Treo 700wx launches on Sprint

No shocker here: Sprint officially launched the Treo 700wx today. The specs haven't been a secret for a while, but we'll run 'em down for you anyway:

• Windows Mobile 5.0 Pocket PC (duh)
• XScale 312MHz CPU
• SDIO slot
• 128MB NVRAM (60MB user)
• dual-band EV-DO / 1xRTT
• 1.3 megapixel camera
• Bluetooth 1.2, IR
• 240 x 240 touchscreen
• QWERTY keyboard
  

Apart from the extra RAM, the 700wx is about the same as its predecessor, the Treo 700w (which Verizon has had exclusively since January). Retail price is $499.99 after "available discounts and promotions," and $649.99 without.


TreoCentral has a first look, CNET, Laptop, and MobileTechReview have reviews.

[Beer Buijsman @ Sep 3rd 2006 12:15PM]

shouldn't there not be an antenna on there?

[Jason Gulledge @ Sep 3rd 2006 12:44PM]

It has to be better than sprint's Other PocketPC, the one built by UTSTARCOM. It's a piece of junk.

I hate having a huge nipple-tenna on top of these phones too.

I wonder if the treo is any faster than StarCom one? I'm doubtful. it can't be much larger either. This thing is a brick.

I wish Treo made two versions. One with a camera, one without. I think cameras on a phone are pretty useless.

[alex @ Sep 3rd 2006 1:09PM]

Imagine all the work I can do away from the office.

Does it come with tetris?

[Guy @ Sep 3rd 2006 1:23PM]

I have the PPC-6700 (the UTSTARCOM one). And i think its great. full keyboard unlike that tiny one on the treo. It also has built in wi-fi while the treo doesn't.. I figured the treo line would want wifi built in by now.

So eh.

[Vexorg @ Sep 3rd 2006 2:16PM]

I actually participated in a one-month product trial for this phone before it was released, and overall, in spite of some issues I personally found it to be a significant improvement over my PPC-6700. In particular, the dialer software on the 700wx is much better than the 6700, and the fit and finish is much better (I've had my 6700 for about seven months now and I've already lost four styluses in the course of normal use, whereas the Treo's stylus is far more secure.) Overall, I prefer the form factor of the 6700 and the keyboard, but after the trial, I'm giving some serious thought to switching over to the 700wx. There are a couple of caveats: If you use specific PPC applications I would make sure they're compatible with the square display first (a fair number of them aren't) and I also found that there were some battery drain issues that occurred with this phone when outside of EVDO coverage (I suspect this has to do with data sync on the slower 1xRTT connection.)

[PPC @ Sep 3rd 2006 2:27PM]

I also have a PPC-6700, and its not made by UTSTARCOM! Its made by HTC. Still waiting for that new Palm OS or that rumored iPhone...

[Broo @ Sep 3rd 2006 3:13PM]

I was able to beta test one of these for Sprint (I guess the NDA is over?) and it is a great phone- but I would purchase the 700p over the 700w- WM5 still has some bugs and the resolution on the 700p is better (i think it is 320x320 vs 240x240?)...

[animal @ Sep 3rd 2006 4:56PM]

Sprint sucks.

[Matt @ Sep 3rd 2006 5:10PM]

yeah sprint does suck cingular kicks ass though... and why is it running windows and not palm os?

[Socko @ Sep 3rd 2006 7:03PM]

Sprint is too slow to come out with new devices that people actually want to buy.

[Mark @ Sep 3rd 2006 9:12PM]

Just what I need in my life, more Micros**t.

[supersocialist @ Sep 3rd 2006 9:27PM]

The antennaless model is the GSM 750 supposedly coming out some time this month or next. The 700wx is just a Sprint-branded, slightly-upgraded 700w.

[Matt @ Sep 3rd 2006 9:39PM]

haha thats funny mark... micros**t deffintaly sucks im a mac user just so u no

[Mike @ Sep 4th 2006 1:50AM]

I switched from Cingular back to Spring because the reception was all crappy... I don't know about the cheap Sprint phones you've owned but the ones I've had have all sounded as good as a housephone. Not to mention never getting Cingular's dropped calls and the familiar "The network is currently busy, please try your call again later..."

[DR BUZZ0 @ Sep 4th 2006 2:02AM]

A couple questions:

1. What is this damn fetish with the phone not having an antenna? Seriously. It's freakin ridiculous. Does that little nub on there really bother you that much? I'd be willing to have an antenna if it provided better reception. I don't know all the details of the RF engineering that goes into the antenna, but I would tend to think that having a slightly longer area to work with can give better resonance.

2. What is this damn fetish with really small really thin phones? Okay; obviosly a brick phone is not especially convient, and smaller is better in general, but after you get down to a managable pocket size, does it really matter? You know it's probably possible to print a cellphone circuit onto a sheet of mylar.

3. Why would anyone want windows in their pocket? Nobody even likes windows on their PC. They just use it because it's what their office/school/clients/friends use, and because the software they want is for it. Palm-OS may be a bit lacking in some features, right out the box, but at least it ain't windows! I'll take PalmOS, Symbian, RIM or anything else before I put that bloated piece of crap in my pocket.

[Morgan @ Sep 7th 2006 11:34AM]

Does anyone know what programming/scritpting languages that treo 700wx support? Java, C++, WAP200/xHTML, etc.?

Thanks,
Morgan

[Joe @ Sep 11th 2006 5:04PM]

Correction the Sprint Treo 700wx runs on the improved window mobile platform which is window mobile 5.2.2 The updated plateform was created after all of the known issues for the Verizon Treo 700w were discovered. Tushae Verizon and step out of Sprint's way.

[J. Jones @ Sep 12th 2006 7:14PM]

Treo Virgin here,

Currently no ownership of a smartphone. Is it(700wx) worth it after all? I Like the idea of a smartphone, but has it changed anyone's world on a daily basis and how? Trying to convince myself its worth the $$.

Thanks.
T.V.

[ray @ Sep 13th 2006 9:45PM]

I also had the ppc-6700 and foud it to be too large and it would re-dial a number if anything touched the screen. Went to the 700p on 8/11 and it turned out to be the worst phone or PDA I've ever had. Kept turning off and resetting itself, took it sprint and swapped it 3 different times and each one did the same thing. Just swapped for the 770wx and no problems so far. Also, I may be one of the few who actually prefers windows over palm.

[DNA @ Nov 6th 2006 5:01PM]

can I listen to mp3's via bluetooth on the 700wx?

[josh @ Jan 21st 2007 10:57PM]

no. Mp3 through wired headset only.

[Fungchatou @ Sep 20th 2007 6:41PM]

Can the Palm Treo 700wx be used oversea--in another country?