Palm pushes Microsoft email onto new Treo 755p

Stuart Corner
Thursday, 10 May 2007 05:27

Your IT - Mobility

Palm has launched the Treo 755p, initially only on Sprint's US CDMA network, billing it as the first Palm OS based Treo with built-in Microsoft Direct push technology for email, and integrated Google Maps for Mobile.

The Treo 755p uses VersaMail 3.5.4 with built-in Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync support for Microsoft Direct Push Technology that delivers automatic updates to Outlook email. Palm suggest that companies can choose to eliminate costly third-party software and take advantage of their existing Exchange infrastructures. "Businesses connected to a Microsoft Exchange Server get fast, automatic wireless updates of email, calendar and contact information with added IT security and remote manageability."

This puts it into competition with Research in Motion's Blackberry, and devices running BlackBerry software, Nokia's Intellisync technology  and Good Technology, recently acquired by Motorola.  For dedicated emailers, the 755p has a full qwerty keyboard - a feature spurned by Apple CEO Steve Jobs when he launched the touch screen iPhone in January.

As a CDMA device it won't me much use in many parts of the world, but you can be sure that a GSM/3G equivalent will be in the pipeline.

The Treo 755p ships with Google Maps built into the ROM enabling users can get directions; perform local searches; and view moveable/scalable maps, satellite imagery, and traffic updates while on the go.

Users are also able to watch mobile video directly on the Treo 755p. Sprint offers more than 50 channels of live and on-demand content, including CNN, FOX, ESPN, The Weather Channel, MTV, E! and The Cartoon Network;(3)

The device can also be used as a wireless laptop modem via its USB or bluetooth interfaces.. it ships with a 1.3-megapixel digital camera and video recorder, and applications to organise and share photos.