Sprint PCS Treo 650 PDA Camera Phone Review

I ordered my Sprint PCS Treo 650 and it was delivered within days. I was replacing my older Sprint Samsung I300 which is another Palm PDA phone but uses the older Palm III OS and has no camera. I really wanted a camera phone but needed a PDA with calendar and contact information to get my Outlook data synchronized with my PDA. When the Treo 650 came out with the camera phone and Palm V PDA I knew it was time to retire the I300. I initial impression is that this is one easy to use phone. It has a built in tour that will make you a phone expert within minutes. I went from poking around with the built in stylus to running the thing one handed from the arrow and button pad. The Qwerty keyboard is amazingly fast and moving from application to application is seamless. The only thing I wish it did better was give you a quick shot button to activate the camera. The best I could figure was to put the camera icon in on the main screen and then get real good at running that app and snapping the shot. The camera also functions as a video recorder and you can save video and pictures to a SD memory card if you purchase one separately. Setup of the phone was easy, simply drop the CD-Rom in your PC and let it load. Reboot and have the phone hooked up to your USB port and it will setup your Palm Desktop or Outlook synchronization. Installing applications is easy with the Palm installer that comes with the software.

The Treo is quite slim and the feel in your pocket is deceptively small. My I300 was slightly longer and maybe 1/4" thicker but felt like it took up my entire pocket. With the Treo 650 I worry about losing it because I'm used to a larger feel from my phone / PDA.

The camera on the trio is top notch for a camera phone and lets yo shut off the sound for stealth. No flash is available yet pictures come out well indoors.

Overall the Treo 650 performs the duties of a phone/PDA/Camera well enough to justify the $600.00 price tag.

All the major phone manufacturers are cashing in on the ever increasing market in camera phones. Companies such as Nokia, Siemens, Motorola and many more have seen their profits sore since the introduction of the camera cell phone. Many of the cell phone carriers are offering a free camera phone for new customers to their networks.

What are the benefits of owning a camera cell phone?

Yes the camera cell phone is a luxury and very affordable to buy but the there are many advantages to having such a phone. How many times have you been in a position where you wished “if only I had a camera” It’s easy to send a picture to friends or family who may live far away or overseas. Pictures saved on the camera can be easily uploaded to your home computer. Camera phones today offer high resolution photos with red eye reduction and different zoom options. You can take an excellent scenic photo and set it uniquely setup as your background image. The quality of the photo will depend on the type of phone you purchase but overall the camera phone is an excellent purchase.

Disadvantages of owning a camera cell phone:

Like everything there is always a downside. Camera cell phones have a number of disadvantages over standard cell phones. Firstly they are generally more expensive to buy. Sending photos to friends or family from your cell phone is a costly activity. You need to check with your cell phone carrier to see the rates. It is much more expensive than sending a general text. Sometimes the quality of the photo is not as clear as you may have expected. Some people find it difficult to focus the lens using the phone.

It can be costly if the lens gets cracked and needs to be replaced (some camera phone lens cannot be replaced and the whole phone will need to be changed)

Remember if you are purchasing a camera cell phone go the extra mile and get insurance. Unfortunately in today’s world they are the type of gadget that pick pockets only love.

What is the cheapest way to get a camera cell phone?

If you a new user to the mobile world check out the different cell phone promotions offered by the carriers such as Cingular, T-Mobile, Verizon and others. These types of companies will offer free camera phones if you sign up to their network. Generally the camera phone will not be the top of the range but certainly good enough for you to practice with as your first camera cell phone. Once you have been on the network (generally for 6 months to one year) you may be entitled to an upgrade / trade in (check with the carrier before you sign any contracts).

Photo and movies:

Apart from photos most camera cell phones can act as a mini camcorder. You generally get a 30 second movie feature with even the basic camera phone. You can even upload or sync the movie clip you have just created to your PC and transfer to the Internet or simply email it to friends or family. This feature is ideal for special occasions such as birthdays or even a wedding clip for those who cannot travel.

Overview:

The camera cell phone is by far the best seller on today’s market. Very popular with people of all ages. They are convenient and generally inexpensive to run (providing you do not abuse sending photos all the time to friends). If you are not at the level of a professional photographer and just want the party or fun pictures the camera cell phone is ideal, small and tidy to carry and mostly good quality pictures.

Remember to shop around for the best offers and ask the different carriers their rates for sending pictures MMS. You will be surprised at the different rates offered. Camera cell phones are also available as a prepaid cell phone but remember, prepaid cell phones a more expensive than one with line rental and MMS rates are generally very high per text.