VisorCentral.com (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/index.php)
- Visor & Deluxe (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/forumdisplay.php?forumid=1)
-- When with color display? (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/showthread.php?threadid=26)

When I first read articles by Handspring's developers a few months back, they said that an ideal PDA would have a color display. I want to purchase a Visor, but if a better version is soon to come out I'm having second thoughts.

They are constrained by the limitations of the PalmOS, which currently doesn't support color. From what I understand Palm is working on this and will offer it in the future. (I read somewhere that is was working in the lab, but there were some compatibility problems.) When Palm adds the support, I am sure that Handspring will add color to the Visor as well.

Although I've never made any claims about being "normal" or the "typical consumer", I don't understand why anyone would want to buy a PDA with a color display -- now. Maybe later, but now? Currently a color display increases cost and decreases battery life substantially without really offering much functionality in return? I have to admit that I was dazzled when I shopped the HP Jornada palm top, but the above two items are why I took a pass on that unit.

It does get kind of boring looking
at a monochrome display. This is why
I think there is a sizable
market for a really good PDA with a colored display but which does not compromise power management and memory.

Both the Gameboy Color and NeoGeo Pocket have decent color screens and are under $70. This leads me to assume that you can build a color PDA for under $300. All we need is the software...

I don't know about NeoGeo (although I figure it's a safe assumption) but the Gameboy Color isn't a touch-sensitive screen. If it were, you would only need to write the software for the Gameboy and pop it on a cartridge ...

After some deliberation and my original posting about the color issue, I went and ordered my Visor Deluxe anyway. I figure that by the time I'm ready to buy the color version once it comes out, my use of the Visor and my purchases of Springboards will have not gone to waste.

Reading the 9/16 NY Times article shows me that Hawkins is dedicated to having the Springboards (thousands?!) remain useful for a very long time.

I understand the desire for color displays, but not on a PDA. The screen is 2.1" x 2.1". Read that last sentence a few times. With that in mind, any image that you "need" to see in color will be to big to fit on the screen. I think this "color" issue draws a line between the types of PDA users out there. The ones who want information at their fingertips and the ones who want a cute toy...

I can't wait too see the replies to this post

Just thought of something else, the Visor couldn't have a color display even it if wanted to, why? Because its not the Visor's fault it is not a feature of the current Palm OS.

[This message has been edited by handsprung (edited 09-16-1999).]

I have read that PalmOS4 (which is currently being worked on) will support colour and larger displays/resolutions. Makes sense for Palm to add this now that they are pushing to have PalmOS incorporated into more devices.

If PalmOS4 has support for color, this might be the point where someone comes out with a Springboard that does a video-out to a standard VGA monitor ... but again, I'm not in that gotta-have-color bracket and I ordered my Visor already. :^)