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        Palm offers "low-cost" Treo via Vodafone

        Jonathan Angel | Date: Sep 12, 2007 | Comments: 1



        Palm has announced a new Windows Mobile 6-based smartphone for Vodafone customers in seven European countries and South Africa. The "low-cost" Treo 500v uses an undisclosed processor, 256 MB of memory, and has a full QWERTY keyboard, according to the company.




        (Click here for a larger view of the Treo 500v)

        Unlike on earlier Treo designs such as the Treo 750 (shown at right), the 500v's 320 x 240 pixel display is not a touchscreen. However, the device's large navigation keys make it ideal for one-handed use, the company claims.

        The Treo 500v is said to offer all standard Windows Mobile 6 functionality, including Microsoft Direct Push for delivery of Outlook email, plus viewers for Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and PDF files. The unit appears to supplement the standard Windows Mobile interface with a custom program launcher created by Vodafone, and Palm says Google Maps and eBay software has also been added.

        Available in black and white versions, the Treo 500v supports tri-band GSM (900/1800/1900), GPRS, and UMTS (2100) networks, and offers 3G in Europe. However, it does not have HSDPA support, so would not support 3G data speeds in the U.S.

        The device does feature Bluetooth 2.0, with support for both mono and stereo headsets, plus memory expansion via a microSD slot. A camera is included, offering 2 megapixel resolution.

        Specifications cited by Palm are:
        • Processor -- not stated
        • Memory -- 256 MB, with 150 MB available user storage (DRAM/flash details not provided)
        • Display -- 320 x 240 pixel transflective color screen, supporting up to 65,000 colors
        • Camera -- 2 megapixel
        • Wireless:
          • tri-band GSM (900/1800/1900), GPRS, and UMTS (2100) networks
          • Bluetooth 2.0
        • Expansion -- microSD slot
        • I/O -- miniUSB port
        • Battery type -- removable 1200mAh lithium-ion battery
        • Battery life -- Ten days standby, up to 4.5 hours talk time
        • Dimensions -- 4.3 x 2.4 0.6 inches (110 x 62 x 17 mm)
        • Weight -- 4.2 ounces (120 gm)
        The Treo 500v is said to be available now from Vodafone in the U.K., Italy, Germany, Spain, Ireland, Portugal, Netherlands, and South Africa. Pricing was not stated.



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