I finally got confirmation on my order today and expect it to arrive by 3/15 – only 5 months after I ordered it!
One thing Michael Gartenberg needs to know is that while the Treo is not Truly multi-tasking, it can do certain communications in the background … like email. ChatterEmail, recently released from beta can kick some serious IMAP ass from behind the scenes. You can choose to leave it running in the background or have it sync on an interval, all without having to lose your foremost application or even having the screen switch on.
I can’t comment on the memory issues or compatibility issues until I load my soon to arrive 650 and upgrade from the 600.
The upside of the Treo 650 is that it’s a true one handed device and does balance the PDA/Email/Phone stuff really well. I can make calls, answer calls, check email, surf the web all with one hand. I can’t do that on any pocket PC phone. While smartphones are totally one handed, they do lack the keyboard of the Treo, so they’re not great for email. Downside is the Treo isn’t a multitasking device. So while you’re fetching email or browsing the web, you’re not doing anything else. Memory is also an issue. I don’t add that many programs to the mix and I still have only about 9mb free. That’s not a lot of room. I’ve also had some stability issues, every so often the device resets and goes into an infinite loop and needs a hard reset. That means all the stuff in the NV memory is lost so a third party backup program (one that’s compatible with the 650, not all are) and an SD Card is an absolute must. [Michael Gartenberg]
Good point. VersaMail which is the built in client seems to need to run in the foreground (If I move to another application, it quits) as does my client of choice, SnapperMail. I haven’t tried Chatter since I don’t use iMap. In any event, I’m not web surfing and downloading RSS feeds while I check email at the same time, all of which I can do on a Windows Mobile device. There are drawbacks to each approach.
I’d love to be downloading RSS in the background, but so far now dice. You can use QuickNews (formerly Hand/RSS) to download on a set interval like Snapper or VersaMail which can be handy. It also works through hostsync…
That said, I’ve been using RSS much much less on my mobile since I spend so much time in front of the computer anyway. If I was back traveling again, I think I’d be right there with you.
Surprising you don’t do IMAP given the advantages of filing and message status and what I presume must be a demanding travel schedule for you. POP is way too annoying when you return to your desk… you have to re-read/scan and file everything.