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VisorCentral.com (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/index.php)
- Accessories (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/forumdisplay.php?forumid=3)
-- Aluminum Bodies for Visor (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/showthread.php?threadid=9062)


Posted by ckrupsha on 10-30-2000 04:45 PM:

Question

I am currently investigating two methods of mass producing aluminum bodies for the Visor deluxe. This would enable you to essentially have the metal look and feel of the Palm V (but unfortunately no diminishing of the Visor's size). In addition, you would be able to have it anodized in your favorite color (one of a variety available, anyway).

This would essentially be a complete replacement for your current graphite/ice/blue case. And would involve a little "assembly required" on your part.


It is going to be expensive to have all the toolings made and so the question I have for everyone is:

How much do you feel a fair price is for such a product, and would you be interested in purchasing it?


Posted by Usonian on 10-30-2000 05:26 PM:

Red face

quote:
Originally posted by ckrupsha
It is going to be expensive to have all the toolings made and so the question I have for everyone is:

How much do you feel a fair price is for such a product, and would you be interested in purchasing it?



It's hard for me to say what a fair price is without knowing how much the R&D/production costs are... but personally I probably wouldn't pay more than $50 for a metal housing for my Visor - that's probably unrealistically low, but I just can't imagine paying $250 (http://www.dave.com/palmiii.htm) for a voided warranty and a few pieces of metal, no matter how slick it made my Visor look... and anything approaching $100+ seems like an awful lot - if I'm that concerned with how my electronics look I'd be better off putting my money towards an iMac.

It's like the Nokia phone & Palm M100 faceplates... I can't imagine spending $25 for a colored, molded piece of plastic that probably cost $.25 to make. People buy them, though... I don't know about the M100, but the Nokia faceplates seem to be quite popular. Best of luck!

-Andy

__________________
<br>"Form follows function - that has been misunderstood. Form and function should be one, joined in a spiritual union" -Frank Lloyd Wright


Posted by Hoser_back_home on 10-30-2000 06:04 PM:

I'd say i'd pay no more than $125.00

I've paid 99.99 for the stowaway and $129? for my modem....i'd like the max price for any visor accessory to be no more than $125.

That's me.

__________________
Ever feel like the train left while you were busy reading the paper?

Stealth-Mod.


Posted by MIKE STH on 10-30-2000 06:07 PM:

I would go $125 for my Platinum(imagine it's the same specs as the VDX?) Would this include buttons too?

__________________
"Stupid Handspring."


Posted by GrayWizard on 10-30-2000 09:38 PM:

Post

I would spend up to $100, but by the time you will start producing whem I'll probably need a case for Prism. Do you plan to make them too, or just DLX.


Posted by Hoser_back_home on 10-30-2000 09:49 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by MIKE STH
I would go $125 for my Platinum(imagine it's the same specs as the VDX?) Would this include buttons too?




to keep costs down, i'd settle for just the body and keep the original buttons. i'd imagine the buttons would contribute quite a bit to the final cost being so small and detail oriented.

one thing you might consider...saving some machining time by NOT including all the 'notches' on the sides next to the screen. i know it's supposed to add 'gription' but i think a nice smooth metal body would look better and lower the overall production cost.

i'm pretty sure you've seen this, but the Handspring site (under developers) actually has some CAD files that you may be able to use for the equipement doing the machining...

__________________
Ever feel like the train left while you were busy reading the paper?

Stealth-Mod.


Posted by dick-richardson on 10-30-2000 11:51 PM:

If it's somewhere near $100 I'd do some serious considering. Getting rid of the grips would make absolutely no difference to me.

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Abortion: Darwinism at its finest.


Posted by kalahari on 10-31-2000 01:05 AM:

While I still had my Blue VDX, I would have paid $125 for this faceplate. I thought that I would want one for the Prism too. But, I really like the Cobalt Blue Prism case and don't think that I would NEED to have a replacement unless someone came out with a very HIGH quality aluminum faceplate for around $100.

I don't think that a replacement for the back or buttons is important.


Posted by Sanction on 10-31-2000 01:59 AM:

Smile

I would pay around $100-$125, about the same cost as a good titanium case from Rhino Skin. This would fill my #1 wish for the Visor, so please make them avaliable soon


Posted by homer on 10-31-2000 03:35 AM:

I'd probably pay no more than $50. It'd be nice to have, but anything over $50 would probably push me into considering upgrading the entire unit to the Prism or something.

How about an extruded foam or rubber case...maybe a bit oversized? I think that'd be not only nice looking, but extremely practical (sort of a built-in-case).

__________________
We're all naked if you turn us inside out.
-David Byrne


Posted by ckrupsha on 10-31-2000 11:40 AM:

Thanks very much folks. This was always something I wanted to have, and if I can make a quality product that fits within everyone's budget and still makes a few dollars for my trouble, it will definitely be a go.

I don't know what to do about the grips -- I should be able to include them without too much trouble. It is a stylistic thing I guess. And I was basically intending to use the existing buttons -- I don't want to get too far ahead of myself.

As for the prism, lets just say that will be the next project if there is enough of a market for it. For the record, I am hoping to keep this under $100 (and not $99.95 either!).

Anyway, thanks very much for your input!


Posted by MIKE STH on 10-31-2000 02:07 PM:

Grips make no difference to me, nor do the buttons...I was just asking

I'm anxious...keep us posted on an ETA please.

__________________
"Stupid Handspring."


Posted by digitalhr on 11-04-2000 10:39 PM:

At the less-than-$100 point mentioned, I would be very interested in a quality case for my newly-ordered prism. See, I don't even have it yet, and I want to change it!


Posted by Bane on 11-06-2000 07:21 AM:

Thumbs up

The sub $100 mark is the best place for something like this. There another company that was making palm3-type metal covers and was asking over $250 for them and esensially apeared to be finding that people will not pay more that the cost of their device for an accessory ... seriously I think that outside of the sub 100 mark you would not make alot of money with these because not many people if any would buy something like this (as cool as it is) for more that $100.

If you are seriously going to produce them count me in. It was my understanding that the Visor-Plat was the exact same form factor as the delux so if you can get these going in any kind of numbers before I get my Visor-Plat in a month count me in. If you are serious. You have my business.


Posted by ckrupsha on 11-06-2000 09:59 AM:

Well as I suspected, the key is staying below $100. Toolings for this are going to be pricey, and it just boils down to how many will I sell. I think that under $100 it may be possible to move enough to make the whole thing worthwhile. After some meetings I've had it appears that we will not be able to keep anodizing costs under $100 (for the total package) unless we are using the same colors as some of our other products.


Posted by mrknowitall on 11-06-2000 01:49 PM:

Thumbs down

why void your warranty? what a waste of time.

__________________
"The Greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance -- it is the illusion of knowledge." -- Daniel Borstin


Posted by Explorer1 on 11-06-2000 07:04 PM:

Not to be left out. I'm also interested in a replacement case. As for the warranty, that was void when I rewired it to charge batteries.

Will the replacement assemblies still fit the existing Visor Deluxe cases/covers, bases and springboards? Especially that tiny little grove above the springboard slot that the Handspring cases and covers 'clip' into.

Will it reduce EMI interference? This could be a plus with some wireless springboards currently requiring special sheilded Visors.

If it included an aluminum clip cover like the original Visor's, I'd pay up to $150.

Explorer1


Posted by kalrand on 11-06-2000 08:48 PM:

Question How did you rewire..?

How did you rewire your VDx to recharge batteries?

Kalrand
The voice of reason


Posted by Explorer1 on 11-07-2000 12:09 AM:

Previous posts earlier this year discussed building a NiMH battery charger and modifying your Visor to charge batteries within the Visor. Search on 'NiMH' or 'charger cradle' or try this previous thread:
http://discussion.visorcentral.com/...p?threadid=3874


Posted by Apollo on 11-07-2000 02:36 AM:

With the Prism 'paint coming off posts' you might consider doing a case for those. I'd buy one if they came in clear colors or a blue that wasn't painted. I'd say no more than $40-$50 for a plastic replacement, probably $100 for the metal one. Hope it comes to market.


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