Verizon Wireless on Monday began offering the Palm Treo 755p smartphone, an improved version of its predecessor, the Treo 700p.

Starting this week, Verizon Wireless subscribers can get their hands on the Treo 755p online, but they will have to wait until January 7 to get it in stores.

The smartphone contains several improvements over the Treo 700p, including a sleeker design and an internal antenna, said Verizon Wireless. It also comes with a high-resolution touch screen (to be used with a stylus), a full QWERTY keyboard, a 1.3-megapixel camera, up to 4 Gbytes of expandable memory with a miniSD card slot, a Web browser, and text messaging capabilities.

The Treo 755p is primarily designed for business professionals. It runs the Palm OS, but supports popular Microsoft Office applications, including Word and Excel, as well as PowerPoint and PDF documents. While users can view and edit Word and Excel files, they can only view PowerPoint and PDF files.

One feature that any business professional will find useful is the Treo 755p's built-in Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync support for Microsoft Direct Push Technology, which "pushes" e-mail and calendar updates from a home or office PC directly to the smartphone. Users can also use up to ten personal e-mail accounts based on POP3 or IMAP, such as AOL and Yahoo.

For those who travel a lot, Verizon Wireless is offering Google Maps with the Treo 755p out-of-the-box. The application allows users to get directions, perform local searches, and view maps and traffic updates.

Verizon Wireless first introduced the Treo 700p last May for $500 with a two-year contract. Like the Treo 755p, the Treo 700p also uses the Palm OS and operates on Verizon Wireless' EV-DO, a high-speed third-generation cellular network that provides speeds of 600 Kbps to 1.4 Mbps.

Verizon Wireless, however, is late to the game with its launch. Sprint has been offering the Treo 755p on its EV-DO network since May. There isn't much difference between the two phone models besides the colors they come in and the pricing.

The Treo 755p from Verizon Wireless costs $400 after a $50 mail-in rebate and new two-year contract. Some customers that buy a qualified voice and data plan can get it for $300. As a comparison, Sprint offers the smartphone for $250 online.