Why I Love My TREO 680

I love almost anything that PALM makes, I hopethe preaching of the pastor, I just look it up in the
they are not going to abandon the PALM platforminstalled electronic Bible to find the verses he is
and focus on windows mobile as what I have heard.referring to. (I do this secretly though because he
Being pioneers of PDAs industry (Personal Digitalmight think that I am sending a text message)
assistant) I can clearly see that they have masteredWatching Boston Legal and the actors are using
their craft.words that you are not familiar with? No problem I
For those of you who has still no idea as to what Ihave a 140,000 + words dictionary installed. It even
am talking about, let me start from the beginning. Inhas a thesaurus. Being a Star Trek fan, I keep track
this fast paced world that we live in, we carryof all the Star Trek episodes through a Star Trek
around a lot of stuff. We have our organizers, to doepisode database. I also have the database for the
list, notes, other printed materials necessary for ourworld's most wanted among others. (Who knows I
jobs, pictures, other items that makes it possible tomight catch one running down the street and claim
do our jobs. A PDA is simply a small device thatmy reward money) Need to check the Civil Code for
makes it possible for you to carry all of those stuffa case? No problem. This device allows me lets me
in one little device.access my codals at the palm of my hand. No need
The TREO 680 is not only a PDA, it is also a mobileto carry all of those thick codals around. I have all of
phone and a multi-media device as well. It doesmy codals from the Administrative Code to the Tax
everything you want imaginable. (Probably everything,reform act in my TREO. I can even view
except make coffee) Well at least for me. I don'tjurisprudence. I will talk more about how to put
know for some people, they might have some needscodals in your PDA - Cellphone in my next post. This
that might not be met by this device.is not only for TREO devices but for all electronic
Well I am not going to discuss to you all the technicalgadgets as well.
specifications or the standards functions as to why I8.) Internet Access - Internet access on the TREO
love this gadget. Doing that would just duplicate what680 may not be as fast as high speed DSL but it is
the PALM website is doing. If you want to knowdefinitely faster than dial up. You might be asking
more about what the technical specification or thewhy I would access the internet on such a small
standard features of the device is, then you shoulddevice. Well I really don't do it frequently. I only do it
check out the PALM website.for emergencies. Besides Smart GPRS (internet
What I am going to talk about here is how thisaccess for mobile phones in the Philippines) charges
gadget has helped me personally. Considering myonly P 10.00 every 30 minutes if I am not mistaken.
busy lifestyle you can truly see why I love my TREOThere was I time when I was in Manila and I was
680.looking for the telephone number of a certain
1.) Integrated device - The device has all I need. Iestablishment. I just access the internet through,
use to carry a PDA (I graduated from the papersearch for the establishment and viola! I then got the
organizers to electronic ones) and a mobile phone.establishment's telephone number. There was also
But with this gadget I only carry one device.one time when I was talking to a colleague about a
2.) Audio files - When I was still a law student, I usecertain case while we were driving to northern Cebu.
this gadget to listen to review lectures by bar examI needed to convince him that there was a certain
reviewers. If I get bored listening to them, I listen tojurisprudence regarding a matter that we discussed.
music. It has a built in music player called pTUNESSince I remember the citation but I want to read to
that plays MP3 files. If you don't like pTUNES youhim the Supreme Court decision, I searched for the
could download another free player, just do a googlesaid jurisprudence via the internet function. I can also
search. By the way, PALM OS applications has moreaccess emails, however I only tested this function if
than 25,000 plus of free applications. And that wasit is possible. But I never used it in a practical way
last year when I last checked. The number of freesince I prefer reading my email on a desktop. But
PALM OS applications could double by now.using this gadget to send and receive email messages
3.) PDA functions - The PDA functions are so simple.is possible.
With just one click I am brought to my calendar,9.) Storage - It has about 69 MB of built in memory.
contacts, task etc. Some PDA-mobile phones haveYou might say that it is quite small. You have to
very complicated PDA functions that you need tounderstand that the average TREO application is less
press so many buttons to just input a simplethan 1 mb. With all the capabilities I have mentioned
schedule. But with this gadget everything is so simpleyou might be surprised that I have used only less
and fast. Add to the fact that this device has a fullthan 20 MB of my built in memory. I still have 50 mb
QWERTY "thumb" board. Instead of bringing a huge+ of memory free. That's because all of the books,
organizer in court when I schedule my hearings, I justdocuments, pictures, videos are stored in 1 GB SD
input the hearing dates electronically. Since I regularcard that doubles as a USB flash drive as well. So
sync with my PC there would be no problems if thiswhen I want to save files from another computer, I
would get lost (God forbid) as I have a back up indon't have to bring a memory stick anymore. I can
my PC. It's just one thing that a paper basedjust get my SD memory card and stick it in the USB
organizer can never do.port of the computer. Believe it or not I bought this
4.) Documents viewer - I use this gadget to viewthing in Hong Kong for only P 700+ (Philippine Peso)
almost all types of document files. During my idle10.) Other quirks - Other stuff that can be done with
times, like when I am waiting for someone, I just itthe TREO 680 is to convert stuff like lbs to kilos, cm
on and read a.pdf file on internet marketing or anto meters. etc. through an application called
article on something else. The built in DATAVIZ"converter", I can also type just 1 message and send
DOCUMENTS TO GO let's me view Microsoft Word,it to a group of people such as my Lex Pareto team,
Excel and even power point presentations. You willthe Executive core of my company and other teams
have to install the free Adobe Acrobat reader forthat I work with through an application called "Group
PALM OS to read.pdf files.Text." I used to read news through through an
5.) Working - I use a PALM keyboard (Purchasedapplication called AvantGO wherein the news is
separately) to type a document. Personally, I thinkupdated every time I sync it with my PC. That way
this is so much better than carrying a huge laptopI don't have to spend for internet connection via my
with only about an hour or 2 of battery power.mobile phone company just to update the news.
Although I seldom use this feature, I find it useful atHowever I deleted AvantGO since I did not have
times. I was hoping that PALM would push its FOLEOtime anymore to read the news since I became very
product, the full screen TREO companion but to mybusy. I use it as an alarm clock to wake up in the
disappointment they pulled it out of the market.morning. It also reminds me of my schedule because
Contrary to what most people think, I believe theit sounds off an alarm 30 minutes before an event
FOLEO is a great idea.takes place. There's an application called World
6.) Multimedia capabilities - Practicing law is only partPopulation Clock that shows me how much the world
of what I do. I wear several hats at the same time. Ipopulation is growing by every second and how
also have a thing for interior design. So when I go tomany died during the tragic events of history. But
buildings with unique interior designs I just use thisthis application actually serves no purpose except
gadget to snap pictures. The built in camera may notwhen I use such statistics in speeches. You can also
reach 1 mega pixel, nevertheless it serves my needs.play games with it. However I am not much of a
I can also take videos with this. The ability to storegamer. The only game that I have on now is a game
pictures and videos is also one feature that I love. Icalled "jigsaw puzzle" which I really don't play with a
can show friends and relatives pictures and videos oflot. I used to play Text Twist on it, however I
my family among other things. Need to record adeleted it because people kept on borrowing my
voice memo? No problem, this gadget allows you tophone. Other cool things about it is sending files to
record voice memos. I sometimes use this to recordother devices through infrared and blue tooth. You
short lectures. When I was reviewing for the bar, Ican also use a Bluetooth headset if you wish. (I got a
spent hours in a study center. Sometimes I getfree one when I bought my TREO 600) but I never
bored reading all of those codal provisions. Myused it because I feel that I look silly when I put on
solution? Watch movies through a free applicationthe Bluetooth headset. Besides, I don't get a lot of
called TCMP.calls frequently.
7.) Electronic books - The trend today is to publish inThe best thing about my TREO 680? I got it for
electronic form. (I don't know if this is due tofree through a mobile phone company SMART
environmental reasons or just technologicalcommunications. You have to pay P 2,500.00
sophistication) In fact has produced an e-book reader(Philippine Peso) per month though. With all the stuff I
for $400.00. But why would I need to shell outcan do with it, I wouldn't trade it for anything else.
$400.00 when I have this gadget? When I go to(Except if PALM can come up with a more high tech
church on Sundays and Wednesdays and listen toTREO running on PALM O.