[100thMonkey]

I read a couple of months back that P50 won't be available until Mid year, 2005. Don't hold your breath. GSM Treo 650 will be out and have the bugs ironed out before it hits the market. Look at how long they took to deliver the P30 UIQ handset....over 18 months

[gt5l]

aren't the GSM units viennachannels are shipping unlocked and unbranded?

[MisterEd]

'Sposed to be unlocked .... as for unbranded they didn't say.

aren't the GSM units viennachannels are shipping unlocked and unbranded?

[MisterEd]

I hope you're right, but if it is the case it will be a LOT longer before we see them then January. That would mean they would have to call back all the stock sitting in boxes on some dock or in some warehouse somewhere and reflash then repackage them. I have little doubt they are sitting somewhere just waiting for the Sprint clock to run out (or for AT&(C) to say "release").

GSM Treo 650 will be out and have the bugs ironed out before it hits the market.

[Mtreosexual]

.[I] GSM Treo 650 will be out and have the bugs ironed out before it hits the market. Look at how long they took to deliver the P30 UIQ handset....over 18 months[/QUOTE][/I]


What bugs??

Less memory
Wifi
BT hack.
Reset after 3rd party aps.

These are all desires and are users specific problems or software issues, i don't think the providers will fix any of these issues.

[specimen38]

see link - PalmOne and PalmSource will be at the CES in Las Vegas starting January 6th, 2005. I will be there the afternoon of January 6th and the morning of the 7th. It only seems reasonable since the road show that they would have GSM phones displayed with the CDMA. If there is something I should be looking out for let me know.

Any specific questions you want asked, I will take with me to ask or perhaps you can drop an email to: adrienne.fisher@palmone.com, who apparently is the contact person regarding CES.

[specimen38]

You are right. It simply doesn't make good business sense for PalmOne to lock all of their phonres when their competitors don't lock their phones.

And I believe I mentioned this before, don't take one vendor with a listing as proof. That same vendor had the Motorola Razr V3 listed as being available 9/10/2004 for $599. They didn't have it until November and the price was $749.

[bcaslis]

Huh? What competitors don't lock their phones? This is a carrier issue. Most carriers lock the phones they sell to their networks (in the U.S. at least). P1 themselves state right on their website that the Cingular version WILL be locked. This isn't a guess, they say so!

http://kb.palmone.com/SRVS/CGI-BIN/WEBCGI.EXE?New,kb=PalmSupportKB,ts=Palm_External2001,CASE=obj(16778)

Doesn't matter where you get a Cingular Treo 650 from it will be locked.

I do believe that P1 will eventually have an unlocked GSM model. However, I sincerely doubt that it will be available in the U.S. the same time as the Cingular because then Cingular won't get the GSM version "first". It very likely might be offered in other parts of the world, but then getting it in the U.S. will involve getting it from an importer at an increased price.

You are right. It simply doesn't make good business sense for PalmOne to lock all of their phonres when their competitors don't lock their phones.

[R-Treo]

Wasn't Jeff's email re: the status of GSM roadshow orders specific that the GSM units fulfilling those orders will be unlocked?

[specimen38]

Link to unlocked competitor phones: Motorola GSM Phone I-Mate PDK2

Huh? What competitors don't lock their phones?

[cjdaniel]

Wasn't Jeff's email re: the status of GSM roadshow orders specific that the GSM units fulfilling those orders will be unlocked?

Yes unbranded, unlocked.

He has them already, waiting for simultaneous release with the vendor. At least that is how it sounds from his letter.

[MisterEd]

What letter did you get ??? Mine definately says UNLOCKED but no hint towards anything else (especially the "having them already" part).

________________________________________
From: Jeff Marinangel [mailto:jeff.marinangel@viennachannels.com]
Sent: Friday, November 19, 2004 12:05 PM
To: Demo and sales customers
Subject: Treo 650 GSM order status

We wanted to provide you and update that your Treo 650 GSM unlocked model order (works on any GSM network, ie. Cingular, AT&T Wireless and T-Mobile) is received and in our system.

We are awaiting inventory from the manufacturer and will notify you as soon as it is shipped to our facility. It may be 5-8 weeks before we can ship so we appreciate your patience. We know you are looking forward to receiving your Treo 650.

We will contact you as soon as inventory arrives and please know that if you are buying the device, no charges will be assessed your credit card until the date of shipment.


Vienna Channels
palmOne Road Show Demo Program

Yes unbranded, unlocked.

He has them already, waiting for simultaneous release with the vendor. At least that is how it sounds from his letter.

[R-Treo]

What letter did you get ??? Mine definately says UNBRANDED but no hint towards anything else (especially the "having them already" part).

________________________________________
From: Jeff Marinangel [mailto:jeff.marinangel@viennachannels.com]
Sent: Friday, November 19, 2004 12:05 PM
To: Demo and sales customers
Subject: Treo 650 GSM order status

We wanted to provide you and update that your Treo 650 GSM unlocked model order (works on any GSM network, ie. Cingular, AT&T Wireless and T-Mobile) is received and in our system.

We are awaiting inventory from the manufacturer and will notify you as soon as it is shipped to our facility. It may be 5-8 weeks before we can ship so we appreciate your patience. We know you are looking forward to receiving your Treo 650.

We will contact you as soon as inventory arrives and please know that if you are buying the device, no charges will be assessed your credit card until the date of shipment.


Vienna Channels
palmOne Road Show Demo Program

Here's the email I got from Jeff on 12/19. The relevant text is: "GSM unlocked Treo 650's shipping mid-January to month of February time frame"


FULL TEXT OF JEFF'S EMAIL


Product availability has been somewhat constrained and we are shipping customer orders out based on a first-in first our order queue filling sales orders before demo order shipments. We do not yet have enough visibility into deliveries from palmOne, however here is a range of dates we are hoping for. We know you want your device as soon as possible, so thank you for your patience and understanding.

Sprint Treo 650's shipping to you some time in last week of January and into the first two weeks of Feburary

GSM unlocked Treo 650's shipping mid-January to month of February time frame

For those of you purchasing your device, we will not bill your credit card until date of shipment. At that time you will receive notification of the charge to your credit card and we will also provide you with UPS tracking information.

Please do not reply to this e-mail as we hope this gives you sufficient information to plan for the receipt of your Treo devices. This is our best projection based on available visibility into product deliveries. Please know we are doing everything we can to expedite shipments, however this is our best information we have. As new information becomes available, we will provide updates to you.

Thanks.

Jeff

[whmurray]

I do n't understand, why P1would be so dumb not to offer unlocked GSM T650 to the rest of the world?

Completing the 600th post on this thread..

I think that they will. However, the "rest of the world" will be defined as that in which none of the carriers that they rely upon for distribution operates. It is likely that you will be able to get an unlocked 650 in HK or Singapore before you can get it here. Expect to pay between $800 and Euros 800.

[whmurray]

What bugs??

Agreed. By definition, there are no "bugs;" only "features" the users do not like.

[whmurray]

......It would seem to be fiscal suicide for P1 to ignore the world market much longer though....

Simple. They have a death wish.

[whmurray]

You are right. It simply doesn't make good business sense for PalmOne to lock all of their phonres when their competitors don't lock their phones.

They do not "lock" the phones. They provide the "customer," read the carrier, with an "exclusivity" feature that the carrier can use to protect himself from poaching by the less preferred customers. We do not figure in.

[specimen38]

Locked or exclusivity...It amounts to the same thing. It's all in the game.

They do not "lock" the phones. They provide the "customer," read the carrier, with an "exclusivity" feature that the carrier can use to protect himself from poaching by the less preferred customers. We do not figure in.

[whmurray]

Locked or exclusivity...It amounts to the same thing. It's all in the game.

Yes, and we are being toyed with.

[CalvinC#WN]

Anyone know when 650 will be released in Europe?