This will be an interesting launch because 3G has always been "five to ten years away." Until now, that is. This version is only a first generation 3G with later versions achieving peak speeds of up to 2.0-2.4 Mbps and average speeds of up to 800 Kbps. It may be worth the wait for the Sprint device later this year if data speed is important to you. I've found that most people I know are thrilled enough with the Treo phone and Outlook integration to make their investment worthwhile. The Sprint CDMA version may also address some of the communication shortcomings of the Treo, which I'll point out.

In the next section I'll focus on Treo communication, including mail, chat, and SMS (Short Message Service). Granted, this is a subset of core features. I didn't find other features, like the Web browser, to be very useful on either the Treo or the Blackberry because they were slow and awkward when looking for information (like news, quotes, flight information, or weather) in a hurry.

Instead, I started using voice response 1-800-555-Tell to access the same information that the Web browser would provide in a "cooler" and easier-to-use voice interface that didn't negatively affect my driving safety. I found it to be easier to call the airline because the USAirways Web site isn't optimized for wireless Web access (hint).

Treo Mail
Mail is clearly the strength of the Blackberry, and so when I gave it up I gave up something that I'd grown very used to. It was almost unfair to ask the first generation Treo to perform as well as the Blackberry. At the outset, it didn't get over the hurdle. With the evolution of Treo Mail from beta release to version release, things have improved.

It is now almost on par with Blackberry except that in order to receive email on the Treo the phone dials my ISP (Internet Service Provider), Earthlink, using the internal modem. It then creates a PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol) session, logs into Treo Mail service, and then replicates via the Treo server, which has gone out and popped my personal mail account.

It's not "always on," and it does not automatically update as the Blackberry does. In fact, you adjust the time/frequency with which it checks for mail. I changed the setting to check for new mail every hour, and my Cingular bill went through the roof as the data time goes against account minutes. This was a bit aggravating, as you might imagine. Blackberry was all-you-can-read for a fixed monthly fee.

It was also difficult to get the right cellular options, like data and SMS, on the account because Cingular representatives had heard very little of the Treo at the time. Since then they appear to have established a group that handles Treo related questions. However, why did I ever need to talk to them in the first place? These accounts should be pre-configured to support these data functions.

In order for me to send and receive email messages on my Treo, I'm paying Treo Mail for an annual service, Earthlink for the ISP connection, and Cingular to be on the network. It may be cheaper to just drive over and deliver some messages in person. What a thought!