MacCentral: New file system constrains Treo 650 storage capacity

MacCentral: New file system constrains Treo 650 storage capacity: "The change to flash memory from DRAM (dynamic RAM) for PalmOne Inc.'s new Treo 650 smart phone appears to have had the unintended consequence of reducing the amount of memory that is actually available to users. As a result, PalmOne plans to offer a free 128MB expansion card to Treo 650 purchasers to get around the problem, the company said Monday. As a general rule of thumb, users thinking about upgrading to the Treo 650 should understand that their old data will require 33 percent more storage capacity on the new smart phone, PalmOne warned users in an online support posting. On the latest version of the popular Treo smart phone, PalmOne made two important changes to the system's design. The device now uses flash memory, rather than DRAM, to store data. Flash memory is nonvolatile, which means it can store data without a constant supply of electricity and protect that data in the event of a battery failure or unintended shutdown. PalmOne users have clamored for flash memory for years, and were finally accommodated with the release of the Tungsten T5 and Treo 650. In order to use flash memory, PalmOne had to switch the file system technology that decides how files are stored. The Treo 650 now uses the NVFS (nonvolatile flash system) file system to store data in clusters. This file system is based on FAT (file allocation table) technology, which was the underlying file system technology for Microsoft Corp.'s DOS operating system as well as Windows 95 and Windows 98. The Windows NT and XP operating systems use a different technology." [read more...]

TreoCentral.com - I just bought a Treo 650 from Sprint!

Looks like if you are a Sprint customer, you could be holding a 650 in your happy little paws VERY SOON... TreoCentral.com - I just bought a Treo 650 from Sprint!

Data Devices - palmOne 650 AT&T Wireless

Mid to Large Business: Solutions - Data Devices - palmOne 650 AT&T Wireless The First EDGE-Capable Palm OS® Handheld Alert me when the Treo 650 is available! Sign up now. EDGE high-speed wireless data technology—access email and the Web over the fastest national wireless data network. Access corporate or personal email—with leading enterprise email solutions from Good Technology™, Intellisync® and JP Mobile® for corporate email or the built-in VersaMail™ email client for personal email. Built-in Bluetooth® technology—lets you connect wirelessly to other Bluetooth-enabled devices. Best-in-class Palm OS PDA—keep your Contacts, Calendar, Tasks and Memos organized and available wherever you are. Quad-band GSM™/GPRS world phone—provides voice coverage in more than 130 GSM countries with features like 6-way conference calling*, speakerphone and voice-activated dialing. Enhanced user interface—distinct SEND/END keys let you answer/end phone calls just like a standard mobile phone. Curved QWERTY keyboard makes text entry quick and comfortable. On-screen central navigation point displays incoming messages, next calendar entry and favorites buttons at a glance. High resolution, 65K color screen—vivid, high definition screen is great for reading text or viewing images. Powerful Intel® 312 MHz processor—all the processing power you’ll need for running corporate applications. User-replaceable battery—swap batteries when you’re on the go to keep calling and sending email without a break. MMC/SD-IO expansion slot—add memory, applications or peripheral devices. * Additional charges may apply.