Handspring and SEVEN plan to integrate SEVEN's mobile email software with Handspring's forthcoming Treo 600 smartphone for select mobile operators.
According to the companies, SEVEN will offer Treo 600 users real-time, over-the-air access to their Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Domino, IMAP and POP email, PIM information and documents. SEVEN's software, which is currently available on the Treo 300 and 270, is slated to be the default email client on all Treo 600 devices sold by Sprint PCS.
The company also announced that AirPrime powers the Treo 600's CDMA features, while Good Technology plans to make its latest messaging solution compatible with the new smartphone.
About the Treo 600
The Treo 600 is expected to be available this fall in both CDMA and GSM/GPRS editions. It features a smaller more phone like form factor than the earlier Treos, including the 270 and 300, yet will still maintain a fully integrated QWERTY keyboard. The device measures 4.41 x 2.26 x .87 inches and weighs 5.9 ounces in the GPRS version and a little over 6 ounces in the CDMA edition.
The smartphone gets a considerable boost in power over previous Treo's with a 144 MHz Texas Instruments OMAP CPU, 32MB of RAM (22MB to 25MB usable) and Palm OS 5.2.1. The Treo line also finally gets memory and peripheral expansion support with a Secure Digital In Out (SDIO) slot. The Treo 600's CSTN display still only has a 160x160 pixel resolution and is smaller than the current screens available with the Treo 270 and 300. It measures 2.7-inches diagonally. However, handspring says the quality of the screen has been improved and is good for both indoor and outdoor viewing. The Treo 600 is slated to use a powerful 1800 mAh rechargeable but non-removable battery for two weeks of standby time and six hours of either talk or online time for the GSM edition of the smartphone and five or more hours for the CDMA Treo 600. The company plans to also offer an optional 1200mAh clip-on battery.
Unlike earlier Treos, the Treo 600 features a five-way navigation system (up, down, left, right, center) similar to what Palm has been using with its products of late. The navigation system is tightly integrated with the integrated software on the device. Additional features include a new proxyless version of the Handspring Blazer web browser with better frames and JavaScript support, a built-in VGA (640 x 480 pixel) camera and a dual speaker architecture for phone and system audio. The Treo 600 should be offered to customers from carriers for around $400 to $500.
