3Man
02-10-2006, 08:46 AM
Palm Treo 750v Phone Review
Note : This review is written by an editorial member of 3G staff for the readers of www.3G.co.uk and for the members of the 3G Forum. A full list of 3G Phone Reviews by phone manufacturer and date order can be found here http://www.3g.co.uk/3GPhoneReviews.htm.
Review date: 2nd October, 2006
http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/October2006/Treo750vGroovyB.jpg
Best features
Very easy to use
Good keyboard considering its small size
Easy Web searching
Specification Details
Size 111 x 58 x 22mm
Weight 154g
Display 65k colours
Display resolution 240 x 240
Camera Main camera 1.3 megapixels
Video recording / playback Yes/Yes
Audio playback MP3 WAV
Connectivity Bluetooth, infra red
Internal memory 60MB
Memory card slot miniSD
Java TBA
Messaging SMS, MMS
Email client Yes
Ringtones Polyphonic, MP3, WAV, video ringtones
Internet browser HTML
GPRS Yes
Frequency Quad-band + 3G
Talktime Up to 4.5 hours
Standby Up to 10 days
http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/Dec2005/BuyBlack.gif (http://shop.3g.co.uk/)
Power in the palm of your hand
Palm’s Treo 750v isn’t the first Treo labelled smartphone from the company, nor is it the first Treo to sport Windows Mobile. But it is the first time we’ve seen the combination in the UK.
For fans of Palm devices the switch to Windows Mobile and away from the Palm OS might seem like a bit of a strange change, but in fact Palm no longer makes the Palm OS and has to license it from another company (PalmSource).
Palm decided instead to go for Windows Mobile, but to add some specialities of its own in an attempt to differentiate the Treo 750v from all the other Windows Mobile devices out there. In this respect Palm has done a very good job. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves.
The Treo 750v is currently exclusive to Vodafone. It is another of those 3G handsets without a front facing camera – so were are talking 3G data only. Video calls might not be the great popular thing that operators were hoping they would, but still we’d have liked the chance to make the odd video call with this handset.
The Treo 750v has the wherewithal to support HSDPA, and Vodafone expects to offer a software upgrade in due course. In the mean time it zipped along well enough on 3G to keep us happy.
http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/October2006/Treo750vDiagram.jpg
Windows Mobile supports mobile email and Internet access, the latter via Pocket Internet Explorer. Usually to get to a Web site on a Windows Mobile handset you have to open that software and then choose a favourite site already bookmarked or slap in a URL.
You can do that with the Treo 750v, but one of Palm’s enhancements to Windows Mobile is to pop a Google searchbar on the Today Screen ( that’s the main screen of the handset - see sample screenshots below ). Use the mini qwerty keyboard to type a search term and the handset will toddle off and find the results, open Pocket Internet Explorer, and display them. It is simply superb.
Sample Screenshots using various applications.
Search the web - http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/October2006/Screen1.gif
Organise and share your photos and videos - http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/October2006/Screen2.gif
Create or edit a Word Mobile document - http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/October2006/Screen3.gif
Use the onscreen dial pad - http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/October2006/Screen4.gif
Access all email from a single application - http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/October2006/Screen5.gif
Search the web from the Today screen - http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/October2006/Screen6.gif
Another of Palm’s tweaks comes into play when you want to make good old fashioned voice calls. You type the name of the person you want to call and a call window on the Today Screen displays entries from the Contacts database on the device. As the list narrows down you’ll see the person you want to call. You can choose their home or work number, and dial it. Making a call to literally anyone in your contact book takes just a couple of seconds. Again this is simply superb.
You can even place photo contacts on the Today screen, then call them just by tapping the photo – how much faster can a speed dial get than that?
http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/October2006/PalmTreo.jpg
If texting is more your thing, then you might like the ‘chat’ view for SMS. Basically this lets you see exchanges to and fro between the Treo 750v and another handset in sequence making it easy to keep track of SMS chats. Other features like the ability to reject calls with a text message, including using pre-configured texts all contribute to making the Treo 750v a handset with plus points over and above other Windows Mobile devices.
The Treo 750v is designed to be easy to use one-handed, and we certainly found that to be the case during testing. The easy contact finding has already been noted. Add to that the fact that the navigation button and softmenu keys are large and the keyboard is small but neatly designed and one handed use is certainly possible. You can reach across and tap the touch screen with a thumb during a one-handed use session if you need to, unless you have the tiniest of hands, that is.
There is 60MB of free memory on board, and you can add to this with miniSD cards. A covered slot sits on the right edge of the casing next to the infra red port. On the left edge is a large volume rocker and a button you can set up to launch any application you like.
So far, its looking good, but surely there are some niggles. Oh, yes.
Bluetooth is built in but Wi-Fi isn’t, so you’ve no hope of using the Treo 750v with a wireless network in any shape or form. Furthermore the Bluetooth is version 1.2 rather than the faster, less power hungry Bluetooth 2.0. Palm says the Bluetooth supports stereo output to headsets, but we didn’t have a stereo Bluetooth headset around to check this out.
While on the subject of music the Treo 750v comes with a stereo headset that plugs into a jack on the bottom of the casing. It’s a 2.5mm connector. This size connector is next to useless for music fans because to substitute their own favourite headset they need to use a 2.5mm to 3.5mm adaptor, which is an ungainly and very pesky option. Are you listening, Palm??
While on the subject of connectors, Palm’s proprietary connector type is used both for synchronising with Outlook and for administering mains power. You get a cable (USB at the PC end) and mains power cable with international adaptors, but if you also happen to carry another device which uses mini USB connectors, you are going to have to buy some sort of conversion kit if you want to avoid carrying two lots of charge cables.
Finally in the niggles department we need to address the screen and the camera. The latter shoots stills at 1.3 megapixels which is a little below the standard we like to see these days. It has no flash, and indoor shots we found to be a bit hit and miss. It is fine for snapping photo contacts and images to send around from the phone, though.
The screen delivers at 240 x 240 pixels. With some handsets managing to squeeze 240 x 320 pixels into a smaller overall screen size these days the screen feels a bit old hat, and we’d have really liked Palm to up the ante to 320 x 320 in its square format. As it is things are OK, but not wonderful.
If you are already a Windows Mobile user you may find the square format less comfortable to use as there is a bit more scrolling required to get around within applications than you’ll be used to with tall format screens. To be fair, non Windows Mobile users might not even notice the issue, though.
Verdict
We do have a fair few niggles with the Treo 750v, but are also impressed with a number of features. The good points are very good indeed, and it is a real shame about the bad ones. If you can live with the negatives, though, the Treo 750v is certainly worth a look.
Pros
This smartphone is very easy to use one-handed and the Web search from front screen is especially useful.
Cons
The screen is quite small and without a front facing camera you can’t make video calls.
Verdict
Palm has come up with some great features for this smartphone, though the lack of Wi-Fi and some other niggles mean it is not perfect.
3G Total Score 87%
http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/Dec2005/BuyBlack.gif (http://shop.3g.co.uk/)
This review covers the above mobile phone only and does not address the performance of any 3G Network. The score is based on a 3G mobile phone checklist.
Copyright : You are advised that this material is the copyright of www.3G.co.uk and is our own personal view only. (C) All rights reserved 2005. Whist every care has been taken in the preparation of this review, the author nor 3G.co.uk cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or authenticity of the information it contains, or consequence arising from it.
Note : This review is written by an editorial member of 3G staff for the readers of www.3G.co.uk and for the members of the 3G Forum. A full list of 3G Phone Reviews by phone manufacturer and date order can be found here http://www.3g.co.uk/3GPhoneReviews.htm.
Review date: 2nd October, 2006
http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/October2006/Treo750vGroovyB.jpg
Best features
Very easy to use
Good keyboard considering its small size
Easy Web searching
Specification Details
Size 111 x 58 x 22mm
Weight 154g
Display 65k colours
Display resolution 240 x 240
Camera Main camera 1.3 megapixels
Video recording / playback Yes/Yes
Audio playback MP3 WAV
Connectivity Bluetooth, infra red
Internal memory 60MB
Memory card slot miniSD
Java TBA
Messaging SMS, MMS
Email client Yes
Ringtones Polyphonic, MP3, WAV, video ringtones
Internet browser HTML
GPRS Yes
Frequency Quad-band + 3G
Talktime Up to 4.5 hours
Standby Up to 10 days
http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/Dec2005/BuyBlack.gif (http://shop.3g.co.uk/)
Power in the palm of your hand
Palm’s Treo 750v isn’t the first Treo labelled smartphone from the company, nor is it the first Treo to sport Windows Mobile. But it is the first time we’ve seen the combination in the UK.
For fans of Palm devices the switch to Windows Mobile and away from the Palm OS might seem like a bit of a strange change, but in fact Palm no longer makes the Palm OS and has to license it from another company (PalmSource).
Palm decided instead to go for Windows Mobile, but to add some specialities of its own in an attempt to differentiate the Treo 750v from all the other Windows Mobile devices out there. In this respect Palm has done a very good job. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves.
The Treo 750v is currently exclusive to Vodafone. It is another of those 3G handsets without a front facing camera – so were are talking 3G data only. Video calls might not be the great popular thing that operators were hoping they would, but still we’d have liked the chance to make the odd video call with this handset.
The Treo 750v has the wherewithal to support HSDPA, and Vodafone expects to offer a software upgrade in due course. In the mean time it zipped along well enough on 3G to keep us happy.
http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/October2006/Treo750vDiagram.jpg
Windows Mobile supports mobile email and Internet access, the latter via Pocket Internet Explorer. Usually to get to a Web site on a Windows Mobile handset you have to open that software and then choose a favourite site already bookmarked or slap in a URL.
You can do that with the Treo 750v, but one of Palm’s enhancements to Windows Mobile is to pop a Google searchbar on the Today Screen ( that’s the main screen of the handset - see sample screenshots below ). Use the mini qwerty keyboard to type a search term and the handset will toddle off and find the results, open Pocket Internet Explorer, and display them. It is simply superb.
Sample Screenshots using various applications.
Search the web - http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/October2006/Screen1.gif
Organise and share your photos and videos - http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/October2006/Screen2.gif
Create or edit a Word Mobile document - http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/October2006/Screen3.gif
Use the onscreen dial pad - http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/October2006/Screen4.gif
Access all email from a single application - http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/October2006/Screen5.gif
Search the web from the Today screen - http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/October2006/Screen6.gif
Another of Palm’s tweaks comes into play when you want to make good old fashioned voice calls. You type the name of the person you want to call and a call window on the Today Screen displays entries from the Contacts database on the device. As the list narrows down you’ll see the person you want to call. You can choose their home or work number, and dial it. Making a call to literally anyone in your contact book takes just a couple of seconds. Again this is simply superb.
You can even place photo contacts on the Today screen, then call them just by tapping the photo – how much faster can a speed dial get than that?
http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/October2006/PalmTreo.jpg
If texting is more your thing, then you might like the ‘chat’ view for SMS. Basically this lets you see exchanges to and fro between the Treo 750v and another handset in sequence making it easy to keep track of SMS chats. Other features like the ability to reject calls with a text message, including using pre-configured texts all contribute to making the Treo 750v a handset with plus points over and above other Windows Mobile devices.
The Treo 750v is designed to be easy to use one-handed, and we certainly found that to be the case during testing. The easy contact finding has already been noted. Add to that the fact that the navigation button and softmenu keys are large and the keyboard is small but neatly designed and one handed use is certainly possible. You can reach across and tap the touch screen with a thumb during a one-handed use session if you need to, unless you have the tiniest of hands, that is.
There is 60MB of free memory on board, and you can add to this with miniSD cards. A covered slot sits on the right edge of the casing next to the infra red port. On the left edge is a large volume rocker and a button you can set up to launch any application you like.
So far, its looking good, but surely there are some niggles. Oh, yes.
Bluetooth is built in but Wi-Fi isn’t, so you’ve no hope of using the Treo 750v with a wireless network in any shape or form. Furthermore the Bluetooth is version 1.2 rather than the faster, less power hungry Bluetooth 2.0. Palm says the Bluetooth supports stereo output to headsets, but we didn’t have a stereo Bluetooth headset around to check this out.
While on the subject of music the Treo 750v comes with a stereo headset that plugs into a jack on the bottom of the casing. It’s a 2.5mm connector. This size connector is next to useless for music fans because to substitute their own favourite headset they need to use a 2.5mm to 3.5mm adaptor, which is an ungainly and very pesky option. Are you listening, Palm??
While on the subject of connectors, Palm’s proprietary connector type is used both for synchronising with Outlook and for administering mains power. You get a cable (USB at the PC end) and mains power cable with international adaptors, but if you also happen to carry another device which uses mini USB connectors, you are going to have to buy some sort of conversion kit if you want to avoid carrying two lots of charge cables.
Finally in the niggles department we need to address the screen and the camera. The latter shoots stills at 1.3 megapixels which is a little below the standard we like to see these days. It has no flash, and indoor shots we found to be a bit hit and miss. It is fine for snapping photo contacts and images to send around from the phone, though.
The screen delivers at 240 x 240 pixels. With some handsets managing to squeeze 240 x 320 pixels into a smaller overall screen size these days the screen feels a bit old hat, and we’d have really liked Palm to up the ante to 320 x 320 in its square format. As it is things are OK, but not wonderful.
If you are already a Windows Mobile user you may find the square format less comfortable to use as there is a bit more scrolling required to get around within applications than you’ll be used to with tall format screens. To be fair, non Windows Mobile users might not even notice the issue, though.
Verdict
We do have a fair few niggles with the Treo 750v, but are also impressed with a number of features. The good points are very good indeed, and it is a real shame about the bad ones. If you can live with the negatives, though, the Treo 750v is certainly worth a look.
Pros
This smartphone is very easy to use one-handed and the Web search from front screen is especially useful.
Cons
The screen is quite small and without a front facing camera you can’t make video calls.
Verdict
Palm has come up with some great features for this smartphone, though the lack of Wi-Fi and some other niggles mean it is not perfect.
3G Total Score 87%
http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/Dec2005/BuyBlack.gif (http://shop.3g.co.uk/)
This review covers the above mobile phone only and does not address the performance of any 3G Network. The score is based on a 3G mobile phone checklist.
Copyright : You are advised that this material is the copyright of www.3G.co.uk and is our own personal view only. (C) All rights reserved 2005. Whist every care has been taken in the preparation of this review, the author nor 3G.co.uk cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or authenticity of the information it contains, or consequence arising from it.