july 9, 2005 : steve kong : 8 comment(s)
I was going to do a Treo 600 vs. Sidekick II article and post it here on the blog, but it turned out to be a very long piece. So, I am going to leave it in my wiki since I'll probably be updating the article from time to time. If you want to see a semi-finished draft of it, it is here. I think I'll be "finished" with it soon, there's just a little bit left to add to it. If you don't want to wade through all of my writing, then here's the executive summary:
The Treo 600 (I couldn't bring myself to splurge $600 on a Treo 650) is a much better machine than the Sidekick II for a number of reasons: Open platform with a large library of software, open platform that allows for anything to be installed, no reliance on an unreliable backend server, a phone that actually works, better RF performance, and expandability through its SDIO slot.
There are some drawbacks to the Treo 600 also: Smaller keyboard, no instant messenging out-of-the-box, no push email out-of-the-box, no automatic mirroring/backup of data, and lower resolution screen.
I did promise my wife that this would be my last phone purchase for a while. So don't expect anymore exciting new toy-phone postings in a while. I will continue to post about how I am customizing the Treo to my taste via software. I will make a "What's On My Treo" posting (much like my old "Software on my Tungsten T" posting).
Anyways, enjoy the comparison article.
Comments
What is wrong with HP iPaq 6315 ?? Apart from the fact that it runs Windows that is!
T-Mobile seems to have stopped carrying it. It seems to be the only phone with both PDA and wi-fi functionality ??
Sumit Chachra
July 10, 2005 @ 02:17 PM
Never said anything was wrong with the HP iPaq 6315. Never even mentioned it in my posting :) I am not a fan of WinCE (or whatever they call it this month). Plus, I wanted something with a keyboard and was pocketable (from what I have seen specification-wise, the iPaq 6315 is pretty large). Wi-Fi would be nice, but I am just fine with GPRS on my phone.
July 11, 2005 @ 12:34 AM
You gotta pay $20 a month for GPRS!! Treo 650 seems perfect, just for the lack of 802.11 :-(
I'm really looking fwd to the next generation of treo's and ipaq's. The reason T-Mobile gave for pulling out 6315 was that it was "overkill" for most people.
Sumit Chachra
July 11, 2005 @ 11:35 PM
Actually, I don't really need the $20/mo Unlimited Internet option from T-Mobile. I just use the $5/mo unlimited t-zones option and that gets me enough GPRS funcitonality (mail, web, ssh).
Anyways, if you want WiFi access from T-Mobile at their Hotspots, you have to pay $20/mo anyways. And if I were to pay $20/mo, I'd rather pay it for GPRS access than WiFi access since I can get a GPRS connection anywhere. Whereas if I wanted to check my email with a WiFi connection I'd have to head to a Starbucks or something.
July 12, 2005 @ 08:44 AM
It would be interesting to revisit your review now, after you've had some time.
I suffered through some of the data outages with the Sidekick II, too, but now as I look at new smartphones like the PPC-6700 and the upcoming UTC Wizard, I have to say I'm so used to this OS. Everything else seems less "natural."
And, I loathe the idea of going to Microsoft anything....
The OS update that added JavaScript and improved web sites helped a good bit. Part of me wonders if the SK III with EDGE will come out soon enough to recapture my interest.
I really wish Apple would do a Sidekick-like device, integrated with an iPod. That would be the bomb.
Stephen
January 15, 2006 @ 06:56 PM
I used the Treo 600 for all of three months or so, got a Razr and stuck the Treo into its box. Stuffed the box into my closet thinking that I would pull it out later on with a need/want to use a smartphone again. Last week, I pulled it out, charged it up, HotSync'd it, stuck my SIM in, and well...took the SIM out, hard reset it, put it back in its box, and sold it to a co-worker. Then I took that wad of money and bought a Nokia 6682 smartphone.
I don't know why, but I couldn't bring myself back to using the Treo. It wasn't anything major, but lots of minor things that got me to sell it. The stubby antenna always poked me in the ear when I talked on the phone. The need to a stylus, even a small amount of time bugged me. The non-removable battery bugged me. The need to have to charge the phone every night bugged me. The need to use a cable to sync bugged me. The proprietary image format that was used when a picture was saved to an SD card bugged me. The terrible camera bugged me. See, it wasn't anything big like it couldn't get reception (on the contrary, it got great reception). Nor was it some serious problem wiht it crashing (though it did from time to time). It was just a bunch of minor things.
We'll see how the Nokia works out. I love the Bluetooth, the 1.3Mpixel camera, and the keypad navigation. Oh, and the EDGE support.
I'll admit, I really did like the Sidekick OS. It was easy to use, very intuitive and fun. I wish that it could be customized so that I didn't have to stare at anime characters all day long. I wish that it could be open so that I could load my own apps onto it. But, the one thing that still bothers me and I hate is the fact that it is tied to Danger's backend servers. When I left the Sidekick behind, all the data I had on it was gone also. I couldn't get it off the device and trying to get it off the website was a joke. I don't like someone holding my data hostage like that :) And, even if the backend servers have gotten better, I still don't like being tied down to them. At first, I thought all of the backend stuff was cool, but if you look at it, the Sidekick is nothing but a dumb terminal and you have to rely on a server for your data. With a true smartphone, it all runs and gets stored on the phone itself.
Yea, I wish Apple would come out with an updated Newton device -- with the option of WiFi VoIP, not GSM. That would be a killer device.
January 15, 2006 @ 07:15 PM
I have been a SK user since the b & w one. I am also a Mac man. I fell in love with the keyboard of the SKII, but I had so many hardware issues...I am at a crossroad. Maybe it is time I seek a more powerful machine in the Treo 650. Is the keyboard as easy to use? (I see its smaller) How good is the mobile office suite? I love getting e mail right to my hip and responding immediatly, are the extras of the Treo worth losing my keyboard?? Experienced users please help.
If Apple came out with a PDA it would be bliss!!!!
Ray
January 26, 2006 @ 03:46 PM
Ray: Going from the SKII keyboard to the Treo keyboard is not that easy. The Treo keyboard is MUCH smaller than the SKII keyboard. That was one of the best features of the SKII, it's huge keyboard. Yes, the Treo keyboard is usable, but not in the same way that the SKII's is.
There are some extras of the SKII that you'll be missing out on with the Treo. You'll end up paying extra for: Push email (Chattermail) and IM (I can't remember the name of a good IM client for Treo).
The office software is OK for the Treo, I wouldn't be doing any heavy spreadsheeting or writing a novel on it though.
I think: If only Danger could get their act together. If only Danger could produce a reliable piece of hardware (no keyboards peeling off, for instance). If only Danger could run reliable backend servers. If only Danger could let others develop and distribute applications for their Sidekick devices. All of this would make the Sidekick equal PDA bliss. But, Danger hasn't done any of that, and they probably won't.
If you decide to move away from the Sidekick, you'll definitely have a hard time (and have severe withdrawl symptoms). But, eventually, you'll get over it.
January 26, 2006 @ 04:16 PM