PalmOne Inc.’s Palm.Net service is ceasing operations, effective Aug. 31, meaning Palm.Net handhelds, including the VII, VIIx and i705 devices, will no longer perform wireless functions. The company told customers to look to smart phones for replacement service.
Current owners of the devices will be able to use them in non-wireless mode, however, current Palm.com or Palm.Net e-mail addresses will not be available after Aug. 31. Instead, USA.NET, which powered Palm.com and Palm.Net e-mail, will offer e-mail service to former Palm.com and Palm.Net subscribers at a promotional rate of $20 per year.
Along with Palm.Net, the PalmOne PQA Web clipping service and PalmOne’s WAP browser are being discontinued. PalmOne said owners of Palm.Net handhelds can reconfigure their WAP browsers by connecting to a third-party gateway Internet Protocol address and offered instructions on how to do so.
Alternately, PalmOne played up smart-phone upgrades as a way for its customers to get comparable service after Aug. 31. The company’s paramount smart phone offering, the Treo 600, is available through AT&T Wireless Services Inc., Cingular Wireless L.L.C., Sprint PCS and Verizon Wireless for $350 to $500, depending on the carrier. PalmOne also retails the Tungsten and Zire line of wireless handheld data devices that cost from $200 to $400 depending on the version.
