Part of my job here is to try the updates first -- to glean the glory or take one for the team so to speak. I downloaded the Sprint Treo 600 Updater 1.20, did a backup of my unit to an SD card and took a deep breath.

The Updater 1.20 system requires you to connect your Treo to the host computer -- making sure the charger cable is attached to the USB sync cable. Even if you've got a full charge you'll have to connect the power cable -- it's mandatory.

The Updater system asks you to sync your Treo -- it's backing up the unit during this sync. After the sync is complete. you'll be prompted to tap a confirmation button to reset the unit.

After the reset, the Updater begins and you're warned not to disconnect the unit -- your radio may be damaged (according to the warning message.) My Treo flashed a Palm-logoed screen indicating that the update was initializing -- it stayed on screen much longer than I thought it would, but, eventually, the system moved to another screen which indicated that it was moving along. This was a good sign.

The update took roughly eight to ten minutes. At the end, the unit reset once again and returned me to the normal HOME screen. I noticed a few slight changes to my screen, but, those may have been as much generic settings that I had long ago customized as much as updates.

On the PC, I was then prompted to sync once again -- this time to restore the backed-up data, programs and settings. After the sync, my unit appeared much more like it did before I started the process. My screen colors were back, my programs were reinstalled and most of my data was back in place.

A quick glance through some of my more custom apps showed me why it's a good idea to do your own independednt full backup before you do one of these major system resets. A few apps didn't find the data that had been there prior to the Updater being run. Luckily, after restoring my independent backup, my data was back in place and things were all good.

So, are there any wrinkles? Probably not if you backup your data files independent of the Updater system.

Problems? None yet.

What is the Updater supposed to do?

•	The palmOne POP3 email client has been incorporated into the Sprint ROM. The client has been preconfigured for the Sprint PCS POP3 settings.
•	The browser now supports playback of voice memos that might be received with incoming Picture Mail messages.
•	The browser now supports playback of inline MIDI ringtones.
•	The SMS application now supports Message Priority so that users can assign high or low priority to all outgoing messages. Additionally, all incoming messages now display high or low priority.
•	The audio-quality reliability is enhanced.
•	The palmOne car kit now is supported.
•	Browser has been improved to better handle redirect links used in conjunction with the Sprint download service.
•	Software now reflects the new name of our company - palmOne.

One tool that's clearly now available is a SOUNDS application. You can review the actual audio for each available sound, send it through beam and email systems. The menu also gives me an option to print the sounds -- I wonder what that looks like???

The updated Email program lets you manage up to five email accounts -- including POP3. I haven't loaded my settings in yet to see how it stacks up against SnapperMail, but it will have to be pretty powerful to take first seat on the unit for me.

Over the next few days I'll post any additional observations. Right now the best I can say is my unit made it fine through the process and the software is now all neatly branded for palmOne -- just in case you were worried about that...