Cellphone Reviews Blog

Palm Centro Black Phone ATandT

Life starts after five o’clock. Not coincidentally, that’s also when the Palm Centro smartphone comes alive. Not only does the Palm Centro handle all your favorite voice functions, but it also offers text, IM, e-mail, and web access–all in a body that’s a lot smaller than you’d think. Add a 1.3-megapixel camera, 64 MB of internal memory, Bluetooth connectivity for headsets, MicroSD expansion, and a full QWERTY keyboard and you have a terrific smartphone for all your messaging and personal needs. You’ll be able to get to where you’re going fast with support for TeleNav GPS Navigator software (which requires an optional Bluetooth GPS receiver). And this quad-band GSM version of the Centro for AT&T also features walkie talkie-style Push to Talk (PTT) communication in addition to voice dialing and speakerphone capabilities. The integrated Palm OS 5.4.9 operating system also plays nicely with Windows XP and Vista as well as Mac OS X 10.2 and higher.

The Palm Centro’s full QWERTY keyboard makes it easy to type text messages, IMs, and e-mails.

AT&T Service
This phone operates on GSM 850/900/1800/1900 networks and can handle high-speed data connectivity via AT&T’s EDGE network (which stands for “Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution”), with availability in more than 13,000 US cities and along some 40,000 miles of major highways. This third-generation, high-speed, mobile data and Internet access technology is fast enough to support a wide range of advanced data services (with average data speeds between 75-135Kbps), including video and music clips, full picture and video messaging, high-speed color Internet access, and email on the go.

The phone has a built-in web browser for MEdia Net downloads and mobile web browsing. AT&T’s MEdia Net service enables you to receive and send emails, read news headlines, get weather updates, download games and ringtones, and more. The AT&T Mobile Music platform includes the ability to sideload music with Napster and eMusic with the built-in Pocket Tunes Deluxe application, listen to live radio with XM Radio Mobile, discover new songs with MusicID and more. You can also access XM Radio Mobile, which provides 25 of the best XM Radio channels, featuring commercial-free rock, hip-hop, country, jazz and more (additional monthly fee; free three-day trial included).

With a database of more than 3 million artists and titles, you can use MusicID to identify an unknown song. While holding the Centro up to a speaker, the MusicID application returns song information such as title, artist and cover art, if available. It also keeps track of previous IDs and allows users to share song information with friends via text messages (additional monthly fee; free three-day trial included).

It’s also MobiTV capable, which enables you to watch live television, premium and prime-time programming, video-on-demand clips and satellite and digital music services from the top broadcast and cable television networks and major music labels (additional monthly charges are applicable).

You can take advantage of the TeleNav GPS Navigator software, the full-featured premium navigation application that includes audible turn-by-turn directions, real-time traffic updates and re-routing options, and 3D moving maps. It comes as a 30-day trial version, and it can be downloaded via the TeleNav web site or via virtual pre-load icon (VPL) after activation.

You can also instantly talk across the largest Push to Talk (PTT) network coverage area in America. Push to Talk works like a walkie-talkie to talk to an individual or a group of up to 29 users. With status icons that clearly indicate the availability of friends and family, Push to Talk customers will know who is free before they call. You can purchase unlimited Push to Talk minutes with with single or family plans, or use Push to Talk on a pay-per-use basis that’s charged by the minute.

Click to see even more details.

Design
The Palm Centro boasts a sleek glacier white housing that measures a mere 4.2 by 2.1 by 0.7 inches (HxWxD) and weighs 4.2 ounces. It’s notably smaller than many competing smartphones, yet doesn’t sacrifice functionality at any point along the way. Users will also love the 320 x 320 touchscreen (up to 65,000 colors), which offers a crisp resolution for photos and videos. And thanks to the full QWERTY keyboard, you can say L8R to those tricky keys on your old cell phone.

Phone and Messaging Functions
The Palm Centro smartphones offers a ton of ways to stay in touch with friends, whether calling, firing off a quick text, instant messaging, or sending an e-mail. From a phone perspective, the Palm Centro lets you dial people right from your address book, set up three-way calls from the touch of a button, or use the speakerphone to talk hands-free. The keyboard, meanwhile, makes it a breeze to type complete messages whether you’re sending text, pictures, or even audio or video clips. Plus, the Centro keeps all your messages in a chat-style view, so it’s easy to keep track of the conversation.

Want to keep up with all the latest gossip when you’re away from the computer? Turn to the Centro’s instant messaging functions, which support all your buddy lists on AIM, MSN, and Yahoo. It also supports Good Mobile Messaging after an over-the-air (OTA) download of the software.. Similarly, the Centro lets you access your personal e-mail accounts, such as Gmail, AOL, and Yahoo. As a result, you can reply to invites and answer e-mails when you’re out and about.

Web Functions
Whether you’re keeping up with friends on Facebook or looking up directions to the new bistro across town, the Centro’s touchscreen and keyboard make it fun to navigate around the web. The Centro includes a fast built-in web browser that lets you check out photos on Flickr quickly via AT&T’s EDGE data network. The Centro is also compatible with Google Maps, making it simple to get directions or see which freeways are clear and which ones are parking lots. Google Maps shows you red, yellow, or green traffic routes in real time.

Organizer Functions
The Palm Centro includes a complete organizer for keeping track of all your daily, weekly, and monthly responsibilities. The contacts list gathers all your friends’ phone numbers, addresses, and more, while the calendar keeps you from missing upcoming meetings, events, and parties. You can even enter a friend’s birthday in the contacts list and will automatically show up in your calendar. As with the best organizers, the Centro also offers a to-do list that lets you check off items when they’re complete. As a result, it’s easy to keep track of what you did and still need to do. And should you come across a tidbit that doesn’t have a logical home, simply turn to the memo function, which lets you store random information such as hot spots in Vegas or the names of movies you’d like to rent. Say goodbye to carrying around crumpled scraps of paper in your pocket or purse. Finally, it’s possible to save a copy of all those names, numbers, appointments, photos, and videos on your computer thanks to the sync function.

Multimedia
Whether you want to take pictures, play videos, or listen to music, the Palm Centro has got you covered. The 1.3-megapixel digital camera (with a 2x digital zoom) lets you shoot pictures and send them to friends, store digital albums, or shoot videos. The built-in MP3 player, meanwhile, lets you take your tunes everywhere you go. With 64 MB of storage, there’s plenty of room for your playlists, plus you can add up to 4 GB more with a microSD card. And thanks to Pocket Tunes Deluxe, you can play the songs you downloaded from online music stores.

Vital Statistics
The Palm Centro weighs 4.2 ounces and measures 4.2 x 2.1 x 0.7 inches. Its 1150 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 3 hours of talk time, and up to 240 hours of digital standby time. It runs on the 850/900/1800/1900 GSM/GPRS/EDGE frequencies.

User Ratings and Reviews

3 Stars Excellent Smartphone on a Poor AT&T Network
As of March 2009, I think Palm Centro is one of the best smartphones available. The style is simple, unadorned and functional a.k.a. Google style but not stylish, fun & glamorous like iPhone & Mac. Having used 3 Windows Mobile phones, iPhone, Balckberry Storm, Palm Treo 755p & Nokia E51, I think Centro is closest to the ideal smartphone but AT&T network does not hold water to Verizon Wirelss network in reliability.

1. Clear sound. Solid, reliable phone.

2. Reasonable size & weight (119 gms) and is pocketable and you have to carry phone with you all the time. But there is scope for improvement, it could be lighter and thinner. Ideal weight for a phone is less than 100 gms.

3. Top-notch contact, calendar and memos management.

4. Brisk, peppy response and rarely locks up or freezes.

5. A-one Microsoft office document functionality with Documents-to-Go.

6. Good QWERTY keyboard.

7. Fairly decent availability of applications.

8. Functions well as a tethered modem with cable and speed in 800-900 Kbs range on Verizon Wireless network.

10.Synchronizes calendar, contacts and memos with Macbook.

11.Good SMS function: threads messages.

But Centro is not without flaws: the default OK button is on Voicemail and dials Voicemail unintentionally. I have not been able to sync over Bluetooth or use Bluetooth modem. Web browser is fast for mobile sites but otherwise barely functional – Internet is available but browsing is not enjoyable like on iPhone. Instead of micro-USB or mini-USB, it uses proprietary cable which is hard to take out. Camera is bare minimum at 1.3 Megapixels and music function is basic with 2.5 mm audio jack. Font size is small and has to be individually adjusted in each application.

Here is my Gestalt on smartphones.

1. iPhone is the best MP3, video and multimedia player, has the best user interface and mobile browser experience but is abysmal as a phone in comparison to Verizon Centro. AT&T has poor network signal and coverage, the calls drop all the time and sound on iPhone is average.

2. Blackberry Storm has a gorgeous screen and excellent email device but has very buggy software and constantly freezes. Blackberries shine when it comes to email.

3. Windows Mobile phones are horrendous: packed with features that don’t work and smartphone operating system is the most unreliable.

4. Symbian based Nokia phones are fairly decent smartphones but their availability on US cellular carriers is very limited. Verizon Wireless, the best network in US, has none.

In my experience Palm operating system is one of the most trusty and functional smartphone operating systems. Centro is supposedly the last in the Palm lineage phones. I would recommend it if you need a solid, trustworthy smartphone, but on Verizon, not on AT&T.

4 Stars A nice phone
I’ve had this phone for about a month now and it’s serving me well. My only minor complaint is how tiny the buttons are. It takes some getting used to but they are manageable however. Everything else I like. Doesn’t hurt it was only .01! I’d recommend it.

3 Stars Nice device but Palm OS is terrible on a phone
I have used and liked the Palm PDAs over many years.

My work gave me a Palm Centro.

The device is nice – fits in short or trouser pocket easily.

The Palm OS is frustrating – freezes regularly for 2-3 seconds when

accessing commands or navigating the menus. This is by far the biggest

annoyance with this phone. I’ll tr to navigate to a manu or function

and the phone freezes for several seconds and then catches up.

Keyboard is small.

Web browsing is acceptable.

The device is ok as a phone but you really need a bluetooth to make it

usable.

Would certainly not be the device of my choice if I had to buy one.

1 Star I really wanted to like this phone…
but in all honesty it fails to please on many levels. The first one I had the four-way browsing button stopped functioning in two weeks. This wasn’t from dropping or hard use, but just casual, in the pocket carrying.

The second phone I was using a plug in style hands free device and when I removed it the phone would not come out of hands free mode: the ear piece was disabled and the microphone was muted. I refuse to pay $50 dollars for the insurance deductible to replace a poorly made, fragile device that will probably break again in the next six months.

I will give it that it is a wonderfully sized PDA that is easy to carry and great to text on but Palm’s quality control has failed me for the last time. I’ve had four of their PDA’s just to have everyone of them stop functioning within a year from casual use, not dropping, getting wet, or any other abuse. I’m going to Blackberry and reccomend you do the same.

1 Star Palm’s Bargain Phone – Buyer Beware
Cons: Cheaply constructed buttons. Long delays after button presses, etc. Can’t sync email, etc unless connected the ‘Sprint’ network

Pros: I liked the included ring tones/sound, battery life decent

I was excited to get a new Palm OS based phone at a great price. However, the phone’s cheaply constructed tin-foil buttons caught on on the corner of my pants pocket just after the 30 day exchange policy. It was all over after that, as the bent buttons just kept getting worse, then the center button fell out making it impossible to use. Palm offered to fix the phone at a gracious 50% off for $150. So it can break again? No thanks!

Some might get lucky and not see these problems until months after purchase – just be forewarned.

Buy/More Info

palm Treo 680 Phone Crimson ATandT

Curious about data devices, and looking to step up from a traditional handset to a smartphone with more power and features? Look no further than the Palm Treo 680 smartphone. Perfect for business customers, mobile professionals and just about anybody looking to get more out of their handset, the 680 is an amazing and affordable smartphone. With features like Bluetooth 1.2, 64 MB of internal memory, an SD card slot with support for up to 2 GB of memory, a digital camera with zoom and auto light balance, and a full QWERTY key pad with backlighting, the 680 goes above and beyond many far more expensive smartphones. It’s also the perfect complement to Cingular Wireless service.

The Treo 680: A smartphone for the rest of us. See it in detail. You can also view a product demo (requires Flash).

Phone, email, messaging and more, all in one.

Listen to songs and podcasts.

Snap pictures and shoot video.

Text like crazy on the easy-type keyboard.

Be mobile. Browse mobile.

Design
Under the hood, the Treo 680 features Palm OS 5.4.9, 64MB of non-volatile flash memory available for user storage, and an Intel PXA270 312 MHz processor. The design retains the same popular form factor as the Treo 650 with a few subtle, yet significant, changes. The design is slimmer and lighter, while the updated OS provides for better phone and PDA application integration. The amazing 320 x 320 color touchscreen is still there, as is the full QWERTY backlit keypad. This time though, the expansion card slot is located on the right hand side of the unit. The expansion card slot is compatible with full sized SD cards, and supports up to 2 GB of memory (memory cards sold separately).

Other design features include an infrared port for line of sight data transfers, as well as a handy switch for turning off the phone’s ringer. A five-way navigator controls most of the phone’s menus and operating system functions, while quick application buttons on either side of the navigator get you to your favorite applications in a snap. 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 Treo 680 houses a loudspeaker, as well as the VGA camera unit. A touch-screen stylus can be tucked away on the right side of the phone. Meanwhile, a combined charging, data, and accessory attachment port is housed on the bottom of the unit, as is a standard 2.5 mm stereo headset jack.

Calling and PDA Features
All of the Treo 680’s phone and PDA functions are designed to provide an integrated, seamless experience. For instance, you can type in the name or initials of a contact on the keypad to dial them. Or, use the touch-screen and stylus to copy information from an email and quickly paste it into another email or text message.

Updated from the Treo 650, the 680 sports many improved and new phone/PDA features. The user can now see messages waiting in a preemptive alert window, and the favorites view is now in one vertical easy-to-see list. The length of the favorites list is only limited to available memory. A big dial pad can be formatted on the color touch screen, and the user does not need to go to another application to access the contact list; calling and contacts are all completely integrated. There’s even an easy dialing prefix feature for when you’re out of the country. Different country presets can be programmed into the 680 for true jet-setter world roaming and cell phone convenience. Lastly, easy access to recently visited applications can be achieved by holding down the launch key.

All of the latest phone features folks expect are built-in, too, like a handsfree speakerphone, polyphonic ringtones, a vibrate mode and picture caller ID. The capacity of the unit’s address book is only limited by the amount of internal and expansion memory available. Use the Treo 680’s Bluetooth capability to wirelessly sync your contacts with your PC or Mac (yes, Mac!). Headsets, car kits and other wireless peripherals can also be paired with the unit via Bluetooth.

The Treo 680 is also a fully functional Palm OS device. That means that a huge library of applications, from spreadsheets to word processors to games, can be added to the Treo 680. Download, view, and edit Word and Excel compatible files, rehearse a PowerPoint presentation, even review PDF files, directly on the 680’s conveniently large color touchscreen. It’s easy to perform multiple tasks like checking your calendar while talking on the phone or dialing calls directly from your contacts list. Familiar Palm OS software ships with the handset including calendar, calculator, clock, contacts, memo, and task management applications. Meanwhile, the unit’s memory expansion slot allows you to transfer music, photos, and video from your desktop. Or, use it to load additional games and applications.

Messaging and Internet
The device fully supports SMS and MMS messaging for rapid exchange of pictures, text and video via Cingular’s instant messaging system. Other Cingular services are also supported, such as mobile email and Web browsing. Download Web sites fast using Cingular’s high-speed EDGE connection, and the included award-winning Blazer Web browser. You can even use Google maps while on-the-go to download turn-by-turn directions. Email is easy, too; with the 680, you can send and receive email from corporate and personal email accounts. You can also use your 680 smartphone as a wireless modem for your laptop (Cingular Wireless data charges apply).

Fun and Games
The integrated VGA digital camera included with the Treo 680 sports a 2x digital zoom, features automatic light balancing, can be used to capture video with 352 x 288 pixel resolution, and is outfitted with a handy self-portrait mirror function. If you want to take your tunes with you, the Treo 680 comes with the PocketTunes application, allowing you to load up all your favorite music on SD memory cards, and enjoy MP3 music on the go. Plus, with the ever-expanding library of Palm OS compatible games and other entertainment applications, you’ll never be at a loss for something fun to do during break time.

Vital Statistics
The Palm Treo 680 weighs 5.60 ounces and measures 4.40 x 2.30 x .80 inches. Its lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 4 hours of digital talk time, and up to 300 hours of digital standby time. It runs on the 850/900/1800/1900 GSM/GPRS/EDGE frequencies. The phone comes with a one year limited warranty.

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Good phone with PDA capabilities
I have been a Palm PDA user for years and decided to get a smart phone. I wanted to keep my Palm programs so I bought a Palm Treo. I bought the 680 because I wanted to change cell phone carriers from Verizon (doesn’t get good reception in my geographic area) to AT&T/Cingular. I have owned the phone for about 4 months and have been quite pleased. It is easy to use, compact, and allows me to keep scheduling, contacts, phone, etc. in one device. My one complaint is the battery life, which is relatively short. It has been improved since the upgrades that were available last month. Other than battery life, I haven’t had any problems that other users have described.

5 Stars Great purchase!
I left sprint and wanted to switch to AT&T and Amazon.com had the lowest price by far! I actually received more money back in rebates than I actually paid for the phone! Be patient, the rebate from AT&T takes about 2 months to get to you and the Amazon rebate takes a bit longer. I have had great AT&T cellular service and their customer service has been fantastic, the exact opposite of Sprint!

Now to the phone, I love it! I must say at least once a day how much I love it and I’ve had it for over 2 months. I have had many palm devices, my previous one was a Tungsten. I chose this product because I did not want Windows Mobile software and I wanted to combine my palm and cellphone into one device.

The palm software is nothing new, which I know irritates some consumers. I personally really like the Palm OS. It is easy to use and there are countless programs you can download, even for free (AvantGo and Splash Money/Shopper are great ones). I love that I can search on the web for a business and I can just click on the phone number listed on the website and call. The screen is bright and the keyboard is relatively easy to use once you’ve had some practice. I like the switch on the top of the phone to easily turn vibrate on.

The only downside seems to be the camera. I have yet to take a photo that I haven’t deleted soon after. I really didn’t buy the phone for the camera though. Another annoyance is downloading ringtones..I cannot download them from the AT&T sponsored website which seems silly. I do just use the voice recorder to record whatever song I like and turn it into my ringtone.

I have not had a battery issue like some of the other reviewers have stated. I use the web throughout the day, use the alarm clock, have event reminders set, and have my email updated continuously. I text a few times a day and use the phone for a total of 90mins/2 hours or so on a weekday. By the end of the day my battery percentage is usually around 45%.

Overall, I love this phone and highly recommend it!

3 Stars My second experience with a Treo Smartphone
I now have the 680, it replaced my ailing year old 650 in November 2007. I like the features, but compared to the 650 the battery life is poor. I do have a few issues with the phone: when it is ringing and you touch the phone you lose the call (not just the buttons, anywhere on the phone), the phone locks up frequently and I must take the battery out and then let the phone reboot, and I have to then reset my button preferences each time. This happens 2 or 3 times a day. I use my phone for business as well as personally, so I use it well over 5000 minutes a month. Adobe reader is squirrely, and the phone often drops my bluetooth signal while I am in coversation, and is not a compatible phone with my car- an Acura TL. Now, with all the complaints, I have to say that overall, for what it is, it does the job. I just realize that it will most likely not ‘live’ very long and I will end up replacing it next year, but I have used Palm products since 2000 and will purchase another Smartphone with Palm. I am somewhat hard of hearing, so I appreciate that I can hear while on the phone, and the volume is sufficient for me to use it easily, and I appreciate the LOUD ring tone. If you have realistic expectations, this is a decent phone. I am not blown away either way- which honestly is a decent phone.

5 Stars Fantastic Phone/PDA
I purchased the very impressive AT&T 8925 “Tilt” thinking that it would be a nice upgrade from carrying a phone and a PDA. I couldn’t stand the Windows Mobile software so I traded it in for the Treo 680 and I couldn’t be happier. The “Tilt” may have the “wow” factor and is great for impressing your friends, but the Treo 680 delivers usability!

The Treo 680 is working great, I use bluetooth to sync with my PC without needing a cable. I’d read elsewhere that this was difficult to configure. It wasn’t, the phone walked me through the configuration beautifully.

One *excellent* feature of the Treo 680 is the switch on the top to switch between sound and vibrate mode. Very handy! The camera is perhaps the weakest aspect of this phone (only 640×480 resolution) but I’m surprised at how well the pictures actually are coming out.

The keyboard takes a couple days to “learn” but then works “ok” (as well as I can imagine any tiny keyboard is going to work). It does help to keep your fingernails trimmed, it would be tough to type with long fingernails.

“Documents to Go” as always provides syncronization with word processing and spreadsheet files. And it does it better than Windows Mobile!

5 Stars I’d never do it again
palm Treo 680 Crimson Smartphone (AT&T)The phone Is great. Trying to deal with Amazon was awful. I purchased a phone thinking that I could transfer my number to the new phone. I could not because my old number(not my acct.)was an at&t number. When I tried to return the phone I was given the run around by coustomer service. No one ever contacted me as I was told would happen. I just had to pack the phone up and send it back with tracking. This was my last time dealing with Amazon.com

Buy/More Info

palm Treo 700w Phone Verizon Wireless

To keep your smartphone’s applications up to date, and to optimize the performance of your device, you may need to perform firmware and/or software updates just as you would on your PC. To learn more about updates for your device, please visit Palm’s support site. Note that by clicking this link you will be leaving Amazon.com.

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. And to top it off, the Treo 700w is fully compatible with Verizon wireless’ EV-DO mobile broadband data service. Simply put, everything you need to do your work on the move, and at blazing speeds, has arrived.

Design

Legendary Palm hardware meets Windows Mobile 5.0 software. View features.

The innovative Today screen keeps all your vital info in one place. View details.

An integrated application captures and organizes your photos and videos.

Under the hood, the Treo 700w 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 650, the top of the 700w features an expansion card slot for SD, SDIO, and MMC memory and expansion cards, and get this: Unlike the 650, the 700w 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 700w’s phone and PDA functions are designed to provide an integrated, seamless experience — only this time its all handled by Windows Mobile. 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 700w features all the functionality folks expect from a cell phone, 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 700w’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 700w.

Messaging and Internet
The really big news about the 700w is that it supports Verizon’s BroadbandAccess high speed wireless data 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 700w 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 700w 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 700w’s built-in camera sees a bump in performance with the ability to take 1.3 megapixel (1280×1024) 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 700w 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.

Suggested Service Options
To get the most from the Treo 700w, you’ll need to choose two additional service features on top of a voice plan. First, consider a Verizon BroadbandAccess plan, which also includes lower-speed data access in areas where broadband service is not available. If you are a frequent SMS or MMS messaging user, it’s a good idea to get an Unlimited IN messaging plan to avoid pay-per-message charges. To learn more about phone options, consult our cell phone options guide.

EV-DO Wireless Broadband Coverage
Learn more about where BroadbandAccess (EV-DO) coverage is offered. View EV-DO demonstration.

Vital Statistics
The Palm Treo 700w weighs 6.0 ounces and measures 4.4 x 2.30 x .90 inches. Its lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 4.7 hours of digital talk time, and up to 15 days of digital standby time. It runs on the CDMA 800/CDMA 1900 frequencies, as well as the EV-DO and 1xRTT data frequencies. The phone comes with a one year limited warranty.

User Ratings and Reviews

1 Star Does NOT WORK with Vista 64bit
I have a Treo 650. I just bought a new laptop that came with Vista 64bit. Little did I know that NO PalmOne product is compatible with Vista 64bit and they (by the words of one of their customer reps today)are not working on a fix. Now I’m going to have to buy a new phone if I want to be able to sync. More and more new systems are shipping with Vista 64bit and many people are caught unaware of this fact. Please know if you buy this phone, it will not work with Vista 64bit as of the date of this review.

3 Stars Palm Treo 700w
I generally love this phone. However there are some issues that you need to be aware of. If you plan on using a Bluetooth(BT) headset or other device to make phone calls, this is not the phone for you. Using multiple different manufactures of BT headsets this phone will hang up on the headset and turn its own BT off! This is a major problem when you are trying to drive!

The software will also lock up once every few weeks, and once the reminder alarm did not go off, until I did a hard reset of the phone. Then the reminder alarm went off!

5 Stars Excellent Value
After reading several reviews on Amazon concerning the Palm Treo 700w, I felt a need to put positive light on this really useful device. I’m not a power user and only just recently upgraded from a normal cell phone to a smartphone, and before that, never owned even a PDA, I could never find a justifiable cause to have a PDA till my old LG began to give me trouble and a smartphone was recommended to me by friends and family. After browsing Verizon stores and not being able to find anything I really liked, I hopped online and stumbled across my Palm Treo 700w on eBay for about $100 used. Not bad and something within my tight budget. That little discovery has rocked my world in a very positive way.

For starters, I’m a student and small business owner, so, money is very tight when it comes to anything that’s personal, but what was a deal maker for me was the phone having pocket versions of Excel and Word. These are great and for a student who does spend a lot of time on the fly, this is a great solution. It helps to not have to pull out my laptop to work on school or work related documents. Sure a thumb keyboard takes some adjusting to get used to, and it takes time to write out much, but Pocket Word is wonderful for notes and even just getting a start on the multiple essays I write for work. Notes are also a great function as well and I love it for having to jot down quick notes in a hurry and not have to dig in the monster of a backpack I have, for pen and paper.

I understand these functions are all on MS Mobile OS, however that was what set the deal for me, considering this allows me to use my laptop and phone in combination with one another. I’d considered Palm 700p, however it was the lack of the above listed functions that made me go for the 700w.

I admit I do not have much need for push email, although text messaging is a dream on the 700w, its nice to be able to use one hand and be in a familiar set up over trying to type with a numeric keypad. Before I didn’t send text messages often do to difficulty with this, however, I’ve used messaging more now that this phone has come into my life which is alot of the time easier than calling every time I need to tell someone I’m going somewhere or coming home.

Calander and contacts are nice, I enjoy being able to set my photos to contacts on my list and calander I’m still getting used to, I’m still transitioning out of pen and paper.

Still, I have had no problems with having to do hard resets, I don’t quite get where all of that’s coming from, then again I power the phone down often out of necessity for classes and meetings and don’t leave it running all the time so that could be my saving grace as well.

Phone quality is excellent, even considering this phone was a year old at the time of its purchase and seeing some use. I live in a mountanious region and often cell signals and strength are tricky business. I can’t help but say I love being able to make a call from my kitchen table whereas before, I’d have to go to the porch at least to get any kind of signal. Sure its big and a bit bulky, but I have a wired in Planatronics headset I use anyways, so its size and bluetooth are irrelevant to me considering I find it safer to drive with a headset on anyway, for starters when people see the head piece and the wire, they do know you are on the phone, and second, you can focus on the road.

Only qualms I really have and they may be due to me buying it used off eBay could be with battery life, true I charge it on a nightly basis out of habit, so its not a major issue and not enough to make me mark it down for it, however after a day of heavy use (mostly calls) I do find myself with a low battery and a need to try and make it to the car or home charger asap.

But overall, I rate this phone for five stars for the convenience it provides, I love having Windows Mobile on it for the functions it brings with it, and overall reliability it offers. I’ve had no trouble out of this phone and I would not hesitate to recommend it to a friend. Sure its no iPhone, but hey, no complaints here, it simply works for what I need it to do. If you are out there for the latest gadget that does all and are willing to pay the price, then by all means go for it, however if you want older tried and true hardware, then give the Palm Treo a fair chance to work for you.

2 Stars Bluetooth Sucks on all Treos!
I’ve had this thing for 2 years now, and a company full of coworkers that have them as well. Their experiences are similar to mine.

PROs:

–Love the form factor

–Keyboard immediately accesible, no folding/sliding parts to break.

CONs:

–They stunted this phone by putting very little memory in it. It will hang the phone if you try to use too many applications (like 2 or 3!)

–Its big, as a result I have a second personal phone that fits in my pocket when I’m not working. Expensive inconvenience.

–Worst of all, Bluetooth sucks big time. It disconnects for no reason, and often just before I’m about to make or take a call. Out of the blue I’ll hear my headset go ‘DOO doo’ meaning the link went down. Trying to get it to link back up is a major chore, especially while driving.. Bluetooth headsets are supposed to make driving SAFER.. not here.

Anyway I’ve tried numerous headsets; Plantronics 510, Plantronics 665, Moto HS-something, and a generic, they all stink to various degrees with this Treo. The 510 is the most dependable (works 60% of the time and has good call quality). The 665 stays connected more frequently, but this high-end headset sounds like crap on the Treo. The Moto HS-something was pretty bad connectivity-wise, and the generic headset didn’t like the phone either.

ALL of these headsets STAY CONNECTED when used with my personal phone, a Motorola SLVR 7. The sound quality ranges from acceptable to excellent for all my headsets on the other phone.. they only suck when used with the TREO. So both connectivity and sound quality can suffer with the Treo.

Note: Once I discovered an online community of fellow Treo-Bluetooth sufferers, I searched endlessly for hacks or updates to this problem. when Palm released an update last year that was supposed to help BT it made only the tiniest improvement. I still hate BT on this thing.

I’m upset with Palm for not fixing this problem on such an expensive phone.. rather ALL of their phones, as all Palm models reportedly have this problem.

That aside, it does work with my corporate email and I can actually make telephone calls with it, which is why I’ve managed to keep this thing for 2 years. I’m glad the 2 yr contract is over so I can replace it..

1 Star Palm 700w worst phone ever
I think you would be better off with the 700p this phone is terrible.

The only feature I have found to work it the sych to outlook.

Other than that not much.

Look for another phone.

Buy/More Info

palm Treo 700wx Phone Sprint

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.

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Good smartphone
Purchased this 16 months ago and am happy with the purchase. It greatly improves my productivity at work and at home. I can sync my calendars and see my email with ease. I love having the internet on my phone so I can locate data from anywhere. Google maps is a great application – gives me maps and directions with little effort. Windows mobile 5.0 does lock-up occasionally but a quick reboot corrects the issue. Works great on the Sprint network – Sprint has a great price for unlimited internet ($15 for me in Northern California).

1 Star Would not reccomend without software improvements
I have owned this phone for about a year and half now. I have already replaced it once. My husband and friends have this phone as well. This phone has multiple small issues that add up to one big annoyance. You will be advised to make sure you have checked for updates if you have issues first. If you go to the Sprint website the last update was in 2007. Issues that I have experienced are below:

1. Alarm does not always go off

2. Alarm goes off even though it was not turned on

3. Phone does not turn on at times

4. Phone locks up in the middle of doing something

5. Phone does not ring when calls are received

(yes the sound is on and there was reception – I have sit and watched the phone light up but no sound or vibration.)

6. Stylus falls out of holder (becomes loose after pulling stylus out repetitively.)

7. Email will continuely sync at times and drain battery even though there is no issue with email server.

8. My phone is set to sync once an hour for my email and I have it set to download the least amount of information. I can make one 20 – 30 minute call at most and by the end of the day the battery is almost dead. Either the battery life is crap or the phone is draining more of the battery that it needs to during the day.

***The list goes on and on. I would reccomend looking into a different phone. I am currently in search of a replacement myself.

1 Star Biggest piec of junk I’ve ever owned. A Yugo is 5* compared.
I am now on my 4th 700wxphone and it is a huge piece of junk. Bluetooth does not work, phone locks up, screens just flash up and now it just makes calls randomly while in my pocket locked. I can’t understand what there has not been a class action lawsuit and massive recall. Where are the lawyers when you need them. You sure won’t call on your treo 700wx. Sprint fix is to do a hard boot or replace the phone that is equally as bad.

1 Star You better love texting, because reception sucks…
I rarely write reviews, but after having this piece of junk I thought I’d write one.

I’m on my second Palm Treo 700wx in less than a year. If it wasn’t replaced under warranty I wouldn’t still have this thing.

I don’t load any software on to this thing because I know how finicky it is… Even with that I’ve had to do several data-clearing hard resets.

Amongst “features” this phone has:

1) Bluetooth works very poorly, if at all (very staticy compared to other phones)

2) Synch issues while hooked up to the computer, just won’t connect (this was the source of one hard reset)

3) Unable to connect to internet, tries 5-6 times getting a “no modem at number” or something like that each time, another source of a hard reset.

4) Terrible reception, most of the time I get two bars, I might get 3 when I go outside, this is in Denver metro. I’ve reverted to texting people when a conversation is important, because I can’t make out all of what they say. The phone’s been replaced for this and has gotten *slightly* better.

5) Makes calls and changes settings even with keyguard enabled.

6) Synchs at all times of the day, whereever you are, regardless of your peak times settings or roaming schedule settings. This drains the battery FAST!

7) No option to set a reminder or flash a light for messages waiting. You get one alert when a new message or voicemail comes in, that’s it, after that there is a small icon at the top of the screen that let’s you know there is a message of some sort.

I wanted to like this phone, I really did, but it’s the source of a lot of aggravation for me..

1 Star Poor quality phone
My friend has been through three or four of these phones because there are hardware problems with each one. Also, it appears these phones could break if you drop them once. I’ve droppped my Nokia about 30 times, sometimes scattering across the floor. Not the Palm Treo.

Buy/More Info

Palm Centro Phone Electric Blue ATandT

Life starts after five o’clock. Not coincidentally, that’s also when the Palm Centro smartphone comes alive. Not only does the Palm Centro handle all your favorite voice functions, but it also offers text, IM, e-mail, and web access–all in a body that’s a lot smaller than you’d think. Add a 1.3-megapixel camera, 64 MB of internal memory, Bluetooth connectivity for headsets, MicroSD expansion, and a full QWERTY keyboard and you have a terrific smartphone for all your messaging and personal needs. You’ll be able to get to where you’re going fast with support for TeleNav GPS Navigator software (which requires an optional Bluetooth GPS receiver). And this quad-band GSM version of the Centro for AT&T also features walkie talkie-style Push to Talk (PTT) communication in addition to voice dialing and speakerphone capabilities. The integrated Palm OS 5.4.9 operating system also plays nicely with Windows XP and Vista as well as Mac OS X 10.2 and higher.

The Electric Blue Palm Centro’s full QWERTY keyboard makes it easy to type text messages, IMs, and e-mails.

AT&T Service
This phone operates on GSM 850/900/1800/1900 networks and can handle high-speed data connectivity via AT&T’s EDGE network (which stands for “Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution”), with availability in more than 13,000 US cities and along some 40,000 miles of major highways. This third-generation, high-speed, mobile data and Internet access technology is fast enough to support a wide range of advanced data services (with average data speeds between 75-135Kbps), including video and music clips, full picture and video messaging, high-speed color Internet access, and email on the go.

The phone has a built-in web browser for MEdia Net downloads and mobile web browsing. AT&T’s MEdia Net service enables you to receive and send emails, read news headlines, get weather updates, download games and ringtones, and more. The AT&T Mobile Music platform includes the ability to sideload music with Napster and eMusic with the built-in Pocket Tunes Deluxe application, listen to live radio with XM Radio Mobile, discover new songs with MusicID and more. You can also access XM Radio Mobile, which provides 25 of the best XM Radio channels, featuring commercial-free rock, hip-hop, country, jazz and more (additional monthly fee; free three-day trial included).

With a database of more than 3 million artists and titles, you can use MusicID to identify an unknown song. While holding the Centro up to a speaker, the MusicID application returns song information such as title, artist and cover art, if available. It also keeps track of previous IDs and allows users to share song information with friends via text messages (additional monthly fee; free three-day trial included).

It’s also MobiTV capable, which enables you to watch live television, premium and prime-time programming, video-on-demand clips and satellite and digital music services from the top broadcast and cable television networks and major music labels (additional monthly charges are applicable).

You can take advantage of the TeleNav GPS Navigator software, the full-featured premium navigation application that includes audible turn-by-turn directions, real-time traffic updates and re-routing options, and 3D moving maps. It comes as a 30-day trial version, and it can be downloaded via the TeleNav web site or via virtual pre-load icon (VPL) after activation.

You can also instantly talk across the largest Push to Talk (PTT) network coverage area in America. Push to Talk works like a walkie-talkie to talk to an individual or a group of up to 29 users. With status icons that clearly indicate the availability of friends and family, Push to Talk customers will know who is free before they call. You can purchase unlimited Push to Talk minutes with with single or family plans, or use Push to Talk on a pay-per-use basis that’s charged by the minute.

Click to see even more details (black model shown above).

Design
The Palm Centro boasts a sleek glacier white housing that measures a mere 4.2 by 2.1 by 0.7 inches (HxWxD) and weighs 4.2 ounces. It’s notably smaller than many competing smartphones, yet doesn’t sacrifice functionality at any point along the way. Users will also love the 320 x 320 touchscreen (up to 65,000 colors), which offers a crisp resolution for photos and videos. And thanks to the full QWERTY keyboard, you can say L8R to those tricky keys on your old cell phone.

Phone and Messaging Functions
The Palm Centro smartphones offers a ton of ways to stay in touch with friends, whether calling, firing off a quick text, instant messaging, or sending an e-mail. From a phone perspective, the Palm Centro lets you dial people right from your address book, set up three-way calls from the touch of a button, or use the speakerphone to talk hands-free. The keyboard, meanwhile, makes it a breeze to type complete messages whether you’re sending text, pictures, or even audio or video clips. Plus, the Centro keeps all your messages in a chat-style view, so it’s easy to keep track of the conversation.

Want to keep up with all the latest gossip when you’re away from the computer? Turn to the Centro’s instant messaging functions, which support all your buddy lists on AIM, MSN, and Yahoo. It also supports Good Mobile Messaging after an over-the-air (OTA) download of the software.. Similarly, the Centro lets you access your personal e-mail accounts, such as Gmail, AOL, and Yahoo. As a result, you can reply to invites and answer e-mails when you’re out and about.

Web Functions
Whether you’re keeping up with friends on Facebook or looking up directions to the new bistro across town, the Centro’s touchscreen and keyboard make it fun to navigate around the web. The Centro includes a fast built-in web browser that lets you check out photos on Flickr quickly via AT&T’s EDGE data network. The Centro is also compatible with Google Maps, making it simple to get directions or see which freeways are clear and which ones are parking lots. Google Maps shows you red, yellow, or green traffic routes in real time.

Organizer Functions
The Palm Centro includes a complete organizer for keeping track of all your daily, weekly, and monthly responsibilities. The contacts list gathers all your friends’ phone numbers, addresses, and more, while the calendar keeps you from missing upcoming meetings, events, and parties. You can even enter a friend’s birthday in the contacts list and will automatically show up in your calendar. As with the best organizers, the Centro also offers a to-do list that lets you check off items when they’re complete. As a result, it’s easy to keep track of what you did and still need to do. And should you come across a tidbit that doesn’t have a logical home, simply turn to the memo function, which lets you store random information such as hot spots in Vegas or the names of movies you’d like to rent. Say goodbye to carrying around crumpled scraps of paper in your pocket or purse. Finally, it’s possible to save a copy of all those names, numbers, appointments, photos, and videos on your computer thanks to the sync function.

Multimedia
Whether you want to take pictures, play videos, or listen to music, the Palm Centro has got you covered. The 1.3-megapixel digital camera (with a 2x digital zoom) lets you shoot pictures and send them to friends, store digital albums, or shoot videos. The built-in MP3 player, meanwhile, lets you take your tunes everywhere you go. With 64 MB of storage, there’s plenty of room for your playlists, plus you can add up to 4 GB more with a microSD card. And thanks to Pocket Tunes Deluxe, you can play the songs you downloaded from online music stores.

Vital Statistics
The Palm Centro weighs 4.2 ounces and measures 4.2 x 2.1 x 0.7 inches. Its 1150 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 3 hours of talk time, and up to 240 hours of digital standby time. It runs on the 850/900/1800/1900 GSM/GPRS/EDGE frequencies.

User Ratings and Reviews

2 Stars I returned it….
I had high hopes for this phone, since I am a devotee of the Palm OS, and the phone seemed like a sharp little thing.

My biggest problem was that the keys are so tiny,(I am a woman with normal size hands). I found myself constantly having to correct mistakes. The biggest frustration was no “back” key. I know it seems hard to believe but there is none. I even did a google check to see if I was just missing something. This is a big complaint from other users. I realize you shouldn’t be keyboarding while driving, but I could always easily punch in my speed dial numbers with my old Katana…Not with the Cenro. Trying to speed dial without looking is impossible.

I returned the phone and got an LG Rumor, and am very happy. For phone calls and texts,it’s excellent.

4 Stars Very Satisfied With the Centro
For years I had a separate phone and Plam Pilot. What a mess. With the Cento, I have everything in one piece. I have used the Palm planner software for years and it’s nice to have it with a phone. The buttons are a tad small for any finger, but it hasn’t been a real problem. Also, the Voice Dialing works pretty well.

5 Stars Amazing little phone
I just received this phone yesterday and I couldn’t be happier. It is a bit smaller than what I thought but it’s really not that big of a deal. I love how I can sync it with my computer and put music on it. The speaker is really loud and sounds great. The chat-style messaging is something I am not familiar with but I already love it and wouldn’t want it any other way. The touch screen is responsive and I find myself using it more than the d-pad itself. It is helpful to have all the various means of navigating about the phone. I am getting a data plan so I will be utilizing all of the email features and maps as well. I’m definitely looking forward to it. I just love it and think it was a great purchase for only 1c!! The blue color is great too and sparkles in the light. The camera seems to be decent and will get the job done for what I need it for. I have an actual digital camera so that isn’t that big of a concern for me. I haven’t really tested out the battery life yet but it seems to be fine for me too. Overall a great phone..should definitely consider buying it! The 3rd party apps are amazing too and most of them are free!!

3 Stars Excellent Smartphone on a Poor AT&T Network
As of March 2009, I think Palm Centro is one of the best smartphones available. The style is simple, unadorned and functional a.k.a. Google style but not stylish, fun & glamorous like iPhone & Mac. Having used 3 Windows Mobile phones, iPhone, Balckberry Storm, Palm Treo 755p & Nokia E51, I think Centro is closest to the ideal smartphone but AT&T network does not hold water to Verizon Wirelss network in reliability.

1. Clear sound. Solid, reliable phone.

2. Reasonable size & weight (119 gms) and is pocketable and you have to carry phone with you all the time. But there is scope for improvement, it could be lighter and thinner. Ideal weight for a phone is less than 100 gms.

3. Top-notch contact, calendar and memos management.

4. Brisk, peppy response and rarely locks up or freezes.

5. A-one Microsoft office document functionality with Documents-to-Go.

6. Good QWERTY keyboard.

7. Fairly decent availability of applications.

8. Functions well as a tethered modem with cable and speed in 800-900 Kbs range on Verizon Wireless network.

10.Synchronizes calendar, contacts and memos with Macbook.

11.Good SMS function: threads messages.

But Centro is not without flaws: the default OK button is on Voicemail and dials Voicemail unintentionally. I have not been able to sync over Bluetooth or use Bluetooth modem. Web browser is fast for mobile sites but otherwise barely functional – Internet is available but browsing is not enjoyable like on iPhone. Instead of micro-USB or mini-USB, it uses proprietary cable which is hard to take out. Camera is bare minimum at 1.3 Megapixels and music function is basic with 2.5 mm audio jack. Font size is small and has to be individually adjusted in each application.

Here is my Gestalt on smartphones.

1. iPhone is the best MP3, video and multimedia player, has the best user interface and mobile browser experience but is abysmal as a phone in comparison to Verizon Centro. AT&T has poor network signal and coverage, the calls drop all the time and sound on iPhone is average.

2. Blackberry Storm has a gorgeous screen and excellent email device but has very buggy software and constantly freezes. Blackberries shine when it comes to email.

3. Windows Mobile phones are horrendous: packed with features that don’t work and smartphone operating system is the most unreliable.

4. Symbian based Nokia phones are fairly decent smartphones but their availability on US cellular carriers is very limited. Verizon Wireless, the best network in US, has none.

In my experience Palm operating system is one of the most trusty and functional smartphone operating systems. Centro is supposedly the last in the Palm lineage phones. I would recommend it if you need a solid, trustworthy smartphone, but on Verizon, not on AT&T.

5 Stars WOOHOO!!!!
I really want this phone for christmas. It looks so cool. My friend has the black one and I like it. Does anyone think I should get a different phone? All I want to do is text and call people. I like the little buttons so that’s not a problem. Will it break if a drop it?

Buy/More Info