Treo Rumors & Analysis: Four New Treos Forthcoming?
The MorningPaper blog is reporting that the new Palm OS-based GSM Treo seen in the recently-leaked cameraphone spy shots is decidedly not the rumored 800p.
What this may indicate is that the new formfactor now seen in a series of leaked blurry spy shots may actually give birth to four different individual devices featuring different operating systems and target markets.
The possible configurations could include:
- A low-end Garnet-based Treo for GSM networks. A CDMA version might also be in the works. This is the Palm OS version of the rumored "Palm Gandolf". A report on TreoCentral suggests that this could be called the Treo 690. This is the likely device seen in the recent PIC photos and video (since removed due to Palm Inc legal requests).
- A mid-range Windows Mobile Standard Treo (aka "Smartphone" edition) with a 320x240 non-touchscreen LCD. It is unknown if this would be released to GSM and/or CDMA carriers. This was reported by Morning Paper and covered by PIC back in June. Such a model could conceivably carry the Treo 690w moniker.
- A high-end Windows Mobile 6 Professional-based Treo. This would be the rumored Treo 800w that has been rumored to be coming to both Sprint and Verizon's domestic CDMA networks for some time. Rumored specs of the 800w include integrated wi-fi as well as a 2.0 megapixel camera, A2DP Bluetooth audio and EVDO Rev.A.
- A high-end Palm OS II/aka Palm Linux-based Treo 800p. Morning Paper's tipster suggests that this device will debut on Sprint's network and won't see the light of day until 2008. Palm's CEO stated at the last conference call that a Linux based smartphone OS would not debut before 2008. It is also rumored to be an EVDO Rev.A device with wi-fi. However, this flagship device would also feature global functionality similar to the recent GSM/CDMA hybrid BlackBerry 8830.
Adding fuel to the myriad of rumors reported above is page 76 from Palm's Analyst Day presentation from April 10th of this year. That particular slide (displayed above) shows a three-tiered device strategy for Palm's Treo line. All of the rumored specs for the four potential Treos outlined above do appear in some manner on the Analyst Day slide.
Several hints at future hardware offerings were suggested by the slide's graphics, including three different sizes of LCDs: large 320x320(the traditional Garnet and possible future WM6/Palm OS II Treo screens), small 320x320 (for the 690p), and 320x240 (for future Windows Mobile Smartphone devices such as a Treo 690w). Both 1.3megapixel and 2.0 megapixel cameras appear in the Palm PowerPoint slide with no reference to VGA camerasperhaps a sign that the Treo 680's is soon to reach End-of-Life status.
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PalmOS II = Linux by Wind River ?
I just wonder how this Palm announcement (seen at 1SRC http://www.1src.com/headlines/show/001972.html) comes in?
Just to give you some food for thoughts. :)
icarus
Palm III, Palm III, Palm m105, Palm Tungsten T, palmOne LifeDrive, palmOne Tungsten T5, Palm TX
RE: PalmOS II = Linux by Wind River ?
For the time being, they will make use of Wind River's solution, but when they get more experienced with their own PalmOS II on Linux, I can envision them moving back to one company, one OS.
But as for now, they don't have any in-house Linux technology that is ready for production, do they need to outsource it to Wind River Systems.
http://foleocentral.blogspot.com
FoleoCentral is the news, opinions & review blog about the Palm Foleo Mobile Companion
Third platform
Wild thought -- over at Tamspalm, Tam Hanna, who is obviously well plugged-in, has recently posted some cryptic comments related to Palm OS 4, like these:
"As for Palm OS lowlevel internas, I expect a huge flood of OS4 internals to flood the market soon. Cant say more ATM though...except that staying OS4 compatible may pay out big soon!"
"OS4 guys...hang in there. News coming soon!"
Is it possible that Palm's third, "Very Low Cost" Platform is actually [an updated version of] .... Palm OS 4??? Probably still on 68k?
RE: Third platform
And OS4'd probably introduce enough compatiblity and support headaches that any cost savings or power thriftiness would be nullified.
My personal take on Tam's tidbit? There are perhaps too many issues surrounding a Garnet emulation layer residing on top of PLinux. SO...Palm's gonna say that "Palm OS compatibility" only extends to programs written to support OS 4.1.2 or older?!?
Pilot 1000-->Pilot 5000-->PalmPilot Pro-->IIIe-->Vx-->m505-->T|T-->T|T2-->T|C-->T|T3-->T|T5-->TX-->Treo 700P
RE: Third platform
Just a random possibility...
RE: Third platform
Screen Size
The Dock is nothing but a glorified Windows Quick Launch bar. Give me a Taskbar or give me death!
RE: Screen Size
#1 First devices are 320x320 while the bugs are worked out (Tungsten T=800p)
#2 Additional devices with same resolution screens appear thereafter while the OS is tweaked some more (Zire 72, T|C==800p's successor device)
#3 First 320x480 device appears with some quirks (Tungsten T3=whatever Plinux Treo comes out fall '08 or early '09 similar to Pat's classic Treo 800g)
#4 Large screen format is perfected (Tungsten T5/TX==Palm's eventualy answer to the iPhone in '09 or 2010).
Pilot 1000-->Pilot 5000-->PalmPilot Pro-->IIIe-->Vx-->m505-->T|T-->T|T2-->T|C-->T|T3-->T|T5-->TX-->Treo 700P
iPhone
Just sayin'...
<><
Thanks Palm!
Nice recovery. And highly welcomed btw. I haven't seen so many + thots around here since eTullurian got banned. Now, better get those screenshots for us.
E-mail me some and I'll mysteriously blog them. Everybody around here trusts me reeeal good.
Pat Horne
RE: Thanks Palm!
David Beers
Pikesoft Mobile Computing
www.pikesoft.com/blog
RE: Thanks Palm!
Thinking about Vista? Think again: http://www.cs.auckland.ac.nz/~pgut001/pubs/vista_cost.txt
Want an alternative? Try this: http://www.ubuntu.com/ or http://www.mepis.org/
RE: Thanks Palm!
Completing the we-com Crumple-Horned Snorkack Circle
RE: Thanks Palm!
The e-knarr is the name of a prototype that could also be called friend-ship.
Peace,
E-T
e-tellurian
Completing the e-com circle with a people driven we-com solution
WiFi & BT? No strings attached
we_tellurian@canada.com
It's too late.
Will the new Treos sell? Yes. Will they be nearly as successful as they would have been last year? No way.
I have been a Treo/Palm user for years and years. Last week, I like many, many others traded my flawed Treo 700p for a Blackberry 8830. I hate that I had to do it but the BB is so much better.
Blackberrys are outselling Treos 2 or 3 to one and that will just continue. The new Treos will help, but they are too late to the market. Way too late.
Why couldn't Palm release these 1-2 years ago????
RE: It's too late.
Palm doesn't have to have to sell more Treos than RIM or anyone else to be successful--they're a much smaller company, for one thing. They just need to execute on their philosophy of delivering a simple, responsive mobile computing experience.
I expect in the coming years we will see smaller companies than Palm putting out much niche-ier handsets (think "The J. Peterman Phone in Peruvian Vicuņa Leather") and making good coin of it. If Palm can keep improving and diversifying their products they'll do fine, too.
David Beers
Pikesoft Mobile Computing
www.pikesoft.com/blog
RE: It's too late.
I think if you asked Palm and their investors they would disagree with your vision for the company. They do want to out sell RIM, HP, Nokia etc and lead in the smartphone market.
I hate seeing all these new Blackberrys showing up on my customers, co-workers and now my own belt. It means Palm has failed.
Yes it is great to give consumers more choices. But your options must be competitive. Palms are not right now. In another 8-10 months maybe they will be, but by then RIM will have their newer, higher resolution BB's out and although Palm may put out a great Treo, the momentum of RIM is very strong in the corporate world. And no way Palm wins much in the consumer world right now.
By the way, as much as I would absolutely love a Linux Treo, I won't be the first one to buy any new Palms. The Q/A has been absolutely horrible. The 650 was a disaster until the firmware was updated a second time. The 700w was also a big problem. Don't even get me started on the 700p.
And no, I am not a Palm basher. I have consistently pushed Treos for years.
RE: It's too late.
David Beers
Pikesoft Mobile Computing
www.pikesoft.com/blog
RE: It's too late.
And as for Blackberries outselling them? So what? Who gives a damn, so long as the Treo does what you need it to? It's like those who crow about the fact that the iPhone is going to sell millions; it means nothing except that the companies that make them have successfully reached the lowest-common-denominator of customers. Blackberries are the McDonald's of smartphones. Ubiquitous and adequate. Nothing more, nothing less.
Sales don't matter, except to those who unhealthily tie their moods to a company's stock price. So long as Palm keep producing the most versatile, user-friendly phones on the market, it doesn't matter much to me how many they sell to other people, 'cause they've already got my vote.
Tim
I apologise for any and all emoticons that appear in my posts. You may shoot them on sight.
Treo 270 ---> Treo 650 ---> Crimson Treo 680
OT: Nokia's smart phones flop in U.S.
Nokia: Smart phones, few U.S. buyers
The world's largest mobile phone maker has had a tough time selling to American consumers. But that could soon change, writes Business 2.0's Michal Lev-Ram.
http://money.cnn.com/2007/08/10/technology/nokia_us.biz2/index.htm?postversion=2007081016
RE: OT: Nokia's smart phones flop in U.S.
Stymied by U.S. wireless carriers, Nokia has begun selling "unlocked" phones, which are devices that can work on any wireless network, directly to consumers. All users need to do is remove the SIM card from their old phone, insert it into a new one, and -- voila -- start dialing.
...."In Europe, people are used to it," says Michael Gartenberg, vice president and research director at Jupiter Research in New York. "But consumers here are not accustomed to purchasing unlocked, unsubsidized phones -- many don't even know they can transfer their SIM cards."
No, seriously, many American consumers don't know they can do this?! You've got to be kidding me.
But here's an interesting line:
To that end, Nokia last month started a viral marketing campaign featuring videos of jealous laptop computers attacking N95-wielding consumers. The message: Cell phones like the N95 are replacing laptops.
Hey, where have we heard that before? ;-)
Thinking about Vista? Think again: http://www.cs.auckland.ac.nz/~pgut001/pubs/vista_cost.txt
Want an alternative? Try this: http://www.ubuntu.com/ or http://www.mepis.org/
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