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Palm Treo 700wxSprint launches its version of the Windows Mobile Treo with upgraded memory, but some nagging issues remain. Price:
$499
by Jamie Lendino 
The Palm Treo 700wx gives Sprint users a Windows Mobile version of the fabled Treo platform. It also comes with a few significant improvements over the 700w for Verizon, such as a much-needed upgrade to 64MB of RAM (up from the 700w’s 32MB), and the ability to use the 700wx as a laptop modem at fast EV-DO speeds (typically around 400 Kbps, almost as good as a DSL connection). Unfortunately, some of the same issues that plagued the 700w are still in play here.
Like all Treos, the 700wx is fairly large and weighs a hefty 6.4 ounces. It still sports an external antenna, though we hope to see that disappear in future versions. The 700wx’s QWERTY keyboard is easy to type on. When you combine it with the stylus and simple five-way navigator control, making calls and running applications is a pleasure. A big draw of the 700wx over the Palm OS-powered 700p—at least for enterprise customers—is the ability to sync corporate e-mail using Microsoft Exchange. Microsoft now includes its Messaging and Security Feature Pack (MSFP) support built into Windows Mobile 5.0. MSFP gives business users basic push e-mail functionality without the added cost of Good or RIM’s solutions. The 700wx’s RAM upgrade helps when you’re constantly getting new messages delivered, especially if you have security software running in the background. The 700wx shares other features with its 700p stablemate, such as a 1.3-megapixel camera, 60MB of dedicated user memory, an SD Card slot, and a hardware mute button. The 700wx has the ability to play music and video files, including PlaysForSure protected content. Both Sprint Treos lack built-in Wi-Fi, a persistent Treo complaint. Battery life is rated at over 5 hours of talk time and over 12.5 days of standby time. We tested the Sprint 700wx head to head with a Sprint 700p, and for the most part the usual comparisons still hold. Both phones sound excellent when making and receiving calls. The two most obvious differences between the models are the operating systems and the screen resolution. The 700p generally requires fewer taps or button presses to do the same thing as the 700wx. For example, when you press the Phone button on the 700p, you instantly see a touchscreen version of a phone keypad. When you do the same on the 700wx, you then must choose Dial Pad from a pull-down menu and press the select key before you see one. On the plus side, the 700wx’s interface is arguably more attractive and delivers more information on the Today screen, including your next appointments. There's also a search bar, which defaults to the Windows Live Seach Beta, which can be changed to Google's search bar in the sub-menu. The 700wx’s 240 x 240-resolution is a limitation of the Windows Mobile OS. You wouldn’t necessarily think that it was deficient until you tried the 700p, which renders Web page graphics and photos in greater detail. Regardless, browsing the Web on both models is light-years ahead of most other phones because of Sprint’s high-speed EV-DO network. We didn’t notice any performance issues during our tests, which could be due to the additional RAM. The 700wx generally felt snappy and almost equivalent to the 700p’s speed of operation. We also liked the mute and speakerphone screen buttons, as well as the Ignore with SMS feature, which lets you send custom or predetermined text messages to tell someone you’ll call them back without having to completely ignore (or answer) the call. One area in which the 700wx trumps the 700p is entertainment. While the 700p is the only Treo that can tap into Sprint’s TV and Sirius radio services, the 700wx offers built-in support for playback of DRM-protected music files. We transferred some songs to the 700wx using Windows Media Player 11 and a 256MB SD card. Windows Media Player 10 Mobile displays album art while each track plays, and you can set up playlists as you would with any other digital audio player. Just be sure to replace the mediocre bundled earbuds. Enterprise users will find much to like in the 700wx. For consumers, the 700wx is less appealing, though the dialup networking is a compelling reason to go with Sprint over Verizon’s 700w. If you’re a heavy Outlook user and you’re comfortable with the Windows Mobile OS, the 700wx could be a good choice. But the 700p offers better screen resolution and a simpler OS design, as well as nearly all of the same features of the 700wx, for the same price. Still, the 700wx gives corporate customers already on Sprint a solid smart phone option. Compare Prices | Palm Treo 700wx Specifications
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