Palm's Treo 850 is really the Treo Pro?

Would you look at this. A very official looking page -- at a Palm.com domain, no less -- has unveiled the previously rumored Treo 850 as the Treo Pro. We're still digging the new look, though the keyboard does look suspiciously small in these shots. At a cursory glance we've got WiFi, a camera and a 3.5mm stereo jack. A couple more pics after the break.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[rock99rock @ Aug 14th 2008 9:29PM]

Looks like a nice start to something decent, palm. Still there is a lot of wasted real estate on that thar front panel.

[rock99rock @ Aug 14th 2008 9:31PM]

By the way, engadget, i find it a little nagging to have to click "Returning" every time i comment. I have a smart browser, use its potential please.

[Reader @ Aug 14th 2008 10:30PM]

Agreed. There should be a cookie for Returning as default.

[Tonicboy @ Aug 15th 2008 2:23AM]

Or at least, default to Returning, as I would imagine the number of new commenters is dwarfed by the number of existing ones. Back to topic, this is the first Treo from Palm that looks mildly sexy. Good for you, old man Palm!

[Setnev @ Aug 14th 2008 9:30PM]

Whoa, a Palm Treo running Windows Mobile? That's a shocker!

[Isaac @ Aug 14th 2008 10:24PM]

Woah? Asshole replying to an asshole replying to an asshole... confusing!

[nDee @ Aug 15th 2008 2:02AM]

Possible for Dual-boot on Palm machines?
It would be wonderful.

PS: rubbish comment box.

[El Taco @ Aug 16th 2008 1:48AM]

A non-asshole replying to an asshole replying to an asshole's comment! More confusing!

[Alareth @ Aug 14th 2008 9:35PM]

Looks like a refaced Centro

[Buis @ Aug 15th 2008 3:46AM]

Yeah, a stretch centro. Why is there so much space for the hardbuttons? Wouldn't it be more useful to have either a larger keyboard, or a larger screen, or both?
I bet it needs to be this fat to accomodate for the battery which in turn accomodates the wifi. You see, for some reason Palm gets second rate wifi chips that nobody else uses and those use four times the regular amount of power. That's why we don't have wifi Treos yet...
The WiFi button is a good idea though. Typical Palm usability.

- post-iPhone 680 owner

[TareX @ Aug 14th 2008 9:35PM]

Looks.... not bad.

But too much dead space on the front.
Too thick for the package.
I continue to hate the square screen forever, and ever.

[mafiaboy01 @ Aug 14th 2008 9:40PM]

I agree, I like the newer look but they are wasting to much space on the front with the nav controls.
I own a 700wx and don't like the square screen all that much.
The only thing I wish palm would do is to enhance the OS similar to how HTC does, it would make it a lot more appealing.
Any word on the specs?

[Joe H @ Aug 14th 2008 9:42PM]

In my opinion, Palm enhances the OS in a much better way than HTC does. Instead of layering new crap on top for a fancy looking touchscreen interface (which, on a device with a keyboard, does it matter that much? Not to me, that's for sure) they strip out all of the unnecessary crap to make it a much faster device for the processor speed.

[Joe H @ Aug 14th 2008 9:48PM]

Also, rumored specs as of the end of May, if this is the same device as the 850:

http://tamsppc.tamoggemon.com/2008/05/24/treo-850-has-wifi-full-specs-leaked/

# 14 mm in thickness, width 60 mm and length 113 mm
# GSM, EDGE and UMTS HSDPA 3.6
# assisted-GPS receiver
# Wi-FI b/g
# 320*320 screen, touch panel
# micro-SD slot under the battery
# 2 MP camera
# 1500 mAh battery
# a micro-USB connector for both power and sync
# bluetooth 2.0 EDR + A2DP, 256 MB NAND-Flash (> 175 MB for user), 32 MB SDRAM
# Windows Mobile Pro 6.1

[TheJalAbides @ Aug 14th 2008 10:26PM]

@ Joe H

whoa whoa whoa, that RAM number can't be right, unless it's a Verizon phone, which it isn't due to it's GSM radio.

http://pdadb.net/index.php?m=specs&id=1317
pdadb.net seems to list a released date of sept., the RAM at 128mb, and the thickness at 14mm ... nice

[The Dude @ Aug 14th 2008 11:41PM]

The specs got pulled even at the forums (the read link). That's lame. And of course, the leaked page is dead now. Come on Palm, we're trying to care here.

[Joe H @ Aug 14th 2008 9:41PM]

Too bad this isn't CDMA. Its rumored to have a battery 1.5x the Centro/800w one, looks nicer, and has all the same features (though no word on GPS yet). If this was CDMA and had GPS, I'd replace my Q9c for it no questions asked. The 800w though, while I'm sure its very nice, just isn't enough of a jump ahead for the price and look. (And the step back of the battery would kill me).

[inteller @ Aug 14th 2008 9:46PM]

Haven't you learned by now? Sprint/Verizon get to be the guinea pigs for Palm's dumping ground....then the real product comes to ATT.

[Joe H @ Aug 14th 2008 9:53PM]

Well, I'm only recently a WM user in the first place with my q9c, being a long-time Palm / Garnet user. I know that with the WM devices that seems to be the case, but it was never like that with the Palm devices.

I'm still slightly holding out hope for Nova anyway, as stupid as that might be, because I'm still not the biggest WM fan from a usability standpoint. Sure its powerful, but eh. Especially since they seem to be concentrating way too much on a touchscreen-only competitor to Cupertino (see, avoided mentioning it) as opposed to something that works intuitively with a keyboard.

Regardless, I think this close to Android, Nova (possibly, barring any other delays) and I believe WM7 next year as well, it'd probably be better to wait anyway.

[Tav @ Aug 14th 2008 9:41PM]

Please, please, please don't mention the one phone that starts with the letter 'i'...

[chickenator @ Aug 14th 2008 9:48PM]

iTav?

[xdfgf @ Aug 14th 2008 10:15PM]

The iPhone is better than this so why bother mentioning it?

[Paul Dullford @ Aug 14th 2008 9:49PM]

Well, I think the keyboard could be a bit larger and more curvy. But not bad for a Palm device. But can we get the screen a bit bigger?

[ScOObyDoo @ Aug 14th 2008 10:01PM]

Welcome back to the game, Palm!

[chickenator @ Aug 14th 2008 10:14PM]

yes u r

[Fernando @ Aug 14th 2008 10:15PM]

That's surprisingly good looking! I haven't seen an attractive palm phone since... er, since forever.

[Phoenix @ Aug 14th 2008 10:18PM]

Looking shiny... I can't be the only one who read that as "Palm's Treo 850 is really the Touch Pro?" can I?


Also Engadget, make the comment system remember me when I check "remember me"...

[Khris @ Aug 14th 2008 10:21PM]

I want to be as cool as you!

[yokken @ Aug 14th 2008 10:23PM]

just stupid. the keyboard is the dumbest decision ever. it looks cool but it's like smashing an orange beneath your fingers every time you push a key.

[TooMuch @ Aug 14th 2008 10:48PM]

"smashing an orange"

That's A LOT of smashed oranges with 35 keys on 2 million Centros. :)

(BTW. The key layout looks broader than a Centro.)

[Colonel Kernel @ Aug 23rd 2008 12:28AM]

This doesn't seem to be the gummy Centro/500 material. Just clear plastic/acrylic/whatever.

[XGM @ Aug 14th 2008 10:44PM]

The first first happened many years ago, your kinda late now. Instead say x millionth first

[Matt @ Aug 14th 2008 10:48PM]

Maybe someone can help me out with something... why the hell do Palms all have that HUGE wasted space between the screen and the keyboard? Like really, do I need such a huge Start button? This is a serious question though... aren't other people bothered by this?

[~~Tito~~ @ Aug 14th 2008 10:53PM]

So business people can pay less attention to the keys.

[Mike @ Aug 15th 2008 12:05AM]

Yes, stretch the stupid square screen down into that wasted space.

[AlphaTeam @ Aug 14th 2008 10:47PM]

I'd have really preferred the Palm OS, as I find it so much more stable and easier to use.

[David Gonzalez @ Aug 14th 2008 11:05PM]

I wish they would just make a thinner device, not skinnier...if that makes sense. I don't like the Centro keyboard size, and this looks just to be it. I haven't seen the 800w in person, but from the looks of it, looks more the size of the 700p. I hope when Nova comes out, it has the 700p sized keyboard, but the thinness of a Touch or Curve.

[David Gonzalez @ Aug 14th 2008 11:10PM]

Wow, hate to be such a n00b, but, how do you change your password and your icon on here? I've been reading for months, but just started posting, and can't figure this out for the life of me.

[tcc3 @ Aug 14th 2008 11:28PM]

Click you own name. Login with the last temp password they gave you. You can set a permanent password and change your icon from in there.

[ChrisSchwartz @ Aug 14th 2008 11:54PM]

Too bad my Blackjack is crapping out now and work is getting me a new phone. This looks like a good replacement. Hope I don't get a Blackjack II.

[DaMaDo @ Aug 15th 2008 2:57AM]

Wow, they are finally making them look cool again....good step forward IMO.

[Tony @ Aug 15th 2008 12:04AM]

A power button on a Palm device? Shenanigans!

[Ayle @ Aug 15th 2008 1:21AM]

Looks good but why do they still use the square screen?

The new comment system is... Well, I prefer the old one as clunky as it was...

[Colonel Kernel @ Aug 23rd 2008 1:53AM]

You certainly wouldn't prefer the short 320 x 240 QVGA screen, would you? If you're talking about making the screen taller, I can find just one WM smartphone that has both a front-facing QWERTY keyboard and a tall screen: the i-mate Ultimate 8502. The scrunched-up function buttons look terrible and that screen is still stuck at QVGA resolution!

Further, the Samsung SGH-i780 and the Asus M536, whenever they come out, will also sport square screens.

[Matt @ Aug 15th 2008 2:25AM]

wait just a tick... why the hell do you need softkeys if you have a touchscreen?

[emanuelle @ Aug 15th 2008 3:13AM]

This looks like a modded gaming desktop encasing
but still nice looking.... FINALLY!

[joe blow @ Aug 15th 2008 3:42AM]

Needs smaller screen & keys. More shiny fingerprint plastic on the front, please. And who needs a flash anyway, digital cameras have such great low light capability.

[chefgon_ign @ Aug 15th 2008 8:11AM]

It looks very pretty, but Palm phones are just way too thick compared to their competitors. Until they get that under control I would never consider actually buying one of their phones.

[Colonel Kernel @ Aug 23rd 2008 2:00AM]

The Treo Pro is just 1.2mm thicker than the iPhone. Is that thin enough for you?

[Colonel Kernel @ Aug 23rd 2008 2:03AM]

That's .53" or 13.5mm, btw.