Treo 650 tips and tricks
By Peter Rojas 
posted November 28th 2005 3:10PM
posted November 28th 2005 3:10PM
Alright, we're launching a new weekly feature we'd meant to get going ages ago: Best _______ Tips and Tricks. Each
week we're going to pick a different gadget and then pass the mic over to you guys, we're looking for your best
suggestions for getting the most out of said tech toy, be it some super-helpful app you've found, a tip for extending
battery life, or just a sweet trick that you're dying to show off to the rest of us.
For the first one we figured we'd go with the Treo 650 — what else? — which just celebrated its first birthday. Have
at it!
I can't believe my Treo is already 1 year old! My, how it has grown.
in Blazer:
hit space bar to get to the URL bar.
Free software:
- Documents2go is included on the software CD for sprint and Cingular, don't know about VZW.
- kmaps http://www.alealea.com need JVM
- Google Local Mobile (need JVM) is kind of buggy now but should be extremely useful when it's stable http://google.com/glm For carrier, select 'other', for phone select 'generic', then 'Advanced MIDP2'.
- opera mini: someone else already mentioned, but it's worth mentioning again. it's so fast and good at rendering that you gotta wonder why Palm bothered with Blazer.
For any palm, really: Natara "Bonsai" To Do list organizer. It is one of the very few apps that lets you have a "percent complete" instead of a static yes/no button. It does tons more, including sync with the desktop.
Free trial, $16 for standalone on palm, $35 with windows desktop sync app.
Simple built in feature you may have overlooked:
press solid key (one under 'A') and then press shift key (one on right side under '.') to dim screen quickly (no messing with slider etc). Great while in movies etc.
**
Palm GPS Navigator
This is a killer app for any Treo 650 user. It features award winning TomTom Navigator 5 and it runs great on a Treo 650. The Bluetooth GPS receiver allows you to take it out of your car. It includes a handy car cradle too.
Buying a TomTom GO 700 costs $899. The Palm GPS Navigator costs $249. Buying this and a new Treo 650 costs less than the GO700! The TomTom Navigator 5 software is the same on both the GO and Treo 650.
Check it out at www.palm.com
It is 20% off right now too! What a deal!
**
TiVoToGo On the Treo 650!
As #2 Said, TCPMP is great ... I use this to watch TiVo recordings on my Treo.
Get TVHarmony from http://www.tvharmony.com/main/products.php and also get the TiVo2Palm converter. This will interface with TiVo Desktop 2.1 or greater to schedule downloads from the tivo and transcode them to palm format. Then just pop them on a memory card and watch them on the treo!
A quick note about Goodlink:
We just installed Goodlink here and found out it takes over your contacts. This means that any contacts not listed within Outlook contacts will not show when they call you.
Plus, the Exchange GAL is not available under contacts. Only a cache of contacts which are people who other Goodlink users have emailed within the company will show up under contacts. So there's no centralized contacts management system for all the phones.
There is a workaround but it involves publishing public contacts, etc. Kind've annoying.
Otherwise, so far it's been a decent program. We got it for free as a promo with Cingular.
I hear everyone using RingoPro for mp3 ringtones. I tried the trial and it only made my songs on my card like 3 or 5 seconds of a ringtone.
Is this bc its the trial?
Does the full version allow you to select where in the song you want the ringtone to start from or only from the beginning?
Please help!
45: can you actually hear the voice guide on the road?
I hear everyone using RingoPro for mp3 ringtones. I tried the trial and it only made my songs on my card like 3 or 5 seconds of a ringtone.
Is this bc its the trial?
Does the full version allow you to select where in the song you want the ringtone to start from or only from the beginning?
Please help!
dose any one know of a good media bluetooth remote to control winamp or possable itunes.....??? Thank You
and
#48 no the full version still only plays the beginnings of the songs
If you have a Treo 650, by all means you need SplashBlog to put that camera to use. Totally free, unless you want to post more than 500 photos... go get it!!! www.splashblog.com
BTW, it not only works with splashblog.com to host all your photos, but also offers the ability to make photo posts to Blogger and TypePad.
Here's how to use your Treo 650 as an iPod (storage limited by the SD Card of your choice):
http://www.technologyevangelist.com/2005/11/how_to_download_music_to_a_treo_650.html
Voicecall:
http://www.toysoft.ca/voicecall.html
Use this application to utilize your voice in order to perform simple tasks or call contacts. Launch an application, take a picture, call a friend. Do it all with your voice.
Tekphoto.
Will take 999 pics as fast as 1 every 3-4 seconds automatically. Set sound to off and just set in on the nightstand for your own PRon.
The ultimate time-wasting app ever created for a PalmOS device: Vexed. This little puzzle game makes waiting in line incredibly painless.
http://vexed.sourceforge.net/
Tetris is so passe ;)
Psst.. Do the next one on the Sidekick II.
Directory Assistant is an excellent free application that lets you look up anything in the yellow pages, reverse lookup, get maps, search for places...etc. Excellent application
50: for the GPS Navigator, you can hear the turn-by-turn directions while driving. It is surprisingly loud. I haven't tried it in a convertible though!
You can hear the voice with the TomTom GPS software on your 650. Don't get the Palm GPS because that uses an older chipset. Buy the TomTom bundle at www.semsons.com and choose from a number of SiRF III devices.
Control those keyboard lights with KBLightsOff (www.lilapps.com).
Tip: Hold the Option key and press the right shift key to quickly dim (but not turn off) the screen and keyboard backlights.
To all the people that mentioned Opera mini. I am curious of why it is not on operas website. it doesnt even show the palm platform. not to mention it seems exclusive to non-us countries.
TV on your Treo?
I just installed this program and signed up for 1 month service to see if I liked it. It works well and has a huge WOW factor. I suggest using headphones or ear piece to hear well. Its great for people that travel or have time to kill.
Check out: MobiTV on the Treo 650 @ http://www.mobitv.com/treo.html
Make sure you have unlimited data plan since it uses that service. The MobiTV is $9.99 a month no contract. If anyone has questions please ask. I will check back.
I also use and love
*Handmark Pocket Express maps, phonebook, news, stocks, etc
*PdaNet Connect to internet anywhere on laptop
*QuickIM MSN Messenger
*Voice Signal Voice dialing
TV on your Treo?
I just installed this program and signed up for 1 month service to see if I liked it. It works well and has a huge WOW factor. I suggest using headphones or ear piece to hear well. Its great for people that travel or have time to kill.
Check out: MobiTV on the Treo 650 @ http://www.mobitv.com/treo.html
Make sure you have unlimited data plan since it uses that service. The MobiTV is $9.99 a month no contract. If anyone has questions please ask. I will check back.
I also use and love
*Handmark Pocket Express maps, phonebook, news, stocks, etc
*PdaNet Connect to internet anywhere on laptop
*QuickIM MSN Messenger
*Voice Signal Voice dialing
I had to browse to http://mini.opera.com with my 650 (which the site recognized) to access the prc. I found no mention of Palm or Treo on the Opera while browsing from a desktop. I saved the file it linked to, ran it and was up and running. I was a bit disappointed that I actually had to touch the screen to access the menu.
As for rec's
Rally 1000 - To date (over several devices) I've won 435 games and lost 178 and now play exclusively on hard.
http://www.palmblvd.com/software/pc/Rally-1000-2000-07-27-palm-pc.html (tried to find a site with a screenshot to link to)
+1's to FileZ, TCPMP, & pTunes
And thanks kaifu (47) for the space bar tip
I noticed that too the other day about Opera on their site. Its odd since version 1.0 is here http://mytreo.net/downloads/details-838.html?Opera_Mini_-_HiFi
MobiTV is pretty cool:
http://www.mobitv.com/treo.html
I've seen it on other phones and the Treo is the best by far. Definitely worth a look if you're a news junkie!
Buy Pocket Tunes, Use WMP and iTunes to Sync music/podcasts to Treo automatically on connect.
1. Pocket Tunes syncs with WMP
2. Use iTunes to download your podcasts weekly/daily - whatever
3. Make sure files are being saved to a directory that WMP is monitoring.
4. Use WMP's 'SmartPlaylists' to create a playlist that only shows 'Date Added' 'After' 'Last 7 Days'
5. Set Genre to 'Podcast'
5. Include/Check that Playlist in Sync Settings for the device under the Sync tab
6. Set the cable button under Pref on Treo to start PTunes - not Hotsync (use 'Blue'/button for Hotsync)
7. PTunes will connect to WMP and automatically start the sync process.
8. I will remove all podcasts that don't match the SmartPlaylist criteria.
(Will not auto do video files yet) :(
This and SharkMSG make the Treo AWESOME!!!
If you're a long-time Palm user you might be wondering how to type the shortcut key on a Treo Keyboard (the one used for macros that looks like a script lower-case "L"). You can reach the shortcut key by pressing "S" and then pressing the ALT button 4 times and select the shortut character with the center button on the d-pad. You can follow the shortcut key with "ds" and you have a date stamp, "ts" for time stamp, or "dts" for date-time stamp.
A free voice recorder download is available on www.infinityball.com
For those of you who enjoy audio books from Audible.com, try a google search for AudibleAir. It allows you to download portions of audiobooks you have purchased straight to your Treo 650 and the Audible Player will play them.
I've been more than pleased with this service from Audible. I no longer have to hot sync to hear my latest audio books.
For OS X users, the missing sync is a must have if you want to sync Address Book, iCal, iPhoto & iTunes, as well as performing backups and more. Works flawlessly in my experience, and couldn't live without it, especially considering the POS software that came on the the Treo install CD for OS X.
http://www.markspace.com/missingsync_palmos.php
How about an Audiovox SMT5600 article?
plz
I have my ebay sourced Treo coming Thursday - keep up the comments :) I'll be sure to try just about all of them over the weekend!!
First, I want to throw another vote in for old favorites: TPCMP, Card Export II, KeyCaps600, iSilo, and KMaps.
But also three others that haven't been mentioned yet:
1) PalmTextSync.
It provides automated synchronization of text files on your Desktop with DOC-format files on your Treo. (SiEd or other free editors can edit DOC format files.)
This lets you carry portable copies of many lists (todo lists, media to read, projects, nots), without having to mess around with the Palm Desktop. Ah, sweet plain text...
2) MetrO.
A free subway system routefinder. No maps, but schedules are available for many cities, as well as the bus networks for some cities, including the night buses in London, which is invaluable after the Tube shuts down.
3) reverse Bluetooth Dial-Up Networking.
Yes, it's a bit of a nuisance to setup, but it's a onetime thing if you're running a home server. Once it's done, your Treo has free data access in your home. Useful for those stuck with the extortionate GPRS rates in the UK.
Check out UniReader : http://www.dntsc.com/eng/unireader.php
Its a document reader that supports Unicode and consequently, different complex character-sets like Arabic, Chinese, Hebrew, English, Greek etc.
Good stuff if you are into any of these languages
I love my Treo 650 to death, but what I would like to hear is tips for making it more stable. Mine spontaneously reboots at least once a week. (might be some old software I'm running, but I doubt it)
Flight Status, written by a 15-year-old, is indispensible for frequent travelers, and it's free (although he does accept tips). With Flight Status you can enter the flight number and airline and get realtime arrival and departure information. See if your plane is departing on time, or if someone you're picking up is arriving on time.
http://www.andrewsoft.net/
Best tricks:
1) rubberized side grips
2) Lanyard install
3) 3.5mm Audio jack up top
Check it out at http://www.treotricks.com
Opera Mini-Fast Browser
Card Export II-View SD card as removable hard drive
LightWav-MP3 Ringtones
MobiTV-TV Video clips from MSNBC, CNN, ESPN and more.
pssh-Free SSH client
TCPMP-Watch XVID videos at 30FPS
Verichat-MSN/AIM/ICQ IM client
PocketTunes-MP3 players and internet radio streams like shoutcast.
For the business users who don't want the ugliness of the "crack"berry (I love that one!).
True PUSH email for Sprint Users on MSExchange:
http://www.sprint.com/business/products/products/businessConnections_sprintPCSVision.jsp
Worked flawlessly for me with the only drawback being that I had to leave my work computer on. Our network is a bit flakey and occasionally I had to have the IT guys reboot/relogin to reconnect.
Latest version of Versamail is an "almost" push email with the option to retrieve mail as often as every 5 minutes.
KeyCaps is a great program to speed-up typing. The original author hasn't updated the program fro the Treo 650 and it is buggy. Someone else has taken over the development. Here is the link to the latest version:
http://shrug.csl.uiuc.edu/~sachs/palm/
skip missing sync .. its overpriced and so are the upgrades unless you need to sync a little faster... live without it.
Get an AlphaSmart Neo to type on, then beam it over to your Treo for posting on your blog, e-mailing, whatever. Neo will run for a year on three AAs, meaning you can work from literally anywhere, and for hours and hours at a time.
This is to find a hidden easter egg in your 650
go to preferences
then power
then draw a little circle in the bottom righthand corner
To copy movies (or any other files) to the SD card using Palm Desktop:
1) Rename your file from movie.avi to movie.prc.
2) Double-click the file and palmOne Quick Install will open and movie.prc will be in top window (install to internal Handheld memory)
3) drag the file to the bottom window of palmOne Quick Install (Expansion Card)
4) Sync your Treo
5) Use FileZ, go to External CardPALMLauncher and rename the movie.prc back to movie.avi.
You're done! Enjoy your movie!
Go to the palm one site and download the (newest) treo firmware. It updates versa mail so that it now works (even IMAP) and solves those pesky screen shut down probs. plus tons more available internal memory now. Highly recommended.
You can listen to streaming internet radio (like Shoutcast), using Pocket Tunes Deluxe.
http://www.pocket-tunes.com
There is a good listing of Treo friendly internet radio stations browsable from your Treo.
http://mobile.treobits.com
Palm's own support site is a good resource for FAQ type information. I typically reference it when answer questions in forums, like how to install a ringtone.
http://kb.palm.com
Should I get a 650 with Sprint for Christmas or wait for the 700 and hope Sprint gets it?
BJ: Sprint won't have a 700 in either Palm OS or WinMob flavor until late Fall 2006 at the earliest, so I'd suggest you take the plunge now. 10 months of missed Treo usage is a terrible thing.