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iPhone VS Palm Treo 680 |
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After literally years of rumours Apple finally officially announced its much anticipated iPhone (pictured below in proportion to the Treo 680) due to be released in June 2007 and naturally everyone is already hotly debating just how much of a "Treo Killer" it has the potential to become. I have to begin by pointing out the obvious. Namely, the iPhone is primarily a consumer multimedia phone and not a business smartphone. As such any potential Treo vs. iPhone comparison should be principally limited to the equally consumer oriented Treo 680 and not the rest of the Treo family. Let me start by a simple comparative chart of the specifications below: |
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palm Treo 680 SmartphoneList Price:
Design Under the hood, the Treo 680 features Palm OS 5.4.9, 64MB of non-volatile flash memory available for user storage, and an Intel PXA270 312 MHz processor. The design retains the same popular form factor as the Treo 650 with a few subtle, yet significant, changes. The design is slimmer and lighter, while the updated OS provides for better phone and PDA application integration. The amazing 320 x 320 color touchscreen is still there, as is the full QWERTY backlit keypad. This time though, the expansion card slot is located on the right hand side of the unit. The expansion card slot is compatible with full sized SD cards, and supports up to 2 GB of memory (memory cards sold separately). Other design features include an infrared port for line of sight data transfers, as well as a handy switch for turning off the phone's ringer. A five-way navigator controls most of the phone's menus and operating system functions, while quick application buttons on either side of the navigator get you to your favorite applications in a snap. The left side of the unit features a volume up/down toggle plus a handy user-customizable button that can be assigned to any phone or PDA function. The rear of the Treo 680 houses a loudspeaker, as well as the VGA camera unit. A touch-screen stylus can be tucked away on the right side of the phone. Meanwhile, a combined charging, data, and accessory attachment port is housed on the bottom of the unit, as is a standard 2.5 mm stereo headset jack. Calling and PDA Features All of the Treo 680's phone and PDA functions are designed to provide an integrated, seamless experience. For instance, you can type in the name or initials of a contact on the keypad to dial them. Or, use the touch-screen and stylus to copy information from an email and quickly paste it into another email or text message. Updated from the Treo 650, the 680 sports many improved and new phone/PDA features. The user can now see messages waiting in a preemptive alert window, and the favorites view is now in one vertical easy-to-see list. The length of the favorites list is only limited to available memory. A big dial pad can be formatted on the color touch screen, and the user does not need to go to another application to access the contact list; calling and contacts are all completely integrated. There's even an easy dialing prefix feature for when you're out of the country. Different country presets can be programmed into the 680 for true jet-setter world roaming and cell phone convenience. Lastly, easy access to recently visited applications can be achieved by holding down the launch key. All of the latest phone features folks expect are built-in, too, like a handsfree speakerphone, polyphonic ringtones, a vibrate mode and picture caller ID. The capacity of the unit's address book is only limited by the amount of internal and expansion memory available. Use the Treo 680's Bluetooth capability to wirelessly sync your contacts with your PC or Mac (yes, Mac!). Headsets, car kits and other wireless peripherals can also be paired with the unit via Bluetooth. The Treo 680 is also a fully functional Palm OS device. That means that a huge library of applications, from spreadsheets to word processors to games, can be added to the Treo 680. Download, view, and edit Word and Excel compatible files, rehearse a PowerPoint presentation, even review PDF files, directly on the 680's conveniently large color touchscreen. It's easy to perform multiple tasks like checking your calendar while talking on the phone or dialing calls directly from your contacts list. Familiar Palm OS software ships with the handset including calendar, calculator, clock, contacts, memo, and task management applications. Meanwhile, the unit's memory expansion slot allows you to transfer music, photos, and video from your desktop. Or, use it to load additional games and applications. Messaging and Internet The device fully supports SMS and MMS messaging for rapid exchange of pictures, text and video via Cingular's instant messaging system. Other Cingular services are also supported, such as mobile email and Web browsing. Download Web sites fast using Cingular's high-speed EDGE connection, and the included award-winning Blazer Web browser. You can even use Google maps while on-the-go to download turn-by-turn directions. Email is easy, too; with the 680, you can send and receive email from corporate and personal email accounts. You can also use your 680 smartphone as a wireless modem for your laptop (Cingular Wireless data charges apply). Fun and Games The integrated VGA digital camera included with the Treo 680 sports a 2x digital zoom, features automatic light balancing, can be used to capture video with 352 x 288 pixel resolution, and is outfitted with a handy self-portrait mirror function. If you want to take your tunes with you, the Treo 680 comes with the PocketTunes application, allowing you to load up all your favorite music on SD memory cards, and enjoy MP3 music on the go. Plus, with the ever-expanding library of Palm OS compatible games and other entertainment applications, you'll never be at a loss for something fun to do during break time. Vital Statistics The Palm Treo 680 weighs 5.60 ounces and measures 4.40 x 2.30 x .80 inches. Its lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 4 hours of digital talk time, and up to 300 hours of digital standby time. It runs on the 850/900/1800/1900 GSM/GPRS/EDGE frequencies. The phone comes with a one year limited warranty. Product Description The Palm Treo 680 replaces the Palm Treo 650 as Cingular's Palm OS offer. Treo 680 is a quad-band EDGE device with a Cingular-exclusive industrial design, expanded internal memory, Pocket Tunes music player. Treo 680 is expected to appeal to small/medium-sized business customers, mobile professionals and smart communicators consumers who are curious about data devices and are looking to step up from traditional voice/feature handsets to integrated data & voice devices with more power and features. |
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