Sprint announced that its version of the Palm Treo Pro is now on sale. Apparently including the Internet Explorer Mobile 6 web browser, the Windows Mobile 6.1 device has dual-band CDMA, GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, a 320 x 320 touchscreen display, and a QWERTY keyboard, Sprint says.
Today's release of the Palm Treo Pro by Sprint comes as no real surprise, since the carrier inadvertently leaked details of the device on its website in January (it then apologized for the slip, saying the device had not yet made it through its testing process). Rumored to have been delayed by software bugs, the Treo Pro is a Windows Mobile 6.1 device, but reportedly includes the Internet Explorer Mobile 6 web browser that is a touted feature of the forthcoming Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system.
The hardware on Sprint's Treo Pro is mostly identical to the unlocked, carrier-independent Treo Pro already sold directly by Palm; however, instead of the unsubsidized version's quad-band (850/90/1800/1900MHz) GSM, the Sprint phone features dual-band CDMA. The device has a 320 x 320 touchscreen display of unspecified size, a QWERTY keyboard, and a two-megapixel camera. A Qualcomm MSM7201A chipset provides an ARM applications processor clocked at 528MHz, WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS capabilities.
The Treo Pro has more hardware buttons than most phones (Click to enlarge)
The Treo Pro has a hardware button that turns on its WiFi circuitry and triggers the search for an 802.11b/g access point. As shown above, other buttons include volume controls, a customizable button on the side of the phone, a five-way navigation controller, and dedicated shortcuts to the Windows Mobile calendar and email inbox.
Although Sprint makes no mention of the fact, its new Treo Pro is apparently the first phone to ship with Microsoft's Internet Explorer Mobile 6 ("6 on 6"), according to a variety of reports (see later in this story for a video). First promised in April 2008 and later previewed in an emulator-based test version, the browser upgrade is said to include:
The ability to view web pages full-screen, without menu bars and other "chrome"
Meanwhile, features and specifications listed by Sprint for its version of the Palm Treo Pro include:
Processor -- Qualcomm MSM7201A chipset clocked at 528MHz; includes ARM-compatible application processor, GPS, and cellular radios
Memory -- n/s
Display -- 320 x 320 touchscreen display (size not specified)
Keyboard -- 30-key keyboard and five-way navigator
Camera -- 2 megapixel
Wireless:
WAN -- dual-band CDMA, with EVDO support
WLAN -- 802.11b/g
PAN -- Bluetooth 2.0
GPS
Other I/O:
MicroUSB port
3.5mm stereo headset jack
Expansion -- microSD slot
Battery:
1500 mAh lithium-ion
Talk time n/s, but said to be 5 hours on GSM version
Standby time n/s, but said to be 250 hours on GSM version
Recharges in 3.5 hours
Dimensions -- 4.5 x 2.36 x 0.53 inches
Weight -- 4.6 ounces (130g)
Sprint's Linux-powered Pre (Click image for further information)
A narrow window of opportunity?
Sprint's Palm Treo Pro seems to be getting a positive reception. An article by InfoWorld reviewer Mike Heck, for example, calls the phone's web browser "more usable," and says "if you're shopping for a Windows Mobile-based handset, the Palm Treo Pro is one of the best."
But, especially because of its fumbled launch, the phone's chance to occupy the limelight as the fanciest smartphone from Palm and Sprint may be brief. In January, the two companies announced the Pre (right), a smartphone using a version of Linux that Palm calls WebOS. (For complete details of the eagerly-anticipated Pre, including interesting screenshots, see the coverage on our sister site LinuxDevices.com, here.)
Demonstrations of Internet Explorer Mobile 6 on Sprint's Palm Treo Pro Source: Phonesreview.co.uk (click either to play)
Further information
According to Sprint, the Palm Treo Pro is available now for approximately $200, after a $250 rebate and required two-year service agreement. More information may be found on the carrier's website, here.
To download the Treo Pro manual from the Sprint website, go here [PDF link].
For an interesting article summarizing Palm's turbulent history, see our earlier coverage, here.
