Is a Treo enough?

January 16, 2007 8:27 AM

Is this plan better than the Treo? I have a Treo 700p, which I dig, don't get me wrong. I enjoy reading e-books, playing games, using online apps like Google Maps, Quickipedia, etc. But then I start to fondle my wife's ... phone. It's the uber-slick Katana. Normally, I'm the gadget-head in the house, but her phone is quite damn nice. Got me wondering...

So I wonder: What if I used a standalone Palm (no Pocket PC/Windows Mobile devices, I've learned to hate them) with a bluetooth connection to a normal cell?

Important: I use ChatterEmail (the best Palm mail client for "push" mail, IMNSHO), which is great on the Treo, but I have no clue if it would wake up a "normal" palm to connect to the 'net and grab mail. So e-mail receipt is a must here. I might be able to get by with SMS messages for e-mail notifications to a normal phone, and "check" mail with a more full-fledged device (like a standalone Palm).

Why am I even considering this? The Katana is a near-perfect phone for me. Nice features, great looks, great battery life, charges with USB, and is otherwise sexy. But it doesn't do push mail. The Treo does push mail, charges via USB (most phones can with the appropriate cable anyway), and looks okay, but it's clunky.

So would I be happy with two devices? Or should I stick with the 700p? (No need to consider WM phones or BB phones, not interested there, thanks).

posted by Merdryn to computers & internet (4 comments total)

If the treo is clunky in and of itself how is carrying two devices going to be any better?
posted by FlamingBore at 8:43 AM on January 16, 2007

I feel for you. I'm a Cingular Treo 650 user, and depend on it all the time -- however on the weekends, I hate that big clunky phone, so I put the sim card in my old Razr, which I love.

Perhaps get a second line, but only use it for data in the treo?
posted by thilmony at 9:23 AM on January 16, 2007

The 2-device gig is not so bad, as long as you don't always need both of them with you. I'm currently packing a Motorola SLVR and a Blackberry 7130 (if I had the choice, since the Berry is data-only, I'd have chosen a QWERTY model - 7250 or 8703 - but it was a hand-me-down from an upgrading buddy).

The phone is on me all the time, but the BB rides in a bag or coat pocket most of the time. If need be, I can belt clip it, and since the SLVR is slim it fits in a pocket so I don't look like Batman.
posted by altcountryman at 8:29 PM on January 16, 2007 [1 favorite]

You can tether the cell phone to the PDA for data only purposes but you're going to have a battery drain issue on the phone. Plus unless you're using an HSDPA device that is capable of both voice and data, you will be unable to talk and use data at the same time. Maybe not likely when they are the same device but if you are on an active data session (transmitting or receiving) the call will be sent to voicemail.

If I were you I would get the Blackberry Pearl. I gave up my Treo for the Pearl and have been perfectly happy.
posted by SupaDave at 9:19 AM on January 17, 2007