I've always liked PDAs, but on their own -- like Stevie Nicks, Susanna Hoffs and Steve Perry -- they never reached their full potential. Handspring's Tréo 270 represents a new generation of smartphone devices that successfully combines the PDA and cellular handset with a wireless messenger and Web browser, but its usability still leaves something to be desired.
First, the Tréo 270 deserves credit for being a great wireless phone. Our test device, with GSM service from T-Mobile, provided crystal-clear calling. However, identifying the numbers on the backlit keyboard is tough, and using the stylus is as tedious as a Kevin Costner movie. I liked the quick-calling feature, which lets you find a saved phone number by typing part of a person's name.
The sharply designed, silver-colored unit features a flip-up front cover that protects the screen and keyboard. When the cover is down, even Mr. Bean would have trouble damaging this thing, but the cover seems fragile when in the up position.
The Tréo 270 offers most of the apps that you expect out of a PalmOS PDA -- a date book, address book, to do list, calculator and memo pad -- but one thing that's sorely missed is the handwriting recognition program Graffiti. You can download something similar, but nothing beats the original.
Its mobile messaging capabilities are superb. Sending an SMS message is easy and intuitive, and boilerplate text options, such as, "I'm running late. Meet me at..." save tons of time. But the device's keys are small, so you may not want to give the device as a holiday gift to the senior executive with bifocals.
As far as the Web features go, I used the built-in Blazer connection software to get online, and in about a minute, I was loading Yahoo.com. The Tréo 270 and its color screen provide a surprisingly pleasant wireless Web browsing experience, by far the product's best feature.
But in the end, small usability issues hinder the Tréo 270's usefulness. With no home icon, familiar to users of previous Handspring models, simply finding your way back to the main menu is tricky. The color screen beats monochrome hands down, but it's hard to see all that it crams into the tiny display area.
Despite its flaws, the Tréo 270 would be near the top of my list of worthwhile mobile devices. Hopefully this fall's Tréo 600 model will improve upon the 270's shortcomings.
