Priced for the masses but also designed for the masses, the Treo 680 ($199 with two-year 
contract) combines an affordable price tag with Palm’s unparalleled ease of use. It comes with a revamped phone application and all of the other amenities that have made the Treo line so popular. The Treo 680 is also more pocket-friendly than earlier models, making it a very good choice for first-time smart phone buyers.
Design and Ease of Use
While not nearly as thin as the Samsung BlackJack or Motorola Q, the Treo 680 is certainly sleeker than earlier Palm designs, due in part to its internal antenna. The device weighs 5.5 ounces and measures 0.8 inches thick, compared with 6.3 ounces and 0.9 inches for the Treo 650. The 680 is also easier to hold than the 650, thanks to its tapered design and subtle grooves on either side of the device. All told, the phone isn’t exactly sexy but feels a lot lighter than it looks.
In terms of design, Palm didn’t mess with a good thing, as the Treo 680 sports the traditional five-way navigator button and spacious keyboard. The layout felt a little stiff on our tests, but you’ll pick up speed as you break it in. You also get the familiar 320 x 320-pixel touchscreen, which comes in handy for everything from cutting and pasting text to tapping on the speakerphone icon in the middle of a call. We’re not fans of the flimsy stylus, however; it worked fine but didn’t feel like it would last very long. :: LAPTOP Magazine • Palm Treo 680 ::