Cingular Offers New Palm 'Smart Device'

ATLANTA — Cingular Wireless is teaming up with Palm to offer a new version of its Treo 680 “smart device.”

The mobile phone goes on sale Nov. 24 at a cost as low as $199.99 if purchased with a Cingular data plan.

The Treo can be used for voice calls as well data services. Its keyboard can be used for editing of documents. The built-in QWERTY keyboard’s buttons have been enhanced to ease the use of typing email or text messages. The Treo can also be used as an MP3 player and includes a digital camera, camcorder and video player.

“The Palm Treo 680 will open up the popular Palm experience to a much wider audience of Cingular customers,” said Jeff Bradley, vice president, business data services, for Cingular Wireless. “This next-generation Treo comes with all of the outstanding business features that Palm devotees have come to expect plus rich entertainment capabilities, and all at a very attractive price that will appeal both to businesses and individual users.”

The Treo also is built to operate across different network protocols, enabling its use in more than 190 countries. Data roaming service is also available in more than 115 countries, according to Cingular.