AT&T Launches Red Treo 680

Posted By: Kris Keilhack Monday, March 12, 2007 10:17:51 AM

Crimson Palm Treo 680In a move mimicking other "hot" handsets, AT&T and Palm launched a red version of the Treo 680 alongside a new red version of the BlackBerry Pearl. Calling the new handset colors "gotta have it wireless handsets", AT&T are continuing the swift transition from Cingular to AT&T branding. Today also marks a welcome return of the 680 to the AT&T consumer website after several days of mysterious unavailability.

Cingular/AT&T are currently not providing any product images with their press release or on their website so it's unknown right now if the phones bear the old Cingular or the new AT&T branding. AT&T press information does specifically state that this new Pearl is the first handset to wear the new AT&T branding but fails to mention the Treo's branding. Presumably this is the same shade of red as the Crimson Treo 680 previously offered by Palm (as AT&T uses the terms interchangably in their press release). The red 680's specs are, unsurprisingly, unchanged from the standard graphite colored version.

AT&T are promising retail availability of the red Treo 680 at "select outlets" in addition to their usual B2B and web-based sales channels. The phone sells for as little as $199 after mail-in rebates and with a two-year service agreement. Unlocked versions of the phone are still available directly from Palm for $399 and in Graphite only.

The Treo 680 is powered by Palm OS Garnet v5.4.9. It runs a 312 MHz Intel processor and has 64MB of user available storage memory and 64MB of SDRAM. The screen is a 320 x 320 pixel color touch-screen display. The 680 features a full size SD slot for memory expansion. It has a slimmer 1200 mAh rechargeable battery for up to 4 hours talk time. Bluetooth v1.2 wireless and IR are included as well as a VGA digital camera.

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That's amazing!

Tuckermaclain @ 3/12/2007 6:26:40 PM # Q
Shows tht innovation is not lost at Palm. I thought Hawkins said this baby wasn't due to be released until May.
RE: That's amazing!
SeldomVisitor @ 3/12/2007 7:13:41 PM # Q
Giggle.

RE: That's amazing!
cervezas @ 3/12/2007 7:56:25 PM # Q
Now will someone give SeldomVisitor some side-by-side pics of the internals of the 700w and 700wx so the poor boy can sleep at night?

Giggle indeed. ;-)

David Beers
Pikesoft Mobile Computing
www.pikesoft.com/blog

RE: That's amazing!
joad @ 3/13/2007 5:34:33 PM # Q
I've been really upset that Palm hasn't released a firmware update since the buggy Treo 700p came out nearly a year ago. Recently there have been rumors it's going EOL before it's warranty expires.

But I guess we can all now heave a sigh as it's obvious Palm has been investing their attention toward more worthy goals like changing the color of a phone case.

Wow. Red. THAT's front page news.

Palm is really showing those other phonemakers how to affect customer satisfaction... THEY'd probably get distracted fixing their product... but not Palm....

RE: That's amazing!
cervezas @ 3/13/2007 6:23:06 PM # Q
So, joad... you say you pay $650/yr for the privilege of "beta testing" new Palm products when they come out. Ever consider that right there is your answer to why they usually put their firmware updates in new hardware?

Here's a little secret: no company with repeat customers wants to release the perfect product. They know that if it's too good it will become a curse. Instead, they always want to tantalize you with something you've been waiting for (enough so you'll buy) and then disappoint you just enough that you'll start reading fan sites about when the next version will come out. Just when you thought you were out, they pull you back in.

It's a cruel reality for an enthusiast to bear, but when you get to be my age you realize that it applies across the board.

David Beers
Pikesoft Mobile Computing
www.pikesoft.com/blog

RE: That's amazing!
SeldomVisitor @ 3/13/2007 7:20:55 PM # Q
May want to note that PALM did NOT PR-fluff the arrival of crimson TREO 680s AT Cingular.

Not a peep.

RE: That's amazing!
joad @ 3/13/2007 9:06:53 PM # Q
>It's a cruel reality for an enthusiast to bear, but when you get to be my age you realize that it applies across the board.

Well, for a young "whippersnapper" of about 50 I guess have to defer to your wisdom on this, 'gramps'. ;)

Certainly we know we're being "played" by Palm, the question is "how long" will the enthusiasts continue to support Palm's blunders before finding another device configuration (and possibly even OS and manufacturer) to invest in. From the forums it seems the numbers of long-time Palm enthusiasts who dump the Treo are increasing every few months, and not a large percentage are heading to the Windows Treo... they're leaving PalmOS *AND* Palm, Inc. entirely. No wonder - if Palm can't even support the OS they've used for 11+ years, then why trust them again with WinceMob?

After 10 years mostly on PalmOS (many of them with Palm-built devices), it's hard to imagine rebuilding all my databases from scratch and repurchasing all the tools, but it's not impossible.

On the bright side, I've paid the full $650(actually a little more)for a Treo only once.. and that was to ensure unencumbered return privileges in the event of exactly what appears to be Palm's gameplan with the 700p (abandoning support). SOMETIMES the customer wises up...

RE: That's amazing!
cervezas @ 3/13/2007 10:51:29 PM # Q
50! Oh good lord. Well, I guess we do start to slide backward after a certain point, gradually returning to infancy. :-p

Hang in there, I'm sure things will be better with the 750p. Or switch to Cingular and get yourself a crimson Treo 680. If you like Treos they're probably the best one yet. In red it makes for a pretty cheap mid-life crisis.

David Beers
Pikesoft Mobile Computing
www.pikesoft.com/blog

RE: That's amazing!
freakout @ 3/14/2007 12:04:21 AM # Q
^^ Not to mention it shields fickle fashion-conscious youth such as myself from the "That's a BIG phone" comments. Instead, you get "oh, red!" :)

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
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Shoulda been the standard colour from the get-go

freakout @ 3/12/2007 7:50:21 PM # Q
Seriously, it looks so very nice. The darker tone helps it look a bit slimmer, too. Graphite is just plain dull.
RE: Shoulda been the standard colour from the get-go
joad @ 3/13/2007 5:44:16 PM # Q
...not to mention graphite is too slow. Red="FAST" (just ask any sports car driver).

The old adage (that I just made up): If you can't fix it... dazzle 'em with B.S.

RE: Shoulda been the standard colour from the get-go
freakout @ 3/13/2007 11:56:49 PM # Q
Worked for me. :)

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
Reply to this comment

Speculation?

twrock @ 3/12/2007 8:00:03 PM # Q
Wouldn't it be really cool to have a huge string of posts speculating on what this announcement "really" means? I'm sure there is some really convoluted explanation for "AT&T Launches Red Treo 680". You shouldn't be taking any of this at face value. There's a conspiracy, I tell you, a CONSPIRACY! You know Palm can't be trusted. Those guys are all such weasels. There surely is some dark, hidden secret behind this announcement.


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/
RE: Speculation?
cervezas @ 3/12/2007 8:15:08 PM # Q
Well the fact that the Red Treo 680 was released simultaneously with a Red BlackBerry Pearl can't be just a coincidence can it? I wonder if it means that RIM is in the process of acquiring Palm?

I can't see any evidence against it, can you? ANYTHING at all? :-p

David Beers
Pikesoft Mobile Computing
www.pikesoft.com/blog

RE: Speculation?
freakout @ 3/12/2007 9:55:27 PM # Q
^^ Actually, it points more towards AT&T acquiring both Palm and RIM, so they become the dominant provider of push-email smartphones. It's brilliantly devious. And there's certainly NO evidence to say otherwise.

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
RE: Speculation?
PenguinPowered @ 3/12/2007 10:15:52 PM # Q
it means that red is the new black


May You Live in Interesting Times

RE: Speculation?
twrock @ 3/12/2007 11:39:40 PM # Q
It's a Commie Red Treo 680. (Where's Joe McCarthy when you need him.)


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/
RE: Speculation?
SeldomVisitor @ 3/13/2007 6:38:27 AM # Q
"Commie"?

What's that?

[and...strangely...that's ALMOST not a joke! My daughter, and I'd venture just about all youngun's still below college age, has little to no knowledge of The Great Evil communism (nor even the Beatles...sob!)]

Reply to this comment

Celebrating Crimson

tj8212 @ 3/12/2007 10:35:01 PM # Q
Check it out: http://www.gx-5.com/specials/treo680crimson.htm

RE: Celebrating Crimson
cervezas @ 3/13/2007 9:43:47 AM # Q
Heh, you were right on top of that one weren't you, Tunji? :-)

Good work!

David Beers
Pikesoft Mobile Computing
www.pikesoft.com/blog

RE: Celebrating Crimson
freakout @ 3/14/2007 7:37:07 AM # Q
Excellent. I've been waiting for a more colourful version of Thumbscreen Freeflow (pTunes skin) for ages. How long till it's ready? (oh, and how 'bout doing one in blue as well? /beg)
RE: Celebrating Crimson
Gekko @ 3/14/2007 7:53:31 PM # Q

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dadbWPY0-Mo



RE: Celebrating Crimson
freakout @ 3/15/2007 3:10:21 AM # Q
They just don't play guitars like that anymore. Bring back the 80s!!
Reply to this comment

black-T

vetdoctor @ 3/13/2007 8:56:10 PM # Q
Its the new Hawkins project. The Treo and Blackberry combined: The Black-T. Thumbwheel and 5-way....sorry, still no Wi-Fi.

Brainiac
Reply to this comment

Here is the pic... it is cingular branded

omegaphil6 @ 3/14/2007 3:38:40 PM # Q
http://www.cingular.com/global/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/palm-treo680-crimson-l.gif

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