Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)When I decided to buy a smartphone I seriously considered buying the Treo 650 since many reviews written at the time the 680 was launched mentioned a poor battery life for the Treo 680, and an apparent lack of improvements over the previous model. Most reviews were written before the camera patch came out which solved the battery drain problem, so, here's a review from a longtime Palm user who got his first Treo. The Palm website includes a page where you can check if your device needs to have the camera patch installed (you need the Treo's serial number).
This is a great combination of a high tech phone and a Palm PDA. It has all the functions I was used to on my previous Palm-powered devices. I have owned a Palm Vx, a Clie PEG-615T, and a CLIE-PEG TJ25, and lately a Palm Tungsten E2. The only thing I really miss is the grafitti (handwritten) function. The keyboard is a little cramped for my taste, but I assume I will become used to it. Apart from that, I just love this phone. The battery life is adequate, since I used to charge my handheld daily, charging the Treo's battery daily is no big deal for me. The device's stability is also great. So far I have not had any trouble with the Treo blacking out or restarting on its own. This device is great for people on the go, and I still believe it is far superior to any blackberry device and Iphone, since a Palm-powered device is a handheld computer and not only a fancy cell phone. The Treo 680 is easy to use and very intuitive. I comes packed with useful applications, and there thousands of applications you can buy and install customizing the phone to your personal needs. The documents to go application is great to take with you spreadsheets, powerpoint presentations, and word documents. The pocket tunes software is great for listening to your favorite music (with a SD card, not included), and the amount of RAM (64MB) is just great for taking all the applications and games that you need on the go. The only thing I wish it had is wi-fi capabilities, which it doesn't. It is great to finally take along only one device instead of two (PDA and phone)!!!
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Palm Treo 680 Unlocked Cell Phone with MP3/Video Player, SD/MMC--International Version with Warranty (Silver)Curious about data devices, and looking to step up from a traditional handset to a smartphone with more power and features? Look no further than the Palm Treo 680 smartphone. Perfect for business customers, mobile professionals and just about anybody looking to get more out of their handset, the 680 is an amazing and affordable smartphone. With features like Bluetooth 1.2, 64 MB of internal memory, an SD card slot with support for up to 2 GB of memory, a digital camera with zoom and auto light balance, and a full QWERTY key pad with backlighting, the 680 goes above and beyond many far more expensive smartphones.
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 FeaturesAll 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 InternetThe device fully supports SMS and MMS messaging for rapid exchange of pictures, text and video via your provider's instant messaging system (charges may apply). Download Web sites fast using the 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.
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. This phone comes with a one-year warranty from a third party provider.
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