Customer Reviews

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5 star:		(23)
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2 star:		(10)
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Don't let the photos available on the TREO 90 fool you, they cannot show just how small this product actually is. Until I held one in my hand, I expected it to be much larger in size and feel. Not so. The TREO 90 truly is a marvel of design and function. I must admit that losing the graffiti function put me off a bit, but as many others have noted, after a little practice, input via the keyboard is every bit as quick as using graffiti -- and I would venture to say even faster. My biggest gripe about all the previous PDA's I have used in the past was the ability (or lack thereof) to properly recognize what I was writing in the graffiti box...I was constantly having to stop what I was writing, back-up and RE-WRITE a particular character, sometimes over and over again in order to get it correct...even though I WAS writing exactly as it was supposed to be written.
This remains my #1 problem with using PDA's, and I must admit for some reason, the Handspring products were MUCH better at graffiti recognition than the Palm products I used (which I can't explain since they both use the exact same software for this). Well I am happy to say this is a problem of the past with the miniature keyboard provided with the TREO 90. A little intimidating -- at first. If this is the only concern you have about purchasing this product, do NOT let that keep you from making the buy. It is surprisingly sturdy and I was also amazed at how I wasn't constantly hitting buttons nearby as I typed in data. VERY useful, if you ask me.

Another leap for Handspring was recognizing that the Springboard modules they had previously been using with their other PDA's was outdated (and I might add overpriced, too) and moved UP to the amazingly productive and versatile multi media cards which are incredibly small (especially compared with the Springboard modules) and definitely seem to be the wave of the future. The color screen really is rather impressive considering how tiny this unit is. Sure it only supports 4,000 colors compared with 65,000 available with the Palm m515, but seriously, by comparing these products side-by-side, you would be hard pressed to see the difference...although your pocketbook definitely WOULD see a HUGE difference ... . The standard 16mb of memory is also a great move up, too. In taking on the Palm m515 head-to-head I would have to give the edge to the TREO in a BIG way. Where the Palm has the lead is in offering OS 4.1 where the TREO still uses OS 3.5. This can be a problem, but one in which I understand Handspring will be correcting in the very near future, and from what I can tell, doesn't effect the use of the product at all -- yet. If this becomes a problem in the future, I certainly WILL bring it up in a re-vision of my review.

Overall, Handspring has managed to leapfrog ahead of Palm (for a change) and delivered literally the smallest & lightest PDA available today (seriously, if there is one that offers this much at this price and is smaller, I'd like to see it) plus comes with the innovative miniature keyboard (instead of graffiti), standard 16mb internal memory, fast processor, color screen, a cover plate which you can see through (which is pretty cool, too), the multi media card expansion slot -- when you consider ALL of the options, you would be hard pressed to find a better PDA on the market today -- especially for the money. Very COOL indeed.

After years of using a paper organizer, (college and post-dorm life--WORK) I bought a Palm IIIe. I loved it so much I told myself, "I'll never go back to paper again." I didn't.

So here's a graffiti question: What's the point in using an organizer if you have to write your notes twice? Face it, the graffiti was tricky, at best. Even once you got it down pat, did you really think it would be used anywhere else? I didn't.

Sure you could buy a fold-up keyboard, lug it and your PDA to meetings. But why do that? I didn't.

Enter my new Treo 90. I find that the SD slot alone is a plus. I hated the "springboard-thing" anyway. (Yes, I had a Visor, and returned it within 2 days) I love my Treo 90! The keyboard is small; so is the PDA--that's the beauty of it! The color screen does look better on the Palm m515 but are you going to pay and additional $100 just for that? The amount of space is outstanding. The speed is amazing. And the resolution is really not bad for having less colors. Another nice touch is the see-through-flip-up cover.

To all the reviewers who think this is "limited." If you want to listen to MP3s, stare at photos and call your friends on one device, go buy the Nokia 9290 Communicator + the Sony CLIE.

Answer these questions to help aid in your PDA decision:

- Do you have an older PDA?
- Did you hate having to learn graffiti?
- Did you hate to "re-write" your notes?
- Do you just want to keep track of dates, numbers?
- Want to quickly add a note or two?
- Want to get news web-clips in color?
- Want to edit a Word documents w/o the need of another "typing device"?
- Do you have a mobile phone?
- Do you have a CD or CD/MP3 player?

Saying yes to 2 or more of the above question means the Treo 90 is the PDA for you.

Handspring has almost got it right with this PDA. The Treo 90 enters a saturated PDA market but here are the features that make the Treo 90 stand out:
* Built-in Keyboard - a feature that puts Handspring in a category almost by itself - RIM being the other company that has a built-in keyboard in their devices and Sony who recently added a keyboard to their high-end and expensive CLIE NR-70
* Color screen - same resolution and brightness as Palm's m130 and m515
* 16 MB RAM - Handspring started this trend with the Visor Pro last year and its competitors are still playing catch up in this area
* Secure Digital Card slot - Handspring is aligning itself (finally!) with an industry standard type of expandable media, thus dropping the Springboard expansion ability that was part of the VISOR line and perhaps sending it to its death
* Weight - at 4 oz., it is the lightest PDA out there
* Price -... and with the features above, Handspring should have a winner on their hands

The only drawback that I have found is that the current Palm 4.1H OS does not support SD I/O - i.e. you can't buy and use the Palm Bluetooth Card on it yet. Although, Handspring has said that they could release an OS update that would allow the Treo 90 to use this technology.

All-in-all, the Treo 90 from Handspring should stand out and make other take notice with its feature set and price and should offer excellent competition for the Palm m130. And in the end, competition is best for the consumer as it drives companies to produce better products.

I just purchased my Treo 90 last week. What a great price for such a feature packet PDA. I have previously owned a Palm V and a Compaq IPAQ(color). I have to say that the Treo 90 has advantages over both! The Palm V was great, but obviously low on memory at 2mb. The IPAQ had a brilliant color screen, but it was so large that I found myself using it less and less as time passed. It was too bulky to carry in my pocket. The Treo 90 is really small and has a nice plastic protective flip cover. It can easily be carried in a shirt pocket or pants pocket without even noticing it's there.

The keyboard is very easy to use. I have very large hands and have no problem at all using it. I also occassionally use the handwriting recognition software that came with it. 90% of the time it's the keyboard.

The color screen is very nice. Not as brilliant as the IPAQ, but very acceptable. The backlight works great in practically any conditions.

My requirements were pretty simple:
1. small size
2. color display
3. plenty of memory
4. keyboard (I don't like handwriting recognition)

The Treo 90 was the only unit that fit all of those requirements. Palm M130 - nice but kind of bulky and only 8mb. IPAQ - too expensive and too big. Sony Clie - very nice but a lot more expensive.

The Treo 90 rocks!

This is my 4th PDA I've owned from the original Palm Pilot to the Palm III to IIIxe to Treo 90 and without a doubt the Treo is by far the best.

Screen:
I love the color screen - it is much more pleasant to read than the monochrome screens and I've made good use of converting personal pictures into a photo album by downloading the fireviewer product and converting digital pictures to the treo.
When you are out in the sun it is pretty much unreadable but this is true of most color screens(this is why I gave the unit 4 stars instead of 5).

Memory:
The 16mb onboard beats just about all of the PDAs in its price class plus it gives you a MMC slot to add an additional 128mb of storage for maps, pictures, or games.

Keyboard:
Nobody else has it except Sony so if you don't like grafiti or can just type a lot faster with your thumbs this is the way to go.
The thumb keyboard is at least 3 times faster for typing notes or emails and the shortcuts allow you to avoid using the stylus most of the time.

Case:
The case is nicely designed and the see through cover is a great idea. I've heard some complaints that the bottom buttons aren't covered but you can lock the keys which should keep you from having any problems if you keep the unit in your pocket.

Handspring continues to define new ground with its Palm-based handhelds. But, frankly, the Treo 90 isn't "the PDA you've been waiting for." Here's why:

- The color screen is a nice break from monochrome, but the resolution still clearly lags that of the Windows-based devices. Specifically, the Treo 90 only displays roughly 4000 colors vs. 65,000 colors for other Palm O/S-based devices. Visually, I was disappointed, especially when comparing it side-by-side with an iPaq or Journada. And if you're not accessing Web sites or storing pictures of your kids, you're not getting your money's worth for a color PDA.
- It runs on an older version of the Palm O/S (a Handspring-adapted version of Palm 3.5), which may limit your ability to take full advantage of more recently introduced or upcoming applications.
- You can't input data through graffiti, only through the Blackberry-like keyboard (on which you use your thumbs to type). It takes some getting used to, but you'll be a pro in a few weeks. And despite how small and compact the keys are, I was surprised how firm they are and how few times I depressed an adjacent key by accident. You'll have no more errors than with the imperfect graffiti recognition system. Still, I have gotten pretty handy with a stylus and since you need the stylus to scroll down pages or select certain menu options anyway, it makes switching to input data a bit awkward.

As I stated above, the Treo 90 does introduce some features that make it worth a look, especially if you don't own a PDA yet:
- It is the thinnest and lightest basic handheld on the market and even compared to my Palm Vx, I was impressed with the "footprint" - you could stick this thing anywhere to carry it.
- It has an expansion slot (though not a Springboard slot, which Handspring is apparently abandoning). This Secure Digital slot allows you to add a few features, such as photos or memory-intensive games. But it can't make the Treo 90 a cell phone and won't play MP3s.
- The flip cover protects the screen while allowing you to view the screen's content. You can view the basic applications (calendar, address book, etc.) by using the shortcut buttons, but inputting requires you to flip open the cover.

As I said, I own a Palm Vx and I am waiting for a few things before upgrading. First and foremost is version 5.0 (I may even wait for version 5.1) of the Palm O/S, which is due out this Fall. That version will be able to better handle email from various sources and will be able to access Web sites in their native presentation, not altered as Web clippings for Palm users. I'd also prefer Blackberry-like always-on email and instant messaging functionality, which the Palm i705 currently offers. And my hope is that the new O/S supports a better resolution color screen. So, I'm passing on the Treo 90. If you don't own any PDA, this one might fit the bill, though I think you'd be better advised to go very low end (Palm m105/125 or Handspring Visor Neo or Edge) to start.

I was extremely happy with my Treo 90, until two weeks into purchase and the stylus holder lost its grip. Now the stylus will fly out and can be easily lost. Other than this, the manufacture looks fair, however materials appear flimsy compared to my Palm IIIx. Plastic is thin, which allows for the extreme light weight and small size. Screen is bright and clear. Perhaps not as many colors as Palm or Sony, but I'd much rather have compact size than a clunky replica of my PC. Shame on Handspring for only partially honoring their warranty. I did not expect to have to pay for shipping to the repair center, for a product that broke two weeks from purchase. Handspring told me they would have replaced the product, including shipping, had it broke within 10 days from purchase. That's pretty lame! I like the Treo 90, but I expect better treatment from a company selling me a PDA. This will be my last Handspring product. The fact that my Treo broke is annoying. The fact that Handspring refused to fix this annoyance to my satisfaction is unforgivable!

I've had this unit for about 3 weeks now and I am pretty happy with my purchase. I originally wanted a PDA for just a diary and address book but I am now sold on the other capabilities of this little device. Its especially useful when traveling as I can keep all my hotel/flight etc information in one place. I am also glad I have 16 M of memory as I have used over 10 M already!

The Treo 90s good points:

1. Its light enough to carry around in a purse or a coat pocket (especially good for women in my opinion!)

2. The power supply (to recharge the battery) can handle 240 v (important for traveling to Europe Oz etc).

3. The battery life is good.

4. Unlike other ppl I have had no problems with the stylus falling out or the unit turning itself on.

The Treo 90s failings:

1. The screen resolution is LOW.. compared to the Sony Clie PEG-SJ30 its just awful. I am annoyed that in Handspring's info sheet on this model they show a lovely color picture on the screen. There is no way a photo would look anything like that on this screen. If you read the small print on the bottom of the sheet they state "screen images simulated". Buyer beware.

2. Home key needs two keystrokes.. don't underestimate how annoying this is!

3. Does not come with a cradle so you have to fuss around with cords all over your desktop.

Apart from this I am reasonable happy with the Treo and I would recommend it if reasonably priced.

One of the problems i had with earlier Palm PDAs is that I could never figure out the graffiti. Although you can buy a keyboard add-on to PDAs from Palm, why not just have it built-in to begin with? That's exactly what Handspring did, and this is the reason they're going to be so successful. They are not only listening to what the customer wants, but they are also thinking of what we need without us having to say so. The Treo 90 is a slim and useful tool. I also like how they placed the numbers of the key, because unlike the Blackberry it is very clear where the numbers are so when I want to input someone's phone number I don't have to struggle so much with it. Another plus is flip cover, because unlike the palm III, you can now see the screen with the cover on it. It's great! Now, the only thing it doesn't have is the cell phone, but I guess you'll just have to get the Treo 270!

After owning almost a dozen PDA's since the first Palm, my search for PDA utopia continues after two months with the Handspring Treo 90. Please note that my view is based on current market prices. Any implied criticism in my review is tempered with the realization that this unit initially was priced at $299, so the current Amazon price represents and incredible value, but other PDA prices have declined substantially as well.

Pros: The keyboard's letter area is functional, but the need to hit an awkward two button combination to access the number pad is very disappointing.

The treo 90 is an amazingly small and light unit.
Cons:

Battery life seems adequate.

Cons:

Palm OS really is not very intuitive anymore in the age of PDA multitasking. The inability to quickly access all programs is very primitive considering that many professionals use their PDAs to access Power point presentations, complex spreadsheets, and other programs.

The lower screen resolution is very disappointing after experiencing the size of several Clie and Pocket PC PDAs.

Perhaps most importantly, the most innovative feature of this unit, the keyboard integration, is a complete disaster. It is very difficult to open information or creat new entries without the stylus. This was a huge disappointment for me.

In my bag, the treo continually turned itself on. That is inexcusable because my bag is not over stuffed and the treo was in a separate section.

This has to be one of the worst power buttons ever created. It feels very hard to turn on and off, and because the feel is poor, after clicking on it you wonder if you actually accomplished the task of powering the unit.
.

In conclusion, if you are an individual that primarily "stores" information in your PDA, this unit will be great: it's inexpensive, small and light, and does use a keyboard as it's only input mode.

After using this unit, I yearned for Grafiti, although I've always considered it slow and unnecessarily inaccurate.

If you are someone that has uses their PDA throughout the day, i.e., a power user, you will be very disappointed. I certainly am.