Note: Click on pic to enlarge.

We've seen leaked pictures (ok, ONE picture), we've seen FCC approval reports, we've debated about it in the forums.. If you really need more evidence of the looming release of the Treo Pro on Sprint, Celio (makers of the REDFLY) have thoughtfully gone and announced that they are making early beta drivers available for a limited number of phones. And guess what? There seems to be a mention of Palm's latest Windows Mobile release on that list. To make things easy on everyone, they've even gone so far as to give you an option to download these aforementioned drivers OTA. Very convenient. Now all we need is a Treo Pro to test 'em on. Celio - if you're reading, I'd be happy to let you know how they work...

It's the same story since the dawn of new gadgets - a tale that every early adopter is familiar with. You open up the box to your shiny new toy (you've heard the characteristic "Hoahhh" as you you slide the plastic off, I'm sure), power it up with sweaty palms in tow - only to find out that your "must-have" programs have yet to be updated to assure compatibility with the device. It's an all-too-familiar scene - one that Treo Pro users are wrestling with as we speak, trying to take full advantage of that beautiful high-res screen with the likes of their Sling Box...

To say that the Sling Box forums have been lighting up with posts would be a misnomer - apparently the Treo Pro does not conjure up the same emotional response as those iPhone users (or they are seriously outnumbered, which is much more logical). However, many Sling Users have spoken up and gotten responses from the powers-that-be, only to find out that there is no ETA on compatibility. Treo 800w users have reported similar responses in the forums here at TC. Though this 320x320 resolution is newer, the WM Treos were not the first to take advantage of the new screen resolution. Seriously, Sling? Just telling users that they should simply choose a "compatible" device is not exactly what I would consider "support."

Dieter (over at WmExperts.com) has posted a review and video of Kinoma's newest media player extraordinaire - appropriately named 'Play'. (Available in the TC Store) If you have 11 minutes to spare - go watch this video demo, but be prepared to be blown away. Kinoma has really outdone themselves this time. As a long-time user of Kinoma Player 4EX on Palm devices, the familiarity and power of the previous player is all there - it's just on steroids, with some pretty eye-candy to spruce up the user interface.

Admittedly, it has been a while since I have owned a WM powered device, but one of the biggest letdowns in the past has always been the native multimedia support (let's not even get started on the lack of media support from Palm. At least they had the right idea when they licensed the basic player from Kinoma.) This issue has now been completely rectified. Kinoma's Play is more than just a video player or mp3 player, though. It incorporates the complete media experience, drawing on services from the likes of Orb, Flickr, YouTube, and more. A word to the wise - unlimited data plans are your friend. You're gonna burn through some bandwidth with this one.

Watch: WMExperts Video Revew

Companies can get a little crazy when they think that someone might be impeding on their trademark mojo. Remember when T-Mobile contacted Engadget Mobile because they used a similar magenta color in their logo? Yeah, well, Palm is following suit. PalmPowerups.com has tread too closely in using Palm's trademarked name for comfort for the execs out in Sunnyvale.

If you visit the site-formerly-known-as-PalmPoweups.com, Dmitry Grinberg (owner/developer of PalmPowerups) has posted a short letter to get a few things off of his chest. And while he makes some valid points, and it does seem that his name was randomly picked out of a hat, Palm does own the trademark rights to its name. And like it or not, they are probably well within their rights here. So if you're up for a bunch of legalese, hit up the read link to the letter.

Read: Cease & Desist Letter

[via Palm InfoCenter]

Apparently Palm is taking its newest foray into the Windows Mobile field very seriously (as well they should). They've got a contender on their hands here and it seems that they want to make sure that every last ounce of productivity is squeezed out of it. To ensure that this actually happens, Palm sent out an email to resellers loaded with great information. Though this was not designed for consumer's eyes, if you are new to the device (and Windows Mobile-powered Treos) it is definitely worth the read. In addition to the informative email, Palm has stayed with their Self-Paced Learning Guides and launched a very in-depth resource for the 800w.

Still can't get enough reading about the 800w? There is more than enough to keep you occupied right here at the TC forums. As with any new Palm device launch, there is no shortage of information and conversation from fellow Treo users - the forums lit up with the 800w’s release. Here are a couple of key topics:

Home grown tips from Treocentral.com:

Looking to tweak out the registry on your new 800w? Check out this great thread (with 21 pages of registry-modding goodness, it's not exactly a quick read) that will have you hacking up that shiny device's registry in no time:

Read on for the full article

After Sprint purchased its $35 Billion baggage (most of you know it as Nextel,) it has been a perennial battle to maintain profitability, and last quarter has proven to be no different. Even with the huge success of their roll out of the much-anticipated iPhone-killer Instinct, it will take a larger chunk of revenue to stop the bleeding of users and money seemingly headed for the door. Sprint recorded a $344 million loss in the second quarter while losing 776,000 post-paid subscribers - not really the direction that you want to head in this highly competitive market.

Perhaps Sprint should have rethought pulling its beloved SERO plans (now known as EPRP.) We may still see an implantation of lower 'non-everything' plans' if this continues (here's hoping at least.)

Sprint plans to merge with Clearwire in their deployment of 4G WiMAX networks, but will this even be enough? Another merger? This could become an issue of putting a bandage on a bandage, but for Sprint's sake (not to mention their subscribers,) let's hope that the number 3 carrier can start to live up to its name, instead of moving backwards (or falling flat on their face.)

There is no question that Sprint has had its share of ups and downs. Rumors of merger talks, high churn rates and that whole Nextel deal that never quite panned out quite like they planned. The latest round of knocks comes courtesy of friendly competitor AT&T over Sprint's WiMAX division's proposed merger with Clearwire.

Wireless company mergers are all the rage and the FCC aims (hopefully) to maintain an air of competitiveness in the marketplace. AT&T, however, is contending that Sprint & Clearwire aren't receiving all of the "regulatory scrutiny that they should on the deal."

Sprint fired back to AT&T's complaint with a statement of their own:

A spokesman for Sprint said that the companies have documented for the FCC on a county by county basis how much spectrum they would hold after the merger, and that nearly 50 public entities had filed similar comments in support of the proposed merger.

It should be interesting to see how this pans out. With 4G still very much in its infancy, you have to wonder if AT&T is crying wolf because of an absence of their own 4G rollout, tentatively planned for 2012. Seriously guys, can't we all just get along?

[via WMExperts, Brighthand]

Ever since its introduction, Caller ID has made lying about phone calls all that much harder, whether you are the one making the call or on the receiving end. Short of gambling on the off-chance of actually having to talk with someone, what options are we left with? Fear not human avoiders, Slydial has a solution for you. No more waiting and hoping that no one answers your call, Slydial will give you a surefire way to avoid any actual human interaction. Simply call up the service (they even make it easy to remember: 267-SLYDIAL), enter the target phone number and you will be directly connected to their voicemail. Sweet! The service is free, save for the short advertising message that you must listen to.

Just think, now it is so much easier to break up with someone, just leave it on their voicemail without any worry of uncomfortable chatting and small-talk (is this on the same level as the Post-It Note breakup?). Seriously, talking is so overdone anyway, do we even need these voice minutes anymore?

Note: Click on graphic to expand.

Well I'd say it's about time, but that would be an understatement. For those Sprint Centro owners who thought that only the GSM users could have all of the Google Maps My Location fun, your time has come.

Palm announced the availability of the new update for said Centro owners on their official blog today. You'll need about 15 minutes of your time and can choose from two different update methods (expansion card or the old-fashioned sync cable). Things seem to have gone pretty smoothly on my trusty phone, so hurry up and head on over to the Palm update page and get some of that My Location goodness - one thing that they do fail to mention is that you will need to get the latest version of Google Maps (umm...hello, oversight much?)

Read - Palm Sprint Centro Updater Page

Read - Official Palm Blog

There is an interesting read over at Smart Device Central regarding both Palm's future and storied past. After reading through Jamie's commentary I find myself wondering if he is correct in his speculation about the direction that the company is headed. While it is hard to argue with the cold hard facts – Palm's aging, limited OS, questionable decisions and failed products (let's not even get into the whole Foleo debacle) Palm's future is somewhat unwritten at this time. And being an independent company, this leaves their success or demise completely in their, ahem, palms (sorry, couldn't resist).

With the recent entry of the 800w on Sprint, Palm has essentially caught itself up to the competition (at least in this blogger's eyes). Though this may not have been quite the revolutionary device that some may have hoped for, this evolutionary device is definitely a step in the right direction. And with the continued success of the smaller Centro smartphone, Palm has indeed bought itself some time. However, the key here is to remain focused and not make the same mistakes that they seem to make over and over. And while the business-targeted 800w may command a premium price over it's Centro line, it is the consumer sales numbers that will help to continue reclaiming a larger percentage of the smartphone market - keeping the Centro line fresh and exciting will be key. Let's just hope that Palm can deliver on their promises when their new OS finally surfaces, another humiliation like Cobalt and Palm may have indeed just dug its own grave.

[via Smart Device Central]

The first device to be released that takes advantage of Verizon's Open Development Initiative may not be what you were expecting. It's not a cool flip, a svelte slider or even an advanced touchscreen phone. As a matter-of-fact, most people will never even see the product, though they may appreciate the job that it does. This rather plain looking device monitors fill levels of holding tanks (think large fuel tanks) and will send off a text message alerting the customer when the tank goes below a certain level.

Though the average reader may find this device boring and mundane, a device such as this can translate into saving fuel, time and money. With prices escalating everywhere on almost everything, anything that helps to lower costs is certainly a welcome addition.

Under the Open Development Initiative, wireless devices that have gone through Verizon's certification can connect to their wireless network. Verizon will wholesale the network access for the devices but will not provide customer support.

[via Yahoo! News]

image credit: Associated Press

All good things must come to an end - three-day weekends, full body massages and now the Sprint SERO plans that we have known for so long. With only a Sprint employee's email address (now you also need the last three digits of a Sprint employee's CID) you were granted access to some of the best deals in wireless, with plans starting from just $30 a month for 500 minutes. The real savings was what was also included - all SERO plans included unlimited data, free minutes after 7pm, unlimited weekend minutes and from time-to-time the plans also included unlimited text messages. Until just recently, that is.

For those looking to save some cash on their wireless plans, the new SERO, now called EPRP or Everything Plus Referral Program, offers very little in the way of discounts. The new EPRP plans will include 500 or 1000 minutes for $59.99 or $79.99 a month and includes the standard all-you-can-eat text messaging, web access, navigation, Sprint TV, Blackberry Internet Services, pictures and video. You will also be receiving free long distance, unlimited mobile to mobile, night calling starting at 7pm and unlimited weekends. All of this boils down to a $10 savings per month off of the standard Sprint Everything Plans with a slight bump in minutes ($120 annual savings still ain't bad) but compared to the plans they are replacing, this is a far cry from a new good thing.

[via RCR Wireless News]

Over at PalmAddicts there was an interesting little tidbit that was written on a free app called CleanStart. As most Palm users are aware, beginning with Treo 650s, Palm implemented the NVFS memory system to ensure your data would remain intact even with long periods with a dead battery. This is much nicer than having everything wiped out unintentionally, though it has not been without its hiccups along the way.

That being said, if you are having issues with certain programs not loading correctly or would prefer to have more control over what loads and doesn't load, you may want to cruise on over to Freeware Palm and download CleanStart. The price is certainly good enough..

Ahhh, rumors. Don't you just love them? They pull at your heart strings and crush your dreams, and Sprint is right in the middle of this one. In a surprising move, Sprint supposedly removed smartphones from their competitive SERO (Sprint Exclusive Referral Offer) plans (now refuted.) SERO plans uniquely include data usage in the plan fee and reflect a substantial savings from conventional plans. Either this was a case of bad timing of a system bug with their online SERO ordering or Sprint was actually kicking around the idea of limiting its SERO offerings, but regardless, both current and future SERO customers can breathe a sigh of relief. Sprint has issued the following clarification:

"SERO customers continue to be able to purchase PDAs and Smart Phones and a variety of SERO rate plans continue to be compatible with these devices."

This would have been a major blow to Sprint, as their SERO plans remain some of the most competitive offerings of any wireless provider (and many of the subscribers are smartphone users.) For those not familiar, Sprint's SERO plan is a referral plan offered by their employees but has been routinely offered to the general public.

Via WMExperts, PhoneNews

The news of Standard & Poor's analyst Todd Rosenbluth upgrade of Palm's stock from Sell to Hold was a welcome bit of good news for the folks in Sunnyvale. Interestingly enough, it was not enough to reassure the market as Palm's stock continued its decline today, closing at $5.29 (down 1.86% on the day.) This upgrade doesn't get them out of the hot water yet, though, as Rosenbluth reflects:

We are still concerned about how PALM will succeed in a competitive smartphone market as the U.S. economy slows, and we believe increased marketing efforts will weight on PALM’s profitability

It seems that the company that once innovated and lead in market share cannot seem to get their act together.

Palm has had a rough week. After reporting terrible earnings, their stock has been taking a beating (down over 18% since their earnings were reported) and opened up a feeding frenzy in the media. All of this is warranted, though, as losing $43.4 million in a quarter will shake the foundation of any long-term investor. Even with explosive worldwide sales of the inexpensive Centro, it was not enough to combat the declining Treo and handheld sales. Let's hope that these game changing plans for 2009 are enough to right this ship.

[via Barron's Tech Trader Daily]

I love my Centro. There are minor annoyances (name a phone that doesn't have them), but overall, it's been a great phone. But I'm also on Sprint, where the Centro is definitely enhanced with its 3G speeds. The GSM Centro is obviously a bit of a different story with its slower EDGE speeds and no WIFI to speak of. Is the Centro a worthy adversary of the iPhone? Some would say no. Others would fight tooth and nail to defend their Centros. When it comes down to the cost to acquire each, the new iPhone will leave you $100 lighter - but is that enough difference for most consumers?

After all of this talk about the plans on which the iPhone must be activated, I took a quick peek at AT&T's website. The data plan for the iPhone seems to be pretty inline with what others are paying on their smartphones, minus any text messages. Of course, text messages can get pretty expensive. But maybe you won't be texting as much without an exposed keyboard (what - me biased towards a Centro? Nahhh...) Calm down Apple fanboys and gals, I know you like that big shiny screen.

Aftermarket apps aren't really much of an argument anymore, though the status of the OS may be. Palm's OS is a much more open operating system (albeit archaic), where as Steve Jobs has a much different idea of what can or should go on your phone. Though more and more apps seem to be surfacing for the iPhone everyday, you have to give the nod to the Centro when it comes to 3rd party applications.

What do you think? Jennifer loves her Centro, and at least in my case, the iPhone and all of its shininess has not been enough to pull me away from Sprint and my Centro. Though this is by no means an exhausting comparison (more like late night ramblings), can Palm really position itself across the same table as Apple? Or are these phones too different to even come close to comparing them? Speak your mind in the forums.

With gas prices and everything else seemingly shooting through the roof, it's times like these that make even the best of budgeters cringe. If you're like me, my budgeting skills are next to none, so every penny counts - which is why mobile spamming is so irritating. To those with an unlimited messaging plan, this may be a mere annoyance, but to those with limited - or no - messaging plans, unsolicited text messages can be more than a nuisance - they can be quite expensive. And since it doesn't matter if you wanted it or not - that spam message could have cost you upwards of $0.20. Not a big deal for one message, but they add up quickly - imagine if we were charged for each spam message in our email inbox. Is this what we have to look forward to?

Luckily, it seems that many of the wireless providers are well aware of this and have taken steps to help consumers avoid large, unsolicited messaging bills. David Pogue with the New York Times outlines how several networks attempt to stem cell phone spam:

Read on for the full article

If your life consists of time in front of multiple PCs, there's a new kid in town that you'll want to meet. Glide OS 3.0 offers a unique desktop experience that allows for a new mobile way of life. In much the same way that GoToMyPc and similar remote PC access providers can allow you to work away from your work or home computer, Glide gives you you an alternative to a remote desktop. Mobile computing may forever have changed. The new service (with an attractive free offering) allows you to cut the ties to any computer and allows you to sync files, media and more much the same way that smartphone and PDA users have done for years.

Dubbed as "The Complete Mobile Desktop Solution,"; users of almost any operating system can access the service - Windows, Mac OS 10, Linux, Solaris, Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, Palm, Symbian and Windows Mobile. Included are versions of Office-type applications, calculators, contact management as well as a number of media and graphic solutions. It's definitely worth checking out.

It seems nothing can stop Palm from spreading the Centro love. On May 26, prepaid customers on Telstra's network will have another phone choice. Available in the attractive Glacier White color, Telstra customers will be able to access exclusive BigPond content on their Centros as well as use the familiar (aging) interface that the Palm OS offers. Offered at $299, the Centro will be a unique prepaid offering as most available handsets are standard or feature phones. A quick glance at competing wireless companies in Australia came up empty in prepaid smartphone offerings, though you have to wonder how many people will be ready to pony up that many Australian dollars for a prepaid, locked phone. Apparently Ross Fielding, executive director, Telstra Product Management, feels differently:

"As the first provider of this unique smartphone in Australia, Telstra is demonstrating its commitment to giving customers the best choice of Pre-Paid products and services."

The Centro is exclusively being offered Down Under through Telstra and will be locked to their service, though PIC is reporting that a future unlocked version is not to be ruled out.

[via PalmInfoCenter, Palm.com]

At the recent JPMorgan Technology Conference, Palm's CFO Andrew Brown was grilled by Morgan analyst Paul Coster. Cutting straight to the chase, Coster launched into a storm of questions regarding Palm's future plans and yet-to-be-announced product releases. Brown dodged all questions regarding planned product, a not-so-surprising move as companies are keeping plans closer to the cuff in an increasingly competitive smartphone world. One thing Brown made abundantly clear - Palm has a lot riding on its new Linux-based OS slated for release later this year.

"What was made clear is that Palm will have a next generation operating system based on Linux ready by the end of this year, though on what type of product it will be delivered, Brown wouldn't say. He echoed the comments of Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO, saying that hardware design will not be the winning factor in mobile devices. "It will be the software," said Brown."

In what has ended up a virtual beating as of late, analysts have turned on Palm, cutting their stock rating from Neutral to Sell. Apparently The Street was not impressed with what Brown had to say.

Does Palm have an Ace up their sleeve with their new OS? Is this just postponing the inevitable? Let us know what you think in the forums.

[via Barron's]

Seeing as I do not call the shots at Palm - or even work for them for that matter - I obviously have no say in what Palm does. However, with the amazing sales success that the Centro has turned out to be, it is surprising the limited amount of Palm-branded accessories available for their baby smartphone. Granted, there are plenty of aftermarket accessories available, but there has definitely been a shortage of official Palm add-ons. Apparently someone has gotten the message and Palm has announced two new accessories, a Centro-specific cradle (sans extra battery charger, which is a shame considering the small stock battery) and a new audio adapter. Not quite the whirlwind that I've been expecting to see, especially with the amount of new, first-time smartphone users Palm could sell accessories to, but it's a start.

In addition to the new accessories announced, apparently Palm issued a letter to retailers on May 1st repealing it's MAP policies. For those unfamiliar, MAP policies apply to the minimum advertised prices on products, usually put in place by manufacturers to maintain higher sales prices and avoid deep discounts. An interesting twist, the aforementioned cradle can be purchased for $29.99, a far cry from the $69.99 price point from the previous cradles. Is Palm singing a new tune? Perhaps Palm has their eye on saturating the market with these lower price points as opposed to higher margin products. What do you think? Sound off in the forums...

[via PalmInfoCenter.com]

Being a Palm user in one regard or another for years, I've come to appreciate the simple, straightforward ease of use the operating system offers. Combined with a touch screen, Palm may not be the prettiest of operating systems, but what it does, it does well and pretty effectively. However, as time has gone on, devices have evolved in leaps and bounds over my first Handspring Visor with 2MB of user accessible memory. No doubt this additional memory and horsepower should help to create a more aesthetically pleasing user interface, but no - Palm has put little to no effort in making a prettier, flashier interface.

That being said, the question arises, why? Can the hardware/software not support these more graphic intensive interfaces? Third party developers have made amazing strides in this area, thus disproving that the OS can't handle it. The latest developer to push the envelope is forum user/developer ahsirg. Ahsirg was kind enough to forward me a beta version of his current creation, TouchLauncher (you can now visit his site to download a copy). Building on his previous launcher, iPhoneImitation, TouchLauncher adds drag and drop ability to rearrange apps in the launcher allowing you to list your apps in any order that you want. The old school icons from the native Palm launcher can be easily replaced with more modern versions. Feeling a little creative? You can download the TL IconPack Creation Kit to create an even more custom look for your Treo or Centro.

Though some may not appreciate the obvious likeness to the iPhone, this proves once again just how far behind Palm has fallen with the current OS. Just the fact that third party developers have had to create these eye-pleasing applications shows how far out of touch Palm is with their end-users. Palm, are you listening? There's only so much time and effort developers will be willing to hang on, as evidenced by how many have been throwing in the hat as of late.

If you are after a robust service or rely on the voicemail from your mobile number, this service may not be for you. However, if you are looking for a simple voicemail and fax to email service, K7.net may be just the thing for you. Once you have signed up, they issue you a unique phone number that is yours alone. The only downside to the service is that their server keeps the messages for a maximum of 7 days and only up to 20 messages at a time. This shouldn't be an issue as K7.net emails the messages and faxes to you for listening & archiving. Of course, you can't argue with the price.

Interestingly enough, the Treo 500v is not mentioned in the compatible phones for the Windows Mobile Smartphone version. Any brave 500v owners want to take the dive and let us know if there are any issues?

Discuss this in the forums...

Update: Apparently you can get the Treo 750 for even cheaper if you sign up for a Buy.com credit card or a RevolutionCard, as low as $209.99! Of course, this is not an endorsement for either card and make sure you read all of the fine print, yada, yada, yada. Still, if you're game, that's a pretty cheap unlocked Treo. Thanks for sending this in Rich!

And this coming just a day after Dan reported the current ongoing smartphone shortage. One phone that apparently is not in any type of shortage is the aging Treo 750. Buy.com sent out a mass email today advertising unlocked Treo 750s running Windows Mobile 6.0 for only $259.99. What??? No contract, brand new, no strings attached AND free shipping? If this isn't a clear indicator that Palm is readying its inventories for the upcoming Treo 800, I'm not sure what is.

The Treo 750 has been around for a long time so this should come as no surprise (for a quick look back in history, check out TC's first look at the 750v here.) In fact, as far as smartphone life cycles go, it's been around for what feels like an eternity (it was first announced in September of 2006 on the Vodaphone network.) So if you're in the market for a good Windows Mobile smartphone with that famous Palm flavor (and don't mind having a slightly older model), might want to hurry and pick one up before the Treo 750 can be added to the list of phones on the nationwide shortage.

For the Treo or Centro owner that travels to areas outside of Wifi hotspots, the ability to use your phone as a modem can be a life saver. USB Modem is one of the easier ways to enable this connectivity and has recently added support for the newly released GSM Centro.

USB Modem allows you to use Treo 600, Treo 650, Treo 680, Treo 700p, Treo 755p and Centro smartphones as a USB modem for connecting a desktop or notebook computer to Internet. To surf the Internet from your PC you will need only a USB cable and a Treo with GPRS/EDGE service or CDMA 1x/EvDO data plan. However, for more reliable work with Sprint or Verizon carriers you may need to purchase their tethering plan.

USB Modem can be purchased for $24.95 and is available both for Palm OS and Windows Mobile.

Though we don't have any reports of incredible launch parties yet (such as the Mexican debut for the Centro), Palm has continued their plan of World Smartphone Domination. It seems that the Centro's popularity continues to grow as more and more worldwide markets launch Palm's latest smartphone offering. At last count, 22 of the countries or regions on Palm's worldwide website now show the Centro as being available. That's pretty impressive. But for all this love Palm is showing it's worldwide markets, how about spreading some love north of the border? Our poor Canadian friends seem to be getting left out in the cold...

By the way, apparently Palm has indeed launched the mysterious white Centro with light gray number buttons. The bad news is, it doesn't appear to be coming stateside. So for all of you dreading those mean, green number keys, it looks like you better grab a bottle of white-out or do some serious gettin' used to 'em.

[Source Palm International, Palm Launches Centro Smartphone in Colombia with Comcel and Movistar, Palm Brings Centro Smartphone to StarHub Mobile Customers in Singapore]