The phone companies
Unfortunately, when you're talking about PDA phones, you're stuck with the major carriers. I reviewed the Treo 700w running on the Verizon network, the PPC-6700 running on the Sprint network, and I have my own Treo 650, also running on Sprint.

If you're excited about using the Bluetooth capabilities of the devices, along with the blazing fast EvDO network as a high-speed interface for your laptop, you're going to be disappointed. Reader Joe Ellett sent us a note that describes the problem quite clearly:

It's worth noting that the XV6700 is Verizon's version of the HTC Wizard. The Wizard is sold by all major wireless companies, so if you're not a Verizon customer you can still get this extremely functional and well-designed converged device. In the US, T-Mobile sells the MDA, Cingular sells the 8125, and Sprint sells the PPC-6700. Outside the US, the device is available from T-Mobile, Qtek, i-mate, Orange and others.

The models are virtually identical in features, but differ in some details. For instance, the T-Mobile MDA is much sleeker than the XV6700, with a curved body that fits the hand better and no external antenna, but the MDA lacks a cradle. As of early 2006, each model supports its vendor's highest-speed data network.

It's also worthwhile to note that the T-Mobile and Cingular GSM models have unimpaired Bluetooth functionality, while Verizon and Sprint continue to cripple their Bluetooth stacks to force users to pay for extra plan features or messaging charges. The GSM models incorporate quad-band phones, so once they're unlocked they're eminently suitable for international roaming.

In addition to its other talents, the Wizard is a competent MP3 player. The addition of a 1GB miniSD card (available on-line for about $50) gives the Wizard the capacity of the smallest iPod nano, and 2GB MiniSD cards are expected to hit the market within a matter of weeks. Windows Mobile 5.0 doesn't support the Bluetooth ADSP profile yet, but the WM5 Service Pack 1 due out later this year will add ADSP, giving WM5 devices the capability to support Bluetooth wireless stereo headphones.

Try an HTC Wizard from any vendor and you'll find that these days The Force is definitely with the Dark Side.

Frankly, we find this continual crippling of the Bluetooth interface to prevent the phone from acting as a high-speed laptop modem idiotic. As much as we'd like to recommend these phones highly, the crippling of the Bluetooth stack has caused us to drop a complete point off our rating for both the Treo 700w and the PPC-6700.

Conclusions
This has been a tough review to write, because it's not just a product shootout between three devices. While examining the Treo 700w, we've been trying to crystal ball the future of Palm as a company simply by what's included in this one device.

There's no real way we can see into the future. We've counted Palm down before and they've come back with some excellent products. But we're concerned.