Two of the hottest right now are the Treo 700p from Palm Inc. and Motorola Inc.’s Moto Q.

The Treo 700p is an interesting departure for the company that popularized the handheld. It’s a Palm operating system-based Treo that came out after a Microsoft Windows-based version, the Treo 700w. But for Palm aficionados, it’s worth the wait. The Palm OS, written from the ground up for handhelds, remains easier to use than the menu-heavy Windows Mobile OS. And programs designed for it behave better. The Treo 700w had to be fitted with a 240-by-240-pixel screen to accommodate Windows Mobile, an adjustment that made porting applications less than smooth. The Treo 700p has a roomy 320-by-320 display.

Other companies are nipping at BlackBerry’s heels.

The Treo 700p operates across EvDO wireless broadband networks, which makes it a speedy e-mail/Internet tool. You can set it up for push e-mail connectivity, a la the BlackBerry, using software such as GoodLink. And it comes with more memory than its Treo 650 predecessor, so programs are more responsive.

And here’s a nice little touch: You can use the Treo 700p as a broadband modem for your notebook PC. Out of WiFi range? Hold the Treo 700p near your notebook’s Bluetooth port and it will initiate a connection with the PC and dial into the carrier’s network. Caveat: This ability adds extra cost (roughly $15) to a monthly service plan. As of now, Sprint and Verizon Wireless sell the Treo 700p for around $400 if you agree to a two-year contract (varies by carrier, but figure about $80 a month).

But don’t go plunking down the money for a new handheld without trying a Moto Q. This sleek, ultrathin handheld has a lot of what the Treo 700p offers (EvDO, GoodLink messaging, Bluetooth modem support and a built-in camera), but it runs the Windows Mobile OS in a 320-by-240 display, so you have seamless access to familiar applications. Like similar handhelds, the Q has a QWERTY keyboard and a thumb wheel for navigation. And when you set up GoodLink for messaging, you get FIPS-certified encryption.

Perhaps best of all, the Moto Q can be had for about half the cost of a Treo 700p through Verizon Wireless, with one of the carrier’s broadband plans (again, $80 per month and up).

The bottom line is that there’s never been a better time to be in the market for a go-anywhere, e-mail/phone/productivity device.