To wrap up the Palm Treo Pro round of the Smartphone Round Robin, we're going to give you the answers to a few of your questions on this HTC built, Windows Mobile powered, Palm branded device.
It seems that a lot of folks were wondering about the keyboard (and its smallness) and the cracking issues. I don't think the Treo Pro's keyboard layout is ideal (it's a bit too tight) but I do find the quality of the keys to be superb. With the cracking issues, I can't give a definitive answer since I'm not a day-to-day Treo user but I did do my best!
Read on to see your answers to your questions about the Palm Treo Pro!
Also, this is an Official Round Robin Contest Post, Comment to Win a T-Mobile G1 !— More Details Here
CraigV asks What is the deal with the cracking on the cases? I'm thinking about one of these Treo Pros when it comes to Sprint, but the cracks have me worried. Do you think the Sprint version will fix that issue?
The Treo Pro that I used had no such cracks in the casing and since I don't have much experience with the Treo World, I'll defer to an article posted on TreoCentral regarding cracks with the Treo Pro. From what I can tell, it looks like the cracks are happening near the buttons and switches, I'm guessing it's a bit weaker at those points. Maybe a bad batch of plastic?
Bla1ze asks Is it as big as it looks in the pics?…to help, a size and weight comparison to the Bold would be great, not asking for specs or anything just a personal opinion.
Does it look big in the pictures? Maybe I'm just getting the wrong angles because to me the Treo Pro is very close to the perfect form factor. It's similarly shaped to the iPhone but less "slabby" feeling. The Bold is much wider and more gargantuan looking (though overall the Bold was fine for me) so I prefer the Treo form factor over the Bold. Though the Treo does compromise in keyboard space.
Devonair asks Is the stylus held in magnetically like on the Fuze? It seems like regular use would make it too loose to stay in the bottom-facing housing.
No, it's not magnetically held like in the Fuze. I thought that was a great idea in the Fuze and I don't understand why they didn't include it in the Treo Pro. If you're going to include a stylus, might as well make a cool way to store the stylus. Either way, the stylus is actually fairly secure and I don't think it'll get loose over time.
Dr. Tyrell asks My question for Casey is how snappy WinMo seems on the Treo Pro? Is there the lag common to the Fuze and some other WinMo devices?
Windows Mobile felt so much more at home on the Treo Pro than on the Fuze. I accepted the stylus and the menu system much quicker than on the Fuze. Would I consider it snappy when compared to the G1 or Bold? Not particularly. But is it better than most Windows Mobile phones? I'd say yes (though my experience is limited).
bas.o asks Can't wait for the sprint version to be released, do you think palm will release a refresh on the color scheme?
I'm no Treo Expert but I think color options are probably in the roadmap. The uber-popular Centro was made available in a ton of different colors so I wouldn't be surprised to see the Palm Treo Pro extend its lifespan by offering more color options.
Nick asks How perfect would this type of form factor be for the android os? (rhetorical question)
Switch out the resistive screen for a capacitive and I'll fork over my credit card.
Jake asks I know the keypad on the Centro was terrible, is this one any better?
Hmm. Because the form factor is so skinny, there are some compromises in keyboard space—the space between each key is non-existent. I eventually started to type with my nails because I found it to be more accurate than thumb typing. In all honesty, you'll get used to the keyboard after a while and be a pro in no time.
Charlotte asks how is the typing experience with the keyboard? do you have to use extra force into pressing the keys? and the keys look a little small, do they really seem that way?
The keys are smaller than I'm used to, the spaces between the keys are also smaller than I'm used to but after a good few days of typing, you can get used to it. I don't think the smaller-than-typical keyboard is a deal breaker.
There's no extra force necessary to hit the buttons. My advice to type well on the Treo Pro—use your nails.
Cory asks Is Winmo actually useable with the d-pad or is it there for looks? Also how responsive/easy to use is it? It looks kind of thin and awkward to use. Is actually finding your desired contact and placing the call achievable with one hand?
The 5-way (d-pad) works fine with Windows Mobile, I was maneuvering fairly quickly with it. I do wish that the 5-way had a scroll wheel or something to that effect.
One handed use is a Treo staple. I had no problem doing any task one handed.
Steve asks Is this screen capacitive or resistive?
Resistive. Windows Mobile "supposedly" works better with a resistive screen because of the menu system and its popularity in Asian countries. Also, the smaller screen may have something to do with it.
Unkle Grouch asks Is the Treo Pro available on AT&T or Verizon?
Not quite. It's currently available unlocked so you can use it with any GSM carrier meaning AT&T or T-Mobile. Sprint is supposed to get a CDMA version by January 25th. Verizon? Do they ever have any good phones?
Neil asks My question is about performance, as in does it seem on par with the Fuze you guys also tested in the Round Robin…just talking about the OS itself, not TouchFlo 3D or any other add on UI.
I think the Treo Pro performs a lot better than the Fuze. I was instantly more comfortable with Windows Mobile on the Treo Pro. One problem with the Treo Pro is that it doesn't come out-of-the-box with as many third party apps as the Fuze does. So a few extra steps are necessary to make it "work" for you.
Ilikephones asks What 3 things would you change? Bigger/higher resolution screen? More battery life? Larger keyboard?
Larger capacitive screen. Wider keyboard. Run Android.
Roy asks does anyone actually prefer a stylus to fingers?
They say the Asian market (where WinMob is big) loves the stylus—something with Asian Characters being easier to write that way. And with smaller screen real estate it can be argued that a capacitive touch screen won't be as accurate.
Ryan asks How does that keyboard compare with a Curve's?
Hmm. Quality wise, I was never a fan of the Blackberry Curve's keyboard. I found it much too plasticky and hollow for my tastes. The Treo Pro's keyboard provides better texture, solidness, and feedback. But the Curve's spacing is darn near perfect for such a small space, so in the end I would probably still side with the Curve's keyboard.
