Sharing the sentiments of a previous poster, I too was duped into purchasing one of these devices. I like the device itself and find it to be a nice system. It's very quick, and the user interface is crisp.
However, I travel internationally all the time. I bought this unit to replace my dual-band Treo 270. It's not that the Treo was not cutting it; it's that I wanted a tri-band PDA. Imagine my surprise when I called in to get the unlock code and they told me, nope, you can't have it. I quickly asked for my RMA number.
Too bad. If Palm would recognize that the market for cell phones is a commodity-based one, with people using SIMs so that they _can_ switch phones easily (thus the idea of a SIM card in the first place), they'd get a lot more sales. I hope AT&T paid them a good bit of money for the exclusivity. If not, ...they are losing sales. Like mine :-(
I've had the Palm Tungsten W since back in April 2003. I only have voice service. The unit has a very slow processor (33Mhz), which is fine for most applications, until I try viewing pictures with the included Photobase software. It takes about 20 seconds for a picture to load (which is incredibly slow when trying to view a slideshow). But the biggest complaint I have about the Tungsten W is Palm's choice to use the special 3-conductor Nokia 2.5mm headset jack, instead of the more common 2-conductor Universal 2.5mm headset jack. Anyone who owns this unit will testify that the included handsfree headset is a pain to deal with. Unfortunately, the product selection of Nokia's 2.5mm headsets is limited, and do not include over-the-head headsets, which is the type of headset I'm after. I've had to purchase a clumsy adapter (available at AT&T Wireless stores) in order to use Universal 2.5mm headsets, but everytime the adapter plug rotates in the Tungsten W's headset jack, the Mobile phone application comes on. This is a pain when I am trying to write a note or enter a phone number, and all of a sudden, the wind blows, rotating the adapter's plug just a few degrees, and now the Mobile phone application is on. In addition, if the adapter plug is rotated to certain angles, I cannot hear anyone speaking on the phone at all, so I have to rotate it back a tweak. Such a pain !! And it could all have been avoided if Palm had gone with the common Universal 2.5mm headset jack instead !!
Buy Palm Tungsten W Now
This is my fifth Palm device, starting with the original Pilot. My employer contracts with AT&T Wireless for our mobile service, so the prospect of reducing the silicone baggage was appealing (formerly carried Palm Vx, Blackberry, and Sony Ericsson T68i).
Unfortunately, the device has been a disappointment. The ergonomics are dreadful in comparison with the Blackberry, or a Nokia phone. The lack of notification when a text message (other than SMS) is a deficiency. The phone is unsafe to use in a motor vehicle, so I've had to activate a second, in-car phone & number. The original, largely Grafitti-based input functions common to previous Palms are much easier to use than the Tungsten's choice of the tiny mechanical keyboard or the tap-to-select on-screen version.
The device is very choosy about where it charges. I have three cradles, plus the travelling adapter with 110V and 12V (cigarette lighter) connections. One of the three cradles won't charge it, and it refuses to accept juice from an auto cigarette lighter, either. I have not found the battery life to be a problem, as described in one of the other reviews, though.
Web surfing is OK, some sites won't allow it access, but for what I use it for, it's acceptable. Being GSM, though, there are parts of the country where there is no coverage I know this from my prior phone.
Finally, after five weeks' ownership, the annoying wired earpiece necessary to use the phone feature hooked on an obstruction once too often, and evidently damaged the jack. Now, the whole shooting match has to go back to Palm for repair.
All in all, I'm afraid I've pushed the technolgical envelope too far this time.
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I bought it yesterday and have returned it today!
All features other than the integrated gsm phone/ wireless service are same as the earlier model Tungsten "T". So presumably one would pay the extra buck for the advantage of having a phone/pda combo. Right? Unfortunately the ONLY service provider with which it can work with is AT&T. As per the words of a Palm tech rep., "This is a SIM lock device"! Meaning that the only SIM card that would work is the one that is provided in the box by AT&T. It is not like a normal tri band GSM phone in which you can put in a SIM card from any wireless service provider and you can use it in the coverage areas of your service provider. So only two group of people can use this deivce. Fristly, those who do not want to use it as a phone and only want to use it as a PDA. To them I would say why dont you get a nicer PDA like something from Sony, or HP, or the Palm Tungsten T. And secondly those people who are willing to subscribe to the AT&T serivce plan. I dont live in US and have never been a coustomer with AT&T, however I know firstly that limiting a deivce to only one service provider is purely logic deprived, in general for all users and particularly for users who travel abroad and want to use SIM cards from local serivce providers. And the other fact is that the reviews on AT&T wireless service are far from satisfactory. So in short this Tungsten model has no advantage over the Tungsten T. As a PDA it may be good. But then why pay the extra $$$$ for having a phone/pda combination.
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I bought one of these things 4 months ago. It broke. Palm won't fix it. Palm want's 100 bucks to replace it. Palm wants me to use a on line form to pay up front and start a repair order. Palms on line repair order cgi script doesn't work (makes you wonder who does the programing on the palms. Palm says write back to us and we will start a SRO (service repair order). Did that about 4 weeks ago, haven't heard a word.
In short
The worst warrenty and the worst support of any company I have ever delt with.
