Treo 800w Review - First Impressions
By: Ryan KairerJuly 14, 2008
Update: Our full Palm Treo 800w review has now been published.
The long awaited, oft rumored and much anticipated Wi-Fi equipped Treo 800w has now been officially made official. The Palm Treo 800w debuts today on Sprint for $249 after the usual contracts and rebates. In addition to Wi-Fi technology, the 800w also packs in a number of other significant firsts for Palm including high-speed EvDO Rev A, integrated GPS functionality and the latest version of Windows Mobile 6.1 with a 320 x 320 pixel display.
I've been using the Treo 800w for only a few days and am working on my full detailed review. In the meantime I've put together my first impressions of the device along with some high-res live pictures and tips. Read on for the first part of my Treo 800w review.
Design
The Treo 800w debuts in a slate blue color with a soft touch finish. It continues the standard Treo styling and form factor in a functional straightforward design. The subtle blue hue should appeal to its intended business and professional customers. The exterior grips well and refreshingly does not smudge or pick up fingerprints. While the casing is all plastic, it does have a solid and sturdy feel, much more so than the Centro.
The overall design of the Treo 800w is pretty classy, but if I had one complaint it would no doubt be the thickness. The reduced weight and curved back do a lot to make it more pocket friendly, however the thickness at .7" inches is still quite stodgy, even by last years standards. This may not be as big of an issue for everyone, but if size and style are your primary deciding factors you may likely want to hold off. For most professionals who are used to larger devices and alternative business communicators, the extra functionality and combination of features packed in will make it worth the tradeoff.
The 800w's official dimensions are 2.28" (W) x 4.41" (L) x 0.73" (D); (58 x 112 x 18.5 mm) and it weights 5.0 oz (142 g). The unit itself is actually only a little larger than a Palm Centro and a healthy bit smaller overall than its predecessor the Treo 700w. Users upgrading from a Treo 700 series device will see the most benefit as it is much more compact and nearly 2 ounces lighter compared with that range.
Specs wise, this device nearly has it all. Of course being born in Sunnyvale, there are some things that don't quite measure up, but overall this is the most feature rich smartphone Palm has produced to date. The combination of high speed wireless data, Wi-Fi, GPS, a decently sized screen, quality keyboard and a multi-tasking capable OS make for an extremely productive package.
Wi-Fi
The Wi-Fi wireless works well and doesn't seem to be as big of a power drain that you would expect, largely thanks to Palm's optimizations and the efficient Wi-Fi button. With a simple press of the button you can connect to an open access point or protected networks that you previously defined. Simply holding the button for a few seconds will disconnect you and turn the Wi-Fi radio off. This is defiantly a nicely thought out feature that greatly simplifies and eliminates the complexity of connecting and managing the typical Wi-Fi process. While the EvDO certainly isn't pokey, Wi-Fi when available, is usually a much faster option.
GPS and Mapping Capabilities
The GPS functionality is also a welcome new feature and Palm has taken advantage of it well on this device. GPS signal acquisition times are very fast on average, even indoors, thanks to its AGPS assistance. Even inside my building it could identify my location in under 20-30 seconds. Palm has created a easy to use plugin situated right on the today screen to simplify location based searches. You simply type in a business name or point of interest topic and it will grab your location and give you a list of results nearby your exact location along with contact and directional info. You don't even have to turn on gps or configure a thing, it works very well and pulls down up to date information from the Internet. To get more sophisticated turn by turn, voice guided directions you'll have to purchase the Sprint Navigation package or another third party solution. Google's free Google Maps application for Windows Mobile also works well and supports the gps functionality. (I should point out for laughs that I the 'My Location' feature doesn't seem to be supported on the 800w, however with the gps it's completely unnecessary).
Processor and Memory
In terms of specs and processing speed, this is somewhat of a disappointment. Overall performance is acceptable, however certain functions clearly push the limits of the device and it struggles at times to keep up. The 800w is running a Qualcomm MSM6800A chipset clocked at 333 MHz. While we all know that MHz isn't the only measure of performance, this is just a scant 21 MHz faster than than smartphones that Palm released over four years ago.
There isn't a ton of noticeable system lag, most apps and menu's launch and display quickly, but the device is certainly no rocket. It gets the job done, but intensive operations will take their toll. The biggest slowdowns I experienced so far have been in using the web browser (IE) and reading html email's. Larger full size web pages slow the device down to an unresponsive crawl at times while they load. While certainly annoying, how much of an issue this is may depend on your own personal usage pattern. It just seems frustrating now that the network speed bottleneck has been removed, that the main issue now is the device processor in the case of this device. Perhaps a more efficient web browser or a future rom update could help alleviate some of these issues.
System memory seems generous for a Windows Mobile device. The 800w includes 256MB user memory (about 170MB is available for use), with 128MB program memory that acts as system ram. The microSD card slot that supports cards up to 8GB is conveniently accessible on the side of the device should you need more for your music, photos and videos. With most competing devices these days now measuring their own internal memory in the GB range at similar price points, this is certainly on the lower end of the scale.
Display
With the 800w, Palm's Windows Mobile powered line now equals Palm OS Treos of years past in terms of screen resolution. The 320 x 320 pixel touchscreen is significant improvement over the former 240 x 240 grid of old. Text and graphics are much enhanced. Most curiously, out of the box the option for ClearType is not turned on. The setting (found in: Start - Settings - System - Screen - ClearType) provides for vastly improved, anti-alised systemwide text and should be the first thing new owners enable.
The display quality itself is adequate. It's not terribly bright and I've found I have to set it to at least 80% max brightness just for it to be acceptable even indoors. That said, it does hold up well outdoors and in direct sunlight. The touchscreen is of course very handy and necessary for Windows Mobile Professional. The display itself is plastic and requires more of a push than I'm used to. I've been a little less than pleased with the touchscreen's responsiveness so far. It doesn't always register when I try to use the back of my fingernail or even a finger and the scroll-bars are also a little slim and hard to target with anything other than a stylus. In addition, the included stylus practically bends in your grip just attempting to do basic screen taps due to its poor composition. As you can probably infer, the included stylus is a very slim and plasticly afterthought. Easily one of the worst I've ever used. A proper replacement stylus would be one of the first accessories I would invest in (after an audio adapter).
The keyboard is the usual Treo standard. It really doesn't differ too much from previous incarnations. The only difference I can discern on the 800w is that the keys feel flatter, a bit less pronounced than the 700 series. As far as typing goes this is a good thumb keyboard. As an email and document machine the 800w excels in that regard thanks to the higher resolution and aforementioned thumb board. Palm OS users can enjoy the ironic inclusion of the option to use classic onscreen Graffiti input on the device if they so choose as Microsoft's Block Recognizer is also an option.
So far I've been enjoying the Treo 800w. There is a lot to like yet also a good amount to nitpick, but when you look at the overall package this is a nice, yet overdue, addition to Palm's smartphone lineup. It certainly lives up to Palm's claims as its most business friendly device to date and offers a lot of compelling features that are integrated quite well.
Some Initial Tips and observations
- Enable ClearType! trust us, see above for instructions.
- The Internet Search bar uses Windows Live by default, you can go into the 'Today Settings' and enable 'Web Search' which uses Google.
- Running Internet Explorer in full screen mode with a smaller zoom setting can offer an improved browsing experience.
- The battery is the exact same as the Centro's (1150 mAh) and is identical in size and uses the same connector.
- A major downside and huge oversight is that there is no audio adapter included to use standard 3.5mm (or even 2.5mm) stereo headsets. Bluetooth A2DP is there, but still this is a big letdown
- The device seems to recharge pretty quickly. I haven't been through a lot of cycles, but the first two seemed to go from near empty to full in a little more than two hours.
- Native Office 2007 files seem to take a really long time to create and load, saving as an alternate format eliminates this issue.
- Holding down the "OK" button in any app will bring up the task manager, which lets you easily jump to any open app or close running processes.
- StyleTap (a Palm OS emulator) works well on the device, especially since the display resolution allows for a more native feel. However in our tests most apps tend to run a little slow, but for Palm OS holdouts, it may prove useful.
- Bluetooth DUN and USB sharing work out of the box on Windows Machines.
The Treo 800w is available today for consumers and businesses at Sprint Stores, online at Palm.com and through Sprint or Palm's B2B sales organizations. It will be available for $249.99 after discounts and rebates with a two-year contract.
Read our full Palm Treo 800w review.
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RE: Great impression
So close yet still so far
I actually don't mind the FF that much (of course, I have yet to personally fondle one either).
It's taking forever, with plenty of growing pains along the way, but WinMob/CE is slowly but surely becoming a solid mobile OS. I'd still like to see MS totaly dump the Start button concept and try for someone a little more optimized for the small mobile screen experience.
It'd also be nice to see WM7 impost strict limits preventing ANY SSS (small square screens), no matter the resolution, on licensees' devices. Otherwise, we'll likely to keep going to 480x480, 640x640, etc ad ifinitum...
It'a kinda tragic that Palm has abandoned the Palm OS Treo market for devices targeted at the playground. The 800w formfactor containing the optimized Centro innards + a few more bells & whistles (128mb RAM + 2gb internal flash drive + 3.5mm stereo headphone jack in lieu of Rev. A, Wi-Fi & GPS?) would make a perfect swan song for the Garnet OS.
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: So close yet still so far
Let 'em get the bugs out on Microsoft's dime, then perhaps we'll see a PalmOS version of the same phone with adequate battery. Styletap is not ready for prime time, also ridiculously expensive ($50 bux), not hotsync/TCP/IP capable, and slooooooooow..
|
**Another vote for a >100MB RAM Treo**
RE: So close yet still so far
Pat Horne
RE: So close yet still so far
Thanks to the optimizations in Windows Mobile 6.1 and the reduced die size on the processor, the old mAh numbers don't really apply to new devices. Why do you think the VGA-screened HTC Diamond can get away with a 900 mAh battery? I get the same battery life, roughly, out of my 800w with WM 6.1 and a 65nm die processor as I did on my Mogul with WM 6.0 and a 90nm die processor, despite dropping from a 1540 mAh battery to a 1150 mAh battery.
In short, you don't know what you think you know, and don't knock it until you've tried it.
RE: So close yet still so far
Would be funny for Palm's most successful PalmOS Treo to be the very last. Hell, I'd probably trade up my Centro for a slightly larger, faster version. Honestly though, the Centro's a pretty solid phone. I'm a heavy Exchange EAS(Push) mail/calendar/contacts, web app, remote desktop, 3000 mins/month users, and the centro keeps taking the hits. It does have it moments (the dreaded DBCache lag when switching between Email and the Web browser, and an occasional soft-rest), but pretty much on-par or better than every other phone/smart-phone I've ever owned.
Tungsten T -> Palm TX -> TX & Centro (Good combo so far!)
RE: So close yet still so far
Here's a fully fleshed-out 800p AKA "Centro 800":
-800w formfactor, modified to accomodate a 3.5mm stereo headphone jack (where the wi-fi button is currently) & a thicker battery, since wi-fi & GPS are being jettisoned
-NVFs-optimized Centro innards + tweaked ROM fixes
-128mb RAM + 2gb internal flash drive w/ drive mode + plenty of heap/cache memory
-Same 2mp cameras as 800w
-EVDO Rev. 0 only, due to OS limitations
-Available simultaneously on ALL major CDMA carriers
-Google Mobile Maps 2.x in ROM
-Same bundle as on the Centro (latest versions possible, possibly with a game or two in ROM as well)
-Include a prefs setting for setting the 2 buttons under the LCD for quick-launching apps (and provide the necessary API support to all developers). With with the developers to make DTG, GMM, Ptunes, and at least a few of the bundled apps (Camera, Photos etc) work with those 2 buttons.
-Recode the GSM dialer/phone app for CDMA-this is a MUST!
-Source a better, brighter, whiter LCD (like the Centro's but larger)
-1500mAh battery standard (since none of the WinMob power-saving optimizations are there in Garnet
-Release it in 2 editions: One the standard black/white through the carriers...and the other a limited edition "COBALT BLUE" available only from palm.com and with a metal stylus included instead of the 800w's plastic one. Oh yeah, include a fancy matching leather case (black w/ cobalt blue accents, please) + Hotsync cradle in the limited edition box as well!
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: So close yet still so far
I had my 800w eat its entire battery in 24 hours of standby, simply because it was roaming. I'm running a battery test right now, and the device is on track to provide about 2.5 hours of WiFi use on a charge.
By the way, the Mogul is officially going to get a new WM6.1 ROM too. It's already unofficially available.
RE: So close yet still so far
WooHoo ... Way 2 Go Palm!!! Rah Rah Rah!
I hope somebody has spoken with Mr. Colligen and the sycophants who constantly knocked the props out from under "WiFi on a Smartphone", not to mention PDAs. The "talking points" need a good changin' folks. Four years of futility and foolish excuses has finally given way to the obvious. Biz users want and need WiFi.
I know the rumors have confirmed this for months now, but I thought someone should give credit where credit is due. Now on to bigger and better "unnecessary" things like a real stylus, 3.5mm audio, or God forbid HVGA or VGA.
PIC whiners now need to set their sights on 2012. It's not that far away you know.
Pat Horne
RE: WooHoo ... Way 2 Go Palm!!! Rah Rah Rah!
RE: WooHoo ... Way 2 Go Palm!!! Rah Rah Rah!
Pat Horne
RE: WooHoo ... Way 2 Go Palm!!! Rah Rah Rah!
Really, this is impressive, esp. coming from Palm. Besides the OS of course... :-P
http://tinyurl.com/2ooncg
RE: WooHoo ... Way 2 Go Palm!!! Rah Rah Rah!
And to do it on Windows Mobile! We never thought THAT would happen... It even has a COLOR SCREEN! And apparently it's powered by wind - as that much battery capacity probably won't power the phone for very long...
Where's my flying helicopter car? I KNOW Palm's got a fleet of them hidden away in Sunnyvale (probably being used by the leprechauns who've been developing Palm OS6 for the past 8 years or so)...
|
**Another vote for a >100MB RAM Treo**
RE: WooHoo ... Way 2 Go Palm!!! Rah Rah Rah!
Dude, what part of just gettin' downright stupid praising Palm did you not get. Yeah, it's over the top, but somebody around here needed to give credit, even if it is 4 years late. Every Palm site on the planet has been begging for WiFi since 2003-4. At least Palm finally stepped up.
The only problem is "if nobody is in the forest, does a tree falling actually make noise?" Like he said, it's 2008. Kinda like bringing out fuel injection on my latest car. A bit late to the game, but still thankful.
Pat Horne
RE: WooHoo ... Way 2 Go Palm!!! Rah Rah Rah!
1. Tungsten C released with 802.11b, April 2003. THE power users' PDA for its time. Its specs still hold up well 5+ years later.
2. Palm Wi-Fi SDIO card released, August 2003. Only the T|T3 & Zire 72 are officially supported. Treo 650 drivers are semi-promised by Colligan but never materialize.
3. Palm LifeDrive released with 802.11b, May 2005. Palm's implementation of wi-fi & Blazer on this device (and the LifeDrive in general) is so disasterous that it's hardly worth anyone's time.
4. Palm TX released with 802.11b, October 2005. Finally Palm gets it right from the get-go (screen size/resolution, pricing, stability, amount of RAM, BT & wi-fi).
5. Palm Treo 700w released, January 2006. Includes native support for Palm's wi-fi card. Finally, a non-sled, non-hacked, (albeit kludgey) wi-fi solution for a Treo. But with such a paltry amount of onboard memory, is it worth sacrificing your SD slot's storage capabilities to gain wi-fi?
6.Palm Fooleo announced, then cancelled (May-September 2007). This would have been Palm's first native wi-fi product in nearly 2 years had it not been canceled at the 11th hour. Among other things, many criticize Palm for sticking with the aging 802.11b instead of "g", especially with competitors like Asus' EEE PC lurking in the wings.
7. Treo 800w released, July 2008. Palm's first Treo with integrated wi-fi as well as Palm's first g-supporting 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
RE: WooHoo ... Way 2 Go Palm!!! Rah Rah Rah!
3. Palm LifeDrive released with 802.11b, May 2005. Palm's implementation of wi-fi & Blazer on this device (and the LifeDrive in general) is so disasterous that it's hardly worth anyone's time.
This is a popular mantra with the "Palm can do no right" crowd but I have owned a LifeDrive since the second day day it was available and while it is definitely more unstable than other Palm devices it wasn't that bad and it's wifi wasn't any more unstable than any other aspect of the device. In fact, even though I retired last Christmas after getting a Palm TX, one of the things that I've noticed about the LifeDrive is that it actually connects a little more quickly over wifi than my TX does. If every aspect of my LifeDrive had been as fast as its wifi performance (and if it had been more stable), I might still be using it today.
6.Palm Fooleo announced, then cancelled (May-September 2007). This would have been Palm's first native wi-fi product in nearly 2 years had it not been canceled at the 11th hour. Among other things, many criticize Palm for sticking with the aging 802.11b instead of "g", especially with competitors like Asus' EEE PC lurking in the wings.
Most of these critics never even used a Foleo and still use childish little nicknames for things they don't like despite being self-proclaimed "power users" and "professionals."
And speaking of the Asus EEE PC, it seems to me that if Palm had actually released the Foleo and if it had sold only one-sixth the number of units that the EEE PC did, that Palm would have likely made a tidy profit on it - even as an also-ran device - instead of eating a $10 million loss on it. That was the real problem with the Foleo, that Palm didn't have the guts to just release it and let the market decide its fate.
Screw convergence
Palm III->Visor Deluxe->Visor Platinum->Visor Prism->Tungsten E->Palm LifeDrive->Palm TX
Visor Pro+VisorPhone->Treo 180g->Treo 270->Treo 600->Treo 680
http://mind-grapes.blogspot.com/
RE: WooHoo ... Way 2 Go Palm!!! Rah Rah Rah!
In fact, even though I retired last Christmas after getting a Palm TX...
Man, your Palm made you so unproductive that it actually put you into retirement? Wow. That's a new low, even for Palm.
-Bosco
NX80v + Wifi + BT + S710a
RE: WooHoo ... Way 2 Go Palm!!! Rah Rah Rah!
Treo 800w is fast
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XApljwMCUPU
RE: Treo 800w is fast
RE: Treo 800w is fast
528mhz AND it doesn't even use any nasty proprietary Memory Stick variant but rather good ol' microSDHC!
http://wmexperts.com/reviews/smartphones/review_first_impressions_of_th.html
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: Treo 800w is fast
get your head out of the sand
RE: Treo 800w is fast
hkk, the Xperia is some fine hardware. You weren't using that kidney that much anyway. :)
RE: Treo 800w is fast
Here're my thoughts:
============
SV: I read a post on an obscure message board that said the 800W was radically slower than the Mogul by someone I don't know at all, though the ID is familiar in a vaguely positive way. I read another post on the same message board by another ID that seems vaguely familiar in a vaguely negative way for no particularly good reason that I can remember that says that person saw someone else's comparison and says the 800W is radically faster than the Mogul.
W.r.t. The Video, it's junk, of course - a Fanboy with an agenda not telling us critical information about the "experimental setup" other than saying upfront that his own tests showed the 800W was slower but the UI was inexplicably (literally!) faster for two videoed tests (of how many others that WEREN'T faster?).
I guess this means I'm still waiting.
RE: Treo 800w is fast
The Treo 800w hardware is not as fast as the competition, especially from HTC.
The Treo 800w experience is much, much faster than the competition, especially from HTC.
This comes down to Palm's "special sauce", the software optimizations that make the Treo a Treo.
RE: Treo 800w is fast
I have a Treo 800w. It's faster than my Mogul. It's faster than my friend's Tilt. I have absolutely nothing to gain by lying to you (bought the Treo with my own money and everything). If you refuse to believe that because you have an ax to grind, I pity you.
RE: Treo 800w is fast
No, I refuse to believe that because YOU have an ax to grind.
RE: Treo 800w is fast
What ax does he have to grind?! He's switched between PalmOS & WM more times than I want to count! He's used enough different devices that I would believe what he says. That still doesn't make me want WM in any way shape or form, though.
Besides, if Apple ever opens up the iPhone's BT connection to portable external keyboards, he'll probably then jump to that! (So will all the rest of you!!)
RE: Treo 800w is fast
I can't agree. Nothing about the Treo 800w has struck me as unusually fast, or faster than comparable HTC units.
For all the talk about "secret sauce," Palm doesn't really make that much in the way of changes to their WM devices. Their alterations were more notable back when the 700w launched, because at that point Microsoft was still not keen on manufacturers customizing the OS package, but in the mean time we've seen a lot more radical overhauls of WM for other devices.
If somebody can tell me exactly what changes Palm makes to the core OS, that supposedly make the device faster, I'd be happy to eat my words. I just don't believe that in the highly competitive smartphone market, Palm's really sitting on customizations that are allowed by Microsoft but not practiced by any other OEM.
RE: Treo 800w is fast
- http://discussion.treocentral.com/showpost.php?p=1464475&postcount=1
but
- http://discussion.treocentral.com/showpost.php?p=1464667&postcount=11
and
- http://discussion.treocentral.com/showpost.php?p=1464677&postcount=12
and
- http://discussion.treocentral.com/showpost.php?p=1464688&postcount=13
etc.
RE: Treo 800w is fast
If I could edit posts here this and the one above would be gone.
RE: Treo 800w is fast
http://www.wmexperts.com/articles/treo_800w_direct3d_hardware_ac.html
Would you like ketchup with those words?
RE: Treo 800w is fast
Does ANY phone have that enabled?
If not, is there a reason other phones don't have that enabled - like buggy implementation?
Etc etc etc.
RE: Treo 800w is fast
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Great impression