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-- Wishlist for Visor II (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/showthread.php?threadid=344)

Ok so here is the wishlist:

Palm V sized unit running off of recharageable and replaceable batteries. It must be color. It must have Flash ROM and a minimum of 8MB of RAM (64 Pref.) Integrated Voice Recorder and two-way pager. Complete Palm VII functionality with an unlimited rate plan. A Springboard slot AND a CF slot. The infrared port MUST be on the top. It must have a flip case similar to the Palm III series, but it should lay flat against the back of the unit when open. The batteries must last a minimum of 1 month of CONSTANT use with the backlight. The original datebook should be replaced with a full version of DateBook3 (Icons included). It should have USB and IRsync support out of the box as well as ful Mac compatibility. And even though it is USB, it must support all of the Palm accessories like the modem and the GoType. It must be available in at least 10 translucent iMac type colors and 5 shades of grey ranging from Pewter to Black. All accessories made from now on must be made in matching colors and all previously available devices' manufactures must make replacement plastics available at no cost.

I know it is alot to ask for, but I am sure Jeff and Donna can do it. If fact I don't think it is unreasonable to ask them to hold weekly training classes on how to use the Visor II to do everything from act as a universal remote to writing Java applets ON the Visor.

:-)

Obviously I am kidding. The point is that we are asking alot and complaing about missing features. Take it as it is or don't take it. I am not saying we cannot voice an opinion nor am I saying we should avoid "construtive criticism" of Handspring, Palm, TRG and everyone else. All I am saying is lets not whine about it!

Handspring CSR: OK, that'll be $14,995.95, not including shipping & handling. We'll get it out to you sometime in October... of 2012.

This is way cool! We don't have our Visors yet (tomorrow for me) and we already have the wish list for the next generation.

I love the idea of a springboard and cf slot in the size of a Palm V.

I think I'd wish for a colorized unit with speech recognition software and the wireless capabilities of every cell network out there.

Somebody be certain to forward this thread to Hawkins and Dubinsky when it gets more comments.

One thing from that wish list would be great - the clear flip cover. Look at a Jornado 430se (I know, I know, Wince) but they got the cover right because it uses a double hinge so it fits flat on the back of the unit when it's open.

As for the rest of that wish list, when we get nuclear pellet elctric generation, maybe.....

You forget the internal CD-R drive and Cable TV capabilities. It should also have LCD heating to keep the coffee mug warm on cold days.

But as a next step I like to see:

1.
>Voice recording (10 minutes is OK)
>Flash ROM (I don't know whether it's really usefull - but I guess there is no harm)
>Enduser Price US$99.95

2.
A thin Palm V clone. Voice record is a must for BIZ users.

(...and please ad the WEEKs in the day and month view of the desktop software - we cool Euroguys work often in WEEKs rather then fixed days.)

Color - OK, color is not bad. But if the batteries only last a few hours I go rather with the current type LCD.



[This message has been edited by HipHop (edited 10-18-1999).]

sorry, mistake didnt' mean to post this

[This message has been edited by jpbelch (edited 10-19-1999).]

Oh yeah, I forgot: It needs to have a LOUD alarm capable of generating DTMF tones and playing WAVs and MP3s natively. It also needs a silent mode for alams including BOTH a flashing LED and a vibrating alert.

It should also support MS Word and MS Excel natively.

That should be it for now.

(Unless they can find a way to make it operate my garage door too.... Mmmm.....)

ok, i know everyone wants a unit with the same dimesions of a Palm V but, aren't the springboards too thick to fit in something that size? They're probably thinking about that now since smaller is better (in handhelds

AussiS5, you're pretty close. The thickness key is the batteries. In order to go thinner than the Visor, you'd need some sort of "moldable" rechargeable. Hopefully the battery unit would be replaceable. But, for a Palm V sized Visor the Springboard could be a "stickout" attachement. In other words, the unit would contain the Springboard receptacle, but if you plugged in a Springboard, it would not be self contained within the unit. It would "stick out" of the unit. If someone needed regular use of a Springboard, they would buy the Visor. If they didn't need much Springboard usage, they would buy the smaller size.

Batteries are no problem. You can either design a rechargeable batterie (very easy) or just use 'button cells', of the 'CR2450 or similar' type. They are lithium and have a high charge and low hight.

Housing material is important too for thin PDAs. Plastic (Polycarbon?) needs some minimum thickness for stability. My IIIx housing is 1.50mm thick (I just checked it). Steel or titanium housing could take 2 mm off the total thickness, 0.10mm steel should still give good stability.

BTW, the latest technology is called THIXOMOLDING, it's a magnesium alloy done with injection molding! It's used on the latest Japanese notebooks. The inner chassie can be as thin as 0.40mm

...and of course add rechargeable batteries!


[This message has been edited by HipHop (edited 10-20-1999).]

Battery solution should not be that hard with the new Li-poly technology. Check out http://www.moltech.com I'm sure this is already on the drawing boards for our handspring developers

"My IIIx housing is 1.50mm thick (I just checked it). I steel or titanium housing could take 2 mm off. "

-0.5mm thick, eh Hiphop? Very clever...the housing makes the internals thinner!

Yeah, I know what you meant. :]

I'd want a Springboard that was a mini voice-recorder (I'm a magazine journalist) with capacity for more than a few minutes. (Like a real cassette recorder).

Oh, and could it please transcribe the interviews for me?

How about Carbon Fiber instead of all the alloys and metals?

Carbon fibre is probably difficult to bring into shape. Its some sort of woven fibre with some sort of epoxy. It's expensive too.

The latest color Nokia GSM phone uses polycarbon with a 40% glass content. That can give a very rigid and strong outer case. Minimum thickness they can do is 0.80mm.

My IIIx case is rather 'cheap'. The production cost should be below US$0.30 per set. Polycarbon sells for about US$4/kg in Asia. Take the case of and check the weight. (Weight in kg + 10%) x $4 is you production cost.

...don't forget the US$100,000 for the injection tool.

Looks like price was a major concern for Palm, and I guess for Visor too.


[This message has been edited by HipHop (edited 10-20-1999).]