VisorCentral.com (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/index.php)
- Visor & Deluxe (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/forumdisplay.php?forumid=1)
-- Anyone watching the shipping date vote meter? (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/showthread.php?threadid=116)

Anyone noticed how different the percentage of votes look now that a couple of days ago? When I voted, the 11th and 18th were in the vast majority, now it seems to be a close race. I am interested to see if it swings the other way with most people believing it isn't coming 'till Nov.

A poster on deja.com said he called Handspring because he hadn't received his e-mail confirmation. I think this was Sept. 29, 1999. He was told Visors would start shipping next week. If Handspring is including OS 3.3 in the Visor, and if Handspring had to wait until 3Com formally announces the Vx with OS 3.3, so 3Com would be the first to reap the benefits of OS 3.3, and if the Vx is announced Oct. 4, 1999, as rumored, then this makes sense. Don't know anything for certain though.

I thought we were getting OS 3.1? That was what is causing some of the big hullabalu on the other threads, about OS status and upgradeability.

If they've changed and decided to ship the Visor with PalmOS 3.3 then they sure haven't made that a public announcement. Everything out there still points towards a Visor with 3.1. They would have to push back shipping for a month or more in order to upgrade every device before they sent them out the door. What you're suggesting would severely impact ship dates and general availability of the product.

I suppose its possible that Handspring has been working with 3.3 silicon for weeks, and was unable to announce support, but I'd have to agree with Jackal...I think that the chances are slim. I for one am going to be pretty annoyed though if the Palm Vx comes out with 3.3 in a week and we don't hear something from Handspring with regard to updating their OS. (via soft)

I'd be shocked at this point if Visor was released with 3.3. Some very good points were made that perhaps they couldn't announce 3.3 because of Vx's upcoming release, but they have clarified on several occasions that the machines will be shipped with 3.1. What we won't appreciate is if Handspring moves to 3.3 fairly quickly; thus penalizing those who ordered "too quickly" -- unless they afford the opportunity for a free upgrade, which because of the FLASH issue would require more than simply sending a file (i.e., send a new machine and accept the 3.1s back free of charge).
Perhaps we'll hear about more answers in NYC next week -- I'm almost tempted to go the first day of the show.

According to the Handspring FAQ they are using Palm OS 3.1.

------------------
James Hromadka
VisorCentral.com

[This message has been edited by JHromadka (edited 09-30-1999).]

I spoke to a CSRep last night and he said that the shipping date has been moved up. The question is, to when? He said he wasn't sure, but it was definitely moved up. Of course we can't confirm this since they never told us a shipping date in the first place... I think he just wanted to ameliorate my irritation

OK, once again, the FAQ says the OS is "based on" OS 3.1. OS 3.3 is also "based on" OS 3.1. The developers section says to base compatability on OS 3.1, but everything that runs under OS 3.1 will also run under OS 3.3, per 3Com. And, nowhere does it specifically say the Visor runs OS 3.1. No, I don't know anything specifically. I'm just summarizing what we do know. Oh, by the way, of course all pre-production units would have OS 3.1. OS 3.3 hasn't been released yet, and it would be very unlikely that 3Com would want people to get their first taste of OS 3.3 thru Handspring's demo units.

Actually, Handspring does say that the Visor will use PalmOS 3.1. Its listed on their FAQ page at http://216.35.16.11/visor_faqs.html

Everyone is forgetting the most obvious answer. Since one of the features of 3.3 is supposedly USB support and Handspring already has it. Perhaps 3.3 is 3.1 with the enhancements added by Handspring. This has happened in the past with other OS licensees adding features that were rolled into the main product. I bet that is what happened this time.

-Eric

Eric, your comments make sense to me. I also agree with what dmkozak is saying. It would be strange however for there to be two separate OS's one 3.1 (with USB support) in the HS device and one 3.3 (with USB support) in the Palm Vx. My inclination is to look in the direction that dmkozak is pointing...HS devices shipping with 3.3. I originally ignored the relevance of that small word "based" in both the FAQ and the HDK. But he's probably right there.

mpenza, no, the FAQs do not say Visor uses OS 3.1. The FAQs do say Visor uses an operating system "based on" OS 3.1. Read my above post.

Yep, you're right...here's the excerpt :

Q. What version of Palm OS does Visor use?

A. Visor is based on Palm OS version 3.1. We have made improvements on top of the core operating system which include support for USB and the addition of several applications (e.g. advanced Date Book, advanced calculator, world clock).


But, the Palm Vx, as far as I know, hasn't been said to have a USB connection. So Handspring still has the upper hand there. Which in a way is silly. When Hawkins and company left they must have really drained the brain over at Palm.

The Vx does not have a USB connection. It is merely a stock upgrade (to 8 MB) of the V with the OS 3.3 that includes a few enhancements including IR Sync, the Euro symbol, and support for USB connections among others. There's also the improved wait-state and apparently an upgrade to 20 mhz speed on the chip.

If Palm Vx will support USB connections, will it be possible later on to replace its cradle with a USB cradle? I don't see why not, but I've never owned a Palm so I wouldn't really know... but I'm curious to know.

Whoa, whoa, improved wait-state? I distinctly recall reading a review/interview on the Visor that said HS squeezed more speed out of the Visor by tweaking wait states. The plot thickens...

Hagop:

No, the Vx still has the standard serial connection with 10 prongs rather than the USB 8 on the Visor. So, until Palm changes the connector at the bottom of the Vx and actually configures the device to take advantage of the USB, you won't be able to use a USB cradle.

Jackal where did you read about the 20Mhz? After using AfterBurner for a while, I know you need to slow the processor in order to beam, so it strikes me as odd that Palm would make that many changes to their system.

Why did they add USB support to a device that only has a simple serial connector?