Newfangled Treo is the great communicator
By Edward C. Baig
USA TODAY
Wed Jun 5, 6:13 AM ET
Are you a sucker for all things new and improved? Do you fall for it when an advertiser assures you that the new and improved Brand X laundry detergent is going to wipe out those impossible stains? Or believe that the new and drastically improved New Jersey Nets have a prayer of toppling the NBA champion L.A. Lakers? (Let the record show that, with blind faith . . . um, foolishness . . . I do.)
In tech, new and improved might mean that version 1.0 of some gadget or program was so dreadful that, given another chance, the hapless designers couldn't help but make it better. Or that the maker is piling on features nobody wants.
And yet, all cynicism aside, sometimes new and improved is just that.
Consider the Handspring Treo communicator. The first of these smartly designed wallet-sized gizmos, models 180 and 180g, arrived earlier this year to mostly glowing notices (including here). The Treo cleverly combined a cellphone with a Web browser, short-message text device and Palm-based personal digital assistant.
The new and improved Treo 270 ($499, plus cell fees; you'll need a provider that uses the GSM standard, such as VoiceStream) tops its predecessors on at least two fronts, though there's still room to advance. For starters, the steel-gray 270 boasts a backlit keyboard and lovely color display, though the screen washes out in sunlight.
What's more, Treos now offer the kind of ''push'' e-mail service popularized by Research In Motion (RIM) BlackBerrys. The optional offering works with any Treo that has a built-in phone. (Not all do; Handspring just introduced the organizer-only Treo 90 for $299.)
The less-than-an-inch-thick 270 is identical in size to the earlier Treos and, thanks to a denser battery, just a tad heavier (5.4 ounces). With that rechargeable lithium ion battery, Handspring says you'll get up to three hours of talk time and 150 hours of standby time -- both superior to the 180 -- despite the power-draining color display.
Treo can run about two weeks when the wireless mode is shut off. An unscientific test -- pulling down a haul of e-mails -- seemed to drain the battery fairly quickly, however. Hidden under the protective lid, you'll find the same Lilliputian Qwerty keyboard as on the Treo 180.
Having recently reviewed two other wireless handhelds -- the Nokia (news - web sites) 9290 and BlackBerry 5810 -- reinforces my belief that the Treo 270 is best of breed, at least from the phone perspective. The versatile Nokia has a bigger keyboard but is weightier and taller, and it makes you flip the thing unnaturally on its back to talk; the BlackBerry makes you wear an earphone.
Opening the lid is the easiest way to answer a call on a Treo; closing the lid terminates it (if the lid is already open, you tap ''answer'' with your finger or the stylus). Even when closed, the lid's clear window lets you peek at the number and name of an incoming caller. Treo feels perfectly comfortable held up to the ear. (You can also connect an earpiece.)
Making a call is a breeze. You press your finger or stylus against stored speed-dial buttons corresponding to the person you want to get hold of, use your finger on a large virtual dial pad, or scroll through your address book via a ''rocker'' dial on the side of the Treo. Probably the neatest way to reach out and touch someone is to begin typing the first initial and last name; Treo pores through your address book to find him or her within a couple of taps. Press the space bar to dial.
The optional Treo Mail service comes in two flavors: a $100-a-year version to use with a Microsoft Outlook/Exchange corporate e-mail account (for reaching behind a firewall), and a $50 Net version for use with accounts through the likes of EarthLink, MSN and Yahoo. (It's not compatible with AOL, AT&T WorldNet and Hotmail, among others.)
Treo can automatically check for messages as frequently as every half-hour, or you can dial in to check more often. You can set up filters to block unwanted mail.
I tried the corporate version, with which you must keep your office computer turned on and connected to the network so that mail is redirected. Unfortunately, I got it to work only after grappling with network issues on the Treo. My unit was outfitted with a tiny phone card called a ''SIM'' (subscriber identify module) from Cingular, but I was doing my testing in VoiceStream territory. Initially, even with tech support, I couldn't connect to the data network at all.
Even after I finally connected, service was spotty. Dialing out via the ''Blazer'' browser (an oxymoron if ever there was one) as well as dialing for e-mail (which you have to do every time) was painfully slow. In fairness, Handspring did warn me that using a Cingular card in a VoiceStream area would slow things down.
Speed and connectivity issues will presumably be addressed when Treo exploits general packet radio service, a faster, more convenient cellular data network. Probably by summer's end, Handspring will let current users download a free software patch, and of course, you'll have to sign up for GPRS with your network provider. You will likely be billed by usage rather than minutes.
While I'm in quibbling mode, I found the absence of a Palm home button a minor nuisance. Instead, you must press two keys to get to the screen where the programs, preferences and other icons reside.
Then again, there's always room for improvement. |
