Treo 800w Reviewed, Impressively Average

Well the results are in and the Treo 800w - Palms newest and most featured-filled device yet- appears to be resoundingly average all around.

So far, several sites have given their review of the device including Mobility Today, Engadget and Palm InfoCenter.  In general, all agree that it is nice to see a new Treo with a competitive feature set and improved specs, but the reviews all find a fair number of issues with the device to drag it down a little.

The good news:
+ Great keyboard
+ Improved screen (320×320, instead of 240×240)
+ Easy to use WiFi on/off button
+ Palm’s great software enhancements (threaded messaging, today screen dialer etc.) add a lot of value
+ Nice grippy rubberized finish
+ Speedy 3G over a great network (Spring EVDO Rev-A)
+ Camera better than megapixel count would suggest

The bad news:
- Processor not much better than Treos of past, leading to UI hickups
- Flimsy and cheap stylus (in contrast to the Treo 750’s, which is metal and great to use)
- Screen still not great given competition
- Bad controls and horrible softkey buttons
- Tired design, still thick
- GPS takes a long time to lock on
- Touch screen still buried deep into the device, making finger touching downright annoying

Overall, the 800w received restrained recommendations from all three reviewers.  “Despite its periodic performance bottlenecks and lack of attention to multimedia, the Treo 800w easily bests most other Windows Mobile powered devices in overall usability” Palm InfoCenter concluded.

Engadget took a harsher tone saying “At the end of the day, Palm has made a fiercely middle-of-the road device — it’s not attractive, its software isn’t unique, and the phone does little to separate itself from the ever-growing pack.”

Mobility Today thought the device needed more work, giving it a “three out of five stars.”

If you would like to read the reviews, catch them below:
Mobility Today Video Review
Engadget Mobile Review
Palm InfoCenter Review

If you’re a diehard Treo fan or have found enough to love in this device, its available from Sprint for $249.99 on a 2-year contract.

Enjoy this post? Subscribe to the RSS Feed!

Related Articles:

• Palm Treo Pro… (formerly the 850w)
• Palm Treo Pro on Sprint, Verizon?
• XPERIA Reviewed ‘Til The Cows Come Home
• BlackBerry Bold = Best Screen EVER
• Palm Treo Pro Pics & Vids!