Review: Palm Treo 680 - Look Ma, No Antenna!

Palm Treo 680

Palm Treo 680

Palm Treo 680

The Palm Treo 680, though not too different from its older brother the 650, really is a great entry-level smartphone. Like the Blackberry Pearl is to Research In Motion, the 680 is Palm's attempt to make an enterprise device appeal to a new market - in this case consumers looking to get their first smartphone to manage a calendar, task list, and contacts. The Treo 680 will also appeal to long time Palm OS users, those not looking to get a 700p, and indeed even a power user like myself can find something to like about the device.

Physical Aspects

The Palm Treo 680 continues the classic Treo design, which is not a bad thing at all. Like a lot of people, I am a big fan of the Treo form factor, and the removal of the external antenna, first seen on the Treo 750, makes for a much sleeker design. The 680 measures up at 112mm x 58mm x 20mm (4.40" x 2.30" x 0.80") and weighs in at 156g (5.5oz), and really feels nice in the hand. It is not a featherweight device, but its mass does make it feel solid despite its plastic finish.

The 680 that I received for review is the stock standard grey color scheme, and while it does look very professional, the device comes in much more interesting schemes that include copper, red, green, and blue. The Treo 680 is made of plastic, and feels like plastic. On the up side, the device feels solid with no creaks and squeaks. The battery cover attaches securely, and the cover for the SD card slot on the right hand side is easy to open and is securely attached.

The keyboard on the Treo 680 is fantastic, plain and simple. It is the best QWERTY keypad I have used on a smartphone, though it does have a bit of a learning curve. The buttons are small, but are convex in shape, which complements the spacing between them. The tactile feedback is perfect for me, though some might find it a little soft. Special characters are accessed with the function key and are intelligently placed so that frequently used symbols are convenient to get to. I really have nothing at all to complain about with the keypad.

Continuing the theme, the d-pad, call and end keys, and access keys are also great. The d-pad is large and usable, and the normal Palm Phone, Datebook, Messaging, and Home keys are all there. On the left hand side of the 680, a voice memo key and volume keys can be found, and the secure stylus silo and ever-handy silent switch are located on the top.

The screen is the normal Palm OS 320x320 pixel resolution 65k touch screen. It is clear and easy to read. It is also a little dull, but it really isn't enough to complain about. Unfortunately, that goes out the door when you take the device into sunlight - the screen is almost impossible to see when outdoors. This is a shame, as it mars an otherwise fine screen.