Visor Edge Dropping Another $50
Starting tomorrow, Handspring will drop the price of the Visor Edge from $250 to $200. This is the third price drop for the Edge since it was released during spring of last year. The last price drop was in December.
This puts the Edge in the interesting situation of, after starting out as a high-end device, just being reduced into the upper end of the low-end price range. As such, it will be competing against the just announced Sony S360, the Palm m125, and Visor Neo.
Update: The new price is now in effect... finally.
This can't be taken as a sign that Handspring is planning on phasing out the Edge. While Jeff Hawkins did say recently the company would be reducing its number of models, the Edge was one of the three to be kept.
The Visor Edge runs the 33MHz DragonBall VZ with 8 MB of RAM. It has a 4-bit grayscale screen and is powered by a lithium ion battery. It is 4.7 by 3.1 by .43 inches. It is the only Handspring model to depart radically from the design the company has used from the first Visors. It needs a sled that attaches to the back in order to use Springboard modules.
The Edge debuted in March of 2001 for $400. In August it dropped to $300.
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RE: I hear the playing of Taps...
RE: I hear the playing of Taps...
People stack up PDA's like playing cards.
This is smoke and mirrors because they havent been able to release the Treo.
RE: I hear the playing of Taps... / Treo
RE: I hear the playing of Taps...
* Palm Vx
* Jornada 568 ;-)
RE: I hear the playing of Taps...
RE: I hear the playing of Taps...
The criticism over the Springboard backpack was a little bit of an over-reaction if you ask me. Remember, the Edge was intended as Handspring's answer to the hugely successfull Vx. It was virtually as good as the Vx in terms of 'pocketability' and style, it was faster than the Vx, it had a USB cable and it offered some expansion options. The latter was nice to have, but not considered to be mandatory given the popularity of Vx which offered nothing in terms of expansion. Design considerations demanded sacrifices and the backpack was the only option (other going without Springboard altogether).
I think that the design of the stylus probably lost more sales than the Springboard backpack. I think that better marketing and distribution would have helped too. PDAs are for consumers, not just geeks like us.
RE: I hear the playing of Taps...
To continue the analogy, I think HS should just divorce the Edge, and be done with it.
RE: I hear the playing of Taps...
RE: I hear the playing of Taps...
I have tried a variety of Plam OS PDA's and can honestly say that, with a few exceptions, there is mothing seriously wrong with any of them. Take the Edge for example. I bought one and used it for about six months before moving on to a Palm M500. I found nothing to be poor in the craftmanship, enjoyed it's somewhat unique form factor and for the most part thought it was one of the better PDA's I've used. The M500, on the otherhand, presented me with several problems. Does that make it a flop? Of course not. Ultimately I did not like the form factor or screen and have since moved on.
Today I use a Clie and a Visor Pro. Two totally different units but both with their own unique attributes. I have never found anything bad to say about any of the Palm manufacturers and have used Palm's, Visor's, Clies's and the TRG Pro. Loved them all, for different reasons, and would recommend any of them to anyone that is looking for a PDA. Sony wins for their screens. HandEra wins for their expansion technology. Palm wins for form factor and variety. Handspring wins, easily, for versatility. They are all great units and why anyone would bash them, not simply criticize or comment, is beyond me. HS is not going anywhere, the Edge is a fine product and a value at $199.00 and, hopefully, the Treo will live up to its lofy potential. Finally, the i705 from Palm is a great PDA. An employee of mine bought one over the weekend and we are both impressed!
new model soon?
I would bet on them putting some more ram and a color screen in and making a new high end device. Something to compete with the new T415 and T615 models from SONY, and also the newer palm 505's.
I personally like the edge, i have used it and though it was a solid PDA. Only thing i didn't like was the whole sled thing to use springboards. I understand why its needed, but cant HS move on to SD slot or even a Memstick? They where ahead of the curve on expansion, but now they behind the times with a old standard.
RE: new model soon?
RE: new model soon?
Let's wait and see !
Francis Lo
Hong Kong
RE: new model soon?
Wrong. Handspring has no intention of competing with Sony. Visor fans who keep hoping for a "killer PDA" from Handspring are feeding on false hope. Hawkins strategy is now refocused on wireless devices. It's Treo, or bust.
There may be another updated Visor in the works, but it will most likely offer modest improvements such as color and more RAM. That's about it. No high resolution, no new features, no new functionality.
RE: new model soon?
I hardly think that color is just a "modest" improvement! And it sure took long enough for the Palm world to move onto "more RAM" (with Handspring doing it first), so that's a bigger deal than you make it seem too.
RE: new model soon?
Are either of those revolutionary changes? The next Visor upgrade may have color, but it will still be low resolution 160x160. Don't we have enough low res devices on the market already? More RAM? You can get that now in the Pro. And Sony offers it in the Clie T615c, which is more compelling than anything Handspring has produced thus far.
RE: new model soon?
Plus, when the m500 and 505 came out, they said they were working on a color Edge (and wanted to "get the screen right!"). These things get planned so far in advance that if they'd wanted to scrap a color Edge model, there wouldn't have been any mention at all.
RE: new model soon?
We can get the Edge for about usd200 since X'mas.
RE: new model soon?
Well you never know. Jeff also said he should have released a color version of the edge. I have problem believing that would happen as you do. Only reason is because Handspring already announced that they left the PDA market and has entered the "Smart phone" market. Therefore, there is one VERY small chance that Jeff will come out with a PDA, rather than the color version of the Treo as he announced.
http://pdan.has.it
clarifications
2) Jeff actually made a point of saying that Handspring was not exiting the handheld market (to focus exclusively on communicators) yet. In a letter to developers, his exact words were "we are consolidating the line into a few key products, Visor Pro, Visor Neo and Visor Edge." For the full story, go here: http://www.visorcentral.com/content/Stories/1376-1.htm
So, if a HS officer has gone on record to say they should have released a color Edge, and they've said they are continuing the Edge line, how is it a stretch to anticipate a color Edge sometime this year? Maybe not yet, because they don't want to steal the Treo's thunder. But I would anticipate color additions to both the Pro and Edge lines; maybe, maybe not for the Neo.
Make way for Treo
RE: Make way for Treo
With MemPlug and a Stowaway keyboard, the Visor Pro remains indispensable tool for me. Also, its bigger screen is still better for reading large documents.
So, the Treo and Visor lines be able to serve different market needs. I guess the Visors still have a long way to go.
Francis Lo
Hong Kong
RE: Make way for Treo
Price not in effect?
-Scott
RE: Price not in effect?
Peace,
bradleyboy
RE: Price not in effect?
Drops
Mua! From Russia with Love.
RE: Drops
OrionNE
RE: Drops
What Price Drop?
Way to go Handspring
RE: What Price Drop?
RE: What Price Drop?
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005APZK/002-7532974-1556811 and click on Add to Cart button, and you will see the Edge listed for $199.99
RE: What Price Drop?
RE: What Price Drop?
Of course the dummies dont have 1 in stock??? :(
Edge rules!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HermondolaISE
What a flop
RE: What a flop
And no, I don't want fries with that.
Yo, back off on the Edge
RE: Yo, back off on the Edge
I believe ill try Staples for a price match and get a blue one while im at it!!! (Best Buy only has silver)
So yeah, back off on the edge dude, or better yet, jump off the edge of a nearby cliff! :) lol lol lol
Hermondolaise
RE: Yo, back off on the Edge

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I hear the playing of Taps...