Once upon a time, Palm released a big firmware update for AT&T's branded version of the venerable Palm OS-powered Treo 680 (we know we just tossed a mind-boggling array of obsolete words and phrases at you, so feel free to take a couple minutes to catch your breath -- we'll wait). Okay, now fast forward to mid-2009. Treo 680s are still in the field -- and apparently, some of those haven't been updated to that 2007 vintage firmware. For some reason, AT&T has just now started really turning up the heat on these holdouts, apparently sending out text messages saying they're required to apply the update by the 15th of next month to continue using their phones on the network. We don't know if AT&T plans on doing an IMEI lockout or what here, but at any rate, it's a pretty big slap in the face of the "open network" concept these guys have been espousing for the past couple years. Then again, the update's seriously got a lot of good stuff in it, so it's totally unclear why anyone with a 680 wouldn't just bite the bullet and submit to AT&T's will this time around.

[Via Palm Infocenter]