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Palm shipping new wireless Bluetooth keyboard
Palm has slapped its new Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard up on the Palm store site for all you mobile workers who crave that office away from office type of thing. Featuring 5 rows of full-sized keys and an adjustable easel to sit it on while at work, it all folds up to stow in wherever you currently stow stuff while on the move. Palm claims five months of battery usage from just a pair of AAA batteries, though we're feeling that a handy dandy rechargeable option might have been a better option here. Device support includes the Treo line of devices (of course) and can be had at ye ole Palm shoppe for $99.[Via Brighthand]
Sprint selling Samsung m510, Palm Treo 755p
In the market for a fancy flip? A mild update to an ancient smartphone, perhaps? Either way, Sprint's got you covered -- both the Samsung m510 and the Palm Treo 755p have gone live on the carrier's website. Despite the fact that the 755p's available in two snazzy colors, the m510 wins the fashion competition hands down in your choice of black or pink. As we mentioned earlier, get it for $129.99 on contract or rebates; the 755p will run ya another $150 at $279.99.[Thanks, Jon and Travis]Read - Samsung m510 (black)Read - Samsung m510 (pink)Read - Palm Treo 755p (burgundy)Read - Palm Treo 755p (blue)
Palm Treo 755p review roundup
Despite offering little more than a mild refresh to its already-ancient predecessor, initial reviews of Palm's latest and greatest Garnet device have been overwhelmingly positive. The same Palm OS niggles of old are still there -- the lack of multitasking capability is pretty hard to swallow at this point -- but for business users looking for familiarity and a time-tested formula, the platform simply can't be beat. Call quality and signal strength both seem to be quite good, a larger battery adds a wee bit of weight in exchange for improved standby and talk times, and the absence of an aerial is a welcome change that makes the Treo's overall design appear marginally less dated. If WiFi isn't a priority (keep in mind EV-DO picks up some of that slack), it looks like the 755p might be a great way for folks to get in on what'll likely be one of Garnet's last hurrahs.Read - MobileTechReview (4 / 5 stars, "Another update to an already strong smartphone...")Read - MobileBurn ("Highly Recommended")Read - SlashGear (4.5 / 5 stars, "...still one of the best smartphones on the market...")Read - Brighthand ("...a good buy...")
A look at Sprint's summer fashions
Sprint's "3 Month View" spreadsheet makes for some absolutely fascinating reading -- as long as it proves to be nonfiction, anyway. The document gives us an in-depth look at Sprint's (and Nextel's) launches for the months of April, May, and June, and needless to say, we're liking what we're seeing. Starting with standard phones, the Samsung M300 should make its grand entrance next month in silver alongside the Sanyo 3200 -- which replaces the 3100 -- in black, blue, and pink (the latter will run $200; no pricing on the former yet). Moving upmarket, the Samsung M510 replaces the M500 in May for an as-yet-undetermined price. In PDA land, no surprises here; the HTC Titan launches in PPC-6800 guise next month (sorry, no price here either), as does the Palm Treo 755p in blue and burgundy. Nextel users get the ic502 in black with an extended battery bundled (whooptie doo) for $270 next month, and if you wait until June, you'll get a crack at the ic902. Finally, road warriors will be pleased to hear that the Rev. A ExpressCard AC595E from Sierra Wireless gets launched in May, though a price remains to be set.[Thanks, Terry]
The 2006 Engadget Awards: Vote for Smartphone of the Year
Now's your chance to cast your ballot for the 2006 Smartphone of the Year! Our Engadget Awards nominees are listed below, and you've got until 11.59PM EST on Sunday, April 15th to file your vote. You can only vote once, so make it count, and may the best tech win! The nominees: BlackBerry Pearl, HTC Hermes / 8525, Motorola Q, Nokia N93, Palm Treo 750, and Sony Ericsson P990. %Poll-339%
Treo 755p coming to Verizon?
We didn't think Sprint would have the spotlight with the latest CDMA Treo for long, and it turns out we were right. Our pal HTC Kid over at Verizon tells us that the new #1 is planning to release its own Treo 755p variant shortly. Feature lineup appears to be similar (except possibly some LBS), but for the forgetful among us, we'll give them to you again -- dual-band CDMA with EV-DO Rev. A, a 1.3 megapixel shooter, and what appears to be a sleeker, refined look a la Treo 680. Make sure you stay tuned for more details.[Thanks, HTC Kid]
Palm outs Backup beta for Palm OS Treos
We've gotta admit, this is pretty cool. Palm has started offering a beta of its "Backup" utility which wirelessly backs up the contents of your Palm OS-based Treo (the 650, 680, and 700p, to be exact). Into the password-protected ether, as far as we can tell; it appears that carriers are involved in the action, since it currently only works for AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon customers. The software and service are free (though an unlimited data plan is, obviously, highly recommended) and can be kicked off from anywhere you have a signal. It can also be set to automatically kick off on a schedule, and it only chews up 2MB of storage space on your beloved Treo. As with any beta, be wary -- but at least it's free, right?[Via Wirelessinfo, thanks Emily]
Treo 755p for Sprint in the wild
We know you're starting to get a little tired of the aerial on that 700p of yours; no, seriously, we feel your pain. You're looking longly at that 680 over there, but the leap over to Cingular -- and to GSM, for that matter -- can be a treacherous one indeed for some users. Happily, the 755p is coming just in time to save the day before you all go out of your gourds, and for a Garnet-based EV-DO piece, she's looking mighty purty. A reader wrote in to describe his recent brush with the 755p to us, and came away with the impression that it's slimmer, lighter, and easier to hold thanks to concave surfaces on the phone's sides. A couple launch keys on the front side have disappeared (leaving only two), the stylus is a little lighter, and although the camera is still a mere 1.3 megapixels, pictures are apparently of a much higher quality. Music to a weary 700p user's (or, better yet, a 650 user's) ears, eh? See you in the next couple months![Thanks, James]%Gallery-2360%
SlingPlayer Mobile for Palm OS Beta is live
Hey you, rabid Palm OS fan, 700p owner, and Sling advocate -- remember that SlingPlayer Mobile for Palm OS Beta you signed up for last month? Well, it's time to lose a little more sleep over it, but this time you'll be enjoying the niceties of streaming media on your handset instead of sweating the release date. According to SlingCommunity, the beta will be going live today, and will officially support the 3G-enabled Treo 700p, but "early reports" are suggesting that 680 owners may be able to enjoy limited success even without Sling's stamp of approval. Of course, the beta will remain free of charge until a public release is ready to rock, and then you'll have the option of cutting ties or ponying up the $29.99 purchase price to keep on slinging. Additionally, the kind folks over at UneasySilence have done the hard work for you already, so be sure to hit them up for a nicely appointed pictorial walkthrough while your waiting to get your own install on.[Via jkOnTheRun, thanks Tie Guy]Read - SlingPlayer Mobile for Palm OS Beta launchingRead - UneasySilence's Walkthrough
Treo 750, BlackJack with Windows Mobile 6 in the wild
We'd reported this would happen, and, well... it happened. In Microsoft's booth at CTIA, anyway. It's anybody's guess exactly when it is end users will be able to drop Windows Mobile 6 on Treo 750s and Samsung BlackJacks of their very own, but we take it as a pretty solid sign that Microsoft is comfortable showing it off already.
Palm Treo 650 gets Direct Push email, too
Alright Treo 650 owners, you can now (carefully) climb off your soap box, as the svelte Exchange ActiveSync Update is now available to treat your very own handset. While Palm had already shoved the update onto the 680 and 700p handhelds, it's now giving the faithful 650 users the ability to revel in Push Email technology too, which is sure to make hard-nosed managers grin from ear to ear. Aside from the newfound support, the update notes here haven't really changed, so if you're interested in having your Outlooked life beamed straight to your Treo 650, be sure to hit the read link and get your download on. Of course, you should probably have your credit card ready as well, as folks with VersaMail 3.5 will be asked to cough up $2.99, while users without the aforementioned software will pay out $12.98.
Palm selling this week?
Alright, Palm, your days of making incrementally improved, merely evolutionary Treos may finally be numbered. Or not, depending on how your new owner wants to roll, but either way, rumors have now gone from a simmer to a full boil that a Palm sale is imminent. Like, seriously imminent -- Morgan Stanley, which Palm hired to court suitors, allegedly wants to get a deal sealed by March 22. The company -- which rose to stardom as a division of USRobotics and 3Com and made a huge splash in the then-budding smartphone market -- is now a shadow of its former self thanks largely to a split which saw its software division ultimately getting bought by Japan's ACCESS. Be that as it may, word has it the sale should command $20 a share -- a healthy premium over Palm's recent pricing -- and at least four companies are rumored to have interest: Nokia (could we finally see that Symbian-powered Treo?), Motorola, and a pair of private investment firms. We wish you the best of luck, Palm; there's definitely a certain sentimental value associated with your name these days, and we hope your new owners do what it takes to get you back on the straight and narrow. Keep pluggin' away at that WiMAX handset!
AT&T launches red Treo 680 and BlackBerry Pearl
It's a little late for AT&T to be quoting "roses are red" in their press release, but they've got the red -- not (red), as in the money-losing charity -- tip covered for the Treo 680 and, of course, BlackBerry Pearl. Both will set you back $200 with a two year commitment. Is red plastic really worth all that to you?[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
AT&T's red Pearl -- the RIM CranBerry?
There are two things worth noting about that image to the right. First, it's red. No, not (PRODUCT) RED, just red as in the rumored red Pearl we heard was coming to AT&T. It's not even that red making this more of a RIM CranBerry. The pic comes to us by way of a helpful anonymous tipster who claims it will pop as early as Monday (along side a crimson Treo 680) to business channels even though this would be RIM's least business-y release to date. The other thing to note here of course is the new AT&T branding. Is this the real deal? We're not sure, but we'll see on Monday now won't we.
Sprint adding Treo "755p" mid-year?
Remember that Palm "Sherlock" Sprint talked up in its 1H '07 roadmap? Looks like we might be finally developing some concept of what it is -- and if the rumors are right, Palm OS fans have cause to celebrate. We've now received several independent tips (in addition to the Brighthand article here) suggesting that Sprint and Palm are prepping a so-called "755p" to re-up the 700p that's been kicking around for a while. Details are thin, but the model should lack an aerial (a la the pictured 680) and rock EV-DO data -- and as the "p" in the model number suggests, Garnet OS is in the cards. Brighthand is liking May 14 for a release date, which is a little earlier than our roadmap was showing for the Sherlock. But hey, if it wants to pop in a month early, we're totally cool with that.
Palm to serve up "ultra thin" WiMAX smartphone this year?
Plant this firmly in the "unsubstantiated rumor" category and take it with a boulder-sized grain of salt, but there's one thing here we can say with certainty: whether it sells or not, Palm is in desperate need of fresh product. Like, not a new Treo with a little more memory or a slightly better camera -- we mean seriously fresh product. We're sure there are some reasonably smart folk kicking around at Palm that realize the very same thing, and it's only because of that assumption that we're forced to give this rumor some amount of credit. Anyhoo, here's the deal: Sprint will start flipping the switch (wouldn't it be cool if there actually was a giant switch they flipped?) on its WiMAX network later this year, or in a worst case scenario they'll at least be trialling it. Well, ya need product for that new network, right? Palm allegedly is going to swoop in late this year (think October time frame) with an "ultra thin" (tipster's words, not ours) smartphone that'll rock WiMAX out of the box. No word on what platform it'll sport or really any other detail of consequence, but "Palm" and "thin" aren't typically two words you hear in the same sentence, so by the time you throw in some blazing fast data, this could be quite a treat indeed.[Thanks, anonymous tipster]
Evidence for Palm sale strengthens
While sometimes a punching bag in the mobile industry, Palm has oft delivered the goods and have been innovators in the smartphone market -- but facing stiff competition from the likes of HTC, Motorola, and Samsung as of late, the tired Treo design is aguably in desperate need of an overhaul. The most recent news has Palm allegedly retaining an investment banker to explore opportunities to sell its soul to the highest bidder, and rumor has it the company could fetch $20 a share -- a fair deal higher than its current trading price. While we may pine the loss of Palm -- on the "cup is half full" side of things -- if speculation is correct about the sale, we may well end up with something better. The fact that this news has persisted since last month might lend some credibility, though whether it will be Nokia at the head of the line remains to be seen.
Treo 700w, 700wx get their A2DP on
Depending on the model and the manufacturer, getting A2DP enabled on your Windows Mobile 5 device has been tricky at best, nigh impossible at worst -- despite the fact that the platform itself fully supports it. Thankfully, dedicated hacker communities have rallied around most of the devices out there, and the Treo 700w and 700wx are the latest devices to have their iron curtains of stereo Bluetooth discrimination fall. A simple install, a few lines of instructions, and bam, that old Treo's taken on a whole new (and very musical) life. Let us know how it goes, folks![Thanks, Travis]
Palm makes Treo 700wx official for Verizon
Palm and Verizon have made official today what we've known now for a while (as have Sprint and Alltel): 32MB of RAM in a Windows Mobile 5 device just doesn't really cut it. The Treo 700wx rights the 700w's wrongs with an extra 32MB of memory for a grand total of 64MB; otherwise, though, the device is all but identical to its older sibling, with Windows Mobile 6 sadly nowhere in sight. Get it now while it's hot at Verizon stores or online for a stiff $399 on 2-year contract after $100 rebate.
Is Palm up for sale?
Is Palm up for sale? There's been no official word from Ed Colligan and crew, but shares of the company jumped last week on speculation that they were quietly prepping themselves for acquisition. We've heard merger rumors before -- there was some half-baked chatter back in the day that RIM was after 'em -- and it does seem like Palm is at a crossroads. The future of its two OS strategy is murky at best, and while the Treo has been doing fairly well here in the US, they've definitely had trouble getting traction abroad and have seemed flat-footed in the face of stiffening competition from HTC, Nokia, Samsung, RIM, and Motorola (not to mention the looming threat of the iPhone, which threatens to peel off a good number of the prosumers and enthusiasts that were once Palm's bread and butter). Of course, all this has us wondering who would actually plunk down $1.6 billion to buy Palm. Main candidates are said to include both Motorola and Nokia, but Moto already seems to be doing just fine with the Q, and to be honest, it's hard to imagine Nokia snapping up a company that puts out phones running on Windows Mobile. [Via the::unwired]
