Blazer is also included with the Treo. It is in ROM, so now we have another OS that ties in the web browser. Blazer 2 has a Speed Dial style of displaying bookmarks that I actually prefer to the Phone application. It is easier to tell which bookmark is selected because the complete button is inverted. The Phone Speed Dial puts () on the selected button, which is harder to see.

Data calls are modem calls, so they are pretty slow. The Treo is upgradeable to GPRS, which will allow much faster transfers. I wish Handspring would release that update soon, as VoiceStream already has it available in certain areas under the moniker iStream.

SMS

I was on a business trip in Malaysia earlier this year and saw people using SMS more than normal phone calls. Back home on my Nokia, I used its predictive-input method to send just a few SMS messages in the five months that I've owned it. I've already sent many times that with the Treo, which I believe has the ability to jump-start SMS in the U.S. Handspring has done a really good job with the SMS application. Pressing the New button brings up a drop-down listing that lets you search for a number or select a person whom you recently sent a message.

The only thing that I would like to see Handspring do is have an indicator icon on the Applications screen that indicates a new SMS has arrived, because if I get three messages while I'm away, I only see a notice on the last one received.

Next Page: Usability >>

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