Palm Treo 500 Review
The Treo 500 is another non traditional type Palm smartphone, something similar to Palm's Centro. That is to say that the 500 is geared more towards people that are new to the whole smartphone experience. Think of the 500 as an entry level smartphone device. Also, the Treo 500 and the Treo 500v are the same devices. The 500v came out first and the v is because it was branded specifically for the Vodafone market. The 500 without the v is the unlocked version that has distributed for use on other networks and in other markets. This review is for the unlocked 500.
The Treo 500 doesn't resemble any of its predecessors. Some of the signature and iconic design elements of past Treo's are not to be found on this model. One could only assume that this was done to differentiate between the 500 and others in the Treo family such as the 650,680, and 750, making it more user friendly and less intimidating in form to the uninitiated. Treo users of old may immediately notice the missing volume silencer, infrared window, and memory card slot that usually sits at the top of the device.
Its measurements come in at 16.5mm (Depth) x 61.5mm (Width) x 110mm (Height) which is .65" x 2.4" x 4.3" in inches. It weighs just 120 grams which is 4.23 ounces. This makes the 500 both lighter and thinner than most of the other Treo products and a lot easier on your pocket as well.
The Treo 500 sports a widescreen display that lies flush with the rest of the phone, giving it a more up to date look and general feel. The reason for this particular Treo design change may be because this smartphone does not have a touch screen. Its widescreen display has a resolution of 320 x 240 and can display over 65,000 colors. It comes with 256 MB of memory which is easily upgraded through the use of microSD cards. It also operates on the GSM, GPRS and UMTS radio bands.
On the software side of things, the 500 is a Windows Mobile device. This means that it comes fully installed with all the tools needed for you to create and edit your Word, Excel and PowerPoint files. But Productivity isnt all this device is about. There are several other features for you to use in your day to day life. Here is the official feature list:
ActiveSync
Alarm Clock
Bluetooth
Bubble Breaker
Calculator
Camera (video and still pics) Some claim this 2 megapixel camera is the best Treo camera yet
File Explorer
Google Maps
Internet Connect Sharing
Internet Explorer Mobile
Messaging
Microsoft Voice Notes
Microsoft Office (including Word, Excel PowerPoint and Outlook)
Phone of course
Pictures and Videos
Solitaire
Task Manager
Windows Media Player Mobile
Even though this is the official feature list from Palm, its not exhaustive. There are many, many more features available for the 500 out of the box. Since this is a PDA there are also an infinite amount of third party applications for free and purchase that can be used with the Treo 500.
All of which makes this particular Treo a well-balanced and useful tool for smartphone newcomers as well as for seasoned users as well. There is much more to this device to appeal to all.
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