And another one….Palm are set to launch yet another Treo. The latest string to the ever-increasing bow is the Treo 680 - a lower-end smartphone that looks pretty similar to the 750 that was just launched in Europe. The details are few and far between but it will be a Palm OS device and is set to run on the Cingular network. I’ll let you know more as soon as I can.

As promised, the latest Treo from Palm was launched this week. The 3G, Windows based device was developed in collaboration with Microsoft and Vodafone and has some exclusive features, according to the press release. There will be picture speed dialing, and personalised homepage but the device has lost the trademark Treo aerial - which was loved by Americans and hated by Europeans according to Palm’s research.

The device also has a 1.3 megapixel camera, Windows Office including Media Player, Bluetooth, mini-sd expansion and should be supported by Push email services. So what do you think? Do you miss the Palm OS and old Treo look or welcome the new not-unlike-blackberry appearance? Let me know.

A Palm spokesperson has announced a launch of the Palm/Vodafone/Windows collaboration Treo for 12th September. The 3G device is to sport Windows Mobile 5.0, be void of the gigantic aerial that has become the Treo’s trademark and have an overall more “Blackberry” look to it, if you believe the blurry photos that are dotted across the web. It should also feature a 1.3megapixel camera, Bluetooth and an SD slot.

continue reading "Palm’s next Treo to have 3G and due next month?"

In the US schools have long recognised the value of PDAs in the classroom, and now schools in Kansas have added 2,300 Palm PDAs and keyboards to their high schools, bringing their total up to 5,000. But what do schools want with business tools?

Well, by integrating the wireless technologies, it gives “administrators, teachers and students” access to the school network, email, printers and PCs where and when they need it according to Palm. With laptops out of the schools’ budgets, Palm handhelds were a logical choice for the school boards. The school district’s head of technology also says that they plan to give the campuses Wi-Fi access, hence buying Palm TX PDAs, probably the least expensive Wi-Fi handhelds available.

continue reading "Schools buy 2300 Palm TX handhelds"

Another set of vicious rumours, this time over the Palm Lifedrive. While sites dedicated to the manufacturer, such as Palm Addict have said that the PDA will now only sell until it runs out of stock and that no more will be made, despite the widely popular “Showtime” version of the device. However, Palm were quick to shoot this down, with the Vice President of corporate Communications stating that Palm will continue to manufacture these “Mobile managers”. With a huge 4GB Hardrive, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, Palm were suprised that this first Mobile Manager was not a fast seller. Though not always Palm OS’s biggest fan, the Lifedrive did win me over and I’m glad they aren’t ending it yet. It makes a nice alternative to the straight forward PDAs.

Any thoughts, post and let me know.

A new piece of software called “WiFiTalkie” turns your Palm into a Walkie-Talkie, i.e. a free phone.

In a nutshell: when two or more Palm OS devices that are linked to the same network (or the internet) by a broadband connection (e.g. WiFi) they can talk to each other using VoIP technology.

In a techie sorta way: The software supports full duplex mode so you can broadcast and receive voice simultaneously, and can broadcast to two or more devices at the same time (depending on devices and network speed).
continue reading "VoIP technology for Palm OS"

Palm say they are “Demonstrating [their] commitment to providing mobile professionals with a choice of smartphone operating systems“. I say “they are demonstrating their commitment to the endangered Palm OS“. But then I’m a born cynic. Anyway, since November there have been rumours about a Palm OS based Treo being launched after the new Windows version this month. Many rumours followed, and people even created software so that their Palm applications would work on the dreaded Windows version of the best selling Treo. And after all that, Palm have launched a 5.4.9 based device.

continue reading "Palm Treo 700p - it’s real!"

The smartphone market has increased yet another 66% in the first quarter of this year. Over 16.7m ’smart’ mobile devices were shipped over the last four months, 55% more than the same time in 2005, and while that includes “handhelds, wireless handhelds and smartphones“, Nokia hold a comfortable lead in the ’smart mobile device’ sector, showing that smartphones are still the devices of choice for consumers.

continue reading "“Smart Device” market increases this year"

With the advent of the Treo 700w, even Palm seemed to have rejected their own Operating System in favour of Windows’ mobile platforms. But why have Palm’s once dedicated supporters started to turn away from their beloved OS? Well for starters it has been almost two years since the last big upgrade to Garnet was released, and another one isn’t due this year at least. On top of that Windows Mobile and Symbian operating systems are emerging with higher compatibility and greater multimedia possibilities.

continue reading "Is Palm OS losing its dedicated followers?"

Ten years ago, the first Palm Pilot was born. Until the success of the first Palm, the Pilot 1000, it was software such as the Graffiti handwriting-recognition program that was keeping Palm afloat. That is, until designer Jeff Hawkins went home one day and whittled his vision of the device out of plywood! His goal was to beat the company’s rivals at their own game by making the device small enough to fit in a pocket – even if it meant cutting back on capabilities.

Hawkins also decided that the device had to be under $300 in order for it to make a wider market. However, ithout such frivolities as a backlight – the Pilot 1000 was quickly revised into its successor, the PalmPilot.

continue reading "Ten years of piloting by Palm"