AirPrime Module to Power CDMA Treo

Posted By: Ed Tuesday, April 23, 2002 10:15:49 AM

Handspring has selected AirPrime's Helium 1X embedded module platform for the future CDMA version of the Treo. Handspring has been working with Sprint to develop a version of its smartphone that will operate on Sprint's high-speed wireless network, and the Helium 1X will be the heart of it. Together, these will give this version of the Treo a theoretical maximum data speed of 153.6 kbps.

Handspring has been reluctant to release any details on the CDMA Treo so far before its release. However, if it follows the CDMA2000 standard, it will have an "always-on" connection, meaning there is no need for the user to place a call to establish an Internet connection to retrieve messages or email.

Sprint is expected to launch its CDMA2000 1X network around the middle of this year. Though Sprint calls its network 3G, there is doubt among experts on whether it is fast enough to qualify. Some have said a better description would be 2.5G.

The Helium 1X module is backwards compatible so it will be usable with current CDMA networks.

Though GSM/GPRS has the most popular wireless standard in other parts of the world, CDMA is the predominant standard in the U.S. The current version of the Treo is GSM, eventually upgradable to GPRS, which has hampered sales of it in the U.S.

At a conference call last week, Handspring CEO Donna Dubinsky said that the CDMA Treo would be introduced during this financial quarter, which will be over at the end of June.

Rumors
Last week, an anonymous source leaked some details on the CDMA Treo, saying that it will have a 16-bit color screen. Apparently, only a keyboard version will be available and not one with Graffiti.

Related Information:

PIC: Rumor: Details on the Color, CDMA Treo
PIC: CDMA Version of Treo Coming this Summer
PIC: HandSpring Forum

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New service ... old system

I.M. Anonymous @ 4/23/2002 11:21:34 AM #

Why is Handspring releasing this device right before Palm delivers system 5.0? This device is designed for the new Sprint 3G system, why not be designed for the new Palm system as well?

RE: New service ... old system

skoty @ 4/23/2002 1:02:22 PM #

Although Palm has announced that OS 5.0 is coming, not many other companies have jumped on the bandwagon. It'll be especially interesting to see if Handspring decides to use the new OS since they were the people who came up with the first architecture.

--------------
If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.

RE: New service ... old system

I.M. Anonymous @ 4/23/2002 1:54:05 PM #

Has Handspring said it won't run OS5?

E-mail on 3G

I.M. Anonymous @ 4/23/2002 1:54:48 PM #

Let's hope this 3G CDMA service offers better (always on) e-mail for the Treo than is currently possible on the GSM version.

153.6!

fperkins @ 4/23/2002 7:41:14 PM #

Wow, that's a lot of bandwidth for a small color Palm OS device. I think, and I'm probably stating the obvious, that the most important feature on this new network is not necessarily the speed but the pricing.

I hope someone that controls the pricing plan is listening. A flat rate fee would be awesome. The per minute stuff is just way too pricey and doesn't work with systems that are always on and have access to IM and email. A plan where you get charged, not based on minutes, but on bandwidth seems more approriate here.

Once again, I can only plead my case that I hope that rates won't be higher than my existing cablem modem. If so, then sadly, I have been foolishly waiting around to buy a new pda/phone device.

Personally, I would be happy and buy it tomorrow:
Palm 515 + i705 wireless internet connectivity + phone
Where the phone is on a per minute plan and the wireless internet connectivity is on the same sort of plans that Palm currently has. Increased bandwidth would be nice, but I don't need 153.6 to send IM or email and do some headline browsing on /. or palminfocenter [2 of my fave sites]

Thanks for listening...

RE: 153.6!

I.M. Anonymous @ 4/24/2002 12:01:43 AM #

Forget about this "153.6" "maximum" speed it is very misleading. 40-60k is about the average throughput you can expect from the 1xRTT network. Talking about this max speed does no good - it's bound to bring disappointment when users realize that they are not getting any more than their home dial-up modem speed, when they are expecting cable/dsl/isdn speed.

RE: 153.6!

ckohl23 @ 4/24/2002 1:08:49 AM #

dial up speeds is probably more than enough for the kinds of things you will be doing on a handheld. i personally would be happy with 56k speeds. just my opinion.

RE: 153.6!

I.M. Anonymous @ 4/24/2002 9:00:08 AM #

I agree that cable modem speed is not needed on these devices. The speed that device connects to the network is probably more or as important as the speed it transfer the info!

RE: 153.6!

WireLes @ 4/24/2002 11:07:25 AM #

I've been beta testing the Verizon Wireless Express Network, (Sprint uses same CDMA technology) and have seen bursts of up to 170kbps. Expect 40-60kbps. The networks will only advertise what they can deliver so you will see 40kbps in their ads. Wireless email is plenty fast, and webpages load similar to 56k dial-up. The big difference is that you're mobile! Don't expect bulk pricing plans. Carriers don't have the network infrastructure to support millions of users yet. Per kilobit pricing will exclude everyone except the well off first adopters, and business users with mission specific needs who will pay the price.