitting the equivalent of dial on the touch wheel, so with that being said, the phone worked for me every time I needed it to. I carried it in my pocket when pockets were available, in a carry case when needed, and in my console all the way through 147mph. The thing connected me to the internet on the road using simply the usb cable as a connection, shared photos with friends at work, checked/sent e-mail on the fly, icq'd when necessary (more novelty with the small keyboard) and was able to vnc... Mostly pda? You bet! And that is the target audience.

The new one not only avoids the "clunky" look without that star trek flip (which protected the screen, at the least), it also feels very solid, has an SD card slot (which is the same type my camcorder uses for stills, so it was a big plus for me :) and is W-A-Y faster at synching than the old one was. I believe something was wrong with my old one that is how big the difference is... It is not only a joy to use as a pda, but also a phone, doing everything I need as a phone (placing and receiving calls, making 3 way calls if required, and even using the pda while on the phone) and more, AND since I was too lazy to find the old apps on my laptop before I left to work yesterday with my freshly charged 600, I was able to beam two crucial apps between my old and new phone... That was super cool I thought, but being able to download pda files directly from the net AND graphics was the topper. The keyboard works fine for me, it has its screen protector on since the factory one came off (by fellowes, write right or whatever) so I don't fear the screen becoming damaged any more than the old phone, and so far it does everything the old phone did but better.

Rey :)

maxintosh · Oct 17, 2003, 10:02 PM

Originally posted by Disgruntled Head of C-3PO:
Ya but the dial pad is TINY, it is bigger then most every cellphone, it has an antenna, shorter battery life and when you talk on it you get face prints all over the phone.

The Danger device is the same, yes it is a phone but the bloody thing is so HUGE!

- Dialpad: The T68i's dialpad is TINY too. Not this small, but still small. You can moan all you want about dialing numbers, but when it comes to SMS and E-Mails.... hahahaha...
- Size: it's smaller than most Palm pilots, which you probably already carry around if you're buying a Smartphone anyway. Palm + Phone is bigger than one Treo.
- Antenna: yes, this is disappointing but the initial reviews say the reception is fantastic.
- Shorter battery life: well, 6 hours of talk time and 10 days of standby is pretty respectable for a Palm OS phone. CNet couldn't squeeze more than 36 hours (standby) out of the T610; though the T68i does last forever.
- Face prints: doesn't appear to be a problem because of the angle of the earpiece in relation to the phone.

macrophyllum · Nov 12, 2003, 12:00 PM

Can someone PLEASE posts some pics of how big the Treo 600 is compared to other cell phones?

Thanks.

Joelwins · Nov 12, 2003, 01:21 PM

4 days in, and I'm very happy with mine so far. Here in the UK there are some pretty good deals to be had if you're a contract customer with Orange - I paid 90GBP ($150) for mine, which made it just about the cheapest Palm OS device available. The size is very manageable - it's no taller than any other phone I'd consider using, just quite a bit wider and a little deeper.

No face marks on my screen yet - just a couple of fingerprints, since the culture with this device is to try to reduce your stylus usage to an absolute minimum.

Some warnings/gripes:

* Battery life is shorter than you might hope - two days between recharges might be a realistic expectation for most users
* Make sure that you actually try out the keyboard before committing - I don't have particularly small fingers, but I also have very short nails (compulsive nail-biter) and have no problem hitting the correct key 98% of the time - friends with nails or stubby fingers have been less successful.
* The built-in camera is of jaw-droppingly poor quality. It annoys me that manufacturers add weight and expense to these devices for such little gain (but I guess there's pressure from cash-strapped service providers to try to provoke a wave of expensive photo-messaging to pay off overpriced 3G licensing).