OT: Smartphones

[Derek Bodner]

In the last 2 months I got a PalmOne Treo 600 ( http://web.palmone.com/products/communicators/index.jhtml ) and I couldn't imagine living without it anymore.  Knowing that there are more than a few fellow geeks with me, I was wondering if anyone else had a smartphone and what they were using?

I first got it essentially for palm's calendar, memo pad and to-do list functionality.  I had always needed a palm to stay organized, but never wanted to carry that as well as a phone.  Saw someone with the treo, and knew I needed one.

Outside of being a phone, with a camera (does anyone truely use those things?), with very good calendar, to-do, memo and memo pad, it also has a fully functional web browser (no more only getting WAP enabled pages), e-mail client (can check any pop and imap based account, and you can sync up your contact list with outlook), and great text messaging.  Then, obviously there's 3rd party software.  After buying a 1 GB Secure Digital Card it also acts as my 1 gig mp3 player, I can check the weather by pressing 2 buttons, and possibilities with the 3rd party software out there are endless.  I've currently got a version of Civilization, Risk, Chess, Monopoly, Sim City and a dozen games loaded on here as well.  There are programs (that I don't have installed anymore) that allow you to open and edit Microsoft Office documents (Word, Excel and Powerpoint) available, and a PDF viewer, which enhances the e-mail and web browsing.

The keyboard is amazing.  I was skeptical about it when I first looked at it, thinking my big fingers wouldn't be able to hit the keys, but the design of the keyboard is perfect, and really makes using the added functionality possible (I never dreamed of trying to type in appointments on a 1-9 based cell phone).

There are things I'm not too thrilled about.  If you're going to include a camera, make it worthwhile.  The 0.3 megapixel is worthless, and there are now smartphones up to 1.3 megapixels and more.  The screen doesn't have hi-res support (still at 160x160, rather than 320x320), and no wi-fi support in this model.  Until the wi-fi and hi-res are added, I won't be upgrading.

Oh yeah, and I got mine for $50  (originally a $600 phone.  If anyone has sprint and wants to know how e-mail me).


After that long rambling, all I'm really asking is if anyone else has a smartphone, what kind, and what they think about it.

[ziggy]

Actually I am getting a new one tomorrow.  Not the same as what you have, which actually looks like a really good deal.  A guy in our office got one of those like you have, but he has had it for only a couple of weeks.
I will let you know about the one I get after a few days.

[westkoast]

I've been looking to get one.  I currently have to carry around my personal cell phone (T-Mobile), an old palm pilot, and my work phone (sprint).  Someone else in our dept. has the treo and says its the greatest thing since sliced bread.  However, there is this new smartphone comming in from Japan at the end of the year that I want to check out.  Forget the name, I'll ask my buddy at work.  Its suppose to put the Treo to shame.

As for the digital camera built into the cell phone....I use it all the time.  That and the little video camera function I have.  My friends and I love to send pictures/video back and forth.  Plus with it being able to hook up to my laptop thru my infrared port I like to snap alot of photos and save them.  Just wish it had flash =/