Windows Phone Thoughts: Palm's Treo 700w Reviewed: Part 1 (Intro, Background, Hardware)

Pocketing the 700w
So, there's a pictorial context of the 700w's size. What does the 700w's size feel like? And what's the best way to pocket it?

The 700w feels very comfortable in the hand. It's 6 ounces, so not unduly heavy -- similar to most Pocket PCs of its size. The curved back, as mentioned before, makes it feel thinner than the HTC Apache, which has been known to look and feel a bit block-like. The device's size is well-suited to one-handedness, as it's small enough that your thumb can reach nearly every control on the front of the device.

The remaining question is the best way of pocketing it; Palm didn't see fit to include a case, so if you want, you'll have to get one from a third party. I decided, after some deliberation, not to buy a case, and to carry the 700w naked. I've seen most Treos carried this way, and I've seen them subject to (and hold up to) unbelievable amounts of abuse. I was sitting in a downtown rush-hour 3 train in New York six months ago, when someone holding a naked 650 lurched past me to get the seat next to me. He somehow managed to hook his foot on mine and fell to the ground, the 650 leaving his hand and flying a few feet in the process. The 650 fell solidly and the SD card ejected, much to my horror. However, the guy didn't skip a beat -- he dusted himself off, picked it up, reinserted the SD card, and kept on playing his game. I've had this demonstration of the Treos' hardiness corroborated: one of my colleagues told me his Treo 600 horror story, where he managed to drop it into the gap of an elevator and the landing. It proceeded to fall 2+ stories down the elevator shaft to the bottom. He called the super and had it picked up, and surprisingly, it was in one piece (although it didn't turn on). He bought a Treo 650 in the meantime, but one day became curious: he took apart the 600, reseated everything, and reassembled it, and it still works great! 8O

I think one major reason the Treos are hardy is due to the small screen: it takes much more pressure for the screen to crack, and it's worth pointing out that if you pocket the device, your leg doesn't actually manage to touch the screen, unlike larger-screened devices. This was enough for me; I drop devices rarely, so I decided to risk it. If you consider yourself clumsier and/or disagree with the strategy, the good news is that, being a Treo, there's lots of cases for it, including several delectable Vaja cases. If I were to get one, I'd get the i-volution T7: since the Palm is designed to be one-handed, I'd want a case that would allow me to pull the unit out of my pocket and dial or answer a call without having to flip any flap out of the way (and flapping against my head while I proceed with the call). However, even that would make the device larger, and I wanted to pocket it comfortably (no belt clips in a crowded subway car, thanks!) After a few days, I got used to it, and now I don't even notice when the Treo is in there. If you're a tight pants-wearer, then the Treo will result in a small bulge, but for most any other pants or shorts the Treo should fit very comfortably. (It also helps that I use a keycase to store my keys, eliminating the chance of them scratching against the Treo.)

Protecting the Treo's screen
(This is sort of a mini-review on the WriteSHIELD AG that I'm using on my 700w. Feel free to skip it if you don't want to hear about screen protectors. Note that all of the pictures involving the 700w and the XV6700 are with screen protectors, and if you see any moire patterns, that's an artifact of photographing them with the protectors on; those patterns aren't visible under everyday use.)

So far, the Treo's stood up to the challenge of carrying it naked. I did take one precaution, though: I installed a Pocket PC Techs' WriteSHIELD AG on it before subjecting the device to pocket dust and lint. The main danger of a naked device is that dust collects on the screen and manages to scratch the touchscreen when you drag the stylus against it, and I wanted to avoid that. I can't possibly be happier with the WriteSHIELD: it was a snap to install (basically, brush the screen clean, peel off the WriteSHIELD off its backing slowly, and put it on the screen), it doesn't use glue (just electrostatic attraction, so it's easy to remove and reapply if you want to, yet it sticks on very well without bubbles), and best of all, it seems to be dust-repelling. I know, it sounds like marketing-speak, but it's amazing how little dust it attracts. The AG also has a very paper-like feel, which I was suitably impressed with.

This is the first screen protector I've used on a Pocket PC, and I hated the idea of having to deal with one, but I'm completely happy with it. I don't mean to sound like a Pocket PC Techs' stooge or anything, but it's a completely different experience than other screen protectors I've seen used. It's not cheap (the deluxe kit is $36.99 and the basic kit is $26.99, each with 2 sheets), but they last forever, unlike a lot of other screen protectors; my officemate used up 6 adhesive-based Palm-branded screen protectors in a 20-pack before getting even one bubble-free application on his XV6700, and the protectors scratch up easily, despite him keeping the unit in a case. I've stuck one WriteSHIELD on mine and there's not the slightest hint of a scratch anywhere after 2 months of heavy use. Do note the AG is anti-glare, gives a Pocket PC a matte-like surface, and diminishes the brightness of the screen slightly. I like it that way, but if you want a screen protector as transparent, they also sell a E2 screen protector that may be what you want. My only nit is that there's a small area around two of the corners where it looks like the protector isn't completely stuck to the screen. However, it's barely noticeable and only at a weird angle, isn't "unsticking" further at those corners, and doesn't actually affect functionality in any way.

Overall, two thumbs up from me. Next: a detailed tour of the 700w's hardware!