Switched On: A Pearl in the Palm

By Ross Rubin | November 29, 2006

Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about technology, multimedia, and digital entertainment:

Most consumers prefer a mobile phone with an integrated antenna to one with a small stub protruding from a corner, silently awaiting its ideal window in which to poke them. Yet, for Palm, which has been on a hot streak with its methodically evolving Treo line, the process of integrating the antenna was far from a no-brainer. According to CEO Ed Colligan when he introduced the Treo 680 that recently became available through Cingular, Palm worked carefully to ensure that reception was at least as good with an integrated antenna as with the stub antenna and had finally succeeded.

Palm relayed this bit of Treo trivia to exemplify its commitment to preserve a good user experience even in the face of competitive pressures or fashion fads. Another such example is the trend toward sleek, slim smartphones such as the Motorola Q or T-Mobile Dash. The Treo 680’s sculpted exterior slightly reduces its profile, but the phone still appears chunky compared to the pocket-friendly profiles of some competitors. Critics are vocal in wanting a thinner Treo or other smartphone from Palm, but are silent in acknowledging the reduced battery time that would likely mean.

Should Palm be commended for its convictions or persecuted for its pigheadedness? For now, high-mindedness is yielding high returns. Contrary to many reports, the Treo 680 is not aimed at consumers per se, but rather at a wider net of mobile professionals. Palm has sweetened the deal in more ways than one by adding candy-colored shells to its venerable design.

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