It's a wonder why Palm shipped the Treo
650 smartphone without a sync/charge
cradle. Maybe it's a cost factor; maybe they projected the
user base would be happy to sync and charge via included
cables and carry less bulky accessories on the road. But
one thing is clear, Palm's own accessory store can't keep
enough Treo 650 in stock to meet the demand. Luckily third-party
accessory vendors such as Seidio offer alternative cradles
that sometimes add even more bells and whistles to the standard
cradle.
Along with the standard desk cradle for the Treo 650, Seidio
offers the INNODock cradle that allows users to charge and
sync their Treo 650 via USB connection to their desktop machines.
The INNODock cradle comes in a round shape and in three different
colors (blue, white and silver). In the front of the cradle,
you will find the Treo 650 sync/charge connector, a power LED
and a HotSync button. On the back, you will find the USB sync/charge
port and a 3.5 mm stereo audio out jack.
The connector where your Treo 650 can be plugged
in has a springy flexible action. This allows you to sync and
charge the smartphone without taking out of most of its case.
Most of the cases for
the Treo 650 should fit, except the Vaja
i-Volution cases where the ABS padding
is too thick to fit in the INNODock cradle. Once it's connected
to the cradle, your Treo 650 sits securely. Like the standard
cradle, the INNODock offers a HotSync button on the front.
When you need to sync your Treo, just push the button and launch
HotSync application.
The INNODock charges the Treo 650 via a USB cable
and the charging time is very reasonable. It will keep charging
even if your desktop (but not notebook in most cases) computer
is shut off. The cradle has a standard stereo 3.5 mm headphone
jack. This means you can plug in a set of stereo headphones
or a pair of self-powered speakers to listen to music. Seidio
says that you can also plug in a headset with mic to talk hands
free, but we were unable to test this since our headsets are
the standard 2.5 mm size. The sound quality via the stereo
headset and speakers is good.
A stylish cradle that's also compact and easy
to carry with you on the road. The design allows you to sync
and charge the Treo 650 without taking out of the case (except
Vaja i-Volution line). USB charging means you can leave your
charger at home. The stereo audio output is a nice touch
for users who listen to MP3 on their Treo 650.
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