Review: Treo 750

Dieter Bohn gives a full review of Palm'due south Treo 750

(Originally published at TreoCentral on Jan seven, 2007)

I've been using the new Treo 750 for merely a few days at present, merely it's near identical to the Treo 750v (Read TreoCentral'due south full review here), which has been my "chief brain" for quite awhile now. So I'grand in a adequately skilful position, I hope, to give you the full rundown on this device. Is the 750 the Treo for yous? It just might be - I'll come out and say right away that it's the Treo for me.

Back in September I anointed the 700wx the best smartphone on the market. Despite the 750's continuance of Palm's "grand" tradition of leaving out WiFi, the 750 has supplanted the 700wx equally the best powerhouse smartphone on the market place - particularly if yous live in market where Cingular has provided high-speed UMTS data (Come across a list here).

If you lot're new to Windows Mobile, I recommend you lot read Michael Ducker's review of the Treo 700w, which goes into great depth with how Windows Mobile differs from the Palm OS.

Update: The internet here at our hotel at CES doesn't allow me to upload video properly, but here's a quick starting time-await hosted by YouTube:

Hardware

Course Factor

The Treo 750 is identical in near every way, course-factor-wise, to the Treo 750v. The only deviation I can see, too the obvious fact that there's a "Cingular" icon on this phone instead of a "Vodafone" one, is that the argent surface area effectually the screen is just slightly darker. Everything that is proficient virtually the 750v is still here: the great soft-touch pigment, the fantabulous grade-gene, and the piece of cake-to-use QWERTY keyboard. The telephone is 4.iv" tall by 2.three" broad past 0.eight" deep, and weighs in in at 5.four ounces (14% lighter than the 650, Palm is eager to tell you). These dimensions don't really requite the 750 justice, though, as Palm has clearly worked very hard to sculpt the corners of the device: information technology sits very nicely in the hand.

At that place is a barely noticeable divergence between the Treo 680 and the 750 in terms of the bulk at the superlative-rear of the phone, due primarily to the gigantic multi-band radio in the 750. This large radio also necessitates that the 750 use mini-SD instead of standard SD for retention expansion. I find this a little disappointing, only compared to the micro-SD constitute on many Windows Mobile devices, it'south a step up.

Like the Treo 680 (review here), too recently released on Cingular, the 750 has washed away with an external antenna. Different the 680, however, the radio inside the 750 is quad-band GSM and a tri-ring UMTS. The 750 volition support data in 115 countries besides as vox in 190 countries. The improved radio gives the 750 3G data speeds in 160 markets in the US (run into beneath), and an update to provide the telephone with fifty-fifty-faster HSDPA data speeds is expected later this year (for more on that GSM, UMTS, and HSDPA mean, check out Mike Overbo's commodity on the subject). UMTS, by the manner, is the starting time wireless information standard in the US to support simultaneous voice and data.

Specs

Internally, the 750 also doesn't have any surprises. Program memory (the bane of the Verizon-only Treo 700w) is a capacious 50 megs, plenty for robust multitasking. In that location is 128mb of non-volatile flash RAM (60mb of which is available for user storage). I'm really happy that pretty much every mobile device these days uses non-volatile flash memory - it's hard to believe that we in one case immune ourselves to buy gadgets that lost their information when the battery died.

Speaking of the battery, it is a relatively (compared to the Treo 650) pocket-sized i at 1200 mAh. The battery is, of course, lithium ion. Palm says that this should give you about 4 hours of talk time and 250 hours of standby - though it'due south likely that if you're in a market with 3G UMTS service that standby time may be a bit worse. I'm in Minneapolis, where standard Border is all we have, and in my usage these numbers are remarkably accurate.

The processor is a 300MHz Samsung, and in my usage its been just fine. I have experienced just a little flake of sound stutter when I utilize Coreplayer with several other apps open up. In general usage, the processor is fine, however. To be perfectly honest, I'k paying less and less attention to the processor specs in smartphones these days - functioning ever seems to exist throttled past RAM well before the processor becomes a hassle.

The camera is 1.3 megapixels and information technology performs about how you'd expect: average. There is no little LED-wink, which seems to be the standard these days, but I've always found those flashes next to useless.

The touchscreen is the at present-familiar 240x240 pixels; information technology is bright and readable indoors and fairly decent in directly sunlight. A touchscreen ways there'south likewise a stylus, which I find relatively disappointing. Palm decided to shave some weight here, so information technology'due south mostly plastic. Strangely, at that place's an e'er-so-subtle creak when yous bend the stylus - I'm at a loss to explain either why the creak is there or why it bothers me and so much.

Of grade, the 750 uses the same universal connector we've all grown to love, then if you already accept a Treo (or at to the lowest degree a Treo made since the 600), your chargers and cables will be compatible.

Rounding up the specs, nosotros observe Bluetooth i.2, though it has full back up for A2DP stereo over bluetooth. In indicate of fact, the merely functional divergence betwixt the 750'south bluetooth and bluetooth 2.0 is that bluetooth 2.0 has a college data throughput. In my testing the 750 performs meliorate than the Treo 650 and the 700w/wx in terms of bluetooth operation. Range, compatibility, and audio quality are all good.

Wherefore no WiFi?

Upward until about a month ago, I've defended Palm's conclusion to non include WiFi support in their Treos. No more. Yes, I understand that WiFi is a pregnant bleed on battery life. I also understand that WM5's WiFi implementation leaves much to exist desired. But permit's face it, folks, information technology'south become the standard for loftier-end devices. Every other Windows Mobile phone, exist it Pocket PC Edition or Smartphone Edition, comes with a "Wireless Manager" similar to the 1 found on the Treo. It's dead-simple to simply turn WiFi off to preserve battery life.

I also practise not believe it's actually an consequence of grade-gene, either. If the T-Mobile Dash and the Cingular Blackjack are able to include WiFi, I don't see a skillful reason that information technology tin can't be added to the Treo. Admittedly, these devices take absolutely horrendous battery life, but they still seem to be selling just fine.

My hunch is that the biggest hurdle correct now is that the PalmOS, in its current Garnet incarnation, still isn't able to easily handle both a cellular radio and a WiFi radio. I know it'south non that the PalmOS can't handle WiFi itself - I have a T|Ten and its WiFi implementation is wonderful - much better than the experience on Windows Mobile.

In any case, unless Palm is intending to share the 750's hardware with a PalmOS device in the near future, I come across no compelling reason not to add WiFi to the Windows Mobile Treo 750. For Shame.

Software

In that location's however a rift between Windows Mobile 5 users and Palm users, perhaps. I've definitely gone over to Windows Mobile myself - I'thousand addicted to its power and its multitasking abilities. Still, WM5'due south ease-of-employ still leaves much to be desired. The 750, withal, boasts several small improvements over fifty-fifty previous WM5 Treos that better its usability enormously. Palm likes to call it their "special sauce" and, heck, so practise I.

The 'Special Sauce'

One-handed Use

Starting time up is that Palm has added all sorts of v-mode navigation improvements to your standard version of Windows Mobile 5. This is a bit of an ironic thing to be mentioning, as one of the main selling points of the 750 over, say, the Motorola Q is that it has a touch screen. Withal, it'south clumsily convenient to be able to eschew the stylus about of the fourth dimension.

The 750 actually has improve 5-way back up than its US cousins, the 700w and 700wx. Outlook Mobile at present has the "go to" option in its bill of fare, which offers a shortcut to your email folders. That, believe it or not, was possibly 1 of my biggest gripes with the five-style back up on the 700w|wx.

Today Screen Enhancements

Like WM5 Treos before, the 750 features several today screen enhancements that I detect to exist admittedly essential. The outset is instant-contact-search. Just first typing a proper noun (or number) to instantly bring up a listing of contacts from which you lot can call, text (by holding downwardly the center of the 5-way), or electronic mail.

There's also the photo speed-dial, though I myself usually don't utilize this as today screen real estate is precious--peculiarly on a 240x240 screen. Finishing up the today-screen enhancement is a built-in Google search field. Dissimilar the 700wx, at that place is non selection to change the field to default to another search engine.

The Buttons Make Sense

I'm simply most finished readying a sister-site to TreoCentral, WMExperts -- which I bring upwardly not simply as a shameless plug but because I have been testing all sorts of Windows Mobile devices. In doing this, I've discovered something surprising - Palm has put quite a fleck of thought into how their buttons work with regard to Windows Mobile.

Other devices, (I'k looking at you, T-Mobile MDA) are adequately bristling with buttons, but despite beingness able to customize said buttons I'thousand at a loss to get them to operate in anything resembling a logical manner. With the 750, all 4 master buttons actually turn on the screen. whereas other PPC devices often crave you to hit an awkwardly-placed ability push button first. Additionally, the 750's keyguard is a pleasure to use compared to other devices. It pops upwardly, gives y'all the time, and you hit the middle push to plow it off - not an asterisk down in the lower-lefthand corner of the phone.

Included Apps

The only app pre-loaded on the device beyond your standard WM5 apps is, ...wait for it... threaded text messaging. The implementation is the aforementioned every bit on the 750v-- a unmarried app that not only threads text letters but also gives you like shooting fish in a barrel access to MMS functionality. I'll only say that my hopes and prayers are with 700w|wx users - may Palm update your Treos soon to include this wonderful app.

The 750 as well comes with two "applications" that are actually only shortcuts to download email programs - Good messaging (for those of you who employ that service) and Cingular's Xpress mail. As of this writing Cingular hadn't yet updated their Xpress mail folio with a download meant for the 750, but as soon as they do I'll post upwardly a quick review of it.

I should mention, however, that the 'standard WM5 apps are nothing to scoff at. Born are full editors for MS Office apps, a nice piddling PDF-viewer, and an unzip utility (is that new? hm?). At that place are getting to be more than and more 3rd-political party apps for WM5 as well (I'd recommend you browse through some suggestions in the forums) - though not all of them are great on the 750'south square screen. Of grade, when looking for 3rd-party apps, be sure that you go the "Pocket PC Edition" version rather than the "Smartphone Edition" version.

Information, Odds and Ends

Data Speeds

If you're non i of the lucky ones to live in an expanse where Cingular offers 3G UMTS coverage, y'all'll exist pleased to hear that Border is squeamish and snappy on the 750. There'due south no pregnant waiting for the processor to render pages (at least, relative to other Smartphones) and data speeds tend to clock in almost where yous'd wait them for Edge: 100kb/south.

Fortunately, I headed out to Las Vegas today for the Consumer Electronics Prove (which TreoCentral will be covering extensively, if you're wondering), where Cingular offers 3G data. I immediately loaded upwardly Pocket Internet Explorer at the aerodrome and tested my speeds here. I averaged around 300kb/s: very, very prissy.

Odds and Ends

Button Electronic mail

There's always been a "skilful news/bad news" with the Treo when information technology comes to email. Rather than adopt a single platform for push email, Palm offers a smorgasbord of solutions: Exchange ActiveSync, Practiced Mobile Messaging, Blackberry connect (on some Treos), custom carrier solutions (such equally Cingular'south xpress mail service), and good-one-time-fashioned "check it every X minutes" e-mail.

This is a double-edged sword, in my opinion. Blackberries (Blackberrys? Blackberri?) and Sidekicks both take a single, integrated solution for push email, which while limiting does give them an advantage in simplicity and ease-of-employ. "Simplicity and ease-of-utilize" is supposedly where Palm shines, so I'll acknowledge I do wish Palm offered a similar service.

That said, once y'all do go a push-email solution, the 750 actually shines. Non having to make Pocket Outlook cheque email on a regular basis is a boon to battery life (one question, Microsoft, why on earth practice you set the maximum time between email checks at 60 minutes? How well-nigh once-a-mean solar day for not-vital email accounts?). I use 1and1.com for Exchange synchronization, they're one of several companies that offer total Exchange servers which y'all tin set up to get your standard email. The upshot of which is my IMAP account is now a push-email Exchange account. The other benefit is that when I switch between WM5 phones (which has been happening quite a flake lately), I just need to enter my Exchange information into ActiveSync and inside a thing of minutes my new phone has all of my email, contacts, and calendar data.

The Ideal Business Telephone?

Palm is marketing the 750 as the ideal business phone. There'south several expert reasons for them to do that: the 750 works in darn-virtually every urban center on the face up of the earth, gets data in quite of few of them, it'southward incredibly professional looking, and is, to exist edgeless, pricey. The telephone sells for $399 with a 2-yr contract and a mail-in rebate. Pregnant the initial chunk-of-change you have to plunk down is considerably more. Toll for no-contract or 1-year contract is not still available, but information technology will likely be the kind of stratospheric price to brand whatever consumer blanch.

The lack of WiFi may hurt Palm with IT departments, but I hope not likewise much. For companies that already utilize the latest Exchange server for email and PIM, a Windows Mobile device is awfully compelling. And the feature-set of the 750 is definitely much better than Smartphone Edition devices (Palm is particular fond of pointing out that you lot can cut and paste on the 750, something y'all can't practice on a Blackjack or a Q or whatnot).

Form-cistron will be some other large selling point for business users, I suspect. Compared to other full-PPC phones the 750 is positively tiny - gear up it next to an MDA or a Sprint 6700 and you lot'll encounter what I mean. Having been a Treo user for so long, information technology'southward easy for me to take this for granted. Moving from one-handed typing on a Treo to the wide expanse of the keyboards on the MDA or the 6700 is an practise in frustration. Let's not fifty-fifty embarrass phones that brand you lot employ T9 or some monstrous combination of "push 2 and 3 at the same time" by naming them.

Another benefit is that Palm is now offering direct phone support with 90 days of purchase - no more dealing with tech support from clueless carrier reps. The 750 has so many capabilities, it's great that Palm is trying to brand it as painless as possible for your average user to learn how to use them. If I know one thing about business executives, it's that they really can't stand hassles.

For consumers, the picture is much more than mixed. In that location's no doubt that the 750 is pricey and that Windows Mobile is more powerful than the boilerplate consumer needs. The Treo 680 is a much better choice, in my opinion. It'southward a pity that the 680 lacks loftier-speed data, just the Palm OS's ease of employ helps relieve that wound. Unless at that place is a compelling reason to get a Windows Mobile smartphone, I nonetheless recommend a Palm Os Treo to most folks (Note: "It's Windows and so it will be more familiar" is non a compelling reason.)

Conclusion

I mentioned earlier that it'southward easy to take certain things for granted when y'all're a long-time Treo user: Palm's "special sauce" of usability, ane-handed performance, decent bombardment life, and a nifty form gene. Yes, the 750 isn't the thinnest device out at that place, merely when y'all factor in all the added power that you become from the total Pocket PC edition of Windows Mobile, touchscreen and all, it's best-of-breed.

So it'southward pretty clear I'grand sweet on the 750. Information technology's a peachy smartphone in a not bad course-factor. For simplicity's sake, TreoCentral's rating arrangement is just 1-five with no half-steps. That system has never actually bothered me before today - I'd dearly love to requite the 750 a 4.5, knocking it down that half-point for the critical lack of WiFi.

But I'grand going to requite it a 5, because Palm really does have a point when they say that 3G data speeds can showtime the lack of WiFi. For those of y'all who don't have 3G on Cingular in your expanse all the same, I would charge per unit the phone a 4.

(Originally published at TreoCentral on Jan vii, 2007)

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