Sprint offers Palm Treo 800w, Everything Plus plans

Sprint has finally unveiled the Palm Treo 800w, more than a week ahead of schedule and after some stores began unofficially selling the device last Friday. The 5oz device, which appeared on Palm's online store on Sunday, includes Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.1 Software as well as advanced GPS functions --with both autonomous and simultaneous GPS using Sprint Navigation for turn by turn directions along with points of interest searches. It supports outlook email with Microsoft Direct Push Technology and HTML support as well as the ability to receive email from multiple corporate and personal POP/IMAP email accounts and offers a central five-way navigation button for easy access to menus and one-handed operation. The phone is on-sale for $600 with a $250 instant savings offer and $100 mail-in rebate, bringing the final price to $250 with a 2-year contract.

Other features include stereo Bluetooth support, a Micro SD Expansion Card Slot, a 2.0 megapixel camera/camcorder with 2x zoom, WiFi networking, speakerphone, a 320x320 TFT offering 65K colors, a voice-recorder, customizable picture Caller ID, a touch-screen, and of course an integrated, backlit QWERTY keyboard. The 800w offers 256MB for user memory and 128MB of program memory. In addition, a Data Transfer Mode (DTM) allows users in an active data session to be notified of incoming voice calls, rather than having them go automatically to voicemail.

Users can also tether a notebook or other computer to the Palm device for wireless broadband access via Sprint's network using the included USB cable. The smartphone also connects to a TTY device, allowing anyone who is visually- or hearing-impaired the ability to communicate. Sprint also said that it is certified as Hearing Aid Compatible in accordance with applicable industry standards and has a HAC rating of M3 for hearing aids operating in the acoustic mode.

The device includes a atandard 1150mA Lithium Ion (Li-Ion) Batter, an AC Charger with Adapter, a MicroUSB Sync Cable, and a Stereo Headset.

In related news, Sprint also dropped Sprint Employee Referral Offers (SERO), replacing it with Everything Plus: for $60, employee-referred customers can get 500 min, unlimited data everything (Internet, TV, radio, GPS, etc.), while for $80, users can up their minutes to 1,000. (Of course, for $100 users can get unlimited voice and data.) Available exclusively online, only new customers (or customers adding a line) are eligible and it requires a 2-year contract (and credit check). The offer is not available in all markets and not available in retail stores.

Filed under: gadgets, mobile phones
Other story tags: sprint, Windows Mobile, Palm, Treo, smartphones, 800w