Palm Backs Hands Free

Written by Adam Gosling

Tuesday, 27 March 2007

With the company's future under a cloud of acquisition speculation, Treo Maker, Palm, Inc., has taken a handful of hands free kit to the CTIA Wireless Convention in Orlando Florida. The company used the event to the disastrous fiscal result announced last week behind it and announce three car kits and a new combination GPS/hands-free speakerphone solution for the Treo. With US drivers finally facing up to the prospect of cell phone bans, the use of hands-free phones is likely to gather momentum. Palm said in its announcement that approximately 25 percent of accidents in the United States are caused by driver distraction in part due to cell phones and other handheld devices. A swag of States in the States have already, or are on the verge of placing restrictions on the use of handheld devices while driving, a move which Palm says it supports. In August 2006, Palm announced it would support the California bill and believes the bill responsibly addresses evidence that wireless-phone use increases the risk of accidents. As the first handset company to support the California bill, Palm felt that its passage could be instrumental in leading other states to follow suit and improve driving safety. It also helps sells hands-free gear. Available immediately are a number of hands-free, installation car kits for use with a variety of Palm Treo smartphones. These kits offer clear voice performance and such functions as Auto Answer. In states that have hands-free laws, these car kits also meet the legal standards for use while driving, and the professionally installed cradle holds the Treo smartphone securely in place. * The Comfort Plus DSP Hands-free Car Kit: An affordable option for Treo 680 and Treo 750 customers, this kit has an estimated U.S. street price of US$199. * The Take&Talk DSP Cradle + CarTalk Hands-free Car Kit: This kit enables Treo 680 and Treo 750 users to enjoy many functions, including DSP (Digital Signal Processing) technology, which cuts noise and echo for clear voice performance, and an extended antenna for greater network sensitivity. It has an estimated street price of US$259. * Take&Talk DSP Hands-free Car Kit Cradle: This product is for existing THB Bury UNI System 8 car kit users who are ready to switch over to a Treo 650 or Treo 700 series smartphone. This product has an estimated U.S. street price of $149. Palm also announced a GPS Navigator Car Kit, which includes an integrated GPS and a hands-free speakerphone. Treo 680 and Treo 700p smartphone customers can get voice-guided, turn-by-turn directions, or keep in touch with friends and family, all the while keeping their eyes on the road and their hands on the wheel. With this simple-to-use device, users just pop in a 1GB memory card preinstalled with a map of the continental United States and Canada to launch TomTom NAVIGATOR. Street price? Around US$299. "Palm is committed to accessorizing Treo smartphones with technologies that promote a hands-free and safer lifestyle," said Jim Schwabe, senior director for handhelds and accessories at Palm. "Palm creates its accessories so that they are both functional and fashionable, appealing to Treo users around the world." Related news items Hybrid Drive Boosts Laptop's Skillset -10/10/2007 The Poor Man's Palm -02/10/2007 Nokia Buys Map Company For US$8 Billion -02/10/2007 Palm Goes Consumer With Treo 500v -12/09/2007 Vodafone UK Promises All-You-Can-Hear Music -12/09/2007 Newer news items SAGEM my401C Gets Pretty In Pink -10/04/2007 New Nokia's For GSM and CDMA -02/04/2007 RIM Boosting Ecosystem With BlackBerry APIs -29/03/2007 BlackBerry 8800 In Australia -28/03/2007 Palm To Update Treo 750 OS -27/03/2007 Older news items SAGEM Offers Another Shell -26/03/2007 Google Phone Would Be Significant Departure -19/03/2007 Award Winning Low-Cost Motofone Debuts -14/03/2007 Nokia Introduces Software Updater -07/03/2007 New iPaq A Dud Says Gartner -28/02/2007 Tag This Now: