Crazy idea-Palm TX or Treo 680 WITHOUT phone service?

[Puppy]

I think I'm going to bite the bullet and order a new TX today...but I had the crazy thought...maybe instead I'd get a Treo 680 without phone service?

It's probably a completely stupid thought, but I thought I'd throw it out there.

-Can the Treo 680's phone be permanently shut off independent of the rest of the hardware?

-Can the Treo 680 use the regular dock and/or AC adapters/USB cables that the TX uses (I've got a bunch of spares I can use on the TX for sure).

-Can the 680 place calls to 911 without a SIM card? (I've never had a GSM phone, so even though cell phones can call 911 without service, I have no idea if they can do it without a SIM card).

The TX is $266 shipped, the Treo 680 is $350 (what I can get them for).

The TX has a bigger screen and can be made to use Graphiti, the 680 has a keyboard.

The TX is relatively bug free, but modern Palm OS standards Confused I have no idea about the 680.

Probably a silly idea, but any thoughts? If nothing else, maybe the 680 would be a PDA with the ability to dial 911 if I forget my cell phone?

[ahsirg]

1. yes
2. yes
3. yes

[asghar]

Without phone and SMS, the thing is a little too small for easy use. There is no WiFi and BT is not latest. Need a adapter to use standard headphones for music. Not worth it.

[docinthebox]

The Treo 680's phone is shut off if you don't have a SIM card in there.

The Treo 680 uses exactly the same AC adapter and cables as the TX.

I don't think you can place 911 calls without a SIM card. (By the way, you can get a T-Mobile ToGo SIM card on ebay for $10 pre-activated, and it comes with 150 minutes pre-loaded.)

You said the TX is relatively bug free. That's not true. If that's true, you wouldn't need any of Dimitri's apps. The Treo 680 uses the same Garnet 5.4.9 as the TX, but apparently with many bug fixes not retro-ported to the TX. For example, the "DBCache fragmentation error" has been fixed in the Treo 680. I've been running TomTom6 on my Treo 680 and never got that error anymore (whereas I got that all the time on my TX).

Get the Treo 680. You'll regret if you get a TX at this time when it's already late in the product cycle of the TX. I think Palm will concentrate on the Treo from now on and the TX will become obsolete not too long from now.

[Puppy]

That's an interesting idea about getting a prepaid SIM (if it can't dial 911 without it).

It's great to know it can use the same adapters and cradles too!

I actually never got that "DBCache fragmentation error" that I can remember on my TX. I *HATE* how Palm doesn't bother updating the OS across their product line though! Doesn't surprise me at all that the 680 has newer software. (I have no idea why the E2 doesn't get the same software loadout as the TX for example.)

But...yeah, the screen's smaller, and I think I'd prefer Grafiti 1 over a mini keyboard. So probably the TX (or possibly the Z22 that I'm now toying with) would make more sense for me.

[shsmith]

I got a treo 650 for about $80 on ebay and have hardly used my TX at all since then.

The 650 does quite well compared to a TX. The main downside is small flash (zlink works around this), no wifi (bluetooth DUN still lets me check email and browse the web at home and work) and small screen.

The pluses are keyboard (better than grafiti any day) and speed (the treo's flash is about twice as fast as the TX). I think the battery life is a bit better as well.

I'm sure the 680 would be way better than the 650, with it's newer firmware, bigger dbcache and bigger flash.

http://www.1src.com/forums/showthread.php?t=127843

[Puppy]

Do you use Docs to Go much? How annoying would the spreadsheet portion be? I like Graffiti 1...

I was just about to pull the trigger on my second TX, but now this has me thinking again, since you've actually done almost exactly what I'm talking about, with just using one as a PDA. But still, $84 more for similar hardware but a smaller screen and keyboard entry (which I don't think I'd be a fan of)...

Dang, I wish I could activate a 755p on US Cellular!

[Tam Hanna]

Hi,
I used my 680 very much until it broke...

Battery life is ok; camera is usable; the keyboard is the real zinger if you come from a Grafitti or Grafitti2 PDA..

I'd definitely go for the Treo...especially now that they offer you free GPS in Austria with each Treo.

[asghar]

For example, the "DBCache fragmentation error" has been fixed in the Treo 680. I've been running TomTom6 on my Treo 680 and never got that error anymore (whereas I got that all the time on my TX).


Running TomTom5 on Treo 650, oh my God, this DBCache error is so annoying. Good to know that Palm addressed it.

Did they fix the auto lock issues for the Treo at a pre-set time?

[docinthebox]

Running TomTom5 on Treo 650, oh my God, this DBCache error is so annoying. Good to know that Palm addressed it.

Did they fix the auto lock issues for the Treo at a pre-set time?

Can you briefly describe what the auto lock issues are? I'm not exactly sure.

[asghar]

Under security there is an option for "Auto Lock Device," I have that set "at a preset time" but the device does not lock at that.

[p_boucher]

For me, no wifi - dealbreaker. The real power of the treos is it's phone use. Otherwise, the bigger TX screen was better for me. I wouldn't consider a phoneless treo a viable option.

My 2¢.

[Puppy]

I don't use Wifi at all, so it wasn't a consideration for me. But I ended up just ordering another TX anyway, since it was $80 or so cheaper, and I wasn't sure for sure how well the Treo 680 would work for me as just a PDA.

I'm glad they've at least got one that cheap without a phone contract. It'll give me a plausible option if they discontinue making stand alone units entirely.

[asghar]

Just like getting a phone without a camera is getting very difficult, you might be right that getting a phone without a PDA is going to follow soon.