VisorCentral.com - Prism replacement Treo 90 has arrived

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-- Prism replacement Treo 90 has arrived (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/showthread.php?threadid=23568)

Posted by VisorCentral on 05-28-2002 03:21 AM:

Prism replacement Treo 90 has arrived

The Prism replacement has finally arrived. But someone forgot to add the Springboard slot.

http://www.visorcentral.com/content/Stories/1455-1.htm

Posted by javabird on 05-28-2002 04:01 AM:

Is this truly a Prism replacement? Handspring's Treo 90 FAQ page says, "Our Visor handheld line will continue to be our leading product line for people looking for the best possible expansion platform while the Treo 90 organizer is the most compelling solution for customers who want a small, sleek device with software expansion options. "

Posted by NovaStrike on 05-28-2002 04:03 AM:

Would anyone care to explain the proof that the Prism is out of production? It's still for sale on Handspring's site, and they've repeatedly said it's not cancelled. How about we leave the speculation for editorials, and only report the facts in "news" articles.

Posted by marcus on 05-28-2002 04:34 AM:

During our Treo 90/270 briefing with HS Product Mangagers last week they stated that production had stopped of the Prism, and they were currently selling the available inventory.

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Posted by miradu on 05-28-2002 04:35 AM:

According to Handspring the last shipment of Visor Prism's was sent to their online distributor. They have specifically told us that the Prism is no longer being manufactored. This is a fact, NOT speculation.

The Prism still has many, many months in the inventory chain, and Handspring will continue to support the device as long as they can.

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-miradu

Posted by javabird on 05-28-2002 04:59 AM:

Thanks for this information. I have been trying to decide whether to upgrade to a Prism from my DX (i love my Dx, but I crave color). Now the 90 comes out, and it's very attractive.
Decisions, decisions....

Posted by Toby on 05-28-2002 03:18 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by marcus
During our Treo 90/270 briefing with HS Product Mangagers last week they stated that production had stopped of the Prism, and they were currently selling the available inventory.

Hrrmm...that conflicts with what they told a regular user, but I'm more likely to believe what you heard. Sad that they have to use those tactics, though.

Posted by ragamuffinn on 05-28-2002 03:34 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by marcus
During our Treo 90/270 briefing with HS Product Mangagers last week they stated that production had stopped of the Prism, and they were currently selling the available inventory.

Marcus, I'm sure you have to speculate, but if you can provide your best guess, I'd appreciate it...

If Prism production has ceased, and if the "Visor handheld line will continue to be [the] leading product line for people looking for the best possible expansion platform," is it foreseeable that Handspring will make a new color Visor--one that fits the form factor of the original Visor? This would be a true Prism replacement. The Treo 90 is really an oddball and replaces nothing but the Prism's screen.

I know people are saying the springboard is dead, but when I compare its functionality to other expansion formats, I hope these people are wrong.

Posted by argent on 05-28-2002 05:42 PM:

This doesn't appear to have any relationship to the Prism nor to the Visor line in any way, shape, or form:

No springboard slot... not even an Edge connector (which they could have provided).

No graffiti area, unless there's a "90G" model. There doesn't seem to be a "270G" either...

Incompatible with any Visor accessories, whether they're Springboard modules or not.

In short, this article and discussion belong over on TreoCentral, they have nothing to do with the Visor except in the negative. At the very least it shouldn't be described as a "Prism Replacement": let us know when they stick that display in a "Pro" case, then call it a "Prism Replacement".

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Posted by HindeR on 05-28-2002 09:16 PM:

Not a replacement

I agree that this should not be positioned as a Prism replacement, unless of course Handspring is dumping the springboard slot alltogether. They still tout their Visor line as expandable so I hope they plan to keep the SB. I am still very confused about what Handspring is doing. When you go to their web page and click on "Organizers" you see the Treo 90 listed as an organizer. It's not as simple as "Visors are organizers and Treos are communicators." They are really muddying the waters with this thing. Will Visors get dropped and be replaced with Treo Organizers (while touting the SD slot as just as expandable), or is the Treo 90 simply a strategic move meant to pull us away from our SB modules? I love my modules, and HS can have them when they pry them from my cold dead fingers

As much as I wish HS would make a true Prism upgrade, I now hope my new Prism lasts and lasts and lasts.

Posted by tbonney on 05-28-2002 09:49 PM:

Re: Not a replacement

quote:
Originally posted by HindeR
or is the Treo 90 simply a strategic move meant to pull us away from our SB modules? I love my modules, and HS can have them when they pry them from my cold dead fingers

As much as I wish HS would make a true Prism upgrade, I now hope my new Prism lasts and lasts and lasts.

I believe that the 90 is intended to move the company away from the Visor line. After all, when the Prisms are all shipped out, there is no color Visor anymore!

Like you, I love the SB modules. I've got an memplug with a 128 Meg CF card in mine right now.

Anchor Desk (ZDNET) suggested today that the Treo 90 was over priced for its capabilities. Any opinions out there?

I'm keeping my Prism till it dies but, when it does I'll probably be looking at Sony. Not because I want to, but because the Treo line doesn't the combination of features I want to see and the strong appearence that there will not be a color Visor in the future.

Tim

Posted by argent on 05-28-2002 09:57 PM:

Re: Re: Not a replacement

quote:
Originally posted by tbonney
Anchor Desk (ZDNET) suggested today that the Treo 90 was over priced for its capabilities. Any opinions out there?

Well, it's basically the same as the Palm m130 with a keyboard instead of a graffiti area, and fewer expansion options. Only $20 more.

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Posted by jradi on 05-28-2002 11:46 PM:

I've got a HUGE investment in SB's. If they want me to move to this - they'd have to either:

a. support that bluetooth SD card they mentioned or
b. supply a connector that goes from Treo to VDX output - at the very least I want my stowaway to work with both

Forget it, I'm not upgrading - I'm going to buy a pro as a backup (pro uses the same version stowaway, right?)...

Posted by ragamuffinn on 05-29-2002 12:30 AM:

quote:
Originally posted by jradi
Forget it, I'm not upgrading - I'm going to buy a pro as a backup (pro uses the same version stowaway, right?)...

If you really want a safe backup device, you should buy either the neo or platinum. Why? Batteries...I was going to buy a Pro as a backup, but it relies on lithium ion batteries, which will die eventually. I am going to keep my Visor/springboard set going for as many years as I can and stave off the desire to upgrade to something cooler. My Platinum does exactly what I need it to. (For how many decades have people used paper planners? I am striving to do the same with my Visor.)

I have a platinum, flash memory, backup, POTS modem, bluetooth, and a stowaway. To upgrade to a new, non-springboarded, device with a different sync connector would be insane. And I WON'T DO IT! So I bought another Platinum as a backup...AAA batteries will always be available, and the two devices I have now should keep me going for many years...(If Handspring ever releases a new color device in the original deluxe body, I just might buy one, but I'll always keep AAA powered handhelds as a backup.)

Posted by Traveliter on 05-29-2002 01:07 AM:

Let me understand this correctly. All wireless capability has been stripped from this model Treo, so in essence this is just an aerodynamic Visor with a keyboard? It doesn't flip open to become a phone?

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Posted by ML320 on 05-29-2002 01:37 AM:

Treo 90 ... Disappointing!

Is there anyone but me who feels that this Treo 90 is less than what it should be? I feel Handspring has lost its way, and I am a stock holder!

I own a Prism. I love the machine, but even though it is color, the resolution shows. I had a chance recently to play some games on a Zaurus with a 320x240 screen. All I can say is WOW, that was a nice screen! To top it off, 12 bit color? Doesn't the Prism have 16 bit color?

No communication capability? They should have made the SD slot capable of bluetooth.

Finally, no springboard compatability? We knew this was coming, but there is no path to this machine from a Prism owner with a dozen SB modules. How about a software utility to transfer the SB image to an SD card via IR? At least then I could get some use out of my investment in SB cards.

I see my next PDA with a color 320x240, communication capabaility built in (cell phone or WLAN), and full multimedia support. How would one even add an MP3 player to this machine? You can do that on a prism!

I think the organizer era is just about over now. I guess we'll see how the Treo 90 does....

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Posted by SLDubin on 05-29-2002 01:48 AM:

Handspring is becoming a disappointment

The Treo 90 Makes NO SENSE.
Handspring sold us a concept (modules) and we bought it big time (Just look at your SB collection). Now it seems that they're moving away from it. Anyone starting to feel duped?

I would love an upgraded Prism...WITH An SB Slot. If Visor SB support fades away my Visor will be the last Handspring Product I ever buy.

Posted by dampeoples on 05-29-2002 02:23 AM:

I absolutely love reading why you people do not want a Treo. Please, tell me more.

Posted by ragamuffinn on 05-29-2002 04:30 AM:

quote:
Originally posted by dampeoples
I absolutely love reading why you people do not want a Treo. Please, tell me more.

It isn't that we don't want a Treo as much as it is that we want Handspring to keep the Visor line current. We have springboard modules that are still very young and perfectly functional. You try spending several hundred dollars in springboards and then celebrate when it starts looking like your expansion format is being abandoned by the company. Then you can tell us more about why you want a Treo.

The buzz is that wireless is everything. This is true and completely false at the same time. As if to beg the question, the buzz is true because wireless is the buzz. However, wireless is still not affordable, nor are there trustworthy and widespread standards in place for adoption. Furthermore, non-wireless handhelds still have perfectly admirable uses, even though the industry eggheads say they don't. (Try asking my mom who just got a new Visor Deluxe for mother's day, or my sister who bought one the day after (after she heard how cheap they are...) Those "obsolete" handhelds are revolutionizing the way they keep their personal information. Yes, these are just anecdotes, but they demonstrate that there are people who are only now being introduced to good, basic PDAs who can't even fathom the need for wireless yet.)

The Treo 90, though non-wireless, is expandable. Yet, its expansion media is flawed. I would never buy into an expansion format that doesn't already promise I/O. The springboard does. Handspring says they may include I/O via firmware updates, but that's still vaporware....and vaporware has a tendency to dissipate so thinly that you can't even find a relevant press release.

Simply put, the springboard is a great expansion format and it has a sizeable user base. That is why we'd rather have a Visor.

Posted by dpdamour on 05-29-2002 06:53 AM:

Handspring: Why have you forsaken us?

If the Treo 90 is Handspring's vision of the future then the genius that created Handspring and the Springboard has been infected by "dot bomb" thinking (aka: shortsightedness).

The hallmark of Handspring was the expandability of the Visor PDAs. It is something that the other Palm OS PDAs still have not ventured to try.

My Prism always has a wireless module in it. When I am on the road I have the Minstrel-S wireless modem. Where available, I have the Xircom 802.11b to access WI-FI.

With a MemPlug module for offline storage and a Stowaway keyboard for data entry, the Prism comes as close to a laptop replacement as you can come.

=Dave=

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