A lot of folks said it would never happen, but here it is: A Palm device running Windows Mobile software. This isn't just any device, either. It's the latest version of Palm's wildly popular Treo series of Smartphones. Everything that's great about the Treo hardware is here, plus all the power of Windows Mobile 5.0.
The Treo 700wx: An office in your pocket. See it in detail. You can also See it in 3D. |
Search the Web from the Today Screen. |
Check email on the go. |
Make contact by email, text, or phone. |
Shoot and share photos and video. |
View PowerPoint Mobile presentations. |
With the Treo 700wx, you can experience broadband-like download speeds using Sprint's EV-DO technology. Simply put, everything you need to do your work on the move, and at blazing speeds, has arrived. Design
Under the hood, the Treo 700wx features 128MB of RAM (60MB available for end user storage) and an Intel XScale 312MHz processor. The design retains the same basic form factor as the Treo 650 with a few changes. Aesthetically, the new Treo has more angular lines and a more professional-looking gray color. At 6 ounces, it's also slightly lighter than its predecessor. The button layout above the full QWERTY keyboard has been changed to accommodate the Windows Mobile 5.0 interface, and the screen sports 240 x 240 resolution.
Like the Treo 650, the top of the 700wx features an expansion card slot for SD, SDIO, and MMC memory and expansion cards, and get this: Unlike the 650, the 700wx supports the Palm Wi-Fi card. Up top there's also an infrared port for line of sight data transfers, as well as a handy switch for turning off the phone's ringer. Below the screen, a five-way navigator controls most of the phone's menus and operating system functions. The left side of the unit features a volume up/down toggle plus a handy user-customizable button that can be assigned to any phone or PDA function. The rear of the unit houses a loudspeaker, as well as the 1.3 megapixel camera unit. A touchscreen stylus can be tucked away on the right side of the phone. Meanwhile, a combined charging, data, and accessory attachment port, called the Palm "multi-connector" is housed on the bottom of the unit, as is a standard 2.5 mm stereo headset jack.
Calling and PDA Features
Like the Treo 650, the Treo 700wx's phone and PDA functions are designed to provide an integrated, seamless experience--only this time it's all handled by Windows Mobile software. The hallmark of the Windows Mobile experience is the "Today" screen that summarizes all the important information you need to make it through the day. Here you'll get message notification, upcoming appointments, dialing functions, and a Google Web searching all in one spot.
As a phone, the Treo 700wx features all the functionality folks expect from a handset, including a handsfree speakerphone, polyphonic ringtones (polyphonic MIDI, MP3, WAV and video ringtones are supported), a vibrate mode, and picture caller ID. Microsoft Office Outlook Mobile combines email, calendar, contacts, tasks, and notes into a single application that seamlessly integrates with the 700wx's phone functions. Meanwhile, headsets, car kits and other wireless peripherals can also be paired with the unit via Bluetooth (the Bluetooth 1.2 specification is supported).
Staying productive on the road is made possible by the Microsoft Office Mobile suite, which includes Word Mobile, Excel Mobile, and PowerPoint Mobile. You also get Picsel PDF Viewer for viewing PDF document attachments, and the File Explorer application makes it easy to browse the files on your 700wx.
Messaging and Internet
The really big news about the 700wx is that it supports Sprint's EVDO mobile broadband service, allowing you to get DSL speeds wherever you have broadband data coverage. And what can you do with all that speed? Surf the Web faster than ever before using the bundled Internet Explorer application, or log into Pocket MSN and check your Hotmail, use MSN Messenger, or browse the MSN Mobile portal. Robust SMS and MMS functionality is built into the Windows Mobile interface, too.
One of the most important tools bundled with the 700wx is Microsoft ActiveSync, which allows you to quickly synchronize your device's tasks, calendars, email, and contacts with your desktop. You also get Exchange ActiveSync, an application that lets you synchronize data with an Exchange server. Syncing can be done via USB, or wirelessly via Bluetooth.
Imaging and Entertainment
Another great feature of the 700wx is that it supports Windows Media playback right out of the box. With Windows Media Player 10, Palm users can finally play streaming and downloaded video and audio content in a variety of formats, even purchased music from "Plays For Sure" supporting stores. You can also keep your tunes loaded on a memory card and listen to stereo sound wherever you roam (requires an optional stereo headset adapter).
The Treo 700wx's built-in camera sees a bump in performance with the ability to take 1.3 megapixel (1280 x 1024) stills. The camera also features a 2x digital zoom, a self portrait mirror, and automatic light balancing. While the camera is great for taking stills, it can also function as a camcorder, allowing you to capture MPEG4 video to the unit's memory. An integrated media application organizes your captured photos and videos.
And last, but certainly not least, the Treo 700wx keeps the fun going when you've got some downtime with great games. Bubble Breaker and Solitaire ship with the handset, but more Windows Mobile games are available.
Vital Statistics
The Palm Treo 700wx weighs 6.0 ounces and measures 4.40 x 2.30 x .90 inches. Its lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 4.5 hours of digital talk time, and up to 360 hours of digital standby time. It runs on the CDMA 850/1900 frequencies, as well as the EV-DO and 1xRTT data frequencies. The phone comes with a one year limited warranty.
