Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Aberdeen, SD
Posts: 2531

Re: I still say, "Yuck".

quote:

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Originally posted by acraniotes
RocketScientist-

Yes, I know that Ideo was contracted to do both the V and the Visor (possibly the Edge?)- but Palm must have paid Ideo off to lay crap designs on Handspring and then back them up with fake data (like focus groups, consumer trials, usability graphs, etc...) to support their final recommendations. It's the only thing that could possibly explain how a Visor ended up being even less attractive than a Palm III-series. "But it's got a translucent color case!" you say? So what? As far as I'm concerned, the same applies to the Edge.

That said, I won't argue that a Visor - any Visor - represents a much better value than a Palm. If the Edge had come out a year ago, most likely I would have bought one over the Vx because of the inherent expandability. Unfortunately, it didn't come out a year ago, and I can't see for the life of me why someone would shell their hard earned bucks for an Edge when they could get an m500 with OS 4.0, 16Mb (rumored), new "paper white" screen technology, integrated SD slot, and a much more attractive design (notice that I'm not comparing it to the m505).

Just my $0.02, so don't bother flaming me.

-Adam

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__________________
-Joshua
Abortion: Darwinism at its finest.

Registered: Mar 2001
Location: Manhattan
Posts: 12

Russ-

No, I did not take you post as a flame - I just didn't want to get flamed for expressing my opinion. And yes, I was being sarcastic, I have no doubt that IDEO felt they were putting their best foot forward with the designs they submitted to Handspring (just because I don't like them doesn't mean they're not a sound designs).


Gameboy70-

The new monochrome screen technology has been talked about for some time relative to the m500. I can't wait to see what it REALLY looks like.

-Adam

Registered: Mar 2001
Location: Manhattan
Posts: 12

Easy there, Dick. I'm not trying to "sell" anything here. It was my O-P-I-N-I-O-N, nothing more, nothing less.

-Adam

PS - The m50X series is not a rumor anymore.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: at work...
Posts: 736

I actually like the look of this, except that I think the buttons are too shiny and stand out too much (and the vertically offset up/down buttons look wrong to me), and the external sylus ruins the lines. It looks a bit like the HP Jornada, which I think looks and feels pretty good, although it's too big and heavy. In any case, small size and metal casing are not enough to get me to 'upgrade' from the Prism unless they also come out with a color version (if they do, I'm going to need another credit card!)

Registered: Feb 2000
Location:
Posts: 1571

Willing to bet

I am willing to bet that Handpring will release at least two other units before the end of tyhe year to counter Palm's new (rumored) offerings. I like the design of the Edge Myself.. DOn;t see the point of the flare on the Palm Vx.

Registered: Oct 2000
Location:
Posts: 27

I hope people don't forget that OS4, 16mb memory, backward compatiblity of springboards, upgradeable OS and last but not least a more durable screen would be a min req at least for ~$400. A nicer case is great, but not to the tune of $400 if it is just a glorifed VPL underneath. I'm sure HS will do a decent job on this one...

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handspringer

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Metro Station, Hollywood and Highland
Posts: 1018

Re: Re: I still say, "Yuck".

quote:

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Originally posted by dick-richardson
I've liked the metal case of the V, but that's the extent of it. I've always hated the way it flared at the bottom.

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Registered: Jun 2000
Location: Sunnyvale, CA
Posts: 216

Infrared port is in a bad location

Besides being squashed horizontally, the PDABuzz picture of the Edge shows the Infrared port way down on the left side. The way I hold my Visor Deluxe is in my left hand with the left edge of the Visor resting against the inside of my palm (pun intended) with my palm and thumb running up the left side. The top of my thumb is about even with the top of the Visor.

To avoid blocking the Infrared port, I have to move my thumb slightly toward the front side of the Visor, or I have to grip the Visor further down, to avoid covering up the port. The positioning of the port on the Edge makes this slight adjustment useless: There seems to be no way to easily grip the Edge in a way to not cover up the infrared port.

At first I thought that this and the fact that the photo seemed horizontally squashed, make a good case for the photo being a fake. But now that I think about it, if the Edge does have a "Springboard sleeve" like the PCMCIA sleve for the iPAQ, the sleve itself would cover up the Infrared port unless it was placed like it is in the photo. Either way, it seems like bad ergonomic design.

My $0.02.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: at work...
Posts: 736

Pictures of backside posted

Well, looking at the pictures posted for the back of the edge and comparing my backup module with my PalmVx, I'd have to guess that the edge is longer and slightly thicker than the PalmV. Also, it's interesting how the module sled wraps around a bit on the left (non-stylus) side of the visor, but not the right, since the stylus is in the way. It doesn't look like the sled would cover the IR port if it was higher, though, so maybe it was moved because of the internal hardware, not the external sled. All in all, though, I have to say this looks pretty ugly with the sled; I wonder how unwieldy it feels in your hand?

Also, it looks like the hotsync connector is NOT slanted the way existing visors' are...I wonder if this means that the edge is not compatible with existing hotsync cables, stowaway keyboards, etc.

Registered: Sep 2000
Location:
Posts: 107

Re: Pictures of backside posted

quote:

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Originally posted by Rob
Also, it looks like the hotsync connector is NOT slanted the way existing visors' are...I wonder if this means that the edge is not compatible with existing hotsync cables, stowaway keyboards, etc.

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__________________
-Richard Powell

"Nice guys may finish last, but you know, the company's much better back here."

Registered: Jan 2001
Location:
Posts: 3

Boy, its funny how some people can get so emotional over people saying they dont like a product. But heres more for you...

I dont like it. If it came out the same time as a Palm V it would be okay, but its been a few years and thats not really a huge development.

Registered: Feb 2000
Location:
Posts: 1571

What??

quote:

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Originally posted by monkemon
Boy, its funny how some people can get so emotional over people saying they dont like a product. But heres more for you...

I dont like it. If it came out the same time as a Palm V it would be okay, but its been a few years and thats not really a huge development.

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Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 384

Perspectives

Well... since the news and pictures of the Edge have surfaced there seem to be divided opinions on this new product. Some people liked it and a lot of people were disappointed. IMHO, to keep things in perspective.

1. Remember when the Prism and Platinum first surfaced, the opinions were also mixed.
a. People were strongly objecting that the Platinum were only painted silver instead of having a metal body.
b. Also, people were disappointed with the Prism's resolution, increase size, and rechargable battery.

Yet , despite these initial misgivings, most new owners of a Platinum and/or Prism were fairly satisfy.

2. Now that the news of the Edge is out, there are familar objections from the Edge's form factor to the price to the sled attachment.

a. Form factor : in my opinion, I think HS wanted the Edge the retain a similar form to the earlier visors. I think the retangular form of the HandSpring units are than a shape it's their signature ... they have to distinguish their products from numerous other Palm PDA's. Product recognition is very important for a company to establish it's identity. You know a BMW or Mercedes by their shape alone without reading their badges. I would want people to say "Is that a HandSpring?" not "Is that a PlamPilot?" So I could see the reasoning for the Edge's form.

b. Price : I have read that the projected price of these units to be $400 to $500. While this seem to be extreme for a monochrome unit, the same outrage was raised when the Platinum and Prism came out, remember? Just for comparison, I believe that the new Palm m505 (with the same hardware specs) will be around the price range of $400-$500 for their monochrome units. (I think that the color m505 will be in the $600's!!!) So...both the m505 and the Edge are comparable.

c. Color : I don't know about this one. I believe if HS is going to offer a color Edge, the price for that unit is going to be high (~$600), but it will be comparable to the color m505 and the PPC's. On a personal note, I would rather wait for the rumored Palm OS 5 to come out which will support higher resolution and the new ARM processor. I have no doubt that a new visor will out to take advantage of the improvements above.

IMHO, the negative comments that the Edge has recieved thus far were mostly due to unfair expectations. I think in the heat of the buzz and rumors, we all envisioned "THE PERFECT VISOR". Now that the actual(or so it seems) Edge has surfaced, we were all forced back down to earth.

Give the Edge a chance...it may grow on us like the Platinum, the Prism, and the Deluxe.

__________________
Fat's

Last edited by Fat_Man on 03-09-2001 at 05:52 AM

Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Aberdeen, SD
Posts: 2531

quote:

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Originally posted by acraniotes
Easy there, Dick. I'm not trying to "sell" anything here. It was my O-P-I-N-I-O-N, nothing more, nothing less.

-Adam

PS - The m50X series is not a rumor anymore.

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__________________
-Joshua
Abortion: Darwinism at its finest.

Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Wichita KS
Posts: 99

what I need in a new visor

I need an affordable unit which will use my existing keyboard and extras in a form factor that is smaller and therefore more portable. This almost fits the bill but it must fulfill one big want before I will dish out $400 dollars.
It must have more than 8MB of memory. I could not get the use I get from my current visor from one which would not constantly wear the 8mb flash module. If I must clip on an expansion sled which would ruin the form factor in order to have 16MB of memory, what is the point? There seem to be two different kinds of pda users, those who use it as an organizer and those who use it as a computer. Anyone can buy an electronic organizer for $60-$150 with the basic palm os features (keep an address book, calendar, to do's, and sync with outlook). I use my visor as a computer so I keep a lot of data and office-type apps on board. I am currently using 12MB total in my visor and the size grows every day it seems. 8MB of onboard ram and another 8MB of onboard flash would be perfect. I could carry everything I currently use and back up everything essential with jack back, with the added feature of having an upgradable OS (which I long for every time I see a 4bit graphic on my friend's $150 M100). What I have read suggests that this is truly an 8mb platinum without a springboard slot. I am buying a CLIE at the end of the month if all of these rumors are true.

-->ranting and screaming loudly now<--
I just want a handheld that will carry a lot of easy to access info which can be restored on the fly in the event of failure, and fit invisibly in my pocket.