Palm's Treo lineup merged PDA functionality with mobile phone hardware, offering keyboards or handwriting input, email, and cellular data on ARM-based devices. Notable models included the Treo 90, 180/180g, 600 and the 700 series. Treos were influential in the transition from PDAs to modern smartphones and are discontinued, now appearing on secondary markets.

What the Treo was

The Treo was a line of handheld devices from Palm (and its predecessor Handspring) that combined a personal digital assistant (PDA) and a mobile phone into a single pocket computer. Launched in the early 2000s, Treo models put a full keyboard or handwriting input, email and calendar, and mobile voice/data in the same device - a design that influenced later smartphones.

Key features and capabilities

Treo phones ran Palm's familiar PDA software on many models, while other variants used alternative operating systems. They offered the typical mid-2000s mobile features: cellular voice calling (GSM and CDMA variants), mobile data (GPRS, EDGE, EV-DO on some models), Bluetooth, a built-in camera on later models, and support for third-party applications.

Hardware by today's standards was modest: ARM-based processors and memory measured in the low hundreds of megahertz and tens of megabytes, respectively. Treos used rechargeable lithium-ion batteries and included physical QWERTY keyboards or handwriting input (Graffiti) depending on the model.

Notable Treo models

  • Treo 90: An early PDA-phone variant aimed at users who wanted Palm's PDA features plus basic phone connectivity.
  • Treo 180 / 180g: One of the early flip-style Treos. The 180g version added Palm's Graffiti handwriting recognition while the other had a thumb keyboard.
  • Treo 600: A compact model that blended a color Palm OS PDA with phone capabilities and a five-way navigation button.
  • Treo 700 series: Mid-2000s models that added faster network options and wireless features. The 700 line included variants running Palm OS and variants running Microsoft's Windows Mobile.
(Exact model-year details and operating-system assignments varied by carrier and country.)

Legacy and availability

Treo devices were important stepping stones between PDAs and modern smartphones. Palm shifted strategy toward new platforms later in the decade, and Treo production wound down as touchscreen-driven platforms and webOS/other successors emerged. Today Treos are discontinued; you can find units on secondary markets and among collectors.

Why Treo mattered

Treo devices made mobile email, calendar syncing and near-desktop productivity portable at a time when most phones focused on voice and simple messaging. Their combination of PDA-style software and phone hardware influenced both handset design and user expectations for always-connected mobile computing.
  1. Confirm the date Handspring merged into Palm and whether Handspring originally developed the Treo line.
  2. Verify which specific Treo models ran Palm OS vs Windows Mobile (for example, Treo 700w vs 700p).
  3. Confirm when Palm officially discontinued the Treo line and the timeline of Palm's later platform shifts and ownership changes.

FAQs about Treo Cell Phone

When were Treo phones popular?
Treo phones were most popular in the early to mid-2000s, when combining PDA features and phone hardware became a compelling solution for mobile professionals.
Did all Treo models run the same operating system?
No. Many Treos ran Palm's Palm OS, but some variants - notably in the 700 series - used other platforms such as Microsoft's Windows Mobile. Exact OS assignments varied by model and carrier.
Are Treo phones still sold new?
No. Treo devices are discontinued. You can still find used units and parts on secondary marketplaces and in collector communities.
What made Treo influential?
Treo devices combined PDA-style productivity (email, calendar, third-party apps) with phone hardware and reliable mobile data, establishing patterns of always-on, mobile productivity that informed later smartphones.

News about Treo Cell Phone

Palm Treo 750 - Review 2007 - PCMag UK [Visit Site | Read More]

Round Robin Review: CrackBerry goes Palm Treo Pro - CrackBerry [Visit Site | Read More]

Palm Treo 650 (Verizon Wireless) review: Palm Treo 650 (Verizon Wireless) - CNET [Visit Site | Read More]

Sprint Treo 650 Smartphone from PalmOne – Cell Phones: Reviews - Outside Magazine [Visit Site | Read More]

Palm OS phones were Android before there was Android - Android Police [Visit Site | Read More]

Palm's Treo 650 goes global - NBC News [Visit Site | Read More]

Palm Treo Pro Smartphone Review - The Gadgeteer [Visit Site | Read More]