Hello everyone

There was a thread on Treo vs P900 and it kinda got hijacked by talk about carriers (important of course). I've had the P800 for about 4 months now and just got the Treo 600, mainly because I truly NEED to use some medical programs only available through Palm. Most have been discussed but not many users have used both apps. Here are some impressions (remember I got the P800 first): [thanks for reading! ]

Design-wise:

- Treo has no jog dial, the SD card sticks out from the top of the unit (not good), and no handstrap (really, NO GOOD!). By contrast, the P800 has the memory stick hidden and protected by the stylus, plus the handstrap. However, the Treo fills more solid and doesn't "feel like a toy" compared to the P800.

- The 5-way navigational button on the Treo is really good once you get used to it. There's also a button for turning off the screen which improves battery life immensely. Additionally, there's a ringer switch at the top of the unit which turnes on vibrate mode and shuts ringtones... no more digging through software.

- Treo doesn't include native graffiti which really, really sucks. The keyboard is very cramped and typing won't last long. However, Jot (an app) takes care of that and enables graffiti on the Treo. That's 2 inputs vs 1.

- The other stuff is more obvious.. the P800 has more features (admitedly, some rather useless for most users) like Bluetooth and voice recording. The screen looks better on the P800.

Layout:

- If you're a former Palm user, the Treo layout is a snap. The P800 layout has a learning curve but is tweakable to the extreme; for instance, there's a menu for storing calling card information, while for the Treo you have to get an app ($$$). Attaching a picture to a contact is easy on the P800 and downright confusing on the Treo (remember I've had the Treo for around a week). Interfaces here are like apple vs oranges.

Battery life/Power Management:

- The P800 lasts more, but depend on usage and power-saving habits of the user. Also, it seems to me the Treo is more efficient in using its resources but again, some apps (like Active Desktop for P800) allow you to shut down programs.

- Of course, the fact that one can add up to 512MB to the Treo helps. A LOT. I think the Memory Stick Duo hasn't reached that level. Sony was innovative in two ways with the design of the phone and with Symbian - adding SD capability from the get go would trash the Treo head first into the dirt! Coulda, shoulda, woulda, but it didn't happen.

Programs:

- The stinker: running Symbian OS limits program availability severely. Professionals who depend on apps for their job (I'm a medical student) are screwed. The best apps available for Symbian are the productivity suits (i.e. Handy Day, Active Desktop) which have nothing to envy from Palm users. Treo beats the P800 soundly in this area.

- Doesn't Mac computers come with an "emulator" (or something, can't remember) which enables some Windows programs, and vice versa? If a developer came up with that, it would be great. Then again it's up to the companies to ensure compatibility if they want their program to be used.

Phone-wise:

- Frankly, it really depends on the network. GSM on some areas just suck, while the older networks are more establish. To some people, no signal means no good. And it should be that way since a PDA/Phone combo with no reception is just another PDA. Both seemed fine to me and I lack the technical expertise to compare the 2 on that area.

User Manual:

- The manual for the Treo seemed way to skinny. It is "user-oriented", divided into sections like "the basics", "after the first two weeks", etc (sorry, can't seem to recall the exact titles). Meanwhile the P800 just buries you in detail.

Conclusion:

- Well really not any, just an opinion. I may end up selling the P800 and using the Treo because of the apps I need. Don't get me wrong, both are truly GREAT phones/pdas in their own right, but when taking everything into account, I guess the Treo beats the P800 - but not by much.

What do you think?