Handspring Treo 600

Anyone who is considering a converged PDA + Cell Phone solution should give the Treo 600 a long hard look. Not only is the Treo 600 an excellent PDA, it has features that make it a much better phone solution than the typical $99.00 flip phone that is offered "free" by most service providers.

The Treo 600 by Palm, uses the Palm OS V5.x. One of the best things about using any Palm OS device is the wealth of software options/solutions that are available.

My Treo is loaded with a number of applications that make the most of its converged feature set and Internet connectivity. I use Agendus for contact management and Agendus Mail for email/SMS messaging. Using these on the Treo allows me to send/receive email to/from any of my contacts with a couple of touches. I can even get a weather report for my client/vendor location, giving my conversations with them a more personal touch. Using VeriChat, I can chat with my contacts and family using MSN, Yahoo or AIM! With Pocket Tunes I can stream live music from the web and with AvantGo I always have the latest news and information at my fingertips.

One of the nicest features of the Treo 600 is the ability to turn off the sound (ring tones, etc.) by simply sliding a switch on the top of the unit. This avoids fumbling with button combinations as you are going into a meeting or just before the movie starts! Up/down volume buttons on the side of the Treo make it easy to adjust the volume on the run.

The thumb keyboard is not going to win you any typing contests, but is perfectly adequate for entering contact info/phone numbers on the fly or entering search strings to lookup previously stored information. Most people will want enter new information using either the Palm Desktop software or Outlook and then synchronize it to their Treo.

The Treo 600 comes with an SD Memory card slot, typical of recent Palm models. Equipped with a 256M or larger SD card, the Treo can store a complete backup, hundreds of music files and offload programs from main memory to improve performance.

The decision to buy a Treo 600 or one of the newer 650 or even 700 series models shouldn’t be too difficult. The only significant differences between the 600 and 650 are the 650’s support for Bluetooth and the ability to capture video instead of only still pictures from the built in camera. The 600 also lacks a removable battery, which could be an issue for travelers who spend a lot of time on the phone and don’t have a wall or car charger handy.

Cost is currently (4th Qtr, 2005) the major advantage the Treo 600 has over other converged devices. Some providers, like T-Mobile, are offering their remaining stock of Treo 600s for as little as $150 with a one year contract. Compare this to $250 for a 650 with a two year contract from Cingular or Verizon and the value of the 600 becomes apparent. The 700 series promises to provide even faster performance and the potential of WiFi support, but for many, the premium cost ($595) of these features, in the near future, may not be enough to justify them. Add $100 worth of 3rd party applications, like Agendus, VeriChat, PocketTunes, Mapopolis to the Treo 600 and you have a solution that will handle virtually all your communication needs!

As a Business and Technology Pro with over 15 years of experience, I give the Treo 600 Five (5) Stars! It is the most cost effective and value packed converged device available today!

I have the Handspring (Palm) Treo 600 and use it for work. I really do like this device...it is synched to Outlook so I get all my email almost immediately. I can browse the internet, make phone calls, and keep up with scheduled appointments all with the touch of a button.

I have experienced multiple software issues with this device though. I'm not quite sure if it's the Goodlink software my company uses, or the Palm operating software itself, but it gets pretty bad sometimes. The most common problem I've had is the phone freezing up when I'm on a call. The only way to fix it is to remove the stylus and press the reset button on the back. It was doing this quite frequently and I finally sent it in to have it looked at. It came back better so maybe a software upgrade was all that was needed.

The reason I suggest the 650 is because the keypad has been spread out a little more and the buttons are a bit larger, so if you have big fingers like me then it's a bit easier to send text and email messages without hitting the wrong keys. Palm also gave the main navigation keys a slight makeover to make the device a little easier to use.

Overall, this is a great PDA but I will choose the 650 when it's time to upgrade.

Do you hate having a seperate PDA and cell phone? If yes, you are like me and I recommend you make the switch as my wife and I did recently. The Treo 600 made the transition an easy and pleasing one.

We stay very busy, so it is crucial to keep everything in order so we can keep our sanity. With the Treo 600, I can keep all my appointments, contacts, budget, games, and to-do's in arms reach at all times.

When you think of PDA phones, you immediately probably think about their bulkiness, however, the Treo series is quite small in the palm of your hand. I keep mine in my pocket most of the time. It is built very sturdy and the design is superb. I find it quite easy to type on the keyboard. You can't really say the same for the Blackberry and some of the Pocket PC models.

In the Palm Treo product line of PDA phones, the Treo 600 is the best blend of affordability and robust features unlike the pricier Treo 650 and 700. For under $150 here on eBay, you can't really beat that with a stick. Palm makes the best PDA phonesm, period.

Note: The only problem I have with the Treo 600 is that it does not have Bluetooth capabilities. This is probably due to the period of time the Treo 600 was released, so I will not factor that into my review.

Love the Treo 600. It gives me one place to store, edit and access all of my contacts then call them directly. The variety of software out for Palm is the best. I can read the latest new stories or the eBooks that I've downloaded.

I just got a digital memory card and now can listen to my MP3s directly from the Treo. It's my all in one everything. And my son really enjoys the digital camera. Not the best pictures ever but it's great for that quick shot.

If you are looking to stop carrying a multitude of gadgets, this is the device for you.