Why is the Treo Pro so unpopular?

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Just curious. I got one a couple of months ago, and to my mind, it's just about perfect... fantastic form factor, unbeatable battery life, and lovely 320x320 screen resolution. Feels great to hold in the hand. Keyboard very usable. Generally getting much better coverage than I'm used to as well.

It's easily the best smart phone I've ever used... for reference, my pda/phone history:

Philips Velo 500
Kyocera 6035
Kyocera 7135
Samsung i700
Treo 600
Treo 650
HTC Wizard
HTC Kaiser
Treo Centro
iPhone 3G
Treo Pro

So why no love? What shortcomings am I missing?

I have a pro & i've posed the same question, I think if it was released to a service provider 1st before talk of the pre then it would be more popular & more people would have one & they'd be cookin' up rom's like crazy!

Not to mention the unlocked price is crazy! but honestly so far it's the best most user friendly phone i've ever used! my only problem is keeping finger prints off it

That and no one seeming to care enough to cook rom's or wallpapers etc

Originally Posted by mrdk910

That and no one seeming to care enough to cook rom's or wallpapers etc

I DO like my phone customized to work the way I do. But either Berdie or Malatesta said something on another forum that really says it all. I'm not quoting directly, but the statement was to the effect that you need to buy a phone because of what you like about it now, not the potential of upgrades & modifications (some of which may never come). It IS a great phone, but, till the Sprint version came out, Palm relied too much on word of mouth for marketing.

For such a pricey phone, it lacks in screen size an camera quality. I really do love mine, but look forward to wm6.5

I also think it's a great phone-- without a doubt, I think its lack of popularity has to do with Palm's financial situation and the 6 months it took for sprint to release it. But if you look at it, Palm's focus is on the Pre with its whole new operating system (WebOS). This will make or break them as a company... and I can't imaging sprint charging a lot more for the Pre than the Pro (to be competitive with the iPhone). So we've got a cool looking phone (pro), with a soon to be "old" operating system, with a 320x320 screen for roughly the same price as the pre. I can understand why they wouldn't waste the little money they have promoting it. Still sold me tho..

I agree... it took palm many years, but they finally made an attractive, comfortable, pocketable "Treo".... I guess it was too little too late. With phones like the Touch Pro and the upcoming Pre.... Treo Pro in synonymous with laser disc and beta max.. Timing is just off. Especially since Sprint is the main US carrier and they are also bringing the Pre... people just waiting I guess.

I'm not a fan of the Treo Pro's "Centro-like" keyboard; I really wish they could have preserved the nice keyboard from the 800w and used it on this device too.

Also, what everyone else has said is accurate: low-rez screen, lame camera, too little too late.

How much would an HTC WinMo Pro (or Android) touchscreen QWERTYbar phone with a BlackBerry Bold-style 480x320 screen rule? I think we're all truly waiting for a proper QWERTYbar to come into town. This 320x320 junk smacks too thoroughly of last generation.

I don't think it is unpopular at all. From what I understand and know it is very popular with corporate clients. Essentially the perfection of a line and form factor with bugs and limits of prior iterations all addressed.
That is very different than it being cutting edge and of interest to narrow groups such as here where people are interested in hacking, rom development and the cutting edge.
I don't know of anyone who is unhappy with theirs. If you know windows mobile and want a solid non-slider front qwerty this is perfect.

It is hardly "too little too late" from that persepctive.

Palms problem was its debacle with the 800w. The 800w was "too little too late at launch" and ahd so many problmes that it got discontinued faster than any phone. It had borken features Palm was never able to fix, very very poor battery.

My Sprint store was never able to sell the 800w, even at $100, but they sell Treo Pro very well.

I agree....I think overall it's a very popular phone that appears to be gaining steam.

I got mine for $99 from Alltel with a two year extension. Hard to beat that for a phone like this.

I'm still used to the old PalmOS but being a PC user wrapping my head around WM is not a difficult thing. Great features, Great phone.