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Palm’s Treo Pro smartphone will be available March 15 on the Sprint Mobile Broadband Network, which offers Evolution Data Optimized Rev. A 3G speeds. The Treo Pro has been available unlocked, and hence available to various markets and operators, since August 2008.
With this announcement, Palm is looking to gain some momentum in the enterprise smartphone market against the likes of RIM’s BlackBerry lineup.
The Palm Treo Pro was designed with the enterprise professional’s full life in mind, which means a mix of enterprise and lifestyle features, as well as “the reliability and manageability IT departments require,” according to a March 4 statement from Palm announcing the availability.
The Treo Pro supports Microsoft Direct Push Technology for instant e-mail, contacts and calendar information. It’s also compatible with the Microsoft System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008, which boosts security and offers easier device management and access to corporate networks, Palm said.
The Treo Pro is the first Palm product with Microsoft’s Internet Explorer Mobile 6.1, which offers the option of an optimized mobile or desktoplike Internet browsing experience. It also features a one-touch button for quickly connecting to Wi-Fi, a QWERTY keyboard and integrated Sprint Navigation GPS.
During the inevitable downtime between connecting flights, Treo Pro users have access to exclusive Sprint content such as Sprint TV, Sprint Music and Pocket Express, a service for quick links to information such as sports, weather and news, Palm said.
“The combination of Sprint Mobile Broadband with EvDO Rev. A technology and Windows Mobile 6.1 on a Palm smartphone creates a mobile solution that meets the needs of today’s mobile professionals,” Kevin Packingham, a senior vice president for Sprint, said in a statement.
“For years, Sprint, Microsoft and Palm have worked together to provide businesses large and small with an affordable mobile experience that is second to none, and Treo Pro continues that collaborative tradition,” Packingham said.
The Palm Treo Pro will retail in Sprint stores for $199.99 with a two-year subscriber agreement. That price is contingent on a $100 instant rebate and a $100 mail-in rebate, with a Sprint Everything plan with data or a data add-on for $30 per month or higher. Additionally, it will be available in Palm stores and through Palm business-to-business sales on March 16.