Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #12755 in Consumer Electronics
• Brand: Palm
• Model: Q150512
• Released on: 2008-09-09
• Dimensions: .26 pounds

Manufacturer's Description
Speak clearly. The new Palm Treo 500 smartphone lets you say what you want, how you want with phone, messaging, IM, email, and web in one simple device. No more code words or misunderstandings thanks to a full keyboard and a big, bright screen. So you can chat with a quick IM, browse the web or check your email. Organise your time and tasks. Play music, take pictures, and shoot video. Even work (if you have to). Stay in touch - simply - with the new Palm Treo 500 smartphone. Say what you want, how you want - make a call, check your email, send an instant message. Staying in touch is now so easy.

Box Contents

Customer Reviews

this phone is amazing
This is my first ever Palm based phone. Living in the UK, i prefer to stick to the usual Nokia, Samsung, and occassionally, a Sony Ericcson. However, after reading the Gossip Girl series and finding out that all the 'cool' kids had a Palm Treo, i decided to look on the website to see what all the fuss was about.
I immediatly fell in love with the pink Palm Centro- until i realised it was only avaliable in America- and wouldn't take my O2 sim card. I surfed the website until i came across the Treo 500. It looked awesome- I instantly wanted to buy it. After seeing it on Amazon, i sold my trusty Nokia 3250 Pink, and bought this. It was delivered two days later and I was careful not to rip it open and lose all the parts.
For my first ever Palm phone- i love it. I've only had it two hours and i already know how to do everything on it- i've transferred 15 songs, taken photos, sent messages, added people to my contacts and more. It is a easy access phone and i'm so glad i picked this one.
My only problem is the internet connection- i'm unsure of how to do this and there doesn't seem to be any help in the guides. But, overall, i would DEFINATLY recommend this phone to anybody!

Windows Mobile - a long way to go to match Palm OS
I agree with other comments that this smartphone is fine if you've not used a Palm OS system before. I bought this as I wanted to carry one device instead of phone/pda, it does most of what I want it to do, but nowhere near as easily as my Palm PDA. Endless menu's will get you where you want, yes there is a scroll icon menu at the top of most frequently used programs/functions, but annoyingly this is not customisable. I miss the quick, almost instant access to programs with the Palm software, also miss the quick note function. Calendar is clumsy to use, in a meeting recently my colleague had his new appointment entered within 30 seconds on his Palm and was on to the next point, whilst I was still tapping keys.
What I love about this device is the internet access and e-mail function.
Internet speed is as good as I expect it to be, I can send/receive e-mails on the go with Windows Live, receive e-mail from my personal e-mail accounts without using web-mail. Screen is huge and gives a great viewing area, I recommend getting a case as I 've scratched mine already.
Camera is very disappointing for a 2m, and you can't turn the embarassing shutter sound off unless your phone is set to silent, which is not helpful.
It does what I want it to do at the end of the day, but when my contract runs out I'm going back to a Palm OS device!

A Palm that isn't a Palm
Why they called this phone a Palm I don't know as it is actually a Windows Mobile 6 Standard (Smartphone) device. I previously used a Treo 600 but I wanted Bluetooth and 3G and a lighter phone I could realistically carry in my pocket. On those three counts the 500v fits the bill. The V is for Vodafone although you can get an unbranded one like the Amazon advertised version. They are identical apart from the logos which you don't notice after 5 minutes. Vodafone provides a nice carousel menu system that works quite well. For some bizarre reason the media world have got it in for Palm and are obsessed with Microsoft. The Palm OS and software is far superior to anything that any PocketPC system has ever produced and I really regret being forced to use this inferior system. Microsoft, as usual is killing off better systems.

You get a nice light good looking phone and if you have never used Palm you will be happy with the phone. Mine was unlocked and takes all SIMS including the 3 3G sim which I use to access the internet.

This is what it lacks compared with the old Treo 600:

No memo pad and pathetic Word/Excel software - ie no way to make simple off the cuff instant notes!
Camera takes 2 seconds from press to take photo! Video good.
No cut and paste!
Can't save web pages!
No user keyboard shortcuts ie that you can customise.
Only support Microsoft Outlook not Express.
No email threading! You can buy software that does threading.
Flaky Diary/Contacts system not updated since the ark (have to buy more software).
A micro-SD card under the battery which means you can't add a wifi SD card (very cheap now) as you could when the standard SD slot was accessed externally.

I really need the 3G and Bluetooth now so I'm stuck with it. It's OK but I wish it were a proper Palm. It's worth about £100 -£150. Please Palm, produce a 3G/Bluetooth/WiFi phone.