Alltel picks up Palm Treo 700p

Alltel on Wednesday began carrying its own version of the PalmOS-based Treo 700p smartphone. While functionally very similar to Palm's reference design with a 1.3-megapixel camera and Bluetooth, the carrier-branded Treo has the latest software installed and can immediately connect to AOL, Gmail, or Yahoo e-mail accounts. Every technical feature of the 700p is enabled, the provider notes. Unlike some networks, Alltel allows the phone to pair with a nearby computer and use its EVDO access to provide an Internet connection to the PC when Wi-Fi or a physical connection is unrealistic.

The Treo 700p ships immediately from Alltel for $350 when bought as part of a two-year contract, but is also available by itself for $670. The company began carrying its Windows Mobile-equipped 700wx equivalent last month.