Palm Centro and Treo 800w Possible Release Dates
Rumor: Phonenews.com has posted what looks to be a legitimate Sprint release roadmap that’s chock full of information. The earlier reports of a low-end Garnet-based Treo for CDMA networks turned out to be entirely accurate, as seen in Palm's semi-announcement last week of the Palm Centro smartphone.
This EVDO-enabled device, to exclusively debut on Sprint sometime this fall, is the Palm OS version of the rumored "Gandolf" seen in recent PIC photos and video. Phonenews' article mentions that the release date of the Centro, now codenamed "Gryphon" is Oct 14th and that the rumored $99 price with contract is indeed accurate.
Interestingly enough, the article makes no mention of the "Centro" branding and instead calls the device a member of the Treo 500-series. This would be the first sub-600 series "Treo" since Handspring's Treo 300 from 2002 and also on the Sprint network. Long-time Palm followers will remember that Palm often assigns product family names that differ from a model’s numeric nomenclature; the original Tungsten T was known as the m550 upon release and the original 2mb Zire was officially known as the m150.
The article then goes on to state that the hotly-anticipated Treo 800w has been delayed until an unspecified time in Q1 2008. The rumored Treo 800w, a high-end Windows Mobile 6 Professional-based flagship Treo has been rumored to be coming to both Sprint and Verizon and will supposedly include integrated wi-fi as well as a 2.0 megapixel camera, A2DP Bluetooth audio and EVDO Rev.A connectivity.
The Phonenews article does not go into any detailed specifications of the device but does claims that the Treo 800w will be "The first major improvement to Windows Mobile CDMA Treo units. It should ship before CTIA... averting mobs of press questions as to why CDMA still lacks a Windows Mobile 6 Treo."
With the WM6 competition heating up from the likes of HTC and Palm’s original 700w/wx design looking increasingly dated, the arrival of an improved CDMA Windows Mobile-powered Treo is almost a total certainty.
UPDATE
The Palm Centro has been released by Palm. You can read the details here, or check out our photo preview.
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RE: Purported delay of a Windows-based anything makes perfect sen
This is true, but it all depends on where this is change is implemented in terms of the design pipeline (which we all know is way too long at Palm). It is likely that this change is not in effect on the next release of T800w, Palm must have been working on it for well over a year already. Maybe the next product (T850 or whatever its going to be called) will be ODM design.
My point is, there are still upcoming launches for "Palm designed" products in the pipeline for Palm to botch before the ODM (HTC?) designs come into play. Even then, Palm can still botch things with an ODM design. Palm is still involved, therefore bad product descisions WILL be made.
RE: Purported delay of a Windows-based anything makes perfect sen
RE: Purported delay of a Windows-based anything makes perfect sen
Perhaps some "analyst" will word the NEXT earnings conference call "How many people did you lay off" question more correctly and find out the REAL answer.
RE: Purported delay of a Windows-based anything makes perfect sen
> bad product decisions?
Is that relevant to anything at all or is it simple (and that is meant in TWO different ways!) "defend PALM at all times blindly" loyalty shining through? wouldn't it have been better to just sit on your hands?
RE: Purported delay of a Windows-based anything makes perfect sen
> PALM has SUDDENLY undergone some fairly dramatic internal changes
> that more than a little suggest they EASILY could have dropped
> work-in-progress.
Apologies - this particular sub-sentence should have read as:
> ...but it certainly looks to THIS (total outsider) reader that
> PALM has SUDDENLY undergone some fairly dramatic internal changes
> that more than a little suggest they EASILY could have dropped
> more work-in-progress than WiFi and Linux.
Appropriate context is important to (try to) make that point!
RE: Purported delay of a Windows-based anything makes perfect sense
Both would have 320x320 screens and similar Centro-esque formfactors but would have slightly different innards.....wi-fi & GPS on the WinMob version and wi-fi and CDMA/GSM connectivity on the Plinux one? Look how RIM is managing to distinguish & segment their BB line.....they are throwing a hodgepodge of features and styles at different carriers. While I don't exactly agree with this "no carriers gets the clea-cut 'best' version" strategy, it does seem to be the norm going forward as the carriers exert more and more influence over the handset manufacturers' offerings (I'm speaking domestically, folks).
Look at the round of recently released RAZR2 handsets (CNET did a great overview of them IIRC): Between AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and Alltel you have a myriad of features, UIs, and stylistic differences with no clear-cut leader.
What I really would like to know is if the "Mercedes Treo" Colligan alluded to on more than one occasion earlier this year and last year is still on track. Is it still forthcoming? Or has it been delayed until Q1 '08 (800w)? Or was it the victim of the cost-cutting SV hints at?
Are Palm's only notable releases for this fall going to be the Fooleo and the Centro? Has Palm gone from the company that refuses one thing its users are clamoring for (TX2/new PDAs) to two (new PDAs & new high-end Treos)?
Pilot 1000-->Pilot 5000-->PalmPilot Pro-->IIIe-->Vx-->m505-->T|T-->T|T2-->T|C-->T|T3-->T|T5-->TX-->Treo 700P
RE: Purported delay of a Windows-based anything makes perfect sen
Is that relevant to anything at all or is it simple (and that is meant in TWO different ways!) "defend PALM at all times blindly" loyalty shining through? wouldn't it have been better to just sit on your hands?
Blindly? Don't be stupid. Retrospooty said:
Palm is still involved, therefore bad product descisions WILL be made.
My question was meant to imply that Palm do not have a monopoly on bad decisions. That quote could say: "A consumer electronics company is involved, therefore bad products decisions WILL be made." Sorry if that was a little too complex for you to grasp, sweetheart.
RE: Purported delay of a Windows-based anything makes perfect sen
RE: Purported delay of a Windows-based anything makes perfect sen
You really shouldn't try and ascribe your meanings to other people's words. But I'm sure you'll continue to do it anyway...
It better be good...
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But will it include your own private island?
USR Palm Pilot 1000 --> Palm Pilot Professional --> TRG SuperPilot --> Palm IIIc --> Palm V --> Palm M505 --> Palm M515 --> Tungsten T|2 --> Treo 600 --> LifeDrive --> iPhone
RE: But will it include your own private island?
RE: Someone mention new PDAs?
I'd count on a WM6 spin of the 5915 with maybe-just maybe-an emphasis placed on VOIP.
Is this a "PDA PDA" or a "PDA phone (aka smartphone)?
BTW, I hate how the carriers' marketing literature and sales drones call smartphones "PDAs". To me, a PDA is STILL something you don't go around talking on or holding up to your ear.
Pilot 1000-->Pilot 5000-->PalmPilot Pro-->IIIe-->Vx-->m505-->T|T-->T|T2-->T|C-->T|T3-->T|T5-->TX-->Treo 700P
RE: Someone mention new PDAs?
Looks like bluetooth and WiFi only.
RE: Someone mention new PDAs?
Then again, there WAS a SAR test that showed a device next to an ear! So maybe it IS a phone, too!
I ain't going back to the FCC to check though; left as an exercise for the readers!
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Purported delay of a Windows-based anything makes perfect sense
----------
== "...As a part of our long-term planning I
== recently made some changes..."
Note that "recently made some changes" bit.
== "...to increase the effectiveness of our
== organization and drive our performance. I
== reorganized our team around two distinctive
== product lines.
==
== Our Windows Mobile products will be developed
== under a highly leveraged ODM model where we can
== take advantage of the strong capabilities of
== our ODM partners. These products will be
== designed and specified by our internal Windows
== Mobile group. But, more execution of the
== products will be done in conjunction with our
== ODM partners using their Windows Mobile
== expertise and radio designed platforms..."
From the most recent quarterly conference call.