Palm Treo 800p Rumor In Circulation

I told you back in November about three new Treo smartphones from Palm expected to ship in 2006: 1) A Windows Mobile version; 2) an inexpensive device code-named "Lowrider"; and 3) a sleek, internal-antenna 3G device code-named "Hollywood." Since then, the Windows Mobile device has shipped, and we haven't heard a peep about the other two.Today, however, a rumor started on the Treo|Central site, repeated on Engadget and Brighthand, says Palm will release in March a new smartphone called the Palm Treo 800p.

The phone, codenamed "slinky," is rumored to sports EV-DO, 128MB RAM, Wi-Fi capability, SD support, Bluetooth 2.0, 3.2-megapixel camera and a form factor smaller and lighter than the current Palm Treo 650.

One might at first be tempted to tie this device with "Hollywood," but the rumor mongers explicitly say they saw an external antenna. They also said the keyboard is much improved and that the device leans toward "cool," rather than the current Treo's "functional" look.

Stay tuned, and I'll keep you posted on any further developments.