Rumors started swirling today about a possible new Palm Treo model, code-named ‘Gandalf’. The blog Morning Paper started it off by posting a photo. They posted an un-zoomed version later which includes some basic details – camera, BlueTooth, EVDO, and Micro SD. It is clearly an all new form-factor, very rounded with a new control-cluster layout in the middle. They followed up later with a post that includes a color image as well as additional info – 4th quarter, sub-$200 target price, youth market, and the EVDO is Rev.A.
Then is spiraled from there. Gizmodo picked it up. Palm Infocenter also covered it. Palm Infocenter’s entry is especially interesting as it lends some weight to the rumor. They have a spy photo from the field, originally posted on the Treo Central forums, of what appears to be a white version of the Gandalf running Windows Mobile, branded for the Vodafone network. That implies a GSM version as well, as EVDO is CDMA.
A lot of comments criticize the look of the device as kind of the offspring of Zire and Treo. Personally I like the look of my 680 better, but if this device is really sub-$200, then is really is basically the Zire version of the Treo and I don’t think it is really a bad design. Being able to sell a cheap Treo is a good thing in any case.
I picked this up initially from Gizmodo.
