Palm announces Treo 680

Per protocol, Palm was scooped well ahead of today's announcement, but it's always good to see official details get laid out nonetheless. Following hot on the heels of its elder Windows Mobile sibling, the 750v, the Treo 680 comes into the light today for GSM networks -- a good sign for carriers worldwide after a year of CDMA equipment out of the company. Cast as an entry-level model (read: no WiFi support), the 680 brings it strong with a redesigned phone UI and software bundle, quad-band GSM (what, no quint-band HSDPA?), 64MB of RAM, and a VGA cam, all sitting atop Palm OS in the buyer's choice of Graphite, Copper, Arctic, or Crimson colors. No pricing or launch carriers were announced today, but given the branding we've seen on some of the shots thus far, we've got our guesses.

[Taire @ Oct 12th 2006 2:17PM]

Looks pretty basic, I will be keeping my treo650... First post ...yay

[clicclic @ Oct 12th 2006 3:27PM]

Will it reset itself while you're writing a hella-long SMS like the 650? I really miss that...

[Aron Trimble @ Oct 12th 2006 2:33PM]

The 'cast of the conference said the battery life wouldn't be different however according to Palm's own site the 680 gets 2 hours less talk time than the 650.

[Korpil @ Oct 12th 2006 2:41PM]

Cast as an entry-level model (read: no WiFi support),

Does that mean that there WILL be a WiFi enabled Treo?? If so, I'll keep using my trusty old 600.

[samegirl @ Oct 12th 2006 3:21PM]

Ok, not a nerd but a real consumer here ;) I have been waiting for a slimmer version of the Treo for too long. And its finally here! Im sure all the other ones are great and bla bla. But its not ladylike to lug those bricks around town in my Prada bag.
So to me this is great news!

[Wayne @ Oct 12th 2006 3:43PM]

No Wi-Fi = no care about the 680.

All new PDA/Smartphones should have built-in Wi-Fi.

[David @ Oct 12th 2006 4:10PM]

What exactly makes this a "low end" Treo? The lack of Wifi?? Give me a break! It's not like I'm going to use Google Maps over Wifi while cruising down Vegas Avenue, and if I am going to surf the web from a wifi hotspot, I'm sure not going to use my Treo to do it.

My 600 is getting long in tooth and is longing to be put out to pasture. I want to see Apple's (alleged) product and make a decision...

[Aaron @ Oct 12th 2006 5:17PM]

Well, I have a feeling this 680 could be extremely successful, if consumers are able to get it for, say, $200-250 (after rebates, etc.) In my opinion, the Palm OS is still a little more user friendly, so if people are able hold one in a store and can IMMEDIATELY SEE the increased power/functionality over a "regular" phone, and it only cost a little more; that is a good recipe.

[Mike Schleifstein @ Oct 12th 2006 5:53PM]

http://www.treocentral.com/content/Stories/935-1.htm

treo central was at teh press conference and has a hands on review

[Jon @ Oct 12th 2006 6:50PM]

Keey-rist, how long do I have to wait to get a Treo w/ Palm OS with built-in Wi-Fi????????

Lame...

[Dave @ Oct 12th 2006 6:55PM]

When will Treo add WiFi to these things? I'd be sold if they did....

[john @ Oct 12th 2006 6:59PM]

Sheesh. i don't know what the gripe is all about for wifi.

Think of it this way:

Why would Verizon (or Sprint, or Cingular, or T-Mobile) want to sell you a phone with wifi on it? Its like shooting themselves in the foot.

Why would Palm want to sell one and destroy its relationship with Verizon/Sprint/Cingular/TMobile?

Of the popular "smart phones" (i.e. Blackberry/Moto Q/Nokia E61), which one do you see comes with wifi.

If I wasn't locked into a contract with Verizon, I'd be waiting in line to get the 680! When are they going to do antenna-less treo for CDMA? I want the orange color, of course.

[geoff @ Dec 2nd 2006 4:30PM]

John wrote:
Of the popular "smart phones" (i.e. Blackberry/Moto Q/Nokia E61), which one do you see comes with wifi.(?)

Answer:T-Mobile "Dash" (HTC S620 excalibur) comes w/ WiFi, Edge and other connectivity. All ~$148 after rebate. Comes w/ SW to read most doc types incl pdf and WinOffice docs, outlook client etc all builtin. It is Winders Mobile which has its challenges but Palm really needs to get up to speed and incl wifi. Introducing a "new" smartphone in 2006 w/o WiFi is a "not so smart phone". Notwithstanding PalmOS probably hammers Winders Mobile. Treo is sooo close to being the best, but so stubborn about wifi and size. Maybe next time.

[rick @ Oct 12th 2006 7:43PM]

It had better be inexpensive with that camera.

Geez, Palm never quite seems to get the multimedia aspect of their Treos.

[Ben @ Oct 13th 2006 2:23AM]

Don't count on WiFi or HSDPA until Palm drops ALP or some other new OS into their Treos. As is, Palm OS 5 cannot simultaneously do voice and data at the same time- this is a prerequisite for any HSDPA device to be launched on Cingular.

Hate it- I love the Palm OS and the Treo, but I gotta have streaming video and audio. Guess I'll just have to wait for the 750.....

[Wayne @ Oct 12th 2006 9:00PM]

John, the Cingular 8125 smartphone has built-in Wi-Fi. You don't need an extra $40/month data plan to use it. I believe some of the other HTC models also have Wi-Fi.

David, you might not use Google Maps cruising down Vegas avenue, but anyone who is lost will pull into the Starbucks they just drove past and get directions using the Wi-Fi.

The cat's already out of the bag. You can't put it back in.

[Justin @ Oct 13th 2006 2:57AM]

Horray! No more fat, stuby antenna! Looks like I may finally upgrade my Treo 600.

[Jim Welsh @ Oct 16th 2006 10:07PM]

Bells and Whistles?
Not needed, sounds like a good PDA/phone combination to me.
Lets get back to basics. Address, Date Book, Memos, To Do; you get Documents to Go and Blue Tooth. 320x320 touch screen, Graffiti and a keyboard. And, the say at an entry level price. Sign me up for one!

[Tammy @ Dec 29th 2006 5:16PM]

I think the new 680 looks sharp but I own a 650 and my motto is why fix it if its not broke. My only crashes when husband wants to add a new program hes trying on his 700p haha. I will stick with the 650.

[matt @ Feb 2nd 2007 4:33PM]

I have had I have been a loyal Palm user for 6 or more years. That is all about to change. My new Treo 680 frezes up on screen many times per day. That requires a battery removal reboot. Not to mention that it drops calls constantly. And that is my second Treo 680. I have no extranal software. Treo Phones, with the Palm Operating system, have to be among the worst devices, and specifically the worst phones, in the industry. Palm has practically no customer service.

[Larry Dierker @ Dec 3rd 2007 8:24PM]

Watch out if you have a Treo 650 and you use it with Palm software. After you log 2000 dates on your calendar the phone will automatically delete all entries, past and future. If you hotsync after that, it deletes everything from your computer too! You cannot retrieve any calendar records. There is nothing in the manuals or online help menus that will tell you this. It's unconsionable. I will never buy another Palm product.