The most surprising thing about the all-new Treo 650—introduced as a Sprint PCS phone a few months ago, and just last week rolled out in GSM form for Cingular—is that it's not smaller or lighter than its predecessor. PalmOne took a gamble: rather than shrink down the guts to reduce its size, the company decided to make the guts better. The screen's resolution is four times tighter, the battery is now removable and there's Bluetooth connectivity so you can add a wireless headset or synch to the PC sans wires. Veteran users will be delighted to hear that there is now 23 MB of built-in memory that uses a non-volatile file system, so you don't lose data when you drain or change the battery. This Cingular edition can access the Web at better-than-dial-up speeds of 100 to 200 kilobits per second when you're within the carrier's EDGE network.

Whether PalmOne's gamble will pay off remains to be seen. Having taken it for a test drive I can say it delivers most of what it promises. If you have a Palm and a phone and have been yearning to combine the two, now's your chance. If you use another PDA, again, it might be worth a look. If you have an older Treo, well then you're probably first in line to get the new and improved version. (No confirmation yet on a Verizon Wireless or T-Mobile edition, but just wait…)

So what about the Treo leaves me feeling hollow? There's nothing here to convert the heathens. Sure there's Bluetooth, but what about voice recognition for hands-free dialing? Microsoft has offered an add-on voice-recognition program for Pocket PCs for well over a year now, one that lets you control the phone, the MP3 player and other functions. T-Mobile's Sidekick wins kudos for being the mobile messenger; why is no AOL Instant Messenger (or any other true IM program) preloaded on the Treo 650? I would have gladly traded the VGA-quality built-in camera (yawn) for some chat software. Naturally, you can send SMS messages, but that's different: in this country, SMS is a tool; IM is a way of life.

It's hard to tell if PalmOne was playing it safe or going out on a limb with its mild-mannered but thorough improvement of the Treo, because what's missing, a little youth appeal, could go a long way.

FEB. 10 UPDATE: A number of readers have pointed out that there are IM programs such as VeriChat (verichat.com) as well as add-on voice-command software for Treos. I apologize for not making that clearer in my story. Several readers also echoed my concern that the Treo ought to have such software integrated to broaden its appeal in the cell-phone marketplace. In PDA land, this might be unusual, but on-board software can boost a phone's sales. VeriChat alone costs $25; my friend Dave L. says he's paid "an extra C-note" to customize his Treo to his liking.