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NOTE: Back in March of this year, I posted an Article here called, iPhone Vs. Treo. This article was picked up by several major web sites! About a week after it was posted, a hacker accessed my site through a photo album viewer and deleted EVERYTHING! This article was one I hadn't backed up! Since I have learned a little bit more about the iPHone, I felt it time to re-write this article. ____________________________________________________________________________ So just which one is better? This is a hard one! Both of these devices have their strengths and weaknesses! So I am going to attempt to break down those strengths and weaknesses and help you decide! I would suggest you pick 4-5 topics that are most important to you. We are still waiting on the ultimate converged device! You won't find it in a Treo, an iphone, a Nokia or a device from HTC! Lets get started: - Edge Connection - This is currently all that is available to the iPhone. So if your looking at a Palm OS Treo on Sprint or Verizon's network, then this one without a doubt goes to the Treo. If your looking at an AT&T Palm Treo, then, this one is a tie
- Photos- Palm's OS out of the box is lacking to say the least in the photo department! Resco Viewer greatly enhances the Treo's ability with Photos, but it doesn't compare to what the iPhone gives you out of the box!
- Videos- The Treo does a great job with Movies and the free add-on TCMP, but it can't compare to the iPhone and its interface!
- Music - Remember, the people who built the iPod, built the iPhone! This one is a no brainer
- Email- Apple's implementation leaves much to be desired! So does Palm's! However, with the Palm, you have the Chatteremail option! And with Chatter as an add-on, this one easily goes to Palm! With the iPhone, you have no options, but to live with it!
- IM Apps! The only way to use apps such as AIM and ICQ is to go online with an iPhone. The Palm Treo offers free IM apps as well as purchased ones. This one goes to Palm.
- Text Input! I don't care how comfortable you get with Apple's way to get text into the device, it will never be as good as a tactile keyboard
- Screen size! The iPhone has a beautiful screen! The Treo's is attractive until compared to the iPhone! Apple all the way on this one.
- Web Browsing- The iPhone has a full version of Safari on it! The Treo uses Blaizer! The iPhone supports Java and YouTube. The Treo doesn't! The iPhone wins this one easily!
- WiFi - The iPhone does it, the Treo Doesn't. By the way, WM and Symbian do it also! Whats the deal Palm?
- Extend Capabilities! The Treo has been around longer and is much more open to 3rd party stuff! Presently, you can do much more with a Treo than you can an iPhone.
- $ vs Performance. Are you kidding me? The iPhone is way overpriced when compared to other smartphones on the market. In fact, one could argue that the iPhone is not even a smartphone at all! More of an entertainment device that does phone calls. It might be different if it were better than all other competition, but its not. Its stronger in its media implementation and its User Interface, but not in email and PIM functions. Give this one to the Treo
- Google Maps - This implementation is slightly better than Palm's implementation.
- The ability to sync with Outlook- The iPhone doesn't have this ability! This one goes to the Treo
- Battery Life. Neither are stellar in this department, but the iPhone seems to be slightly better than the new Treo's
- The cool factor- Although some might call you stupid for paying $400 for an iPhone, when the $100 Centro does much more for less, most would agree that the iPhone is hipper than the Treo
- User Interface! The iPhone has it down! Palm's very aged OS looks so 1990! iPhone without a doubt! Let me expand with this example for you Windows People. The iPhone looks like Vista ultimate and the Treo looks like Windows 3.1
- Streaming TV- The iPhone is not capable on Edge! Neither is the Palm Treo on Edge! But a Treo on Sprint or Verizon is very capable and Sprint has a lot of options around its streaming video service.
- Steaming Audio. More options for the Treo than currently available to Apple's pretty much closed to developers OS
- Picture taking! If your looking to do snapshots, then this one probably falls to the iPhone. If you need the ability to do movies, better pick up a Treo. The iPhone doesn't do moving pictures.
- Freeware! There is a multitude of free stuff for the Palm Treo. Apple's unwillingness to open their OS hinders this and this is a shame!
- The Future! I am sorry Palm, but I seriously doubt your ability to survive! You started this whole thing with an innovative hardware design and a very simple OS interface that served you well. Then you sat there! For 10 years, you sat there! Apple on their very first try brought to market an interface that was different and exciting. It was beautiful to look at! Palm, you have seen the errors of your ways, but I am thinking it might be too late . . . Your idea of innovation has been to offer a Treo in Pink! It pains me to say this, but it might be time to ask Ed Colligan and Jeff Hawkins to disappear! The Foleo is the only reason you need! I promise that Apple is well aware of shortcommings I have pointed out above, and I am betting that most will be addressed with the next version of the iPhone! Apple on the other hand, needs to realize that they would be much more successful if they opened their platform to third party persons to create and expand this device! If not, they will learn the hard way when Google's Android OS starts showing up along with all kinds of apps to extend it! And if this happens with Jobs and company still thinking they have to control the whole user experience, Apple will be the next company reporting quarterly loses! Wake up guys! This isn't in your best interest! Please don't try to apply DRM for telephones as you are trying to do with itunes music! You are going to lose the music battle eventually, and you will lose this one also!
The best advice I can give you is this: If entertainment possibilities are more important to you than having a calendar, alarms and email, then the clear winner is the iPhone! If email, text messaging, IM apps are more important, then the Treo wins out! The Treo is capable of movies and music, but not near as capable as the iPhone. The iPhone is capable of email and Calendar functions, but doesn't do it near as good as the Treo. I hope this helps . . .
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