Visor Edge: Release Day
The new Handspring site is up and is filled with info and pictures on the Visor Edge. Unfortunately, it is currently swamped with visitors and is moving very slowly. The U.K site is actually running faster.
The introductory webcast by Handspring co-founders Jeff Hawkins and Donna Dubinsky gave many details about the new device. There were no big surprises. Just about all the facts that were leaked in the last few days were borne out.
During the webcast, Mr. Hawkins said many times that this was the thinnest Palm handheld available. He confirmed that it will come in three colors (red, blue and silver) but that the red version will be available only from Handspring.com. The case and cover are made of anodized aluminum. The back of the case doesn't have the usual bar codes and product numbers; it is smooth and clean looking.
The metal stylus is held to the side by a latch. The cover can be tilted all the way around about 270 degrees, though it will hold itself open about 110 degrees, too. It is removable.
Mr. Hawkins demonstrated the detachable Springboard slot, of course, which he promised was 100% Springboard compatible. He showed it running the VisorPhone to surf the Web. He took the cover off during this and it wasn't clear whether he was just doing this to make it easier to demo or if the VisorPhone's antenna was too big to allow the cover to still be attached.
When many people heard that the Springboard slot was removable, it immediately occurred to them that accessories could be made that would clip onto the back of the Edge and connect directly using the same port the Springboard slot does. Mr. Hawkins made it clear that several companies are already developing peripherals to do this and that Handspring was supporting them in the development process. He even showed off a non-working mock-up of a CDPD modem that is in development, though he didn't say by whom. This is probably the basis for the rumors of a Springboard replacement.
The device runs the fastest Palm Processor available, the 33MHz DragonBall VZ with 8 MB or RAM. Mr. Hawkins also claimed that the screen had been improved and was sharper than any other monochrome screen available. It supports 16 shades of gray (4-bit grayscale).
It is powered by a lithium ion battery which Handspring says should last four weeks with normal use between charges. Handspring also says its cradle can charge it to full power in just a few minutes. Sadly, the report that the Edge came with a travel charger seems to have been mistaken.
He didn't just talk about hardware, he spent some time on the new software features of the Edge. He claimed that its OS was equivalent to Palm OS 4.0 because it already had many of the features of that forthcoming OS, including USB support.
He also demonstrated the Address Book's new one finger lookup feature. When this is enabled, names can be looked up by using the hard keys to specify if each letter in the name is in the first or second half of the alphabet. For example, to look up the name "Don", you would press the up arrow key to invoke the look-up function, then press the To-Do key to say that the first letter is in the first half of the alphabet, then press the Memo key to say the second letter was in the second half, then press the Memo key again to say the third letter was in the second half of the alphabet. Theoretically, this should give you a list of all the people whose name is "Don".
The Edge should be available in stores within two weeks. It is available now from Handspring's U.S. and U.K. websites. It is priced at 458 euros without VAT.
Before the introduction of the Edge, Mr. Hawkins mentioned that they are releasing the Visor Platinum in a new colored case, graphite. The color for the other version is now referred to as "Metallic silver".
The webcast is now over and is no longer available. An archived copy of this will be available later.
Amazon, the online retailer, is now offering the Visor Edge for pre-orders. They are selling it for $399 with free shipping. They have a gallery of pictures, too.
Amazon also mentions some new facts on the Edge. While the cradle is USB, there will be a serial version for sale separately. Under the devices' new features, they list, "wireless synchronization, address duplication, improved security, and enhanced navigation".
Staples, who accidentally confirmed rumors that the the Edge was coming by listing a group of accessories for the device last week, is being extra careful and doesn't yet say a word about it.
Handspring also introduced today a line of Visor Edge accessories including a metal hard case and quite a few leather cases. Handspring will also sell optional serial and USB charging cradles for the Visor Edge, a travel charger and a USB HotSync cable. Lastly, Handspring will offer replacement flip covers in all three Visor Edge colors and a replacement detachable Springboard slot.
Related articles:
Permalink
PrintArticle Comments
(34 comments)
The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. PalmInfocenter is not responsible for them in any way.
Please Login or register here to add your comments.
Comments Closed
This article is no longer accepting new comments.
RE: compact flash?
I think HS is shooting themselves in the foot by holding onto this non-upgradeable OS path. BUT, if there is CF out-of-the box capability... don't you think someone would be talking about it?
RE: compact flash?
A CF slot, assuming those problems don't really exist, would allow the slot to be considerably smaller than the Springboard slot. They could then use the CF connector as the connector for the Springboard expansion pack thing (not a sleeve, hehe ;-). This would let people use industry standard (and very large) CF memory cards, AS WELL AS all the cool springboard modules for other stuff.
RE: compact flash?
RE: compact flash?
It's true when people say that CF can't do what Springboard does, but there is a tradeoff. Springboard ties directly into the CPU system bus, so it has direct access to the entire system. That's why it's so fast, as well as why it's so proprietary and hard to port to other devices and platforms. Think of it as the AGP bus of PDAs.
CompactFlash, by contrast, is an I/O standard, used mostly for storage but can be used (and is used) for other things as well. It's sort of the SCSI bus of the handheld set. SmartMedia puts all of the electronics into the reader, so it is storage memory only, like a traditional 3.5" floppy. MMC and SD cards (same thing, give or take SDMI) are somewhere around the IDE bus by comparison.
Yes, the analogy is being pushed a bit far, but it's a decent enough intro to how the different kinds of expansion slots "work" in comparison to each other, as well as their limitations and abilities.
--GrouchoMarx
Amazon has inconsistent specs on the batteries
under the technical specs, it states internal lithium ion batteries included?
RE: Amazon has inconsistent specs on the batteries
---
Plenipotentiary
Palm Infocenter
Oh, m505, come soon!
Good luck to HS, but these units aren't it -- at least not for me.
Thinnest? Not!
Baloney. All Jeff had to do was go to his own product comparison page to learn that the Palm Vx was 10% thinner. Tooting your own horn is fine, but... jeez, man... get your facts straight before spouting off like that.
RE: Thinnest? Not!
What I dont get is why they have priced it at 10% higher cost than the Vx in Europe. Seems odd and pushing IPAQ price range.
BTW the uk site - www.handspring.co.uk is a lot faster than the US one at the moment.
RE: Thinnest? Not!
Looks cute...
I just do not get it. Would have preferred a somewhat sleeker, larger housing with permanently attached Springboard slot... than to the sacrifice comfort and carry with such a bulky attachment... just another accessory to carry... maybe keeping the Springboard was an after-thought?
As to the upgradeable OS... this still baffles many of us. Especially, when many are aware of newer Palm OS releases and the inherent limitations in previous releases which are addressed in subsequent OS versions. In this "day and age", using this strategy is an afront to the consumer community... the upgrade path becomes "buy a newer unit".... because we (the manufacturer) were too cheap to include this upgradeability into our products... oh and it means we get more money from you, too.
With new devices coming out more frequently, it would make better sense to engage current customers with a device that has versatility (like the Springboard), an upgrade path (upgradeable OS), and to build a brand loyalty by supporting those basic premises.
For such a "disposable" device, the cost is too much.
The non-upgradeable OS is a dead issue,
The next OS is due in 2002 (v5) and no existing Palm unit will work with Palm OS 5 since it will be designed for Palm devices built around the StrongARM CPU (and possibly higher resolution screens).
I do agree that this new unit is a bit of a waste.
It looks nice tho.
RE: Looks cute...
any Handspring can do that?
RE: Looks cute...
Are you telling me that the Prism/Platinum/Edge loaded OS has all the features described here:
http://www.palminfocenter.com/view_Story.asp?ID=1697
???
I don't think so.
I bet many people end up spending the extra $50-$100 for the M505 for the colour screen, improved OS4.0 and the elegant built-in SD expansion (no SB sled).
I think i'm almost completely ready to throw out my Visor....maybe next monday??
Well for starters....
If you compare what HS's 3.5.2H does to 4.0 the basics are really the same. Granted the SD is faster than the Springboard, until I see a production unit of the m505, I'll stick with my Prism. I really don't like the fact that you can't run data from the SD like I can from my 16MB flash module (read the page you sent me to. It copies data to the main ram then runs the prog. which means you'll need to keep enough free RAM for the copying).
If you compare the Edge to the 505, the 505 will win hands down. Now if you compare the 505 to the Prism (which is the real heads on competition)? It might be a toss up.
(Non)Issues...
And the OS in the Visor is not entirely fixed. I've already patched the OS in my Visor Deluxe - it is a RAM resident OS patch. They can tweak the OS through small patches without having to replace the entire thing. And the SB spec allows for modules to load OS patches as needed. That's more than enough for most users.
I suspect that most people who buy Visors never buy any SB modules - certainly more Visors have sold than modules. So the lack of a built in port isn't going to matter at all to most users. Even those who own modules, like myself, don't need them all the time. I could carry an Edge and leave the sled at home most of the time, or toss it in my bag. Oh, and oddly I don't tend to lose my gear, but maybe I'm weird since so many people whine about losing the sled. If you can't hold onto the sled, maybe you don't want to carry something as expensive as a PDA anyway.
So they have a unit that is comparable to the Palm Vx in size, with a better cover, a faster CPU, and the Edge connector. I also see that I was on the money predicting that there would be other sled variants that would connect directly to the Edge connector instead of the SB sled. That has a lot of possibilities, it will be interesting to see what comes out for that. I think a modem is a given, but I could see CF adaptors, SD adaptors, etc, easily. Depends a bit on the specs for the Edge connector, I haven't looked at them yet.
When I used a IIIx it originally ran 3.1. I flashed it to 3.3 at one point - not because I needed anything from 3.3, but because I'm a geek and I do things like that just because I can. My Visor Deluxe is on 3.1H3 now, patched from 3.1H. I've never had any trouble with that OS and feel no need to upgrade to 3.5 or 4.0.
It seems like people in the forum, which is self-selecting right there, are confusing themselves with the majority of the market. That's a big mistake. People who complain about it not having 16MB of RAM, or FLASH ROM, or color, etc, are missing the point entirely. Quite obviously it is not aimed at the power user market who won't buy a device without those features. It is aimed at the general market that has been snapping up Palm Vx PDAs rapidly, and it provides some improvements over the Vx.
As I said the other day, the overwhelming majority of the market is not willing to pay for color, or 16MB RAM, or even FLASH ROM. The features aren't worth the added cost to them and/or they just won't use the feature anyway.
HS isn't out to woo the hardcore hardware wankers - there aren't enough of them to constitute a decent market share.
I expect to see a color version of the Edge down the road. It makes sense to stagger product introductions a bit, I'm kind of surprise that Palm is apparently not doing that with the m50x. Get press for one unit, let it fade, then whip it up again with the next one.
Also, to revisit another topic I brought up the other day, why the negativity? If you don't like it, don't buy it. Go buy an m505, or whatever, and be happy. There is no point it bitching about the design. If you don't like it, don't buy it - it really is that simple.
If, or, as I believe, when, they come out with a color version of the Edge, I will give it some serious consideration. I rather like the design. But my Deluxe is still serving well, and there just isn't enough about the Edge to make me open my wallet. Nor is there anything about the coming m50x I've seen to date. But if I were buying my first unit, I'd definitely be looking at an Edge.
-MegaZone, megazone@megazone.org
Personal Homepage http://www.megazone.org/
Eyrie Productions FanFic http://www.eyrie-productions.com/
RE: Looks cute...
The curve is defintely skewed here with power users. The m100 seems to have been a great seller despite its small feature set.
I'm sure most everyone on this board has gotten questions from our non-Palm loved ones about which model to get,features, etc.
I tell them in simple terms because they're not looking for Xscale processors or Flash ROM. They say: "I want it to get my email or can it save pictures?"
The Edge is not a new technological phenom but rather a great addition to an already successful Visor line. It features a small form factor with expansion that is supported by many companies. I agree that it offers more that the Vx and dear I say >= to the m500. SD with OS4 is about content. The SDIO concept models at PalmSource 2000 are not the SpringBoards of today.
With Springboard, you can add CF, Smartmedia, Mp3, GPS, Eyemodule, wireless modem...etc.
All today. Right now.
Make no mistake, OS4 is going to be great for SDIO, attn mgr, bluetooth support, telephony, wca and etc but it's a stepping stone for OS'5'. But it's not the end all be all. You gotta look at functionality; what you use here and now, daily.
Also pad in legacy support. Will you want to upgrade to OS4 if say your favorite hack wasn't API friendly and couldn't run? I wouldn't.
Isn't the idea that the OS undergoes revision as in 2.0,3.1,3.3,3.5,3.51,3.52 blah blah. I suspect 4 will be the same. It will need time to mature.
I've owned a III, IIIx (stolen),V, Visor Deluxe and Palm VIIx. Hopefully the smartphone is coming soon (hint hint Kyocera)!
And in this vast gross example of PDA consumption, I realize that it's all in what you want to do with it.
Isn't that HandSpring's marketing message: Visor, whatever the heck you want it to be. Visor IS.
Let's pretend to be nice and give cheer to a new baby before throwing out the bath water (or something like that)
kudos to Handspring!
RE: Looks cute...
In general, next to my Prism, I'm wondering "why bother"? Or, at least, "why so much cost"?
The metal feel in the slim profiled metal hard case that was being used was nice.... akin to my first impressions with the Vx in an ultrathin titanium hardcase.
Surely, HandSpring has yet another device up their sleeve (hint =8-)). Go ahead throw the baby out with the bathwater, there are more devices to come!!
The new CLIE and Palm devices look promising, as well. I'm just hoping that one of these device manufacturers introduces something of substance this year!!
No news anywhere else???
RE: No news anywhere else???
RE: No news anywhere else???
Why would I want this?
Up till now, I had been a staunch HS supporter, but I'll pass on this and wait for the M505.
But does it have a speaker?????
RE: But does it have a speaker?????
Do you really want this?
I would much rather go jogging, bicycling, workout etc. with my simple and rugged Rio 300SE.
If you try to make it do everything for everyone without add-ons, you end up with another overpriced underused WinCE machine.
My priorities are info management, connectivity (not necessarily wireless) and last entertainment in the form of games. I don't want to pay for YOUR MP3 player, so my VDX, thinmodem and Stowaway keyboard suit me just fine.
RE: But does it have a speaker?????
TRG's new PDA
First look - Visor Edge
http://www.visorcentral.com/page/0-4-79-1-4.htm
Marcus Adolfsson
RE: First look - Visor Edge
---
Plenipotentiary
Palm Infocenter
Latest Comments
- I got one -Tuckermaclain
- RE: Don't we have this already? -Tuckermaclain
- RE: Palm brand will return in 2018, with devices built by TCL -richf
- RE: Palm brand will return in 2018, with devices built by TCL -dmitrygr
- Palm phone on HDblog -palmato
- Palm PVG100 -hgoldner
- RE: Like Deja Vu -PacManFoo
- Like Deja Vu -T_W
compact flash?