Buying a Treo 650 in Beijing and some questions

[wushijiao]

I also recently bought a Treo, although I didn’t get quite as good of a price as venture160 (4000, plus a 1G card and a screen).

Since I failed the writing section of the HSK Gao, I was looking for ways to incorporate writing characters by hand into my life on a daily basis. So, getting a cell phone that I could write by hand with seemed like a practical first step. Then, because of Gato and other people’s endorsement of Pleco, I figured it would be worth it to go one step higher and get a cell phone/PDA. The Treo seemed like a good choice.

So far I’m pretty happy overall with the Treo, except that it seems fairly complex for a stupid luddite like me. But, I’m sure that I’ll get more used to it as time goes on.

As far as Pleco, I think it’s just a wonderful thing. The ABC dictionary is one powerful little guy. I’ve been reading some books in 繁体字 that I got in Hong Kong last week, and I’m positive that the fastest way to look up an unknown, complex 20+ stroke traditional is by writing it into Pleco. That probably takes 10-15 seconds compared to a minute or two in a paper dictionary. Then you can just pop it into a flashcard pile.

Also, I’ve been writing all my Chinese texts by hand, which is hopefully improving my writing speed. (If you are on the Mainland and would like to chat in Chinese on your phone, feel free to drop me a PM).

So, I agree that getting a PDA can be a very practical way to develop one’s Chinese.

[roddy]

You think writing it in is quick? Get an electronic version of the book on there, set up instant access and the definition is a swipe and a tap away . . .

[gato]

Those of you with a Treo, you might want to this program below, which will give you more input method choices than CJKOS (Wubi, Shuangpin, etc). It's very popular among mainland Treo users.

http://www.51pda.cn/bbs/htm_data/52/0603/458.html

"掌易"中文输入平台 1.06

[gchodorow]

Hi:

My old Palm 650 with SIM card was stolen. The card was an M-Zone (China Mobile Dong Gan Di Dai) SIM card.

I've bought a new 650 and a new M-Zone card, but they are incompatible. (The card just searches eternally for a network, never finding it). I don't know if this is related to the line in the 650 user manual that the Treo works with 3-volt but not 5-volt SIMs.

The result is that it appears I either have to give up my Palm 650 or give up my phone number (which begins with 134.88...). I would appreciate any ideas for possible solutions.

[roddy]

It's possible to transfer a number from one SIM to another, I believe, so that might be a solution? I'm not sure how the process works as I've never had to do it, but I believe if you go to a 营业厅 they can do it. Not sure how easy it is, but I've had friends have phones stolen and be able to continue using the same number.

Are you sure it's the SIM that's the problem though? Does it work in other phones / does the phone work with other SIMs?

[gchodorow]

Thanks for your reply, Roddy.

If I can transfer a phone number from one SIM card to another, then what I need to do is find someone with an M-Zone SIM card issued more than 1 year ago. They can give it to me, and then they can just transfer their phone number to a new SIM card. Is there anybody out there with an M-Zone SIM card issued more than 1 year ago?

(By the way, yes, I'm sure it's the mismatch between the new M-Zone SIM card and the Treo 650 that's the problem. This card works in other phones. Other cards besides this work in this phone.)

[roddy]

Have you asked China Mobile? Treo 650's aren't that thin on the ground, and they must have dealt with the problem before, no? Although perhaps the high-end 650 and pay as you go M-Zone SIM would be seen as a bit of a mismatch.

I'd go into a 营业厅 rather than just asking at one of the random outlets though.

See also this if you haven't already.

Roddy

[badr]

has anyone been to zongguncun lately and asked about the price of the 650?

I tried looking for them in the electronics shop off of super bar street but they didn't have any and I'm not too interested in paying over 3K for the CECT branded one.

Thanks

[Prodigal Son]

Anyone have any idea what the approximate price of the 650 is now? The price must be falling since Palm seems to releasing new models at no small pace and the 650 is well over a year old now.

[tallynole]

zol has the CECT version of the treo for 3400 RMB right now.

I'm not sure about the black market ones.

[Prodigal Son]

Is the only difference still the warranty?

[sthubbar]

I just bought a Treo in Zhongguancun for 2980. It is a PalmOne branded version. It has CJKOS as well as pen-input built into the OS. I had previously purchased CJKOS, so no problem adding the phrase dictionary as well as any other goodies.

Awesome phone.

[crow610]

Actually, for those in 北京I was taking a look at some 多普达(Dopod) phones in 中关村 and found the 818pro/830 水货for 2900.

[venture160]

Are the new Treo's on sale in Beijing yet? I know US carriers have them on the shelves now.

[tallynole]

which one of the more recent ones?

the treo 680 has been on sale here for a while already... price is anywhere between 3000 and 3400 rmb

[venture160]

ouch that is expensive, I would think the 650 has dropped in price, unless they have dissapeared from the market.

I'm gonna keep my 650 as a palm/pda and just wait until a symbian version comes out of pleco

[badr]

I saw a brand new treo 650 last week in superbarstreet for 2400. Taiwan model.

[Prodigal Son]

I'm surprised the Treo 650 is still as expensive as it is, considering it's over 2 years old already.

[Qiuyue]

1) Anyone who can recommed a place in Shanghai where to buy Palm-products?

2) What about the warranty, is it warranted by Palm global, or would you have to hazzle with the local guys if anything happens?

3) Are there really any disadvantages when it comes to interface and functions buying a Palm in PRP rather than US or Europe?

[gato]

http://www.plecoforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=900&highlight=saibo

There's a shop that sells both Palms and Windows Mobiles on the first floor of Saibo Digital Plaza (赛博数码广场) on Huai Hai Middle Road near Xintiandi (新天地).

It's part of Hong Kong Plaza.