Mossberg advises sticking with Palm-based Treos

[Alexander Turcic]

Wall Street Journal's Walt Mossberg has been testing the Treo 700w to see how it stacks up against the Treo 650. His verdict:

Despite some nice new features, the Windows Mobile software is still inferior to the Palm software for one-handed use on the go. Its crucial email and phone functions are also weaker. And there's a serious bug in its email software that affects individuals, though not corporate users. So the Treo 700w is neither as easy to use nor as powerful as the Treo 650. In addition, the screen on the 700w offers significantly lower resolution than the screen on the 650, and the new model costs twice as much -- $400 versus $200.

For individual users, the main advantage of the new Treo 700w is that it is the first Treo to work on Verizon's high-speed EV-DO network. That network delivers data speeds that rival those of home DSL lines. But the speed advantage will be short-lived, because I expect to see a Palm-based Treo in coming months that can also use the EV-DO network ... The Treo 700w will appeal to some Windows Mobile fans, and to some corporate IT staffs. But for everyone else, I advise sticking with the Palm-based Treos.

Related: Palm Treo 700w is here

[TadW]

Like for almost every other Palm fan, the 700w will need time getting used to. And Mossberg uses his Treo 650 on a daily basis. I would have been surprised if he had been as happy as a clam with the new Windows Mobile device.

[lesliefranke]

You can acess Mossberg's article for free on the WSJ's free features page.