Comments on: Handspring Announces New Models, Accessories

As expected, Handspring introduced the Visor Pro and Neo today. (Read more about them in this previous article.) It also announced that the eyemodule2 digital camera has been added to its product line. This Springboard will be sold under the Handspring name for $200. The eyemodule2 provides full VGA imaging capabilities and mini-movies.

New accessories introduced today include a Visor belt clip holster, a stylus three-pack, and a number of new cases from InCase Designs that hold Visors and Springboard modules.

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Well, there's one stock that will bottom out today.

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/17/2001 9:24:33 AM #
I can't believe Handspring was this stupid. Zero innovation in these new models. Nothing that you couldn't already do with their current line. I would not be surprised if they file for bankrupcy by the beginning of 2002. Especially at these prices. Even just moving to OS 4.0 or supporting flash OS upgrades would be huge improvement in their case, but Handspring is too lost to even do that. Bye, bye Handspring.

Agreed, prices must drop
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/17/2001 9:56:05 AM #
Is there any difference between the Neo and Platinum models other than the color of the case? And why would
someone want to buy the Edge, when for $30 more (only
$10 more "street price"), he/she could get an m500 with
built-in expansion and broader line of add-ons?

RE: Well, there's one stock that will bottom out today.
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/17/2001 9:58:54 AM #
I think that's a little doom and gloom. But, what I can't figure out is, why is everyone making a big deal about OS4 for Visors?
Enhanced Security - Ok. Its nice, but truly secure information should be guarded better than any Palm OS can do (ie. blowfish encryption and the like)
View & Clear Multiple Alarms - ummm... ok.... This is a selling point?
Set Silent Alarms - A silent alarm, without a flashing light or vibration, ISN'T AN ALARM!
65,000 Color support - I got a Prism... Don't need no stinkin' OS4.
Keyboard & Graffiti at the same time - umm.... nice, but don't realy care.

So what's the point of OS4 on Visors?

RE: Well, there's one stock that will bottom out today.
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/17/2001 10:01:25 AM #
Pro has twice the memory and rechargeable liion battery..

RE: Well, there's one stock that will bottom out today.
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/17/2001 10:02:54 AM #
In what way does the m500 have "broader line on add-ons"?

RE: Well, there's one stock that will bottom out today.
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/17/2001 10:14:03 AM #
I think that the M500 has more "stylus Pens" available for it. Who needs a cell phone, GPS, multiple styles of memory expansion, Powerpoint presentation module, and wireless internet options when you can have cool "add on stylus pens" and expensive 16MB memory cards?
Doug

RE: Well, there's one stock that will bottom out today.
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/17/2001 10:27:41 AM #
Would someone please explain to me the "advantage" of no flash? I must've missed something somewhere.

RE: Well, there's one stock that will bottom out today.
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/17/2001 10:31:19 AM #
> Would someone please explain to me the "advantage" of
> no flash?

Flash ROM chips cost alot more than non-flash. HS can
charge less money for their PDAs because they don't
use them.

RE: Well, there's one stock that will bottom out today.
rldunn @ 9/17/2001 10:39:04 AM #
But they're not selling for less, so I guess it's just more profit for Handspring.

Bad for all of us
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/17/2001 11:00:36 AM #
> I would not be surprised if they file for bankrupcy by the
> beginning of 2002.

Better hope this doesn't happen. If it does, there'll be hundreds
of articles calling it a sign that the PalmOS is a failure.
Unless you are looking forward to having to switch to PPC
you shouldn't complain about things HS has to do to survive.

Deciding what to make is tough. HS didn't decide last week to
make these. The decision was made early this year or maybe
even last year. Try this yourself. Design a handheld today
and wait see until next June how good a job you did.

RE: Well, there's one stock that will bottom out today.
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/17/2001 11:08:00 AM #
Actuslly, in today's market there is no diffence in price between ROM and Flash memory. It is just a case of HandSpring not wanting to provide any kind of upgrade path. Once they finish a device and shove it out the door, they are finished.

Ever notice that the other Palm OS manufacturers, companies like Palm, HandEra and Sony upgrade their production lines on older devices so that they use new versions of the OS? The Visor and Visor Deluxes are still using Palm OS v3.1. Not using Flash just gives them an excuse to do nothing.

stock has dropped less than 10 cents
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/17/2001 11:27:47 AM #
yes, handspring is a twisted evil company that likes to torture those dumb enough to get their handhelds. they work every day to drive themselves out of business. every thing they do is to screw you over for no good reason.

really, they are doing what makes business sense to them. it is not true that flash rom and nonflash are the same price. they are still the 3rd biggest handheld company and they must be doing something right.

RE: Well, there's one stock that will bottom out today.
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/17/2001 11:43:39 AM #
you be surprised! (Palm would gladly screw you over with $399 device that really only cost $150 to make, to bad customer decides the m500 only worth $250)

on the other note, nobody need 16Mb or memory expansion desperately, simply because Palm didn't cultivate more complex programming environement, even color gaming in Palm is still stunted, let alone graphical or multimedia.

RE: Well, there's one stock that will bottom out today.
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/17/2001 12:10:18 PM #
>Would someone please explain to me the "advantage" of
>no flash? I must've missed something somewhere.

Sure, it means Handspring saves loads of money by sticking with the same OS version and not developing updates for previous models. Savings that don't appear to be passed on to the consumer.

Handspring lost 5%, Microsoft lost 8%
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/17/2001 11:05:49 PM #
.

Flash ROM vs. Non-Flash in HS

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/17/2001 12:30:59 PM #
There are advantages to having the Non-Flash ROM for HS other than "to screw over their customers."

In the FAQ on Handspring's website they explain that many of the differences between versions of the PalmOS have to do with supported hardware upgrades (thus not being necessary since your hardware hasn't changed). They also mention that maskROM (read only) is cheaper than Flash ROM. I have not found any facts that would confirm this, but I haven't looked that hard.

Whenever there is a major compatability issue, Handspring puts out updates (known as Handspring Updaters) that update the OS and use a small portion of your RAM. In one respect, this is better than some handhelds that do come with Flash ROM, because with PalmOS 4.0, it appears to be too big for some of the Flash ROM sizes that shipped over the past few years.

Other PalmOS companies do not include the added hardware of a Springboard slot. I think the reason Handspring's prices are still close to those of other PalmOS devices is because of this expansion hardware. I would suppose that using only a maskROM is helping to offset the costs of the springboard hardware.

RE: Flash ROM vs. Non-Flash in HS
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/17/2001 2:44:45 PM #
They also don't want the all phone calls when people try to load the latest release from *Palm* on their *Handspring* PDA's and the Springboard stops working... Heh. - ml

RE: Flash ROM vs. Non-Flash in HS
bradhaak @ 9/17/2001 3:26:06 PM #
You aren't completely wrong, but you are close.

The largest compatibility issues are when newer versions of the OS add new features that the hardware is capable of, but HS PDAs can't use them since the OS is not upgradable. HS uses this as a way to cut support costs and to drive people to newer models. Try getting Blazer (a HandSpring product) to display 16 levels of gray on Visor Deluxe.

Palm OS v4 runs just fine and fits onto my Palm Vx without any problems. Certain parts of it are not present. These include the VFS libraries and the clock app. This is not an issue for HS since the VFS will come on the SpringBoard that is used to expand memory.

To say that patching the jump table to provide OS updates is ever better than installing a new image is insane. Yes, Palm does it also for small changes, but it is limited by definitionto small fixes, not enhancements. Also, through the years there have been a number of fixes that Palm could not provide through patches and so had to sit on until the next release of the OS was available.

BTW - Flash is no longer more expensive than masked ROM.

Platinum Discontinued?

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/17/2001 5:07:54 PM #
I read that the Visor Platinum will be discontinued, does anyone know if this is true? If so, does that mean prices will drop on this PDA, especially with the release of the Pro and Neo.

RE: Platinum Discontinued?
Ed @ 9/17/2001 6:30:19 PM #
Yes, Handspring intends to discontinue the Platinum in the near future while the Deluxe should still be available through the end of the year. Sorry, I have no idea if they will cut prices further.

---
News Editor
RE: Platinum Discontinued?
I.M. Anonymous @ 9/18/2001 1:47:33 AM #
I love my Platinum, get one while you still can. Instead of 16mb, it has only 8mb. But with expansion modules (springboard) you can add more. Even compact flash cards! Better than what palm shells out... more m100 series with nothing else. =(

Handspring releasing worldwide

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/18/2001 6:04:06 AM #
I think there's one point nobody's mentioned: at least Handspring releases its models WORLDWIDE, while palm, sony and handera keep releasing their models in the US MONTHS before they do in europe... and that means, ZERO market in europe. Did you know in europe the only clié avaliable here is the S300, the palm m500 series arrived almost 4 months later than in the US, and there's been no mention about the handera330 (nor even trgpro!)... So at least handspring has one big of a selling point in here...
Otherwise, handspring has been forgetting their european customers by selling the Visorphone still at a price of $400, while it's FREE in the US...

D.O.A.

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/18/2001 8:03:05 PM #
These models will have all the impact that Michael Jackson's latest single had.

What? You didn't know he released a new single? That's my point...

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