Palm Treo 700w / 700wx
Average Ratings
Great First WM *Phone*
Windows Mobile Pocket PCs have always been great PDAs but this is the first good PHONE with PDA capability. I'm looking forward to the NEXT iteration because it needs improvement.
Pros:
Form Factor: The Treo form is a proven winner. Enough said.
Phone Features: It is designed to easily make contact one-handed by voice or text.
EVDO: First small Smartphone with EVDO capabilities. Couple it with JuneFabric's PDANET, you don't need to waste money on an Aircard & service for emergency laptop modem use.
Stability: This phone doesn't crash. You may not be able to start applications due to the low memory (see "Cons") but you won't experience random resets.
First WM One-handed Phone: Palm & MS did a pretty good job minimizing the need to use a stylus or fingers to access information and features.
Best Battery Life Ever - beats XV6600 & Treo600. I've yet to need my extra battery with always-on 100+ emails/day push email.
Reception/Quality/Quantity: Terrific! It is superior to almost every Smartphone I've used in 4 years. The speaker is so loud, you'll want to turn down the volume.
Bluetooth: Pairs up easily with headsets and GPS.
Cons:
USB Activesync - Horrid on most WM5 devices and the 700w is no exception. At some point USB Activesync will stop working and only a hard reset will resolve the problem. Fortunately, a Backup-Hard-Reset-Restore is effective but THIS MUST BE FIXED SOON!
Memory - not nearly enough. Need to reset daily to free up memory leaks even when only built-in software is used.
Not One-Handed Enough- Built-in software should NOT require a stylus or a smudged screen. Email folders cannot be accessed one-handed, for example.
Threaded SMS: Experienced Treo users will miss this feature.
Still Giddy
So, I too have had this phone since its debut and must say that I am still going nutz over it! I have had so much fun exploring and loading apps that the smile still hasnât left my face. OK, now for the review from Portland, OR.
Pros:
Great reception both downtown and on the Max. EVDO is a class-act.
Easily customizable folders and Today Screens
Many apps from CE 2003 are compatible w/ WM 5.0
Verizon over-the-air backup and sync works (just remember to âmergeâ the first time or else if you ârefreshâ the on-line server will wipe out your calendarâ¦if you have ActiveSync set to let âPDA Winâ you risk wiping out your home Calendar as wellâ¦tough lesson there)
Cons:
I had frequent lock-ups, but figured out it was the pre-configured Exchange server settings. Call Verizon, they can walk you through âthe fixâ
I wish I could allocate some (system) operating memory to the Programs memory, and leverage more of the SD. (any tips please email me!)
Note: Some have noted that it doesnât come with Wi-Fi built in. To me this is a fantastic thing, bec as a security analyst this could be a huge gaping hole in a corporate network. That being said Palm made a good choice, IMO, to appeal to the corporate user and leave this as a physical add-on.
Currently Installed apps:
Backup Manager
Spb Pocket Plus
Spb Battery Plus
Avant Go
Omega One Battery Pack
PDAMill Game Classics
PocketWeather
Resco Audio Recorder
eReader
various theme packs
Great Phone thus far
I have had this phone for a little over a week now and thus far it is great. I am coming from the i730 which needed to be reset 4 times a day and thus far, no resets on the 700w!
The new OS is great, one handed is a great update, something you Palm guys have had for years but for your Windows guys out there nothing beats this OS. Internet works great, EVDO is VERY fast (faster then my 730 for some reason) Windows Media, mobile office, wireless sync....all work flawlessly.
Tethering with USB can easily be solved by going to www.pdaphonehome.com and going into the forums for the 700w. There is a post that solves this problem and can easy get you on-line with in 5 minutes of downloading a program. Simple as that, Verizon disables it, we hack it! Why do they even bother?
The only reason I give the a 4.5 instead of a 5 is because of the down grade in screen resolution from the 650. Can you tell the difference in day to day use....no, but I am of the opinion that you should never go backward with technology, always move forward. Boohoo to you Windows for that! Other then that it is perfect. Best Phone/PDA I have owned and I have owned ALL of them! As for no wi-fi....I feel it is really not necessary with EVDO. I guess I just NEVER used it with my i730 so it is not really on the top of my list.
exceptional
[...]
i have owned this phone since the day it came out and i am extremely happy with it... it fits my needs perfect which consist of the folling: consant phone user, text messaging, email, music, and internet access...
pros:
very good call quality
great reception
good display (better then expected)
loud ringer and music
loud ear peice
well made qwerty keyboard
can play music while doin other things
very customizable
ring tones can be added through sd card/bluetooh/IR to the phone and further into the ringtone selections
cons:
no built in wifi...(i just ordered a wifi card from the palm website... i will submit antoher review with how well that works)
again i highly recomend gettin this phone if your needs fit its style..if your a die hard palm OS freak then obvsiously dont get this phone because it runs using windows mobile... personaly i have never owned a phone anywhere near as outstanding as this one (i hav owned lg vx7000, blackberry 7250, kyocera slider, motorla star tac/ time port/ e815)
if you hav any questions about this devide please feel free to email me
Ed. note: removed response to other reviews
Great Device!!
[...]
This device, from what I've seen so far of it is a great phone! Although there are many whiners due to its non-palm platform, the 700w should be reviewed for what it is: a new-generation PDA phone that fixes a lot of the old palm problems. The 700 freezes up a lot less than the 650, due to a more stable operating sys, and there is no need for the constant soft reset on this device. The form factor is great: It feels comfortable due to its new non-slip casing, and the camera resolution is 4 times the 650 (to those who care). The call quality, when tested, was great, and the layout of the keys are extremely convenient. If you're a die-hard palm person, STICK WITH THE 650!!!
Ed. note: removed response to other review
This phone is an abomination
The phone is clunky and the OS unstable. You'll frequently find that keys do not produce a response or do so after a significant delay. The device locks up a couple of times a day and the only solution I've found to unlock it is battery removal.
The actual voice phone that is component to this device is pretty low-grade. Calls are dropped, messages arrive without the phone ever ringing. Verizon's coverage in Southern California is pretty good, so it is a hardware issue.
I went and bought this phone after a year with my Audiovoxx 6600 which I finally gave up on in frustration. I called a friend of mine who's a mobile distributor to ask him about my Treo 700. He says that he's using one too but because the actual telephone component is so poor, he uses the Treo exclusively for data and carries a motorola razor for voice.
I've now paid Verizon about $ 1,400 for phones in the last 12 months to try to solve my need for compact mobile data and voice and I'm extremely disappointed. Pretty sure I'm eating this money and the termination fee (because just to pay $ 515 including tax for the 700 I had to sign for another 2 years) and switching to a new carrier.
Do not buy the Treo 700. If someone tries to give you one, tell them no thanks. If you see someone trying to use one, prepare to duck if they start to look vexed as the unit's about to get thrown. Verizon's hardware is a scam and a shame.
TREO 700wx sucks
The worst PDA i have ever had. I went through 7 treo's in 3 months and they all have the same problems across the board. I finally got fed up and I purchased the Mogul by HTC. I am waiting for it to be shipped. I will review on that as well. People BEWARE before you decide to purchase the Treo 700wx. Don't get me wrong i had treo's before and i loved them. The Treo 700wx was just a piece of junk.
Piece of Junk,
Mine was a piece of junk. I took it back to Verizon because of the problem, and bought a Motorola E815, which is pretty good...
First, I run a computer company on the phone, and I use the cell phone about 3000-4000 minutes a month. My experience may be different than others, because of heavy usage. My bills are awful...
The 700w is amazing technology, when it works.... But, it doesn't work too well...
It locked up 3 to 5 times a day...usually when I was trying to make an important call.
It's hard to use without the stylus....
The battery is too weak for serious use...it never lasted a full day. So, you've paid $700 for a phone for 1/2 a day...
The Windows part is really cool. Terminal Service, in my pocket!!! A great PDA. Outlook integration.
The great technology is just badly executed.
Hidden Dial Pad
Overall I like my phone. I am a Nurse Practitioner and it allows me to stay in touch with my hospital and family all at once. Plus I can easily access technical programs and e mails. I am writing this so that the informed consumer will no that there is nothing you can do to get around the two step process to get to the on screen dial pad.
I don't want to hear about all of my options for dialing. i just want to access my dial pad when I hit the little green button!
pros:
1. tough phone. i have dropped it and it keeps on ticking
2. quick access to a world of information at my finger tips.
3. long battery life
4. VERIZON support is great, both in store and phone.
cons:
1. so many features you need a tutor to learn how to use it.
2. many error messages during sync. (enter error codes at microsoft.com) they usually have the answer
3. NOWAY AROUND MULTISTEP ACTION TO REACH THE TOUCHSCREEN DIAL PAD, BUT THE CONTACTS SEARCH IS STRONG.
4. text is very small, even after adjusting font size.
Close to Perfect
I'm a longtime Treo owner, but in a lapse of reason I recently went out and bought Verizon's XV6700. Big mistake. It was a PDA first and a phone second, and did neither very well. I returned it after a week and bought the 700w. Much, much better. Yes, it's windows, but it's also Palm, and you can tell that Palm had a hand in tailoring the OS to their hardware.
Pros: Sturdy construction, full feature set, connectivity with XP or exchange is a breeze, good sound quality and reception, includes MS voice command ($40 value).
Cons: Usability could use a few tweaks, no wi-fi.
