PalmOne Treo 650 Docking Cradle Kit

Manufacturer:	PalmOne
List price:	~~$59.99~~
Our price:	$39.99 that is 33% off!

PalmOne Treo 650 Docking Cradle Kit

Average rating: Stars

Necessary Evil

This unit is a must have for power users and anyone who values an uncluttered lifestyle. It's simple clean lines was a vast improvement over the cable clutter caused by the basic chaging and sync cables. For power users, the extra battery charger is a must. With a seperate spare battery, you can keep battery power at the ready at all times.

Having said that, it is just a shame that this item is considered an add-on accessory despite the highend base price of the Treo 650. It seems Palm is getting away from cradles on all their units. Furthermore, the list price for the cradle is high for what it is. Luckily Amazon is selling for 2/3 of the price.

All-in-all this is a very useful accessory if you can overcome the annoyance of paying extra for something that should have been included in the original package.

PalmOne Treo 650 Docking Cradle Kit - PalmOne

palmOne comes up short on design, usability

How can palmOne design the best damn smartphone on the planet, yet keep coming up short with just about every accessory that they've produced for it? This docking cradle is yet another case in point.

Want to charge your Treo 650 in its case? Not with this cradle you don't. However, if you want to synch or charge your phone six feet away from your computer, the cable on this puppy has you covered! And the total package is particularly appealing for secret agents and globe-trotting celebrities who need to carry a half-dozen or so voltage adapters around, just in case.

I will admit that the spare battery charger is nice to have -- if you have a spare battery. Which I don't.

Which brings me to the recently released and identically priced Seidio INNOdock cradle. For some reason this third-party manufacturer does Treo 650 accessories better than palmOne.

One -- count it -- one USB cable (reasonably shorter, too) that when plugged into your desktop or notebook recharges and synchs your data from a single source. And if you happen to use the Seidio Shield holster or a similar case which seats the phone with the screen facing in, you can tuck them both into the cradle at night together.

But wait, there's more! Like many Seidio devices there is a nice bonus feature ... a standard 3.5mm headphone jack in the cradle that allows you to listen to your tunes or watch a video while your phone is replenishing its vital juices.

Unfortunately, neither the Seidio cradle or holster is available on A yet. If you can't wait, most of the websites and blogs that have sprung up to preach the gospel of the Treo 650 have an online store that can hook you up. Just Google it.

PalmOne - PalmOne Treo 650 Docking Cradle Kit

Misleading

First of all, I LOVE the 650 however I wanted to get the cradle and use the data cable that came with the 650 with a second computer, my notebook. I ordered the cradle and the discription says it comes with a data cable. That is BS, it does not. It conmes with a power supply, which by the way includes all the international voltage adapters which I have no use for and which just add cost. It DOES NOT come with a data cable. It requires that you use the data cable that came with the Treo. That means I have to remove the cable from the cradle and from the neat wire bundle I use and then use it seperatly for my notook. OK, so I will just buy an additional data cable however this product is:
1. Misleading as it does not have a data cable I need
2. Wasteful as many of us have no need for the included voltage adaptors for places most of us will never use a 650.