Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 391

Look up three messages, to the one right before the survey was announced.

The Xircom 56k modem + 100 megabit ethernet module.

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: Las Vegas Nevada USA
Posts: 2

Some of my wishes

-laser pointer
-gameboy game adapter
-real time tv enabling device
-cheaper more practical radio
-thing that slides into the module slot that has a cover hinged to it, so you can have a more practical cover like a Palmpilot

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: Las Vegas Nevada USA
Posts: 2

I just had a great idea!
A module that you can plug standard video/audio jacks into. You would be able to watch on the screen in real time, then you could plug ear phones into the module and listen. It would also come with soft ware so you could freeze it at any point and save pictures the on to your visor memory(100 pictures would take about 1MB). Here are some uses..
-Nintendo/Play Station
-VCR
-DVD
-Video camera
-Even the cheep cameras for the computer

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 391

quote:

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-thing that slides into the module slot that has a cover hinged to it, so you can have a more practical cover like a Palmpilot

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Registered: Mar 2000
Location: New York, NY, USA
Posts: 7

I've seen all this discussion about Springboard modules (most of which sounds fantastic), BUT I'm hoping that Handspring will bring out something that no one's discussed before: A PORTABLE USB __FLAT__ HOT-SYNC CRADLE that can fit in a laptop case instead of the bulky USB cradle that Handspring uses. I think for those on the road, this would be an absolutely FANTASTIC spacesaver for backing up on their laptops.

Secondly, due to the screen resolution, I often have to keep the Visor directly under my desklamp. I think it'd be fantastic if there were some tiny solar panels installed in the Visor to help prolong the overall battery life.

Finally, if one could develop a cheap 16-MB module that would enable relatively HUGE applications (for instance, storing digital pictures taken with the eyemodule) to run without impinging on the original 8-MB module in the Visor Deluxe, that'd be fantastic too.

Just a few thoughts for the Visor developers out there.

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 391

quote:

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BUT I'm hoping that Handspring will bring out something that no one's discussed before: A PORTABLE USB __FLAT__ HOT-SYNC CRADLE

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

quote:

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Originally posted by BoogaBooga:
I've seen all this discussion about Springboard modules (most of which sounds fantastic), BUT I'm hoping that Handspring will bring out something that no one's discussed before: A PORTABLE USB __FLAT__ HOT-SYNC CRADLE that can fit in a laptop case instead of the bulky USB cradle that Handspring uses. I think for those on the road, this would be an absolutely FANTASTIC spacesaver for backing up on their laptops.

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Registered: Mar 2000
Location: Washington, DC USA
Posts: 12

I'd like to see a GPS receiver springboard which works something like this:

a) pop it out of my visor
b) drive to a hike start
c) press a "start" button on the board itself
d) put it in my pocket
e) hike, run, bike, whatever -- occasionally press "mark" button to note turns or points of interest
f) press "stop" button
g) put it back into the visor to show hike data, map, elevation profile

Note that this would need a separate battery to power it when it isn't connected to the Visor.

It'd be nice to be able to run or hike and only carry around something the size of a springboard rather than the whole Visor.

Casio made a GPS watch... can this be far behind?

Registered: Feb 2000
Location:
Posts: 39

Actually most laptops have USB ports. A USB cable would be great!

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

How about a media player module? The Wince Pocket PCs have a media player that uses the PDA's RAM, which is too limited to be useful (I think you only get a couple of minutes of video). But a dedicated Springboard using MMC cards could exploit the Visor's display without taxing its RAM. I'd also like to see a TV tuner Springboard.

Registered: Feb 2000
Location:
Posts: 33

Why would anyone want to watch video on a Visor screen? Just wondering. The Win CE thing is one thing, but I think the Visor is just pushing the limits...

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

Actually, the whole point would be to have the Springboard carry the memory and processing load. You wouldn't be using your Visor's RAM, just the screen. This is the big disadvantage of CE's media player. It's a waste of the PDA's native resources. The Springboard bypasses that problem.

Why would anyone want to watch video on a Visor? More than a few people carry portable televisions the same size as the Visor. Granted, it's not for everyone, but so what? It's like saying, "Why would anyone pay $250 for an electronic organizer when they could buy a $10 paper one?" Now people do things with "organizers" that they would never have dreamed of.

You build the technology first, then the applications follow. As someone once said, "The computer is a solution looking for a problem." Essentially, what I'm after is Alan Kay's Dynabook concept; the only difference being that it fits in your shirt pocket instead of having notebook dimensions.

I think that Windows CE is a terrible implementation of a potentially fruitful idea: complete multimedia in a pocket-sized device. MS's mistake is to build all of this functionality right into the device when the state of the art is too primitive to make it useful. There's no point to playing MPEG clips if all you can watch is the trailer to "Phantom Menace."

The Springboard solves this problem by abstracting the processing and memory power needed to support multimedia to an independent layer (i.e. the module rather than the Visor itself). That way you can use your main memory to support bread and butter apps, but still support more resource-intensive media.

Registered: Feb 2000
Location:
Posts: 33

I wasn't referring to the system's resources or screen size, but instead the quality of the screen itself. I believe the portable color televisions have a higher quality screen. I think most people would agree that they would forgo the television experience offered by a Visor. Personally I think it would be a novelty more than anything. The fact that you can get a $10 paper organizer is simply beyond the scope of what I meant.

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

I was thinking more in terms of the next generation color Visors than the present greyscale models (I should have said this to start with). And I was more interested in the media player idea than the TV tuner. Downloadable content is more useful for information appliances than analog broadcast media. But you're right, B&W TV reception isn't very attractive.

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: nowheresburg, PH
Posts: 98

And all of these running in a 16Mhz Dragonball CPU ... that's a sight to see.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location:
Posts: 81

I think that the whole idea of an add-on module for multimedia would be to off-load the work onto the module, sort of like how a good graphics card allows you to play multimedia on a slow processor PC. I'm not sure if I would buy one, but I'm sure that some people would.

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 391

quote:

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Originally posted by jdogg:
Actually most laptops have USB ports. A USB cable would be great!

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Registered: Mar 2000
Location:
Posts: 6

Wireless connectivity to the Internet. Make it happen. Somebody please make it happen for the Visor or else I will go buy a Palm Pilot.

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: Louisville KY, USA
Posts: 43

I had a thought. With bluetooth technology just around the corner (or is it here?) why not make a pager that works in conjunction with a blue tooth springboard. The pager would be a regular pager, alphanumeric or numeric. What I would like to see is that it would sound an alarm if it were to go outside of a 15 foot range of the Visor.

I realize that nobody here would EVER forget and leave their Visor in a resteraunt/classroom/office, but for those forgetful few, it would decrease the likelyhood of it ever being forgotten and therefore lost.

Is this a viable idea? The only constraint I can think of that it might be a more or less constant drain on the Visors batteries (constantly transmitting signal/range to pager)

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

A few more ideas:
<UL TYPE=SQUARE>
<LI>A module that accepts audio input from portable CD/MD players and rips them right on the spot onto an MMC card for the MiniJam or other compatible MP3 players. Recording MP3s would be a lot easier if we weren't chained to a desktop or laptop.
<LI>A Lego Mindstorms robotics control module that would allow kids of all ages to write LOGO programs right on the Visor.
<LI>A utility cartridge that contains a screen cleaning cloth, a two-piece assembling spare stylus with a reset pin (the pieces would screw together) and maybe a sticky note pad if room allows.
<LI>A keychain backup module with an LCD screen that can display information from the built-in apps. This would be similar to the PC card PDA some company makes for laptops (I can't remember the name).
</UL>
Great ideas, everyone! Let's keep them coming.