As we rolled into August, there was a distinct change of pace in the world of Treo. Instead a week full of device-related stories (even the Foleo was nowhere to be found) with an emphasis on things like “speeds and feeds,” we had “The Promise.”

This week was all about what you’d be able to do with your Treo while on the go: Surf the Web… Sure, we’ve got that. View video… We’ve got that too. Heck, we’ve even got a contest to make film for the “tiny” screen.

I found this change of pace very refreshing. So without further ado, Let’s Talk Treo!

Palm News

The news from Palm was kind of eclectic this week.

On the Palm Blog, the topic of discussion was film – as in film festival. In a post written by Colleen Werner, the Treo Mobile Comedy Film Festival was announced. As noted in the write-up that appeared on TreoCentral:

“The Treo Mobile Comedy Film Festival is a one of a kind competition to celebrate the emerging art of made-for-mobile films. And Palm states that "Made for mobile" means films created specifically for the smaller screens of mobile devices instead of theaters, the web, or TV. The Treo Film Festival entries don't have to be made using a Treo or mobile phone. The films can be shot and edited using any traditional or non-traditional filmmaking method.”

Palm’s Social Media Press Releases

File this under notable. Palm has a separate section on their website for what they are referring to as “social media press releases.” The top four releases are Foleo-related.

Not exactly what I think about when I think social. Oh well…

Taking Over the World

The global expansion press release is back!

This week, Palm announced the availability of the Treo 750 in the Dominican Republic. It is the first Windows Mobile based Treo smartphone with GSM technology to take advantage of the Orange and Claro networks.

Recent TreoCentral Guides, Reviews & More

Commentary/Guide: Talkin’ Browsers - By Harv Laser

There’s an adage that goes something like this: “You don't know where you're going if you don't know where you've been.” Harv has put together a piece that delves into Web browsers of the past and present. He also pondered what’s in store for Treo owners and remarked:

“As the Web continues to morph, evolve, grow, and mutate, more than ever we PalmOS Treo owners are in desperate need of bridging the gap between desktop browsers and their pint-sized, portable cousins. If Apple can pump out a full-featured browser for their iPhone, so can Access. We don’t need to be able to turn our Treos on their sides like little turtles to resize the picture, or twiddle the page size by pinching the screen.. we just require the Web, the "real" Web, the whole thing, to be in our hands at all times. Don't we?”

Note: Mobile Web browsers were popular this week. The Wall Street Journal ran a story on Thursday (“Breaking Down the Walls of Phones’ Web Gardens”—subscription required):

“…advanced browsers are the best route to the wide-open Internet. However, these browsers on their own can't mimic the PC experience completely on cellphones. While the new browsers can take users to any site, handsets can't download music and video unless those features are supported by the wireless carriers. And, they don't work on all cellphones -- for instance, Opera Mini can't be used on Verizon Communications Inc. cellphones.”

“The more advanced browsers also reduce the time it takes for wireless devices to load Web pages. This is possible because the new generation of mobile browsers rely on servers rather than the device itself. The Opera Mini, for example, is able to display a Web page on a wireless device with only 10% to 20% of the bits needed to display the same page on a PC. Consumers using it can surf faster than with a dial-up Internet connection on a PC.”

Review: Speck See-Thru Hardshell Case for Treo 680 - By Jay Gross

Jay took a look at the Speck Products SeeThru Hard Case for Treo 680, which he states “isn’t transparent, and certainly not ‘crystal.’ My 680’s crimson beauty does shine through, but not as ‘clearly’.” He remarked:

“The Speck Products See-Thru Hard Case for the Treo 680 does what cases are supposed to do: protect the Treo you entrust to their clutches from harm. I quibble with its screen protection insert, which the company touts as “touch-through,” but it does offer another measure of protection beyond a simple stick-on. …For $24.95, it doesn’t seem like you’re getting much, and you’re not. The fit is tight, and the design is simple, however, and for a basic Treo case $24.95 isn’t too bad.”

Review: Lubix UBHS-NC1 Stereo Bluetooth Headphones for Treo 750 - By Andre Kibbe

Andre “gave a listen to” the Lubix UBHS-NC1 Stereo Bluetooth headset that rocks:

“Despite sporting one of the worst names in the annals of consumer electronics, the Lubix UBHS-NC1 makes a name for itself by its clever design.”

“This would be the Bluetooth headset I would want to use on a daily basis. The overall array of comfort, portability and smart controller design are unbeatable. It’s a great piece of hardware.”

Note: Andre mentions an issue about Palm OS Treos being tied to SAG 1.12. Make sure you read the complete review for details.

Clue: Treo Software Roundup - By Jennifer Chappell

This week, Jennifer points out some updates from Palm (Palm Desktop 6.2 Beta, Palm OS Java JVM Update) as well as close to a dozen programs that are new or have been recently updated, including: 24/7 Tutor, FakeCall, Northglide Cloner, Palm Web Video Generator, PalmaryClock for Treo, Pocket Bass Angler, RandomTones, Softick Cache, SplashID, and VITO AudioNotes.

Elsewhere in the World of Treo…

Commentary: Treo vs. Blackberry

Arik Hesseldahl at BusinessWeek put together a short video where he answers a reader’s question on selecting a smart phone --in this case choosing between a Palm Treo (700p or 700w|x) and a BlackBerry. He makes some interesting points.

Commentary: Treo vs. iPhone

The title of the story posted by Julie of The Gadgeteer said it all, “How one month with the iPhone has made me appreciate the Treo 680 more than ever.” She wrote:

“The Treo may be a bit clunky as far as its physical design and a bit long in the tooth as far as its operating system, but it continues to be my everyday work horse, so it must be doing something right. :o)”

Review: YouTube With Palm Web Video Generator Software

Andrew over at Treonauts checked out an application called Palm Web Video Generator. He described this application as one that allows him to easily save any YouTube video directly to his PC, copy it to his SD card and view it as often as he likes, anywhere he likes using CorePlayer (the #1 Treo video player). He wrote:

“The bottom line is that while it’s not perfect and still needs quite a bit of refinement and added functionality, Palm Web Video Generator delivers a great solution today for those Treonauts wishing to download YouTube videos and watch them wherever and whenever they want. The only alternative remains Kinoma Player (preferably with a high speed wireless data connection and an unlimited data plan) and naturally CorePlayer continues to be an essential application for all video viewing on your Treo.”

Note: The Kinoma Player was reviewed by TreoCentral’s Harv Laser in February.

Review: Palm Stereo Headset Review

Kris Keilhack at Palm Infocenter gave the Palm Stereo headset a tryout:

“When I first saw a picture of these ‘phones, I couldn’t believe that this was a Palm product and not something from Sony, Sennheiser, or Shure! The styling is a sleek black and silver combination with the soft rubber flanges of the ear buds mimicking very high-end audiophile-grade headphones!”

“I can cautiously recommend a purchase of this particular headphone to Treo owners if they can score this product at a considerable discount from Palm’s MSRP.”

News: BlueAnt’s Z9 Bluetooth Headset Released

Mobileburn reported that this week, BlueAnt Wireless released the much-anticipated Z9 Bluetooth Headset as part of the company's first step into the global distribution of its products. Awarded for its innovative design at CES 2007, the Z9 leads the next generation of Bluetooth headsets with its stylish design and use of dual microphone, noise reduction technology via BlueAnt's patented Voice Isolation Technology, a revolutionary proprietary Digital Signal Processor (DSP) software solution.

You can learn more about it here.

Note: A review of the Z9 is coming soon to TreoCentral . Stay tuned!

Software Review: Initiate III Application Launcher

Sion Phillips at MyTreo.Net recently reviewed a launcher program by Hobbyist called Initiate III. In brief, “a launcher is a graphical interface that allows you to run programs without having to use a DOS or Linux style command line text based interface.”

“Overall I think Initiate III is my favorite Palm OS launcher. The smart search function makes finding applications ultra easy. Initiate offers all the display customization options you could want as well as useful extras like the ability to directly launcher files from within Initiate and voice dialing..”

News: Documents to Go Update Supports Palm Desktop for Vista Beta

Per DataViz’s website, Documents To Go 10.001 is designed to work with if Palm Desktop v6.2 Beta 1 which is the first version of Palm Desktop software to support Vista. The installation of Palm Desktop v6.2 Beta 1 is required in order for a synchronization to take place between a Palm device running Documents To Go v10.0001 and a PC running the Microsoft Windows Vista Operating system.

News: SiRF and Intel Sign a Collaboration Agreement

If you’ve been shopping for a GPS navigation system, then you’ll probably recognize the ubiquitous SiRF that appears in this next story. –AL

SiRF Technology Holdings, Inc., a leading provider of GPS-enabled silicon and premium software location platforms, announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, SiRF Technology, Inc., has signed a license and joint development agreement with Intel Corporation on certain future product platforms to help location and wireless connectivity become more mainstream in next generation mobile devices. As part of this agreement the two companies have agreed to cooperate in the marketing and selling of these future products to customers developing a wide range of mobile devices worldwide. This agreement supports SiRF's long-term strategy for growth and is designed to strengthen its position in mobile devices.

News: IM for Skype for Palm OS

PalmInfocenter reported Shape Services has released a new Palm OS Skype compatible client. IM for Skype is a mobile application for voice and text communication with other Skype users and cost-effective calling to landlines and mobiles.

News: Skype to Reach Any Cellphone with SpinVox Voice-to-Screen Messaging

Voice-to-text provider SpinVox has inked a deal to bring its technology to users of Skype's Internet telephony service. In brief, when you place a call to a Skype user who isn't available, you will be able to leave a message which will be translated into text and sent off to their mobile phone as a text message. Not only does this make it easier to reach a Skype user when they're on the go, but it's “a bonus for the Skyper who is paranoid about missing messages while out to lunch, on the road or somewhere other that in front of the computer.” Text messages can be forwarded to any mobile phone or device. SpinVox says the service will be launched some time before the end of the year.

News: Buzzwire To Stream Internet Content to Your Mobile Phone

Buzzwire just announced the availability of a beta preview of its streaming mobile media service, which lets users create their own customized program lineup and access it on their mobile phones anytime, anywhere. “With audio and video feeds targeted to meet the widest range of interests from local, national, and international news, traffic, weather, sports, entertainment and finance, Buzzwire lets users easily create a personalized world of streaming content on their mobile phones.”

According to this story posted at Slashphone, Buzzwire lets users create custom playlists via a Web and mobile interface that does not require a client download. Buzzwire's initial library includes almost 5,000 media sources encompassing national content, as well as content from local communities so users can get the information most important to them.

News: SelectRadio to Stream InsideJazz on Mobile Devices

Jazz producer and live music recording engineer Tim Pinch of InsideJazz has partnered with SelectRadio software to make live jazz from Southern California venues available on cell phones and wireless handheld devices. The partnership will enable Windows Mobile phone users to get InsideJazz’s four continuous channels of live jazz, blues and Latin concert performances, with a selection of styles including straightahead trios, traditional jazz, contemporary jazz, bebop and fusion.

News: Snoopy the Flying Ace Soars onto Mobile Phones for First Time

Namco Networks, a leading publisher and developer of wireless games and content just announced the arrival of Snoopy the Flying Ace mobile game. According to the press release, players will have the opportunity to put their piloting skills to the test as Snoopy in his famous fantasy as the WWI Flying Ace, steering his Sopwith Camel deep within “enemy territory,” (the familiar Peanuts neighborhood) to capture balloons and raise Woodstock’s nest.

Snoopy the Flying Ace is the first mobile game available through Namco Networks’ partnership with United Media, a worldwide licensing and syndication company focused on building brand equity around a wide range of creative content. Visit www.NamcoGames.com/snoopy for more information.

Trend/News: The Mobile TV Wars

Olga Kharif at BusinessWeek has written a story about the battle for the emerging mobile TV market that’s taking place between Qualcomm's MediaFlo and MobiTV. He pointed out a bigger problem for both companies:

“One key question is how much consumers will be willing to spend on mobile TV. While some users may spend $4 or $5 a month to download video clips to their cell phones, the more robust mobile TV services with live channels are typically priced at $10 to $20 a month. Kanishka Agarwal, an analyst at Telephia, estimates that mobile TV revenues totaled $146 million in the first quarter, approaching the $168 million generated by mobile video games. ‘The mobile video business is catching up to businesses that have been around a while,’ he says.”

“But for now, it appears that few wireless users are eager to pay for a mobile TV service. In June an In-Stat survey of some 1,000 U.S. households found that while 35% of the respondents were interested in free mobile video, fewer than 7% said they'd pay $15 a month. ‘People like those cool things, they just don't want to pay for them,’ sums up David Chamberlain, principal analyst with In-Stat. That means low-priced or free mobile video services that rely on ads to recoup their costs may prove more popular.”

Trend: Banking on Your Phone

The San Francisco Chronicle had a story this week about banking on your phone. One scenario described was how it would be able to conveniently enable you to find out if you have enough money in your checking account to use your debit card. It also talked about the future:

“The jump to mobile banking gives customers more convenience and adds another function to the evolving cell phone, which has moved well beyond making phone calls. The service is a step toward turning the cell phone into an "e-wallet," allowing people to pay for things with it.”

Clue: Extend Your Battery Life

Naomi Graychase at PDA Street has provided some helpful tips for maximizing battery performance when traveling.

Coming Soon: New Oakley Bluetooth Sunglasses

Engadget Mobile reported Motorola and Oakley will soon announce their next Bluetooth eyewear --the O ROKR Pro. O ROKR Pro enables hands-free mobile communications for compatible Bluetooth-enabled mobile handsets plus wireless music streaming via Bluetooth from a compatible music-optimized mobile handset or portable music player equipped with a separately available, add-on Bluetooth adapter.

Endnotes & Ponderables:

This week, a press release issued by the Gap caught my eye. Renowned for its powerful portraiture for decades, this fall Gap celebrates the spirit of this legacy with the introduction of “Classics Redefined” – an innovative new advertising campaign captured by acclaimed photographer Annie Leibovitz. Launching this August, the campaign features a series of modern portraits of “awe-inspiring individuals” from a range of artistic fields, including:

• John Mayer, Musician, wearing The Sweater Vest ($39.50)
• Lucy Liu, Actor, wearing The Little Black Sweater Dress ($59.50)
• Forest Whitaker, Storyteller and Actor, wearing The Macintosh ($98)
• Ken Watanabe, Actor and Producer, wearing The Tailored White Shirt ($39.50)
• Twyla Tharp, Choreographer and Director, wearing The French Cuff Shirt ($39.50)
• Puffy AmiYumi, Rock Stars, wearing The Wide Leg Jean ($59.50)

Great idea! Palm should ponder doing something like this showing “awe-inspiring individuals” using the Treo. It harkens back to the “Simply Palm” days with a classier execution.

And, that’s a wrap!

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