Finally I decided to go for a Palm Treo 650. I just wonder if the models are worldwide the same? e.g. can I run the US version with a Chinese menu and can send SMS etc in Chinese (can I download the Chinese software somewhere?) ? Can I use every Treo 650 everywhere in the world (with all providers?). I live in Beijing but will travel to Germany and the US soon (and want to use it everywhere). I rather prefer to buy it in the US or Europe - than I feel more comfortable if there are any warranty claims coming up... Thanx.
Is the Palm Treo 650 in the US the same like in China?
- Thread starter tibolts
- Start date
US Treos don't come with Chinese support built-in, but there are add-on programs available like CJKOS that will enable it. They should work pretty much anywhere, though if you buy a Treo in the US you'll likely need to get your cell provider to unlock it so that you can use it with other networks before you take it overseas.
mikelove said:
Thanks Mike (and btw thanks for responding to my last post!).
That means I can't use a chinese menu (e.g. write sms in chinese etc) when I buy a US or European phone?
Besides the software: as long I buy an "unlocked" phone they're all the same worldwide and I can use them everywhere?
Another thing to consider with Treo's...
Another thing that you have to keep in mind when buying a Treo 650 (or any cellphone for that matter) is to make sure that you are buying the correct cellphone for the country that you are in and will be visiting.
With the Treo 650, Palm makes a CDMA version and a GSM version. Make sure that you purchase the GSM version of the Treo 650. The CDMA version of the Treo 650 looks very similar to the GSM version. CDMA phones are not as "travel friendly" as GSM phones.
Since the GSM version of the Treo 650 is a world phone (supports the 4 GSM frequency standards), you can use anywhere in the world that uses the GSM standard. The only 2 places that come to my mind that don't use GSM are Japan and Cuba. Some countries use both CDMA and GSM (such as Canada, the US, etc.)
With another GSM cellphone, you will have to make sure that your cellphone supports the GSM frequency used in that country. There are old single band GSM phones, dual band GSM phones, tri-band GSM phones, and quad-band GSM phones. With quad-band GSM phones (such as the GSM Treo 650), this isn't an issue since it can be used anywhere in the world that uses the GSM standard.
If you don't want to pay outlandish roaming charges everytime you go to a different country, make sure that you buy an unlocked GSM Treo 650. This way, all you have to do is insert the country that you're visiting's cellular service provider's SIM card into your Treo 650 and you will be able to use it. With a locked GSM Treo 650, placing another country's cellular service provider's SIM card into your locked GSM Treo 650 will give you an error message on your Treo 650 (indicating either "invalid SIM", "wrong SIM", "incompatible SIM", "bad SIM", or another similar error message regarding the SIM... sorry I don't know the exact message because I have an unlocked Treo 650. :lol: )
Another thing that you have to keep in mind when buying a Treo 650 (or any cellphone for that matter) is to make sure that you are buying the correct cellphone for the country that you are in and will be visiting.
With the Treo 650, Palm makes a CDMA version and a GSM version. Make sure that you purchase the GSM version of the Treo 650. The CDMA version of the Treo 650 looks very similar to the GSM version. CDMA phones are not as "travel friendly" as GSM phones.
Since the GSM version of the Treo 650 is a world phone (supports the 4 GSM frequency standards), you can use anywhere in the world that uses the GSM standard. The only 2 places that come to my mind that don't use GSM are Japan and Cuba. Some countries use both CDMA and GSM (such as Canada, the US, etc.)
With another GSM cellphone, you will have to make sure that your cellphone supports the GSM frequency used in that country. There are old single band GSM phones, dual band GSM phones, tri-band GSM phones, and quad-band GSM phones. With quad-band GSM phones (such as the GSM Treo 650), this isn't an issue since it can be used anywhere in the world that uses the GSM standard.
If you don't want to pay outlandish roaming charges everytime you go to a different country, make sure that you buy an unlocked GSM Treo 650. This way, all you have to do is insert the country that you're visiting's cellular service provider's SIM card into your Treo 650 and you will be able to use it. With a locked GSM Treo 650, placing another country's cellular service provider's SIM card into your locked GSM Treo 650 will give you an error message on your Treo 650 (indicating either "invalid SIM", "wrong SIM", "incompatible SIM", "bad SIM", or another similar error message regarding the SIM... sorry I don't know the exact message because I have an unlocked Treo 650. :lol: )