[DrDoom]

Well, actually, Verizon is more like a glacier.

Dr. Doom: You may have it nailed this time. I sit here wondering what possible goodies could PalmOne add that would make me jump into the big dollar pool again:

1. More memory (128mb) - Nah - ZLauncher's working good as it is.

2. WiFi - a "possible maybe" but only because I've got it at home, and then they'd have to offer Cobalt with it so it could seamlessly switch between Edge/WiFi when browsing.

3. 320x480 screen - now there's a possibility, but where would they put it and still keep my deal-breaker keyboard, UNLESS

they shrunk the whole thing and only offered a d-pad and four keys (if and only if its 3.5" x 2" x 0.5" with an internal antennae)

4. Cobalt (without #2) - only if they can web browse and talk at same time

5. REAL 3G speed - now that one would be worth a jump (380kb) but I don't think any of the carriers are rolling that out very fast.

6. 1-3 megapixel camera - no way, unless it's got 5x optical zoom and a Carl Zeiss lens system

Refinements and stability improvements alone won't cut it either, because mine's already stable as it is (must be lucky - no random resets). Perhaps Palm is about to hit a wall with the installed base - they'll need to reach down into the lower price crowd with fewer features.

THIS WOULD BE A GUARANTEED UPGRADE

Samsung i-500 form factor flip phone with all the 650 bells and whistles - NOW YOU'RE TALKING. A small flip phone, protecting a 320x320 screen, AND NO BIGGER THAN THE I-500, NOW YOU'RE TALKING!

D-
Yeah, I forgot about memory. Still, that alone wouldn't prompt an upgrade from me. Cobalt and BT1.2 and more memory might , but I wonder.

[DrDoom]

I thought I'd jump in on this one with a question and a comment. My Treo 650 is working great and is very stable, but I'm a Palm newbie so have much to learn.

I know about zlauncher, but what does it have to do with resolving issues regarding memory? Any comments on this are appreciated.

As for my comments, I don't think Palm is anywhere near reaching a wall in sales with the Treo 650. This is the first samrtphone to really capture the attention of many non-pda users. I'm one of them. I travel a lot and on every trip anyone seeing me using my phone asks me about it and they are impressed. I was asked questions about it by six people last Monday while traveling, which is amazing. My v3 has never captured that kind of attention. The mp3 feature alone is very interesting to them. Its other attractions are size, weight, and screen with the curious.

When Verizon releases the Treo, it will only add to the interest from non-pda phone owners. If they release it at a lower price that will even be better and I kind of suspect this may happen. Not only will Verizon benefit, but also every other carrier as well as Palm even if they have to lower their sell price.

The 650 is also the only pda phone so far to apparently make any serious dent into people who swear by a Blackberry. People who use a Blackberry like the device, but also hate a lot of its software functions (slow?) and really hate the lack of 3rd party application availability. Many a Blackberry user is seriously looking at the Treo. Some who wish they could switch can't because their company supplies their Blackberry. The new Blackberry 7100 series is a stab at the Palm Treo, but lacks too much, especially with non-pda users.

You're probably right. PalmOne is attempting to increase market share, and this is going to drive the majority of their business decisions. What we're discussing here is what it would take to get US , the early adopter crowd, to swing an upgrade again. We all simply wish that what Palm told us over a year ago were true. There should be a family of Treo's. Some aimed at entry level and increasing market share, some aimed at high-end users who demand the latest and greatest. That is where true market dominance will come from. Just as there's a Nokia for every style and preference, so should there be a Treo! Or at least more than one . The 650 and the on-its-way-out 600 sitting on some stores shelves at the same time DOES NOT constitute a "family".

[markc]

Well, actually, Verizon is more like a glacier.

LOL!

Bet they still beat Orange though.

My list, in order of preference:

UMTS
WiFi
Seamless UMTS/WiFi switching
More memory

That's what I'd like but otherwise I'd like few changes (obviously the antenna has to go inside). I suspect what we'll get (perhaps after a Windows Mobile 650) will be a smaller, lighter, keyboardless model aimed slightly more at the mass market and less at those who need to input lots of text.

[tangible]

I'm afraid Cobalt would be a major negative for me. I started my career as a Cobol programmer in the '60's. Back then the way to know that a guy who was trying to sound knowledgable about computers was a complete moron was that he invariably referred to that language as "Cobalt". If Cobalt becomes a reality, how will we know who the morons are? (Hints: Listen for Linux pronounced with a long I,like Linus; or maybe Open Sores software.)

[DrDoom]

"Cobol" or "Cobalt", when it comes to a Treo I don't have any trouble telling who the "morons" are!;-)

[dstrauss]

Cobol? I thought that was an element on the periodic table.

Seriously, I doubt we'll see the Cobalt version of a Treo anytime soon, given NO ONE has in hand a simple Cobalt PDA, much less something as complicated as a converged device.

[v3treonut]

What we're discussing here is what it would take to get US , the early adopter crowd, to swing an upgrade again. We all simply wish that what Palm told us over a year ago were true. There should be a family of Treo's.DOES NOT constitute a "family".

You're right, I really missed the point of the thread; just couldn't help myself I just can't believe how many people I've had in the past two months who when they see me using this thing will wait for me to disconnect from a call to ask me about it.

Things that might make me jump for a newer model?
1. Bluetooth 1.2, but this may not happen w/o an OS change? and not sure about this.
2. Real 3g speed as dstrauss mentioned. A big plus.
3. Thinner profile (thickness). Would be a big plus.
4. Increase memory to 32mb. Would make me much happier even at that level. Anymore may cause 3rd party developers to get memory greedy.

Suggestions for getting a non-pda people jump in?
1. Smaller footprint, but keep the great screen res (even if smaller, possible?)
2. Keep camera, mp3 compatibility, SD card, and quad band coverage.
3. License and build in scaled down versions of good popular 3rd party apps, especially if they support use from an expansion card.

[vw2002]

1) 520 mhz intel processor
2) 64 mb ram
3) 320 x 320 res screen - 30% brighter

4) bluetooth 1.2
5) blazer 5.0 - video news clips viewable via real player implementation into the browser.

6) STABILITY!
7) keyboard enhancement - ie - 670 photos - maximum use of real estate for better typing.

8) ev- do : Broadband data speeds
9) enhanced native apps - calendar, todo, etc

I be there in a heartbeat. if the next treo has these specs, there is absolutely no question at all. instant upgrade.

[santas]

The very next new treo model from P1 will not be a Treo 650 replacement, but rather an entry model to appeal to the mass market. Kind like a mini Treo 650....this should help increase Treo's market share.

Sadly, I'm afraid you're right. I'm an every other version kind of guy, so I'm skipping the 650 for the whatever comes next. If what comes next is lower end, I'm going to be waiting for a long time.

What I want:

A 650 with
- more memory
- better bluetooth
- voice dialing
- no antenna (to keep from being hassled on planes)

[smartphone]

is this happening? verizon 650?