The Palm operating system may be losing ground, but it's not dead yet. Today Verizon Wireless updated its lineup of Treo cell phone-PDAs with the Treo 755p, an EVDO smartphone based on version 5.4.9 of the Palm operating system. Sprint has had the 755p in metallic red and blue since last spring; Verizon's version is a metallic dark bluish-green. Here are a few images from Palm's press kit:
The 755p is the thinnest and, at 5.6 ounces, most lightweight version of the business-oriented Treo line, but it's still larger (and more expensive) than the sporty, 4.2-ounce Palm Centro, another EVDO smartphone that Sprint introduced two months ago. (EVDO, the 3G technology that both Sprint and Verizon use, moves data at 400-700 kilobits per second.)
However Sprint still has an exclusive on the Centro, and Verizon Wireless' only Palm-based EVDO Treos--the 700p, available with and without a camera--are relatively heavy (6.4 ounces) and look rather clunky with their stubby antennas.
Verizon apparently felt it needed a more up-to-date Palm-based smartphone, and the 755p does come with a full complement of features, including a 1.3-megapixel camera; a mini-SD card slot that supports up to 4GB of storage; Pocket Tunes for music playback; Bluetooth support for both wireless headsets and use of the phone as a modem; support for voice dialing (an extra-cost Verizon service); and Documents to Go for viewing and editing Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files.
What's somewhat puzzling is Verizon's pricing: Even after an instant online rebate for signing the usual two-year contract, the 755p will set you back $400 (or $350 after a mail-in rebate). On Sprint's site, however, it looks like I can get the 755p for $250 if I sign the two-year agreement--no mail-in rebate required. (The Centro, with all rebates, comes to $100--but it definitely feels less sturdy than a Treo.)
I did notice one small difference in the specs for the Sprint and Verizon versions: Sprint's site says its 755p models have a 1500mAh battery, while Verizon's 755p specs list the battery as a slightly more powerful 1600mAh. Note, however, that the older, fatter 700p uses a more powerful 1800mAh battery. Note also that Verizon at this writing still charges $400 for the older model, although a mail-in rebate brings that down to $250.
