New Treo 500 pics surface showing off color schemes, back and side views

Sure, we know the actual event is only a few hours away, but can you ever really see too many pre-release photos of a new mobile phone... especially when it's this much of a let-down? That's right folks, feast your sparkling eye-socket-fillers on these new Treo 500 pictures, featuring both variations of the monochromatic, totally mediocre color-schemes that Palm has cooked up. We don't know where our friends in the Netherlands got these pics, or why the white version's keyboard is blurred out like a still from a Paris Hilton "video," but we do know some things, namely: the camera and speaker placement on the backs have changed ever-so-slightly; these phones are thinner, but not that thin; and... these designs look straight out of 1999. Look, we know you're trying guys, but you're going to have to do better than a BlackJack-aping, Windows Mobile almost-ran to win our hardened hearts back.

[Thanks, Lenny]

[Task514 @ Sep 11th 2007 6:44PM]

Wow!! Nice!

[comrade @ Sep 11th 2007 6:47PM]

Hey, you guys stole my troll!

"Looks very 1999. Almost looks retro."

[Vanillacide @ Sep 11th 2007 7:19PM]

SPACE 1999

Why can't our mobile look like the ones from Gerry Anderson's SPACE 1999? They had the (square) screen on top, and the numeric pad on one side ... what was on the other three sides? With a big fat antenna sticking out the bottom. :)

[newgalactic @ Sep 11th 2007 6:47PM]

I have never seen such wasted real estate.

[joe23521 @ Sep 11th 2007 8:05PM]

certainly wouldn't hurt to make that screen a tad larger.

[Sneakz @ Sep 11th 2007 6:47PM]

Dude, no clue what you're taking 'bout. The 500 doesn't look that bad. I think it looks nice. Straight outta '99? Homie, have you seen other phones that are out right now?

[dave @ Sep 11th 2007 6:54PM]

I don't think it's that ugly either--- the white one is not that great, but the black/gray one that Sprint is touting is pretty cool. Don't know how slim it is or how much it will be when it comes out, but it has my attention.

[Bevon Findley @ Sep 11th 2007 6:54PM]

how about i buy one and then hand it over to you guys to give away for free. thing is fugly

[iamjk @ Sep 11th 2007 7:16PM]

the buttons look like they are more for palm os then windows mobile

[nicleT @ Sep 11th 2007 6:57PM]

Revolutionary! This blurred keyboard is a neat idea; match perfectly with my blurred fingers.

[Nathaniel C @ Sep 11th 2007 6:57PM]

1999? it doesnt look that bad to me, more like 2003 or something. i kind of like the look actually. dont know what everyone is bitching about (for the looks anyway)

[markiv @ Sep 11th 2007 6:57PM]

duh

[patricia @ Sep 11th 2007 7:01PM]

it is sooo fugly!

[Joe M. @ Sep 11th 2007 7:04PM]

A Couple of Months Ago, the rumors said 2 new smartphones. Palm the other day said this isn't the Announcement isn't the Centro. Treo 500, Centro, Gandalf, whatever it's called. I hope this isn't it. I hope that they announce a CDMA Treo 800 w/ UMTS/HSPDA, WiFi, onboard Storage, More RAM, maybe WM OS...
Come on Palm...This thing looks like it's more for kiddies than for the Treo User.

[ProfessionalGun @ Sep 11th 2007 7:05PM]

I am personally tired of the rounded plastic look. This reminds me of a Zen Vision: M. It looks toy-like and to agree with "newgalactic", that empty space in the center does look wasted - even if it lends itself to a cleaner look. Personally, I like my soft-keys as close to the screen as possible. Interesting design choices on this one.

[Jasmine @ Sep 11th 2007 7:09PM]

I actually like this color scheme. To me, it's still a step up from the current palm Treos out there.

I wonder why the keyboard was blurred out...What's so important that they have to hide it?

[Scott @ Sep 11th 2007 8:15PM]

I just threw up in my mouth!

[Hastings @ Sep 11th 2007 7:18PM]

IMO, there isn't anything really wrong with the current design of the Treo 7xx series. I wouldn't mind if it was a little slimmer and without the huge antenna, but I find the form factor comfortable and ergonomic as it stands. Add a higher res screen, Windows Mobile 6, WiFi, and bump the specs up to make it compete with other high-end smart phones on the market and I'll buy one.

Am I alone?

[Mischa Lockton @ Sep 11th 2007 9:21PM]

You certainly aint alone Hastings, the Treo with Palm's OS is terrific, to update it, it just needs to be faster, increase storage, and slim down, losing the antenna and gaining wi-fi...
As technology permits... There is no need to screw up the spacing as they did.



.... REED?

[anderesp @ Sep 11th 2007 7:19PM]

ohhh Paris Hilton.



You keep me young. lol.

[goatfool23 @ Sep 11th 2007 9:19PM]

this makes me wonder if palm employees are shorting their own stock

[roach @ Sep 11th 2007 8:09PM]

I like it very much actually.

[Elvis Ripley @ Sep 11th 2007 7:27PM]

This is exactly what Apple was talking about when Steve said the keypad was wasted space.

[Karl Viklund @ Sep 11th 2007 7:29PM]

Coool :)

[Chino B @ Sep 11th 2007 7:30PM]

To be honest, I like the new design, especially white :)

[sean.boots @ Sep 12th 2007 1:46AM]

Agreed. I personally think it looks very impressive. Engadget might be starting to become too anti-Palm. The criticism is always good, but Palm seems to be doing a decent job on this one (at least design-wise).

[bonekhan @ Sep 16th 2007 9:31AM]

I like it. It seems the keypad should slide over the buttons on top, or something. Very... groovy.

[Tom @ Sep 11th 2007 7:47PM]

This looks 100x better than the 650.

[Johan S @ Sep 11th 2007 7:48PM]

Who's the fool to buy this over the iPhone? Why would I buy a "smartphone" with a dismally low res screen that is unusable as a web browser and clumsy to use as a phone?

[freakmarket @ Sep 11th 2007 8:14PM]

Because the iPhone doesn't do a LOT basic phone stuff ... iPhone hasno IM client ... 3rd party apps not available ... $400 is too expensive for a phone... the list goes on.

Parents are more apt to spend $100 than $400.

[Aman Patel @ Sep 11th 2007 8:53PM]

@ freakmarket

You're replying to a comment about smartphones, not a commodity device.

Yes most smart phones can utilize 3rd party apps, however...

IM app != smartphone
$400 is not too much for a smart phone.
Most parents do not purchase smart phones for their kids.

The list only goes on in your mind. After years of owning Treos, I hate having to use my 680 when I'm out of the country. I will never trade my iPhone for any currently available Treo.

[Abuzar @ Sep 11th 2007 10:44PM]

That is 400 with a two year contract. My blackberry pearl was -100 USD(Yes, that is a negative) and I would take it over the Iphone any day. When there are are third party apps for your system, then it deserves to die. Actually any mobile platform without mobipocket reader deserves to die...

[Abuzar @ Sep 11th 2007 10:45PM]

Sorry, I meant when there ARE NOT third party apps for your system, it deserves to die.

[lassi @ Sep 12th 2007 8:55AM]

un-subsidizied treos cost over 600$. never sold well anywhere where subsidizing and hiding the cost in the monthly fees wasn't the standard, they're not cheap, they just appear so when you buy them with a costly plan for voice and data(that you lack an alternative, that you'd pay the costly plan anyhow, doesn't really mean that it's cheap- it just means you're getting screwed either way).



can't buy an iphone thats not subbed though(sure you can unlock etc.. but it's not whats "expected" so unless you know for certain the deal between apple and at&t you can't say that it's not subsidized).

[AJP @ Sep 11th 2007 7:59PM]

It amazes me how Uber-Geeks expect a LOW end model to outdo a HIGH end iPod.

This is a 500, it is below 600, 700 or 800. It is meant for the LOW end of the market. An entry and affordable model. Not everybody has $600 to waste on flash and dash.

I am very likely to buy this to replace my Motorola Q that crashes daily.

[crescentdavid @ Sep 11th 2007 8:26PM]

Help me out here ... among comparable phones ... could folks include in their critique something along the lines of "the treo 500 is fugly and can't compare with brand X's styling." I'd like to know what people see as a good looking phone with a qwerty keyboard.

Thanks~

[eflyersteve @ Sep 11th 2007 8:27PM]

The treo 650 is still one of the best smart phones in existence in my opinion (and many people I that use them). A thinner version without the antenna for $100 bucks will be a huge success. Just remember you heard it here first (assume that is the price point).

I'll be happy to buy a CDMA version with EV-DO for $100.00.

[Michael @ Sep 11th 2007 9:10PM]

What's with all this design criticism? It looks great to me... now all they need to do is work on the OS.

[Tim T. @ Sep 11th 2007 10:39PM]

So compared to the 755p, what's the difference? size? speed? price? Is this slated to be a replacement for the 755p? I can't wait till tomorrow! ARGH!!!!!

[KRomeleoN @ Sep 11th 2007 10:55PM]

wait - this doesnt have touch screen? isnt this worse than current treo?

[justin @ Sep 11th 2007 11:15PM]

this isn't the phone being released.

[taylor @ Sep 12th 2007 12:23AM]

Remembere Engadget, this thing was in spy shots BEFORE your letter to palm, it is the last of a dyng breed of sub par palm phones...Palm will one day rule the land again!!!!

[Pia @ Sep 12th 2007 12:32AM]

It looks great, too bad it is running such crappy software. Part of the appeal of the Palms was the Palm software. Clean, beautifully usable, stable. Then they put Windows on it and now I wouldn't use it if you paid me to.

[Ian @ Sep 12th 2007 1:29AM]

I'm a Palm fanboy still hoping for one last non-phone PDA to replace my TX, but the latest boring Treos aren't giving me any hope that, even if Palm made such a thing, I'd want to buy it.