Long overdue update to the 700w is welcome news

Verizon Wireless introduced the Treo 700w almost a year ago - the first Windows Mobile-based smartphone from Palm, Inc. It is now offering a slightly updated version of this device

The new model -- called the Treo 700wx -- is selling for $400 and the carrier is offering a $100 mail-in rebate. This requires a new two-year customer agreement.

At this point, Verizon is also still selling the 700w, which costs $400 and has a $150 mail-in rebate.

Either of these smartphones can be ordered from Verizon's web site, its retail stores, or this carrier's business channels.

More About the Treo 700wx

This Treo greatly resembles its Windows Mobile-based predecessor. This means it has a 240-by-240-pixel touchscreen above a QWERTY keyboard.

The 700wx runs Windows Mobile 5.0 for Pocket PC on a 312 MHz processor.

The biggest improvement in the new version of this smartphone is an increase in the amount of RAM. The 700wx includes 128 MB of built-in, non-volatile storage -- about 60 MB of which is user accessible. This is roughly twice what the 700w has.

This device and a slot for removable SD memory cards.

It is a CDMA phone that supports high-speed EV-DO networks and includes Bluetooth 1.2.

Several other carriers besides Verizon also offer the 700wx, including Sprint and Alltel.