Palm briefly confesses to Treo 680, 750 for Cingular

Dear Palm,

Why is it that you have such a devil of a time keeping a lid on your product pipeline? It seems like in those precious few moments when your carriers aren't leaking documents describing unreleased Treos, you're doing it yourself. No bother; we already knew darned well Cingular would be getting a pair of new handsets from you, freshly freed of their pesky external antennas, in Palm OS and Windows Mobile flavors -- we just wish you'd make it a little more challenging to scoop the deets sometimes. Anyway, you've got a crowd of Palm fanatics anxiously awaiting your 680 and 750 here in the US, so let's get this show on the road, shall we?

Love,
Engadget

[Thanks, William and Jon]

[Joe Smith @ Sep 22nd 2006 9:10PM]

The insiders must have an easy time leaking product info using those treos with the built in cameras :)

[Daniel @ Sep 22nd 2006 9:20PM]

I've bee waiting more than one year for a GSM unlocked version of a Treo running W Mobile... if this is true, then i'll have to wait only 6 more months.

Any idea of pricing?

[Chris @ Sep 24th 2006 1:55PM]

Actually, rumored release is scheduled for October, not in six months.

[matthew Mace @ Oct 14th 2006 11:16AM]

I s it like the Q price or the overpriced 300 doller price tag

[Wilson @ Sep 22nd 2006 9:54PM]

I WANT!!!! AS SOON AS IT GETS STATESIDE I'M UNLOCKING IT!!!

[Sean @ Sep 22nd 2006 9:54PM]

I've seen my next phone

[Mitch @ Sep 22nd 2006 10:08PM]

By the time they release this there will be better stuff out there. They lost the chance at being the number one Smart Phone out on the market. They should have released the GSM version 6 Months ago, before stuff like the the HTC S620 became available. In this market the early bird gets the worm, and Palm has been sleeping late.

[Hugh Jass @ Sep 22nd 2006 10:31PM]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the HTC S620, while quite an impressive device, doesn't appear to have a touchscreen. A touchscreen and Palm OS are what will win people over to the 680. Too bad we won't be seeing WiFi on it. You're right though, the S620 does look appealing, with or without a touchscreen. It's no secret that Palm has been having troubles, mostly because of being bought out. That's put them quite a ways behind the competition.

[HughJass @ Sep 22nd 2006 10:33PM]

Thought it would be worth mentioning that the 700w/wx/p have been selling like hotcakes despite their somewhat outdated specs.

[DR BUZZ0 @ Sep 22nd 2006 10:51PM]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I could trade in my 700p for a windows-mobile based phone. But then again...I could also stab myself in the eye with a red hot soldering iron. I have absolutely no idea why anyone would want this piece of crap. I'd be willing to switch to symbian or a linux based system or maybe RIM. But WM...gawd. I can almost smell it's stench from here

[carlalbrecht @ Nov 29th 2006 3:57PM]

Doc, My Treonaut (P) friends say the same thing, but no one can tell me what is the problem with WM. Please tell me? They love the Palm OS, but they also note it can be a bit of a pain synching it with a Windows world, apps, contact sw, etc... Is WM not touch screen? What's the big difference? why such a fan of Palm OS? and... Since the 750W apparently won't be out for a few more months (!), will I have to wait 10 MORE to get a 750P? Thanks. very interested in your thoughts on this.

[Benjy @ Sep 22nd 2006 11:09PM]

Does anyone know if Cingular allows users to use a MiniSD WiFi card? For example, last treo I bought from Sprint did not allow me to use a wifi card because they blocked it. Does anyone know if a WiFi compatible MiniSD card would work, and we would not be charged for data transfer?

[bal @ Sep 23rd 2006 12:03AM]

I heard mid-late November for the 750.

[don geronimo @ Sep 23rd 2006 12:53AM]

Why would anyone want this phone through Cingular? Is not Verizon the fastest data service available? When would a new Treo be out on Verizon? Also does using this type of phone GSM compared to buying one from the carrier it is made for affect performance, I bought the tiny gd55 a while back and when using it with t mobile had a crappy experience with it's voice mail.

[ernest @ Sep 24th 2006 5:14PM]

on this web site there is some comments about this palm releasing verison for sprint and verizon and new reduced price!!!!

[jonny c @ Oct 20th 2006 3:16PM]

Well Verizon was the fastest but cingular is launching their 3G network that can not only compete but can sometimes exceed the speeds of verizon and sprint. Thats not even the best thing about cingulars new 3G netowork unlike verizon and sprint cingulars 3G can do data and voice at the same time at speeds up to 2.2 mbps. For exmaple use your phone with your laptop like a modem that will exceed speeds faster than a DSL connection while talking on the phone or sending text messages all at the same time. Look it up www.cingular.com/3g

[Dean @ Sep 23rd 2006 1:31AM]

I wish Nextel would get serious about their phones and not just their service.

[Greg @ Sep 23rd 2006 1:56AM]

I wonder how long it will take for the 750 to make it to Sprint?
I hope within the next year!!

[SVergara @ Sep 23rd 2006 3:21AM]

Why oh why can't Palm make a 750 with the Palm OS? Not bashing on the WM users here, it's just a personal preference.

[Shaun R. @ Sep 23rd 2006 7:12AM]

It would be nice if palm would take care of their OS/software as much as their hardware. I'm still waiting for a firmware update for my buggy 700p! As well as an update to the OS. I feel like I'm stuck in the 80's, only without the coke.

[Bruce Chapman @ Sep 23rd 2006 10:25AM]

I have had Treo 650 for about a year and a half. I keep it in a leather case. Much of the fake silver/blue metal around the screen on the front has come off. I hope the 750 is better quality.

[greg @ Sep 23rd 2006 9:39PM]

I keep my 650 in a $2 neoprene sunglasses case and it looks like new and dosent care about the odd drop.

[ChillyWilly @ Sep 23rd 2006 11:05AM]

The 680 looks cool, especially without the antenna nub. Maybe after it's been out for a bit, they'll add data to it and let Sprint users have some sans-nub Treo action.

[Eddie @ Sep 23rd 2006 11:39AM]

im with you. i keep looking at my 700wx thinking... wow this would look cool without the antenna. i hope this comes out for sprint/cdma some time soon

[Lee @ Sep 23rd 2006 11:39AM]

People would want a Treo on Cingular for the fact that it is a GSM network. Not all of us want to be married to our phone for 2 years, ya know. Yes, Verizon may have the fastest network right now, but CDMA is maxed out as far as speed goes. Wait until Cingular rolls out UMTS. That will catch Cingular up to Verizon. And then, with the launch of HSDPA, Cingular will be the fastest network ever. Period. GSM pwns.

[Angel @ Sep 23rd 2006 1:18PM]

Actually, Cingular's 3G network, which has been rolled out in 17 or 18 select cities for the moment, has speeds up to 2 megabytes per second, and rivals Verizon's data Network. The new Treo 650, I believe they said will be 3G handsets.. which allow for broadband speeds on the internet and the ability to use data and voice simultaneously. A key difference between Cingular and Verizon is that if you leave a 3G area with Cingular, you'll automatically drop to the EDGE network without losing your connection. Also, Cingular uses GSM, which is global.

[Angel @ Sep 23rd 2006 1:21PM]

I'm sorry, I meant Treo 750 in my last post. I'm sitting here staring at my 650 as I type this.

[DR BUZZ0 @ Sep 23rd 2006 1:35PM]

In response to Lee: HSDPA is already deployed in a few cities (very limited though). Verizon already has EVDO in a decent size area of the country. Last I heard, Cingular was dumping the older UMTS standards and going to all HSDPA, but Verizon has a big head start on them and Sprint also has a couple years ahead. HSDPA, btw is CDMA. GSM (as in Edge/GPRS and GSM 1.0) is TDMA. CDMA is more effecient and has better penitrating power than TDMA.

Cingular may be working to become the choice for high speed, but it will be a while before they have good coverage. I'm impatient. Besides...it's notlike I won't need a new phone by then anyway.

[DrNeuralgia @ Sep 23rd 2006 2:27PM]

that's exactly the point "Angel"... the GLOBAL aspect of GSM.

As soon as it's unlocked, I'll get one of those ASAP

[joeweise @ Sep 23rd 2006 2:58PM]

I'll wait till they release a 480x320 (bare minimum) Treo.

[Corey McLaughlin @ Sep 23rd 2006 3:37PM]

I've been looking forward to the Palm 750 since the 700w was released on Verizon. I do love the form factor of the Treo. I hope they address the lack of built-in memory though. Why Cingular does not partner with SlingMedia I wil never know. What better way to promote a 3G and DSL package all-in-one. This is the killer app that would get people to use these services.

[Anil Shivaram @ Sep 23rd 2006 8:13PM]

I agree here too...a 750 with the palm OS would be nice...then again, the antenna nub is not really that much of a pain.

[Ran @ Sep 23rd 2006 9:16PM]

I'd rather get a MOTOKRZR or Nokia N93 instead. I have Dell Axim for my WM5 work, so I don't need a smartphone for that stuff. Besides, these phones are crappy CPU power, so they can't connect to a projector anything, so I still have to carry either a laptop (with exploding batteries =D ) or a PDA which takes the point out of getting a smartphone.

[HughJass @ Sep 23rd 2006 10:49PM]

Angel, you receive 2 megaBIT downloads, not megaBYTE. Big difference.

Benjy, no one "blocked" using WiFi cards in the Treo 650 -- Palm never wrote a WiFi driver for it. Also, if you were able to get WiFi capability on a Treo, the carrier could not know you were using it; *obviously* you wouldn't (and couldn't) be charged for it.

[Eric @ Sep 24th 2006 3:19PM]

How many years until these are on a Canadian carrier? (The 700's still aren't with anyone)

[Robert @ Sep 25th 2006 1:05PM]

Sweetness.
I want it.
Bad...
now.
*rubs hands together*

[Richard @ Sep 25th 2006 9:55PM]

I just got an e-mail back from my Cingular Business Rep. and she is hoping for a Nov/Dec release date.

[keye @ Oct 2nd 2006 12:01PM]

anybody know whether the 750 and 680 will be coming out first only on Cingular or will Sprint get them at the same time?

[myspace.comitsallverbatim @ Oct 8th 2006 1:30PM]

So, here's a question for us corporate/USG folk:

Will there be 4 versions of these new Treos? Two PalmOS, Two WM5, with a cameraless version for both OS?

Call us what you want, but above all the military has this aversion to cameraphones, and rightfully so...

[Steven @ Oct 8th 2006 7:50PM]

Is Cingular going to offer a 750 with the Palm OS rather than Windows?

[Derek @ Oct 9th 2006 6:09PM]

no....the 750 will be Windows based while the 680 will be the cheaper of the two new treos running Palm..........

I just want to know when the damn thing will be released.......There are too many rumors out there. Why the hell is Cingular hiding this so much.....?

[Jake @ Oct 11th 2006 1:52PM]

So, does anyone think they will come out with a 750 version for CDMA networks, like Verizon? Also, any word on if Palm will drop non-GSM carriers so they can stick with the international customers and forget the rest of us?

[Kitty @ Oct 16th 2006 5:40PM]

Ok so does anyone know when Cingular will have the Treo 680 or 750. Preferably the 680...??

[Steven @ Nov 5th 2006 7:01AM]

The Cingular folks tell me that the 680 should be available in a matter of weeks.

[matt @ Nov 9th 2006 4:51PM]

I have been holding onto my 600 waiting for a phone to induce me to buy. I am currently with Sprint (I am in Real Estate Develepment, and with a lot of subcontractors being on Nextel, I save close to 3000 minutes a month with my Sprint to Sprint/Nextel minutes). Sprint currently has the 700. From what I can tell, there is not a huge upgrade between the 700 and 750 besides form and the antenna. Would everyone's advice to be just stick with sprint and go for the 700?

[Nathan @ Jan 4th 2007 3:38PM]

Cingular will have the Treo 750 out Jan 8 2007. I have about 8 dead Treo 650's on my desk. We are exiting the Treo/Palm world. I have tested the Nokia E62, HP iPAQ 6925, Blackjack. There are pros and cons for all 3 OS's. I prefer the iPAQ 6925, for features (including wifi and GPS) and Cell Phone service. The size is not great but a small device means a small screen and buttons.

[Pinkaboo @ Jan 4th 2007 4:03PM]

I got a 680 on 12/15, I am returning it and trading it for either the 750 that Cingular is supposed to release next week or a BlackJack. I did not see a noticable difference in performance between a 650 and a 680. However I did see a drastic difference in battery life. I charged my 650 1-2 times a week. The 680 needed to be charged every other day if I didn't turn bluetooth on, it had to be charged daily with bluetooth on. I'm not a power user, I use it mostly to keep contacts organized and to make sure I don't miss appointments.

[Dean @ Jan 15th 2007 4:58PM]

Hopefully Palm has added a Prefenence to increase the audible tone on the dial pad to allow the user to hear each digit dialed. Currently the tone is hardly audible in a library much less the real world. Dailing is VERY FUSTRATING without hearing on the 700p ..............

[Glenn @ Jan 22nd 2007 2:20AM]

Has anyone out there had both the PalmOS and Windows versions? Wondering what flavor has the other beat and why. My Nokia N91 despite its 1000+ MP3s, is quirky and hangs for long periods of time, like my yellow tuxedo. Nothing like taking a long distance call from the boss and have the cp hang. Oops, happened again. Nobody mentioned whether this treo freezes as well? Lastly has anyone else had the funky colors rub off on the edges and is it noticable on the gray version? Hmmm, now where's the joystick port...