Still having trouble deciding what to get the budding techie on your list? You know the one…the youngster who is fascinated by your fancy feature phones, the teenager who has discovered text messaging and Facebook, the young entrepreneur who wants a way to keep in touch with the office when she isn’t able to be there; these are just some of the people who might like to receive a Palm Centro.

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For those who have been waiting, the Palm Trēo Pro is now available from Palm for preorder.

The Palm TrÄ“o Pro is a Windows Mobile 6.1 device with a 320*320 display, Qwerty Keyboard, 128MB of RAM, normal 3.5mm headset jack, microSDHC card slot, built-in GPS, 1500mAh battery,  WiFi, BT 2.0+ enhanced, quad-band GSM (incl EDGE), tri-band HSDPA/UMTS, powered by a 400MHz Qualcomm processor.  The camera is only 2.0 megapixels (like current models), but I guess you can’t have everything, but Palm does seem to have included a lot!

Updated 08/15: See below…

Looks like the Treo Pro has made quick appearance — and disappearance on the Palm web site. An astute web site visitor posted information via WMEXPERTS on a product page that was briefly displayed on Palm. According to the page the specs are 3G with a 320×320 screen. Interestingly enough, one of our tipsters who had some play time with this says Palm is going to announce it within the coming week. The phone is sans carrier branding and apparently a GSM model. Speculation is that this phone won’t be carried by AT&T - at least not right away. We’ll wait and see. Click on for more photos.

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During the spring of 2007, when I was still a 700wx user and a Sprint customer, I was more excited by the rumors of a possible “Palm 800″ than I was about any other upcoming Windows Mobile device. Some of the reasons for my anticipation included that the Palm Treo candybar with front keyboard has always been one of my favorite form factors; Palm seems to be the single most adept OEM at utilizing the WM OS without speed sacrifices; the 800w was supposed to be the first Treo with WiFi; it would have a better (2 megapixel, anyway) camera; it would include A2DP Bluetooth (for wireless stereo listening); it would have an updated form factor without sacrificing a tried and true design; and the 800w would finally have the (long denied to WM users) 320 x 320 high resolution touchscreen.

If all of these features actually made it into a Windows Mobile Treo, then I would have been the first to deem that particular Treo as a WM device too delicious to miss.

But fall 2007 came and went, and there was no new Treo; winter 2007 and Spring 2008 came and went, and there was still no new Treo. We did see the introduction of the Palm OS Centro in the US and the WM Standard OS Palm 500 overseas.

Finally the news came that the Treo 800w was coming soon, but by then I was no longer a Sprint customer (too many dropped calls), and I had long moved on from the Treo to other PDA phones and finally to a Vertu Constellation. That doesn’t mean I couldn’t still get excited at the prospect of trying out the new 800w, and so when it was offered I was quick to say yes please!

If you missed my unboxing post where I gave a description of the 800w’s hardware and mentioned my initial thoughts, then click here to read it and then come back; as always, I’ll be waiting patiently.

In this portion of the review we’ll cover my user experience, the 800w’s camera, and I’ll give a rundown of some of the included software. Let’s get started…

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I had a telephone call scheduled with representatives from Palm earlier this week; leading up to it I was hoping that it would concern one of the worst-kept secrets in the Windows Mobile world: the Palm Treo 800w. Sure enough, the day of the call I received advance press materials letting me know that not only would the call concern the Sprint Treo 800w, but that I would soon be receiving a review loaner. True to Palm’s word, I received the 800w on Friday; unfortunately I was at the ranch all weekend and wasn’t able to open it until tonight.

In the meantime, the embargo I am under was broken by Sprint themselves over the weekend when they posted all the details on this device as well as the option to order it. Ah well, I haven’t breathed a word about my loaner until now.

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The TREO 800W is up for sale on the Sprint site right on schedule. The cost is $349.99 on a new plan with a mail-in-rebate of $100 for a net of $249.99. The Treo 800W is a WM 6.1 device with Wi-Fi and EVDO Rev A. Apparently there’s no headphone jack - instead Palm relies on one of those annoying mini-usb slots (BOO HISS - capitals on purpose). Treocentral has the mother of all pre-release threads going on right now that is a must read for anyone contemplating buying this 1/2 a brick (check out the video and tell me if my size description isn’t accurate).

First look video - Treo 800W
TreoCentral - Treo 800W mega discussion thread (lots of pictures)
Sprint Treo 800W official site

No one can dispute the runaway success of the little Centro that could; it has truly become something of a phenomenon. Judging by the fact that Palm has just released an unlocked GSM version, they must want to make sure that anyone who would like to buy their own Centro (without a new contract commitment) has a fair chance…

In addition, they have released Google Maps with My Location.

The unlocked Centro smartphone is available online at http://www.palm.com/centro for $299.

Google Maps for mobile with My Location will be available tomorrow free of charge for Palm Centro smartphones at http://www.google.com/gmm. Please check the site for details on the download process and carrier availability.

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Those of you on Verizon may have been wondering when you will finally get the popular Palm Centro; as of 5:30am (PST) this morning, the wait is over. Verizon customers will even get their choice of an exclusive color - cobalt blue.

Over one million Palm Centro smartphones have been sold through Sprint and AT&T, and the Palm Centro will now be available on the Verizon Wireless network for just $99 (on contract).

Now user will get their choice of carriers - Sprint, AT&T or Verizon. Colors available include cobalt blue, onyx or obsidian black, ruby red, pink and glacier white.

Photo credit: Engadget Mobile

Q. Hi Judie,
I’m looking for an expert opinion on smartphones. I’m a Verizon customer, so I am due for my new every 2 free $100 in August.

I have a Palm TX, which I lovingly refer to as my electronic brain, and my cell phone LG8600.  The problem is that my brain often forgets the electronic brain, which is really bad for remembering meetings.  :(  So, I want to get an all in one device.

I’ve been reading reviews and checking out all kinds of info, but I’m so confused between Treos, Blackberries, etc.  What I need is a phone, calendar, to do list (mainly some organization software), contacts, camera, and the occasional internet use.  I don’t need to check my e-mail.  Work has not given me a phone to make me constantly check my e-mail, and until they do, I don’t want them to think I’m going to spend all my free time working. 

With that said, I thought maybe a blackberry would be overkill.  I don’t need the super-duper data package for my phone.  Plus, like most people, I’m all about the speed (RAM needed???), and reception.

I’ve thought about taping my phone to my Palm, but that’s just not the fashion statement I want to make.  Plus, the doublesided tape doesn’t hold very well.

Thanks,
Heather

P.S.

I had another question kind of related to the cell phone question: why is it that GSM seems to get the more advanced phones before CDMA.  I’m not talking about just the iPhone, but it seems that way for most new phones.  I thought it had more to do with the fact that more people use the GSM ‘network’, but is there something different about the tech that makes it more difficult to make CDMA phones.  I’m happy with my Verizon service, but I guess I’m a bit frustrated.

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Sometimes, an item shows up in my mailbox for review that I REALLY want to work well. Maybe the description of the item just sounded so cool that I hope it lives up to the hype. Other times I’m rooting for the product because I believe in their mission and am rooting for the company to succeed. But in the end, the product has to actually work for us here at GearDiary to recommend it to you, oh gentle reader.

The Solio Solar Charger from CREDO Mobile is exactly this kind of gadget.

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