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Handspring Treo arrives in the UK

Combined phone, Palm OS organiser available through BT Cellnet

The Handspring Treo, a combined phone, Palm OS organiser, wireless web browser, SMS & email device, has arrived in the UK.

The Treo is available in the UK from BT Cellnet at £299 including VAT, or without connection at £499 (including VAT). If you live in other European countries, you can buy one for euro 699 (excluding tax).

Here's what we wrote about the Treo when it announced, back in October:

The Treo actually emerged in September when the US Federal Communications Commission posted details of the device on its Web site. That was part of Handspring's attempt to gain FCC approval for the device.

The Treo is substantially the same as the prototype posted by the FCC but pulled soon after at Handspring's request. Two versions will be offered, one (the Treo 180) with a tiny RIM Blackberry-style keyboard, the other (the Treo 180g) with a standard Graffiti text entry pad. Handspring staffers reckon the keyboard version will outsell the more traditional PDA data-entry system.

Both will cost $399 with a cellular network access package or $549 on its own.

The device integrates a 16MB Palm OS-based PDA with a dual-band (900MHz and 1900MHz; or 900/1800MHz for the European market) GSM phone. Expect the Treo to be upgraded to support GPRS at some point in the future, for always-on Net access. In the UK, Cellnet already has GPRS, so it's feasible the GPRS version could appear over here sooner.

The PDA side of the rig will run Palm OS 3.5.2 on a 33MHz Dragonball VZ processor. The screen is 16-greyscale monochrome, but Handspring says there's a colour version in the works. Bundled apps include email; Handspring's Web browser, Blazer; and an SMS utility.

The hardware includes what Handspring calls a "Jog Rocker", but is essentially Sony's Jog Dial controller. Imitation, they say, is the sincerest form of flattery, but we wonder how long it will take Sony to become sufficiently annoyed at the cloners and takes action. Just as soon as the patent applications come through, we guess. ®

External links

Handspring Treo tech spec
Press release on handspring mm02 deal

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