Quick Treo 650 Review

[Murcielago]

1. Reception: 7/10 (9/10 on Sprint) Excellent reception on the Sprint network. The phone hangs really well with my T608 and is stronger than the current Sanyos and Samsungs. There is no analog roaming though.

2. Screen: 9/10 Excellent screen. 320x320 and very bright. Everything looks great on the screen. It powers up and down instantly.

3. Web: 9/10 The Blazer browser works great. You can set the font size and whether the web is viewed in "optimized" or "wide page" mode. Optimized looks a bit odd for some pages, but wide page makes everything look exactly like the internet on your home computer. You just scroll up and down and sideways to see everything on the page. It really looks fantastic. It's finally the real web, not Sprint's version of it. I do wish that the side volume keys worked as page up and down keys when in web mode.

4. Size: 6/10 It's the same size as the Treo 600. Not huge, but not small either. Also, the phone's got some weight to it. It's not much wider than the i600.

5. Ringers: 7/10 Decent ringers. They get pretty loud and are pretty clear. Nothing great though. The vibrating ringer is much improved from the Treo 600. It's actually usable now if you keep the phone in your pocket and not attached to your person with a holster.

6. Battery life: So far so good. I'll report back after a few full charge/discharge cycles, but it's been great so far. A few hours with a lot of internet surfing and the battery life has only dropped 16%.

7. Multimedia: Will report back tonight. I'll slap in an SD card with a few hundred songs and see how the Real Player works.

8. Customization: Tons. You can set tons of shortcuts, reprogram the keys (twice since you can also reprogram the option button + keys), set ringers, alerts, alert frequencies, etc. for everything.

9. Speakerphone: 6/10. Nothing great here. Half-duplex. Impossible to interrupt automated services. The volume is pretty good but there is distortion when it gets loud. The T608 is still the best with the Sanyos being second. I haven't tried the A760 or the 6601 though.

I'll be glad to answer any questions. If you have a Palm OS-specific question, please ask it in a detailed way as I'm a Palm noob.

Also, mods can move this to the PDA forum if it's more appropriate there.

[Murcielago]

10. Earpiece: 8/10. Very clear, but could use another notch or two of volume. I'd keep it on 5 of 7 for everyday use and 6-7 of 7 for in-car use.

[mcurtiss1970]

nice review. I think I would have kept the reception to what it is, not what it isn't (no analog), but I didn't write it. sounds like a winner.

[Dave]

(Note that double-posts are permitted in this case because the Phone Reviews section doesn't allow replies. Murcielago double-posted his review here in the General section so that the public can reply to this thread.)

Great review on this handset, I'll be reading your opinions as you continue to use it.

[luv2chill]

Thanks for the review...

Bluetooth bluetooth bluetooth! Have you tried it yet and what profiles are enabled? Is it the same as the early review sample? Have you tried a headset, hotsync, DUN?

[xenophonite]

Please go test the network speed by going to this site in Blazer...

dslreports.com/mspeed

Click on 200K

What are your results? A T600 on Sprint typically gets 60K-100Kbits/sec.

[Murcielago]

Thanks for the review...

Bluetooth bluetooth bluetooth! Have you tried it yet and what profiles are enabled? Is it the same as the early review sample? Have you tried a headset, hotsync, DUN?
Under BT, there are only headset and hotsync setups. Hat confirmed that Sprint is going to update the 650 to have a BT DUN profile, but I don't know when that will happen.

[Murcielago]

Please go test the network speed by going to this site in Blazer...

dslreports.com/mspeed

Click on 200K

What is your results? A T600 on Sprint typically gets 60K-100Kbits/sec.
In an average signal area, I ran two tests.

1. 86 kbit/sec, 2.466s latency, 20.447s d/l time
2. 81 kbit/sec, 1.99s latency, 21.665s d/l time

[xenophonite]

In an average signal area, I ran two tests.

1. 86 kbit/sec, 2.466s latency, 20.447s d/l time
2. 81 kbit/sec, 1.99s latency, 21.665s d/l time


Bummer, was hoping for an improvement. Could you try to get 4-5 bars and test again? Thanks.

Also, please post a picture taken from the cam.

[Murcielago]

Bummer, was hoping for an improvement. Could you try to get 4-5 bars and test again? Thanks.

Also, please post a picture taken from the cam.
I took some pictures and can email them to anyone who wants to host them. They're in low light and average indoor lighting, with and without the zoom.

[ericshmerick]

Under BT, there are only headset and hotsync setups. Hat confirmed that Sprint is going to update the 650 to have a BT DUN profile, but I don't know when that will happen.
It will happen when they finalize the pricing for tethering...expect at least $30/month in addition to your regular bill. Trust me, I've already argued with a Sprint rep or two about this. Sprint will assume the worst from it's Bluetooth users, and if you have a bluetooth phone, they will jack up the data prices thinking you are gonna tether all the time.

[xenophonite]

I took some pictures and can email them to anyone who wants to host them. They're in low light and average indoor lighting, with and without the zoom.

I can host the pics on imageevent.com... please send to xenokc-mrc@yahoo

[tbakergobucks]

Does this phone have video if so can you post one. How big is the photo caller id? You can set screen savers right? Do they fit the entire screen. Can you take a picture of that to. Having bluetooth, camera, and a pda would be nice just not sure if it's to much phone for me. How much is it and you can get a 150 rebate if you add another line right? Also I think I read that you can buy it with a bluetooth headset or without. Is it a better value to buy it with the headset. Sorry for dumb questions

thanks

[Murcielago]

Does this phone have video if so can you post one. How big is the photo caller id? You can set screen savers right? Do they fit the entire screen. Can you take a picture of that to. Having bluetooth, camera, and a pda would be nice just not sure if it's to much phone for me. How much is it and you can get a 150 rebate if you add another line right? Also I think I read that you can buy it with a bluetooth headset or without. Is it a better value to buy it with the headset. Sorry for dumb questions

thanks
I don't know how to assign screensavers, if you can do so. I sent some pictures and a video clip to xenophonite. You can take a little over 9 minutes of video.

[Murcielago]

Photo ID pictures show up in a little square in the upper-center of the screen with the contact name and phone number underneath them.

So far the BT is not working for me. I can pair, but can't sync through the BT. I don't have a BT headset to try. Sprint Tier 2 techs are clueless, but apologetic and the PalmOne techs try to charge $25 for tech support.

[xenophonite]

The shots taken by Murcielago can be found here...

http://imageevent.com/ignatius/treo650pics

[mcurtiss1970]

The shots taken by Murcielago can be found here...

http://imageevent.com/ignatius/treo650pics
ummm, looks like pics of a copie

[smfish999]

one of the most annoying issues for me on the treo600 was with the phone application and how it handles incoming calls. Can you let me know if you can properly answer and hang up incoming calls when you are already on the phone. Not leaving the other call active and ticking away your minutes even though the other party has hung up.

[Touchless21]

Guess I'll be getting the Sanyo 5600. I don't think an upgrade of my current is worth it.

[Murcielago]

The shots taken by Murcielago can be found here...

http://imageevent.com/ignatius/treo650pics
Picture 1 is using the zoom from the same height that picture 5 was taken from. The same is true of picture 3 and 2. Picture 4 is just another picture. There was also a video, but I don't think that the video is anything great. There was still the normal lag with the audio.

[Murcielago]

one of the most annoying issues for me on the treo600 was with the phone application and how it handles incoming calls. Can you let me know if you can properly answer and hang up incoming calls when you are already on the phone. Not leaving the other call active and ticking away your minutes even though the other party has hung up.
Can you clarify this? Do you mean when you're already on another call or when you're in an application?

[mcurtiss1970]

ummm, looks like pics of a copierdurr, nevermind.......durrr

[Murcielago]

They actually won't jack up the prices, they'll just rightfully charge a user for constant complaining about wanting / needing a BT DUN profile etc etc. The fact is that most of the people who know what BT is are the people who will tether ALL the time...and those persons should be charged more.
Im my case, I probably tether for about about 60 hours in the entire year. I only use it when I'm somewhere that doesn't have a high-speed connection.

[Murcielago]

Just wanted to add that the screensaver images are 320x240. There are two rows at the top and one at the bottom which are not covered by the screensaver.

[winger]

Earpiece better than favorite sanyo VM4500???

BTW, u wrote this review or cut-and-paste???
http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=4098875

[msannie]

Does this phone have video if so can you post one. How big is the photo caller id? You can set screen savers right? Do they fit the entire screen. Can you take a picture of that to. Having bluetooth, camera, and a pda would be nice just not sure if it's to much phone for me. How much is it and you can get a 150 rebate if you add another line right? Also I think I read that you can buy it with a bluetooth headset or without. Is it a better value to buy it with the headset. Sorry for dumb questions

thanks

You can get the BT headphones for free if you buy this phone as an add-on. Also, there's a promotion on for internet at $10.

[Samboy]

Would someone check and see if you can go to sportsbook.com on the 650? Also, how are applets handled with the 650? I have never had a PDA, but I am VERY interested in this thing. Sorry for the newbie questions.

[mcurtiss1970]

Earpiece better than favorite sanyo VM4500???

BTW, u wrote this review or cut-and-paste???
http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=4098875yup, he's one and the same

[Jaggrey]

This phone is sounding better and better..... where do u get the money to try these phones?

Are the ringers louder than the T600? One thing I noticed with the MIDI ringers with the T600 was that they sounded completely weird and way off than how any other phone renders them. Would you say the same is true for the T650?

[winger]

yup, he's one and the same
Well, blow me down (like Popeye says) ... dude with split personalities. That is what we need... LOL< and I responded to both threads on both forums with the same questions. How efficient!!! :hee: JimmyJames - why he change is name (using two names) ???

[belerek]

You can get the BT headphones for free if you buy this phone as an add-on. Also, there's a promotion on for internet at $10.

Who's offering the $10 vision promotion? Can you post the link? Thanks.

[bjork_rules]

This phone is sounding better and better..... where do u get the money to try these phones?

Are the ringers louder than the T600? One thing I noticed with the MIDI ringers with the T600 was that they sounded completely weird and way off than how any other phone renders them. Would you say the same is true for the T650?
MIDI ringers sound kind of odd. Not distorted, but not like other phones. I'm assuming that this is what you noticed with the 600. Otherwise, the downloaded ringers are pretty loud and the old qcp voice ringers sound very good.

[Jaggrey]

MIDI ringers sound kind of odd. Not distorted, but not like other phones. I'm assuming that this is what you noticed with the 600. Otherwise, the downloaded ringers are pretty loud and the old qcp voice ringers sound very good.
QCP ringers work with this phone? Are they loud? That's one thing that didn't work at all on the T600.

And yes... MIDIs do sound.... odd... on the T600.

[bjork_rules]

QCP ringers work with this phone? Are they loud? That's one thing that didn't work at all on the T600.

And yes... MIDIs do sound.... odd... on the T600.
They work. I had some old ones on the computer and tried them. They worked fine and sounded great on this phone and were as loud as the other ringers.

[Jaggrey]

They work. I had some old ones on the computer and tried them. They worked fine and sounded great on this phone and were as loud as the other ringers.
Sweet! That's one thing that I didn't like about the T600.... couldn't hear it and couldn't feel it.

[Planetor]

I would appreciate some comments on the feel and useability of the keyboard. Today at the Sprint Store I touched a disabled Treo 600 for the first time and was concerned that those little buttons might not be so great for composing e-mails, text messages, memos, doing other data entry chores. I am considering a T650 and have read that the T650 buttons are a little larger and flatter. Would the T650 keyboard be productive for a pair of medium-sized hands, or is it difficult to press one button without accidentally pressing others? Thanks for any information.

[SpineDoc]

They actually won't jack up the prices, they'll just rightfully charge a user for constant complaining about wanting / needing a BT DUN profile etc etc. The fact is that most of the people who know what BT is are the people who will tether ALL the time...and those persons should be charged more.

Unless you are one of the many who just want bluetooth for a handsfree car and a headset solution!! I think there is a legitimate population who use bluetooth mainly for data crossover and for wireless voice communication and not tethering.

[Ti-maniac]

I use my phone for tethering with a cable. But I only use it when I travel, and am not around a "high speed" line. And this is becoming less and less frequent with hot spots coming up all over the place.

Actually, if a Wi-Fi card was available for the 650, it would make it very interesting, but not incredibly compelling.