I bought a 700wx from Verizon 5 months ago. This is the 5th Windows CE-based PDA I've owned and the 4th PDA-phone, and is by far the best of the lot. Palm cured most of the problems I've had with other units, including:1. The OS is stable, a fact not to be taken for granted with such devices. My Treo 700wx rarely hangs up, even when running 3rd-party apps. I suspect this has something to do with the 64MB main memory. However, both my AT&T Treo 750 and my Cingular HP hw6515 had 64MB and were both seriously unstable. To be fair, the HP had hardware issues, but the software was also unreliable.
2. The user interface is smoother than the other CE units I've had. For example, most PIM applications "know" whether you are entering a number or text, and shift the dual-function keys accordingly. It gets old hitting the "2nd function" key every time you need to enter numbers.
3. The shape fits my hand well, and the keyboard has an excellent feel. The buttons seem just the right distance apart, have good tactile feedback, and are quite legible. Compare the keyboard on a Blackberry 8830 and you'll see what I mean.
4. The battery life is exceptional. Using Bluetooth and Broadband draws a lot of power, and this unit is up to the challenge. You pay for it in size and weight, but I think the tradeoff is well worth it.
5. The unit is tough! Before I found a suitable case and belt clip, it took several tumbles that should have put it in the repair shop. In fact, I shattered the screen on my HP with much less trauma. The Treo came away with only a few scratches on the corners. Good work, Palm!
Yes, the unit is not perfect. The screen is a little small and the resolution is not impressive, but it is still quite clear and usable. (It helps that the built-in Pictures & Videos software has an effective zoom function. I also recommend downloading the free Adobe Reader 2.0 for Windows Mobile, as the built-in PDF viewer is awful.) It is a little heavy, but not as clunky as the HP or some of the HTC units. All such devices are a compromise, and the Treo 700wx is the best CE-based PDA phone I've used yet.
Submitted by: Techie Steve
Email: sfkcbk91@yahoo.com
Location: Fairfax, VA
Date Added: 2008-01-05
