Verizon is also adding Palm's Treo 755p to the lineup, as well as two more white-label WM6 devices with slide-out QWERTY keyboards—the Verizon Wireless XV6800 with Wi-Fi and a 2-megapixel camera; and the SMT5800 smartphone with 2-megapixel camera but presumably no touchscreen. Verizon hasn't announced pricing on these three other phones.

One hopes that the roll out will ensure maximum customer choice, but I can't help thinking they may just confuse the hell out of customers with too many similar sounding options.

Press release:

NEW SMARTPHONE, PDA OPTIONS FROM VERIZON WIRELESS MAKE STAYING CONNECTED A PERSONAL CHOICE

SCH-i760 from Samsung Offers Verizon Wireless Exclusivity on the Nation's Most Reliable Wireless Network

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. - Verizon Wireless is heading into the holidays with a roster of new personal digital assistants (PDAs) and smartphones that give customers exciting options for both business and personal connectivity. The first of the line-up, the SCH-i760 from Samsung, is available online October 19 and in stores November 2. Also joining the portfolio of robust wireless business tools built to handle the speed of Verizon Wireless' broadband network, are the Verizon Wireless XV6800, the Palm® Treo™ 755p and the SMT5800 smartphone.

Styled for performance, the Samsung SCH-i760 features a stylus for quick and easy navigation on the touch-screen and Windows Mobile 6 Professional for a familiar office experience in a mobile environment. Customers will be able to read and edit in applications such as Word or Excel, and read PDFs and PowerPoint presentations. In addition, the compact SCH-i760 features a full QWERTY horizontal slider keyboard, a separate dial pad right on the front of the device, stereo Bluetooth® for both speakers and headsets and a 1.3 megapixel camera/camcorder with flash.
The SCH-i760 is available for $349.99* after a $50 mail-in rebate and a new two-year customer agreement. Business customers may contact a Verizon Wireless Business Sales Representative at 1-800-VZW-4BIZ to purchase the device on Oct. 19.

Dressed in Blue and designed for sophistication, the Verizon Wireless XV6800 comes with a cleverly hidden, slide-out QWERTY keyboard, a 2.0 megapixel camera/camcorder with flash and Windows Media® Player 10. This is the ultimate connectivity device as it can ride speedily along Verizon Wireless' broadband network or users can transition to Wi-Fi for optimal choice in Web, e-mail or behind-the-firewall access. Loaded with Microsoft Windows Mobile 6 Professional and Bluetooth technology for separately purchased headsets and speakers, this device truly lets customers take their office on the road.

Charismatic as it is functional, aficionados will welcome the Palm Treo 755p. Its slim form factor is packed with tools such as a large color touch-screen and a full QWERTY keyboard for easy messaging, a 1.3 megapixel camera and support for Bluetooth stereo headsets. The built-in 60 MB of dedicated memory allows the use of a robust set of applications, while storage can be enhanced by using the miniSD™ slot to add up to 8 GB of additional memory.

Built for fun and functionality, the Verizon Wireless SMT5800 is ideal for customers who need to keep track of meetings as well as their youngsters' soccer games. Easy access to the Internet, calendar, contacts, tasks, e-mail and music is tucked inside a chic, slim package that fits pocket or purse with equal discretion. Equipped with a five-way navigation key and slide-out QWERTY keyboard, the SMT5800 is loaded with Microsoft Windows Mobile 6 Standard, a 2.0 megapixel camera with auto-focus, Windows Media Player 10 and Bluetooth capabilities for headsets and separately purchased speakers. A color screen lets customers watch video or view documents clearly and easily.

More information on the new Verizon Wireless device portfolio, including pricing, will be available as the devices become available.

* Advanced Device Credit
Customers purchasing any of these devices along with a voice and e-mail calling plan of $79.99 or higher or a voice calling plan of $39.99 or higher with an unlimited BlackBerry/PDA/smartphone data plan are eligible for an additional $100 credit toward the purchase of the device. This credit is in addition to the mail-in rebate associated with the purchase of the device. Details available at time of purchase.

We handed you the press release and specs and even a gallery, we've given you the best seat in the house for the unveiling, but still something is nagging at you. What, exactly, is this baby meant to do? Is it really a supplement to your smartphone, or is Palm trying to go into the laptop business? And is $499 (after rebate) cheap as hell or way overpriced?

Let's go over the facts: It has a "real" keyboard, a rubber track-nipple, a scroll wheel, a 10-inch screen with a resolution of 1024x600 (but no touch sensitivity). It has 256MB of RAM but the only thing we know about the processor is that it handles some Flash but not the Flash video you find on YouTube. There's a video out, USB port and Bluetooth for a choice of "dial-up" networking, plus Wi-Fi in case you left your phone at home.

We know that its Linux OS runs off of solid-state memory, enabling the very sweet instant-on, instant-off function. However, we have no idea how much flash is packed in at the start. It may not be much: there's a CF slot tucked under the battery and when you plug in a card, that card becomes your "primary memory." There's also an SD slot for file transfers and auxiliary storage.

(And lest ye think we just don't have our reporting chops down, Palm specifically told us that they could not go into detail on the type and clockspeed of processor or the amount of internal flash memory at this time. Presumably because none of that is written in stone until the "summer" launch.)

On the software front, it handles photos and PDFs. You can create and edit Word, Excel and PowerPoint files. Although there is a headphone jack, I don't believe anyone has mentioned anything about music or media players. There is, of course, a Web browser.

Sounds suspiciously like a laptop, yes, but according to its maker, it sure is not. Its raison d'etre is, quite specifically, mobile email.

It supports VersaMail right out of the box on Palm OS, including Pop and IMAP accounts, and it supports Pocket Outlook for Windows Mobile phones. Everything relating to your email (including attachments and changes made to those attachments) are synced between the smartphone and the Foleo. Palm is interested in welcoming others to the Foleo fold—the likes of RIM, Apple and Nokia—and says support for any of their platforms would be easy to implement.

To be sure, though it works as a standalone, it's this pairing process that makes the Foleo complete. Some benefits like high-speed Net access via an EVDO-capable Treo 755p are impressive, though I wouldn't want to be stuck using a GPRS Treo to power a Foleo. Other perks, like the ability to set a proximity lock on your Foleo so it only functions when in range of your Treo, are just kind of cute.

The press release says it's for "productivity-minded business people who want a more complete mobile solution for email, attachments and access to the Web." When Palm founder Jeff Hawkins presented it, however, he drove the point home: "If you're not a heavy email user who needs that mobility, I'd stay away."

Pretty clear message to me. So here's the real deal: If you love your Treo or Windows Mobile phone, but wish you could just rat-tat-tat out your damn emails on a keyboard more often than not, it's for you. If you don't carry a smartphone, this is a pass. But does that mean it sucks? (Seriously, I'm really asking.) – Wilson Rothman

Our coverage:
Liveblog: Palm Foleo Unveil Now!
First Palm Foleo Hands On and Impressions
Palm Foleo: A Laptop For Your Smartphone
Palm Foleo In Motion (video)

Product Page [Palm]