[From Michael Brown, Ottawa, Ontario] Congratulations! You're the proud owner of a Treo Smartphone, a portable powerhouse of productivity! So, what do you need to round out the Treo experience? Here's a list of what I consider the essential Treo Accessories.
A Case: You need something to carry around and protect your precious Palm device. Cases are a personal lifestyle choice, based on how you want to carry and use your Treo, and how you want it to look. There are belt cases, wallet-style cases, armoured cases, "skins", and wrist-strap cases. Make your choice based on how you want to carry and use your device, and how much protection you think it'll need based on your work or lifestyle. Check out reviews on the web if you're thinking about one of the more expensive types, or if you're not sure what you think you need.
Spare Battery or Batteries: Depending on how much you use your Treo, a spare battery or two may be needed to get you through the day. There are high-capacity batteries available on-line that can replace the one that came with your Treo, or you could simply buy an extra one from a local Palm reseller. If you have more than one battery, consider getting the Palm HotSync Cradle. I have one, and it works well for charging the spare battery at the same time you charge your Treo.
Sync-Charge Cable: A Sync-Charge cable is essential for Road warriors. You can top-up your Treo during the day using your laptop, just by leaving it connected after syncing. There are some nice kits available that include adapters for the car and house, so you can leave your regular charger at home and still have a full charging complement on the go.
Bluetooth Headset: To make the most of your Treo without tying yourself up in knots, you need a Bluetooth Headset. It allows you to talk hands-free while you're otherwise occupied, or lets you use the organizer functions while you're on a call. For the most bang for buck, get one that will pair to multiple devices. I use the Plantronics Discovery 640, and it's paired with both my Treo, and my desktop's Bluetooth adapter for VOIP calls on the softphone. It will answer calls from either with a push of the earpiece button. The 640 also came with a Treo charging adapter, meaning that I can use the Treo's charger to charge up the headset (one less charger to carry for you road warriors!).
Stereo Headphones: The Treo is a pretty convenient music player, especially when you have a good set of headphones. You can get ones that plug right in, or you can get an adapter to use your favourite standard headphones with the Treo. I have a set of earbuds with a microphone, so I can take calls even when listening to music or podcasts. There are some Bluetooth headphones with a mic that will do the same, without tying you down with the cord. Keep in mind that you will need to buy Softick Audio Gateway in order to use Bluetooth headphones with your Treo, as it doesn't natively support the Bluetooth A2DP audio profile.
SD-USB card or card reader: The fastest way of getting those tunes into your Treo is using a SD card reader. If you don't want to carry one with you, try getting an SD card that has a USB port built-in. I use a 2GB OCZ Secure Digital Dual, and I think that's definitely the way to go!
Wireless Keyboard: Don't want to lug your laptop with you just to do e-mail and word-processing? Get a wireless keyboard! Smaller than a paperback, it unfolds out into a full size keyboard. There are IR and Bluetooth based models, and either will make you more productive than with the thumboard alone.
Stylus-Pen Combination: Never have a pen when you need one? Try a combination Pen-Stylus. I keep one in the stylus slot of my Treo, and it comes in handy when I actually have to write on paper!