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.
The Leather Belt Clip for VisorPhone has space for both the Visor and the mobile phone module. It allows access to the headset jack and buttons, too. It is available for $30.
The new Reversible case provides padded protection inside and out and is available in gray or gray on the outside and orange on the inside. It sells for $15.
A Visor and a few Springboards fit into the Mesh module case, which is available in two color choices, gray or gray on the outside and orange on the inside for $20.
The Flex module case, offered in gray, can carry and organize both small and larger-sized Springboard modules. A flexible center pocket provides room for a Visor and smaller Springboard modules or a few larger Springboard modules, and it also has space for other items too, such as earphones, extra styli, and batteries. It costs $30.
The Folio module case, also available in gray, accommodates a Visor, a folding keyboard, and a few Springboard modules, with extra pockets for credit cards, cash, and other essentials. It features a case grip that holds the Visor securely in place while keeping the Springboard expansion slot accessible. It sells for $40.
All of these are available now.
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Agreed, prices must drop
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.
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.
RE: Well, there's one stock that will bottom out today.
RE: Well, there's one stock that will bottom out today.
Doug
RE: Well, there's one stock that will bottom out today.
RE: Well, there's one stock that will bottom out today.
> 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.
Bad for all of us
> 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.
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
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.
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.
>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.
Flash ROM vs. Non-Flash in HS
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
RE: Flash ROM vs. Non-Flash in HS
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?
RE: Platinum Discontinued?
---
News Editor
RE: Platinum Discontinued?
Handspring releasing worldwide
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.
What? You didn't know he released a new single? That's my point...
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Well, there's one stock that will bottom out today.