Palm to begin beta testing on new device say emails

Word on the street (or via super-secret emails) is that Palm is about to begin beta testing on a fancy new device. Apparently, an email went out to select individuals calling for Sprint customers who will use Bluetooth devices and have access to WiFi. The email further requests that potential testers be "seasoned business professionals" who "commute and spend a ton of time working on email and on the phone." From the sounds of things, the company is gearing up to road test its heavily rumored, WiFi-equipped Treo 800w, a Windows Mobile device likely sporting 6.1. If you don't know what we're talking about, it's that mildly dated looking device from Gates' CES keynote that we've also seen in leaks recently. Nice going on the new spec and inclusion of WiFi (at long last) -- now how about some new form factors?

[bob cobb @ Apr 21st 2008 8:08PM]

I can't wait for this thing, but I hope it looks a little better than that pic. My contract is up in june so hopefully it will be out this summer so I can get it with another sero plan :)

[Justin @ Apr 21st 2008 8:16PM]

Palm (Centro) style + Android + SERO for me, please.

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Apr 21st 2008 8:28PM]

If this Palm phone is actually good, I open heartily agree with you. SERO+Android= Happiness for like =)

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Apr 21st 2008 8:38PM]

Darn: http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/palm-confirms-itll-be-skipping-the-android-party/
Let's hope that Palm is the kind that changes it mind

[qrius @ Apr 21st 2008 8:18PM]

yep, looking forward to android. But I doubt Palm would embrace android. They are looking to WinMo for business and their new often delayed Palm OS II for consumers.

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Apr 21st 2008 8:29PM]

Relating to what I said, it's probably in Ol' Ed's basement, rotting as its vapor ware self

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Apr 21st 2008 8:26PM]

More stuff for Ed Colligan's basement...

[Golferal @ Apr 21st 2008 8:38PM]

" - now how about some new form factors?"

Why change something that works so well? For every iPhone there are probably 20 or more devices with a form factor similar to the Treo's (Blackberrys, Motorola Qs, Samsung Blackjacks, Nokias, etc).

I've had 4 Treos, 2 Motorola Qs, and 1 Blackberry, one Mogul, one HTC Touch and probably a couple of other devices that I can't remember. I always found the devices with this basic form factor to be the easiest to use. No sliding keyboards or touchscreen gestures to worry about, this style just works.

The only complaint I've had with the Treo in particular was its thickness and weight. If this device makes it to market and is similar to the leaked specs, I will buy it without hesitation.

[Yevon @ Apr 21st 2008 9:16PM]

I completely agree, and I quite like my Treo 650 except for a few little annoyance (size being one of them). If they made a thin one with better specs, new PalmOS that looks decent, and a browser that doesn't totally FAIL. Oh, and a camera that has more than .12 MP power.

Is it really all that much to ask for?

[Andrew @ Apr 21st 2008 11:57PM]

I agree - I loved my 700wx, best form factor out of any phone I've had.

[DoctaDJones @ Apr 22nd 2008 10:00AM]

The form factor on the Treo's is perfect the way it is.

Mute toggle switch is by far the greatest feature on any phone I've seen.
I always laugh when I see someone poor soul at the movies take out their phone ... unlock the giant touchscreen so it lights up their face in the dark theater ... press volume down about 20 times (with a nice loud beep for every press) ... all just to mute their phone.

And I have yet to see another phone allow for such easy one handed thumb navigation. "Hey cool iPhone, can you show me how you do that thing where you zoom a picture by pinching the screen ... Sure, I'll wait here while you find somewhere to put your coffee down."

[xSwamp @ Apr 21st 2008 8:55PM]

What the hell is with all 'leak' photos being blury, fuzzy, or unreadable?

Doesn't anyone have somthing better than a 0.3mp phone cam?

[Mark @ Apr 21st 2008 9:01PM]

omg that looks sexy.

[Uday @ Apr 21st 2008 9:17PM]

How can I sign up?

[kjr @ Apr 21st 2008 9:51PM]

The article is missing the Read link:

http://www.palminfocenter.com/news/7742/palm-sends-out-beta-test-invites-for-new-device/

[matthewmrussell @ Apr 21st 2008 10:04PM]

I have had three Treos, and every day I tell someone that it is the best phone I have ever owned.

With that said, Palm is dying a slow but obvious death. When Android comes out Palm will cease to exist. The originality that came with the Treo will be eclipsed by better software and better handsets.

It will be a sad day, but it unfortunately is coming... soon.

[Zorque @ Apr 21st 2008 11:12PM]

I agree, I love the hell out of my 650. I still am constantly finding new things to do with it, and it's really a shame Palm is going to end up the way it is.

[GPS @ Apr 21st 2008 10:07PM]

Is tht the pic of new palm? Looks like they have moved to Windows :)

[Derek @ Apr 21st 2008 10:19PM]

Way to be way behind in news. Palm has been making Windows Mobile Treo...

[Lucasz @ Apr 21st 2008 10:13PM]

Sexy? That picture looks like a POS just like the Centro. The full keyboard is sweet for the form factor, but that big ass row of buttons in the middle should be axed in favor of an extra inch of touch screen goodness. Those middle buttons take up almost as much space as the entire keyboard.

[jonathan @ Apr 21st 2008 10:24PM]

Sprint? Gimmie GSM.

[Quikboy @ Apr 21st 2008 10:46PM]

I hope it runs WinMo 6.1 (well). I don't know if Palm tries to cut corners by using the very minimum specs to run WinMo, but I hope that they won't.

And support and easy upgradability to WinMo 7 would be quite nice.

I'm still planning to get the Xperia X1 though, unless Palm really has something better. If not, at least Palm can try pushing the envelope to help other companies improve their own WinMo phones.

[Kev @ Apr 21st 2008 10:56PM]

Palm, reminds me of their supposed-to-be-released-in-the-near-future Linux based next gen Palm OS, which seems so Duke Nukem Forever-ish to me...

[slip @ Apr 21st 2008 11:04PM]

"The Incredible Foleo"? (So called to make us forget the ill-fated original release, simply called "Foleo"?)

[BigTeebo @ Apr 21st 2008 11:36PM]

Hey guys, I bet this will have like...64 megs of storage on it! It's a Palm revolution!

[Zorque @ Apr 22nd 2008 1:02AM]

One of their recent phones had 128 megs, and the Lifedrive has several gigs, so I don't know where you're coming from.

[jame12 @ Apr 21st 2008 11:37PM]

A new centro with WM and WiFi? No thanks... pass!...The screen is just too small...

[hwoarang27 @ Apr 21st 2008 11:53PM]

Its amazing how PALM had the touchscreen form factor thing riight there with its Tungsten PDAs yet its now discontinued and iphone is the new hotness.

sad.

[Steffen Jobbs @ Apr 22nd 2008 12:01AM]

Wasn't Palm supposed to quit the business and it's give money back to the shareholders? Guess we'll have to wait another year for that to happen. It's a two company race for smartphones and I don't think Palm was in the running.

[cruci fiction @ Apr 22nd 2008 1:58AM]

Yeah! You need to be #1 or #2 in an enormous market, or its just not even worth it. All that money, sitting there waiting for you to take it, but you might as well just give up if you are not the biggest player.

[Eli @ Apr 22nd 2008 2:22AM]

Man..I really like Palm, and it makes me so sad to keep seeing them put out rehashed, unstable crud.

I had a Palm V back in the day. First time I saw one I nearly crapped my pants. It was so thin, so sleek, so functional...I went out and bought one immediately. Used it for years too.

Find whoever designed the Palm V, fire everyone on the current design team (or the management that's not letting them make anything new), and make something inspiring again.

[Johan S @ Apr 22nd 2008 3:09AM]

I can bet you that it will be crap. Probably QVGA. Reason being they want people who use email, well that means that the web browsing is going to be crappily forced on QVGA screen.

[Peter @ Apr 22nd 2008 3:54AM]

Commute, business users, email, wifi.... has to be the relaunch of the Foleo for sure! LOL

[Dick Fer @ Apr 22nd 2008 5:15AM]

How about some new form factors? Why?
Why change something that works? I don't get it. It's like the people in this generation get bored. I'd MUCH rather have something that is functional. I'm sick and tired of someone screwing up a good thing. Treo had it good, and screwed it up. Blackberry's interface sucks. I'd much rather have a WM6.1 touchscreen. I don't want good battery life, I want better than average bluetooth, and I want the thing to fit in my pocket. Changing the form factor because some editorialist thinks it's the cool thing to do? Wrong.

I hope Verizon gets the 800W in something less than 12 months.

[Matt Dearman @ Apr 22nd 2008 9:57AM]

In before Mr. Blurry Cam.