Treo Pro Unboxing and Video Preview
The Treo Pro arrived at the PalmInfocenter HQ today and I've put together a video first look. In the video preview, embedded after the break, I "unbox" the Treo Pro and go over the new retail packaging. In addition, I also take an initial look at the Treo Pro and compare it with a number of other recent devices.
Enjoy this six minute video preview while we prepare our full review.
Update: Read our full Treo Pro Review.
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RE: very nice video
If the retail box alone wasn't iPhone inspired enough, the "Inspired by and Designed in California" card is a little dig/attempt at one-upping Apple, whom have always put a "Designed by Apple in California" notice in someplace prominent on all of its products.
RE: very nice video
i see. since i'm a devout Republican, i've never bought an Apple product, hence i did not know this.
Ruby should know better than to bring a knife to a gunfight. hubris is fatal.
RE: very nice video
RE: very nice video
Observations based on the vid ... (Ryan, did we tell how much we liked it?)
#1 Nice packaging. Obvious Apple influence, and of course welcome. In a perfect world I would rather have plain cardboard and the cheapest thing possible, so R&D $$$ could be spent greater. But in the real world more people seem to want / need this type of stimulation, which ultimately puts much more R&D $$$ in the coffers. Hopefully, this is a change in direction for the future from a device standpoint. Maybe the 800w is the end of the dark ages at Palm?
#2 Thin. Wow!
#3 I almost believe it now. Almost! Palm actually stepped into the outer limits with 3.5mm audio? I wont believe it till I here noise in my ears. No other evidence will suffice. The wired phone headset is 3.5mm. Ingenious, 99% of the wired HS crowd is ever going to upgrade, so given em' a non standard jack means almost nothing. I bet the 800w early adopters are loving this. Wow, way to go Palm. You did it!!!
#4 QWERTY looks to be taking a hit compared to the "amatuer" Treos. The smile design allows larger keys but takes up more real estate. Maybe the tactile functionality will be better. But, as hot rodders like to say @ horspower, thumboarders say there is no substitute for sheer space.
#5 Nice looking AC/USB plug. Gosh, did this come from Palm? Wow.
#6 Is that Windows Mobile I see? .... @#$@#$%@#^%*%&@Q#$^*&(^&$#@#! Palm! :-D
Pat Horne
RE: very nice video
Amazingly how thin this is considering that it has a 1500mAh battery. Nice. But the Nokia E71 is still thinner.
RE: very nice video
http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/22/how-would-you-change-nokias-e71/
RE: very nice video
And what's this? Even for a WinMob device the package has a hint of ... style?
>>>i see. since i'm a devout Republican, i've never bought an Apple product, hence i did not know this.
Hey, pork chop, your cult bitch goddess Limbaugh uses nothing BUT Apple. 27,000 thousand Hail Marys for your repentence and then off to the Apple Store for you to buy a Mac Pro, MacBook Air, and iPhone. You sinner.
RE: very nice video
Diebold?
(Especially in Ohio).
Paying my annual PDA update tax to Palm since 1997.
RE: very nice video
Imitation is...
...the sincerest form of flattery. The flush screen, the packaging, the "Designed in California" tagline, the power adaptor, the headphones jack... it all reminds me too much of the iPhone. And for that I feel inclined to go for the original from Apple.
But I'll share a little story with you. After years of abandonment, I picked up my Tungsten E, which I bought in 2003, because I needed to jot down some tasks for a little research I'm doing. And I was struck by how amazing this device was: the simple PIM apps, the metallic stylus, the form factor...
So, five years onward, I'm yet to find a device that is a decent substitute. Yes, the iPhone gets close, but being n Apple fanboy as I am, I find that it's not yet ideal, namely on PIM apps and also I think it's a little too big.
I really want Palm to create a phone that compares favourably with my good ol' T|E, with a metallic stylus, a bigger screen and a decent OS (no, not Garnet nor WinMob), but merely copying what others do.
RE: Imitation is...
I am not affiliated with or endorsed by Plam Inc.
The last known classic PDA user.
I've recently upgraded from a PLAM TX to a Newton MP2000!
http://newtonpda.googlepages.com
RE: Imitation is...
1) No manual or CD is a "welcome change"?!? Sorry, Ryan - I absolutely HATE having to start up a PC and load up Adobe then search through a PDF in order to answer a simple question that a manual can easily provide. And the lack of a CD probably means there's even MORE crap in the ROMs nowadays that we can't get rid of....
2) OK, so it's thinner. Frankly, I have not understood the total obsession with size that so many critics can't seem to get over. From the Treo 600 onward, the *only* size-related thing that interrupted usage me was the antenna and that has been handled. I would NEVER want to sacrifice battery life in exchange for a slightly thinner phone, it makes NO sense.
3) Is that casing as slippery and welcoming to easy scratching as it looks? Their target market of early-teenagers tend to get quite active with their playthings, hope it's more durable than it looks...
Hopefully they'll have the bugs out by the time they get serious with Nova's design.
Paying my annual PDA update tax to Palm since 1997.
RE: Imitation is...
> active with their playthings, hope it's more durable than it looks...
Their target market for this one is The Enterprise, not early-teens.
That's why the phone has a camera.
Uh...
RE: Imitation is...
You had inquired previously about a dumbphone w/ QWERTY, I believe. Here's another entry, this time targeting the student/teen/tween/kidlet category:
http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/25/verizon-nabs-the-blitz-someone-has-thought-of-the-children/
I wonder how many Centro sales this sucker'll steal?
Pilot 1000->Pilot 5000->PalmPilot Pro->IIIe->Vx->m505->T|T->T|T2->T|C->T|T3->T|T5->Zodiac 2->TX->Verizon Treo 700P->Verizon Treo 755p
RE: Imitation is...
Time for the Palm Intro
Not programmable.
Does anyone MAKE a dumb (truly dumb) phone that has a QWERTY keyboard?
Well, someone should.
And someone has to kick a carrier or two in the butt to make the USE of such phones reasonably cheap.
RE: Time for the Palm Intro
Entro?
NewStart?
UpStart?
Fresh?
Jewel?
Jewl?
Friend?
Frond?
Contact?
Chat?
Talker?
Hey, if Hannah Montana can make a billion bucks off the tween set, then Palm (or perhaps one of the can-make-them-cheaper Big Guys) can make a pretty penny, too!
Why so late on this story?
It looks nice but I am not even interested in watching the vid. Shame on you that did. Give us the Plam OS version already.
If Sony still made Plams they would have 1080p screens and you could beam with Blutooth-Ray. I guarantee it. Plam is so weak.
RE: Why so late on this story?
Nice to see so much beta testing is being done on the backs of WinceMob for a change. The Nova ought to hit it out of the park...
Paying my annual PDA update tax to Palm since 1997.
RE: Why so late on this story?
As with the last Next Great Thing I'm very sincerely looking forward to seeing what Nova is and can do.
Eternal optimist, huh?
Huh? What's that?...Uh... No...Thanks...I have too many bridges already.
RE: Why so late on this story?
... IF.
Pat Horne
RE: Why so late on this story?
Also be on the lookout for a slew of rushed reviews on Wednesday morning as Palm attached an embargo to the loan agreement about publishing any reviews before then. I imagine they were dismayed by all the sites that rushed out 800w 'reviews' after only using the device for less than a day and then never ended up publishing complete articles.
My kid says the phone is 'ginormous'
The really ridiculous thing is when the guy mentions how good it is that they removed the softkey hardware buttons. Yeah, they removed them, but that's all they did. Just left a big open prairie where they used to be. Might as well have kept the buttons!
RE: My kid says the phone is 'ginormous'
RE: My kid says the phone is 'ginormous'
RE: My kid says the phone is 'ginormous'
I don't think they do or ever will. Probably a laundry list of reasons why teenie-boppers could care less.
Pat Horne
RE: My kid says the phone is 'ginormous'
ROTFLMAO!!!
It doesn't have a Flux Capacitor in there, that's for sure!
Where the Hell is the PalmOS Treo Pro, Mr. Colligan? StyleTap???
Nearly-free "Infinite Garnet" pre-skool rainbow Centros, Windows Mobile Treos that cost more than iPhones and a couple of three year old decrepit PalmOS PDA? That's Palm's strategy to weather Hurricaine iPhone and tropical storm Blackberry Bold? At least until the "Invisible Nova" arrives "in 2008"/"early 2009"/"first half of 2009"/"someday we hope + pray" bug-free + heavily supported by all those Fooleo-burned developers, waves its magic wand and makes those Wicked iPhone and Blackberry Witches disappear? Right? Right? Is that the plan Jon?
Here are a few suggestion, Palm:
1) Customize the Hell outta Windows Mobile by integrating a PalmOS emulator like StyleTap, Palm-style PIM apps and a Launcher X-style user interface. Have HTC build 2 versions - one like the Treo Pro and another with a keyboard like the Sony Ericsson Xperia. Available with or without a 5 megapixel camera. Price it like the highest end iPhone and Blackberrys.
2) Turn the Centro lineup into the ultimate entry-level PalmOS smartphone, preloaded with Chatter Email, TCPMP, full NetFront browser, full Kinoma (for YouTube), a Facebook application, a decent file manager, a backup application, Butler, IM application, MP3 software, access to a personal online storage site at Palm that wirelessly syncs PIM data + does automated remote backups and also a new Palm Desktop that has iTunes-like features to simplify loading MP3 and videos. Price it at $100 or less with contract.
3) Abandon Nova. You know you can't complete it in time. If you want a more flexible OS to replace Infinite Garnet, offer Access pennies on the dollar for complete and unrestricted "Access" to ALP OS and the Cobalt source code. Between Nova, ALP and Cobalt there may be enough decent ideas for Palm to come up with a decent Infinite Garnet replacement after another year or two of development. Cleaning up Infinite Garnet and bulking up the software bundle would buy Palm the time it needs to do a next-generation PalmOS properly. And since PalmOS would be only for low-end Centros there would be a lot less pressure to deliver the new OS before it was really ready.
4) Refresh the PDAs. Pare the lineup to 2 models: a tiny sub-$99 organizer with SD slot for MP3 and videos; a $199 model with iPod Touch specs (including Wi-Fi), big battery, sliding keyboard and VoIP (think PalmOS version of Sony mylo).
- 2 Windows Mobile cellphones, 1 PalmOS Centro cellphone and 2 PalmOS PDAs. Simple strategy. Focused. Pragmatic. What are you waiting for, Palm!
Da Freq
RE: Where the Hell is the PalmOS Treo Pro, Mr. Colligan? StyleTap
Pat Horne
RE: Where the Hell is the PalmOS Treo Pro, Mr. Colligan? StyleTap???
2.Ditto but unrealistic to expect from Palm in their current state. If they are already losing money on EACH Centro sold now, what can they do to improve margins on subsequent versions? Additional per-handset licensing costs to bundle all of those apps you mention + better hardware + new Palm Desktop? That's spreading it too thin IMO.
I'd be satisfied with a Centro 2 with the same essential software specs as the current version but with the FaceBook app standard and maybe some kind of YouTube "player" (CorePlayer? Kinoma?) and the larger keyboard, battery, microUSB connector & 3.5mm headphone jack of the Pro. And a slightly larger LCD if the budget permits it.
3. DITTO DITTO DITTO DITTO DITTO. I suggested to pick up the scraps of ALP + Cobalt for pennies on the dollar months ago and I believe you suggested an "Infinite Garnet" at least a year or more ago. If Garnet's stability problems can be addressed alongside some of its major technical shortcomings (no support for 3x wireless radios in a single device, no GSM 3G, No BT 2.0 stack, no support for >4GB storage volumes), there's no reason it couldn't continue to live on in budget-oriented devices.
I am still awaiting a solid set of explanations for what was SO fundamentally bad about Cobalt that continually rehashing Garnet was a better alternative. And ALP looked reasonable far enough along in development (unlike Nova) to still be salvaged and massaged into a servicable Garnet replacement. Between the best bits of Garnet, Cobalt Nova, and ALP, SOMEONE should be able to product SOMETHING that surpasses OS 5.4.9 and has better usability than WinMob!
4. DITTO DITTO DITTO DITTO DITTO. I'd even go so far as to consider doing 3 PDAs: the $99 (or less) & $199 ones one you mention PLUS a $150 keyboard-less version of the $199 one to be the spiritual successor of the classic Palm TX/T5/T3 handheld.
Pilot 1000->Pilot 5000->PalmPilot Pro->IIIe->Vx->m505->T|T->T|T2->T|C->T|T3->T|T5->Zodiac 2->TX->Verizon Treo 700P->Verizon Treo 755p
RE: Where the Hell is the PalmOS Treo Pro, Mr. Colligan? StyleTap???
Forgive me Father, for I have sinned.
;-)
I will admit the technology Palm (Plam?) has put into that 3.5 mm headphone jack is amazing. Makes the Toyota Prius look like the underengineered piece of junk it is, eh?
The Treo Pro IS a milestone device. But a milestone of WHAT?
I mean, we have what is without a doubt the sleekest, highest-spec'd Palm device relative to the competition and the rest of Palm's lineup in years and there appears to be only passing interest.
First we have Verizon passing on the 800w and now AT&T passes on the Pro. What is this a sign of?
-The Pro is a limited-production halo device designed to show Palm has still "got" it and it'll be followed by a similar but cheaper, mass production model in a few months' time (on AT&T).
-AT&T is "down" on Palm and has decided to pass on the Pro due to it competing too closely with the Blackjack II/BB Bold? Or maybe AT&T wants only high-res devices from here on (ie no more 240x240, 320x240, or 320x320)?
-AT&T passed due price since the iPhone offers "the same thing but with a bigger screen". Perhaps AT&T felt that Treo Pros would collect dust on AT&T shelves as consumers continue to snatch up "cheap" 3G iPhones?
-Palm is gradually on their way to becoming a rogue handset manufacturer and are going to try to shift their GSM offerings to higher-end, high-margin unlocked devices without carrier delays/interference?
-Palm carries so little clout outside of the USA that they are going to pursue a CDMA/ Sprint-exclusive path from here on (ie the Wal-Mart of smartphones partnering exclusively with the Wal-Mart of wireless providers)?
-Palm is going to release a flurry of "me too" Windows Mobile-powered, rebranded ODM offerings over the next year to try and stay afloat. AT&T passed on the Pro becuase a "Pro 2" is en route in a few months' time & the existing 750 is good enough for right now?
Pilot 1000->Pilot 5000->PalmPilot Pro->IIIe->Vx->m505->T|T->T|T2->T|C->T|T3->T|T5->Zodiac 2->TX->Verizon Treo 700P->Verizon Treo 755p
RE: Where the Hell is the PalmOS Treo Pro, Mr. Colligan? StyleTap???
Palm has to make camera-less versions of its high-end phones, otherwise it can say bye bye to a lot of enterprise sales. Removing the camera is pretty simple, though.
"2.Ditto but unrealistic to expect from Palm in their current state. If they are already losing money on EACH Centro sold now, what can they do to improve margins on subsequent versions? Additional per-handset licensing costs to bundle all of those apps you mention + better hardware + new Palm Desktop? That's spreading it too thin IMO."
Palm already owns or has worked on the code for most of those applications, like Chatter email, Facebook application, a file manager an IM application. It has also done work on the wireless backup system. They already license versions of Kinoma and NetFront. The only thing missing would be an on-device backup (NVBackup is freeware), cloning or licensing Butler and fixing Palm Desktop. The pieces are almost all there - Palm is just too stupid to put them all together.
"I'd be satisfied with a Centro 2 with the same essential software specs as the current version but with the FaceBook app standard and maybe some kind of YouTube "player" (CorePlayer? Kinoma?) and the larger keyboard, battery, microUSB connector & 3.5mm headphone jack of the Pro. And a slightly larger LCD if the budget permits it."
For Centro 2 all Palm needs to do is fix the software bundle, switch to a USB connector + 3.5 mm headphone jack and spec a bigger battery. Why the Hell can't these idiots see the obvious?
Just packaging
Seems like a(nother) missed opportunity, especially in this age of recycling.
RE: Just packaging
FWIW, I'd expect Palm's other smartphones (ie everything else since thisi s the flagship) to not come in such lavish packaging, especially domestically. With the carriers handling the vast majority of handset sales, most customers don't even see a device's packaging until the carrier staff takes it out from the back and starts programming/setting up the device.
Pilot 1000->Pilot 5000->PalmPilot Pro->IIIe->Vx->m505->T|T->T|T2->T|C->T|T3->T|T5->Zodiac 2->TX->Verizon Treo 700P->Verizon Treo 755p
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very nice video
i really like this new video preview format*. i may do one myself someday if i beat everyone to a new device (like i did way back in the day with the new T5 i bought at the airport palm store....remember my review/debacle?)
anyhow, nice job ryan.
p.s. what's with the Apple California note in the box?
* Walt Mossberg's somewhat embarassing "It won't do the hottest thing on the web?" question to Jeff Hawkins, at the Foleo's debut.