Registered: Jun 2002
Location: By the toilet.
Posts: 174

Re: Re: Re: Visor Pro as a "Dinosaur"

quote:

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Originally posted by Uncle Roger

No, it's more like you can still get gas for your car �batteries for your visor�, but that spiffy CD changer that you didn't get is no longer available, so you have to get by with your AM/FM/Cassette deck�

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I'm just a dreamer..

Registered: Aug 2001
Location: ILLINOIS
Posts: 227

This is the internet==

I just wanted to comment on availability--
\
Many Many companies that carry Springboards ship internationally-- (Gethightech//expansys//Palmgear//others)
Not to mention many vendors on E-Bay-

The springboards are available internationally and Other individual companies are still developing them and marketing specialized tools--
Symbol for one
And several specific Medical products, (A new EEG just a month ago)-- including new Medical manuals from Franklin--

The battery powered units will last nearly forever and the rechargables several more years--(more if you replace the batteries--and they're becoming available)

And as "KEEFER" mentioned --The springboards are unlikely to break/malfunction--

It all depends on what you want or need your PDA to do--

The HS units are still viable andwill be for several years at least--

Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Atlantic Rim
Posts: 570

Re: This is the internet==

quote:

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Originally posted by EJSHUMAK

The HS units are still viable andwill be for several years at least--

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Registered: Aug 2001
Location: ILLINOIS
Posts: 227

Thanks guy---

Registered: Jun 2002
Location: By the toilet.
Posts: 174

Re: Re: This is the internet==

What you are saying below is exactly what i already know. The SB makes the Visor extremely expandable.

But not when no one wants to deal with them. We CAN get it, maybe thru much determination and maybe sheer force of willpower, but I tried and I cannot get a SB to pop up in front of me.

Seriously though, you probably don't see how hard it is to order products and have it specially shipped halfway around the globe :

1- Long wait

1- High costs for fast shipping

1- No guarantee of product ever arriving because it sunk to the bottom of the ocean due to a sailor playing it as a frisbee

2- Process of ordering thru web site or ebay is somewhat a pain compared to just making a quick call to dealer friend saying "Hey I want this"

5,327-Risk of credit card number getting stolen

And since this was originally about Pipsqueak's post, ordering an SB just so it can be used with a "cheap color PDA" will no longer be very cheap, would it? In fact it seems rather costly, for example purchasing a Memplug from halfway around the world just so it can work with a CF card for example - you would need to purchase both the memplug and the card itself.

So, yeah, it'll still be expandable, but would an average person go through all that trouble to order online? Not highly likely.

An Acer Palm here device costs about the same as a used Prism. It can be used with Memory Sticks straight out of the box.

It has voice recording function. It can play MP3s. Those are a bonus. It cannot take pictures, but i guess that for someone serious about taking pictures they should go look at Nikon.

You may argue that it can ONLY work with memory sticks, but at least you can store something on the card out of the box (your voice for example). Did I mention they give a memory stick free together with the bundle?

Power users would of course still go for the Prism and have it organise their life, work, take pictures, record their voice, read data from a CF/MS/MMC card, connect wirelessly, have a GPS so they don't get lost, among other things.

The above average user would like to use it for organising their work schedules and add software, games and maybe record their own voice for kicks (or students can record lectures and sleep in class). For this user group, having immediate expandable memory would be ideal. Plus maybe an OS upgrade option to boost their ego.


Another thing: Before replying pls read properly the previous posts. We are not talking about inside USA/Canada region now.



Added in:

I'm not totally against Handspring or the Visor. I still love my Visor Pro and still use it. Unfortunately the promise of 'limitless expandability' is not exactly looking very promising right now and it would be costly just to get it to expand limitlessly. So from this viewpoint, an average other PDA is more expandable than the Visor. And i also hate the perception that 'Visors are dead and so will the srpingboards' mentality of the suppliers here. Part of that reason is also that probably they are not really genereating a lot of sales from it too, and the killing of he Visor line is the perfect excuse to stop selling springboards.

So without easy access to Springboards, the Visors become effectively unexpandable, somewhat bulky (esp. the Prism) PDAs. The option is still available to expand of course, but most will be put off by the unnecessary extra processes of ordering them.

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Last edited by Digisane on 10-10-2002 at 07:49 AM

Registered: Aug 2001
Location: ILLINOIS
Posts: 227

That's Progress--

When tech stuff is new it's expensive and can be hard to get--

When tech stuff is old and "obsolete" it can be expensive and hard to get--

The length of time in between is becomming a shorter and shorter time span--

Registered: Jun 2002
Location: By the toilet.
Posts: 174

Re: That's Progress--

quote:

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Originally posted by EJSHUMAK
When tech stuff is new it's expensive and can be hard to get--

When tech stuff is old and "obsolete" it can be expensive and hard to get--

The length of time in between is becomming a shorter and shorter time span--

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You are telling me what I know again. Remember that I replied to Pipsqueak's post about not really recommending the Prism (from expandability point of view) because of the very reason you have said.

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Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Atlantic Rim
Posts: 570

Re: Re: Re: This is the internet==

quote:

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Originally posted by Digisane
Unfortunately the promise of 'limitless expandability' is not exactly looking very promising right now

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Registered: Jun 2002
Location: By the toilet.
Posts: 174

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

quote:

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Originally posted by Keefer Lucas
I am not quite sure who exactly promised you 'limitless expandability'� Perhaps being in Southeast Asia you could locate the individual and recommend him or her for a good old fashioned caning�

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I'm just a dreamer..

Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 3034

Re: Re: Re: Re: This is the internet==

quote:

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Originally posted by Keefer Lucas
I am not quite sure who exactly promised you 'limitless expandability'. Perhaps being in Southeast Asia you could locate the individual and recommend him or her for a good old fashioned caning.

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Their name is Handspring, and I think I could get behind an extradition. Their current tagline for the Visor Line is "Infinitely expandable, incredibly organized and very versatile."

Registered: Jul 2002
Location: Cincinnati OH
Posts: 11

As far as the "inifinitely expandable" goes, there is no other handheld on the market today that offers more expandability options than the Visor, is there? Even though the Springboard is dead, you can still find a Prism, Pro, peripherals and every springboard module new. With most of these at a substantial discount, you can outfit yourself with a setup that will last for years and won't be rivaled by newer technology until OS5 is well established (which will probably be a slow process.) I have a Treo 90. At this point my expandability is SD memory cards and bluetooth. Palm has an SD Camera, GPS, etc coming out within the year, but the point is I can do all that and more on my Edge right now with discounted springboards. Though infinity is a lot closer than handspring thought, they're still winning the race and doing it with discontinued products.

Last edited by J. Kevin Wolfe on 10-14-2002 at 03:06 PM

Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Atlantic Rim
Posts: 570

Seconds? You Betcha!

I am going to suggest to my wife that my belly being "infinately expandable" is actually a unique selling premium.

Registered: Mar 2001
Location: Nebraska- the Good life
Posts: 695

I think infinite expandability is great, but having been there/done that and swithced to a Sony Clie T615, I find I don't miss it.

At one point, I had (or the tech lab here had for me to play with) an eyemodule (1 and 2), HandyGPS, SoundsGood, MiniJam, Total Recall, MemPlug (CF and SM versions), Innopocket 3 in 1 or whatever it was, backup module, matchbook drive, FlashPlus, thinmodem, and some others.

Functionally, I found there to be a few problems with all this.

1. It is a pain to carry this stuff. The slim-line modules (memory, etc.) aren't so bad, but the oversized modules are bulky and awkward. Here I have a PDA for easy carry, and if I want to actually USE most of my modules, I have to lug around some sort of case or bag to handle more than one of them. Just trying to juggle the memory card, MiniJam and eyemodule 2 was often not worth the effort.

2. For most modules, it would have been cheaper and more convenient to carry a free-standing and full-featured version- with or without some sort of connecting cable. Digital cameras, MP3, and GPS are the best examples of this- you don't really GAIN very much in the module form, except the coolness factor and a few special situation capabilities (like the 'spy cam' ability of the eyemodule!)

3. Most users never bought a module, so the dreams of a huge variety of low-cost modules never really came about. The real customer base, for whatever reason, was just too small.

If there had been the customers, I bet we would now have a module that combined pictures, movies with sound, MP3, voice memos, memory card slot, on-board flash memory, and a power sled to use it seperately. (Egads, I am describing the newer Clies!)

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Registered: Jul 2002
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quote:

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I have argued for years that Handspring's biggest problem is exactly the same problem that palm and Sony have- the average person has no clue about PDAs

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Absolutely. It's education time.

Re Music: I was young-ish when the first transistor radio came out (big suckers they were), then miniaturization, Walkman's, and now MP3 players, etc.

Re Books: My whole life has been about books and, until now, there hasn't been much innovation. Enter the affordable, handheld ebook reader and effortless visits to on-line libraries. Oh wow ... this is really something. We need to step back a minute and appreciate this because it is a mind blower!

Folks have purchased dedicated music devices ever since I can remember.

An ebook reader for $100.00 ($150.00 max.) is a miracle. Talk about a wholesome device for the masses!



the ebook reader ... what a concept!

Registered: Mar 2001
Location: Nebraska- the Good life
Posts: 695

quote:

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Originally posted by alight



Absolutely. It's education time.

Re Music: I was young-ish when the first transistor radio came out (big suckers they were), then miniaturization, Walkman's, and now MP3 players, etc.

Re Books: My whole life has been about books and, until now, there hasn't been much innovation. Enter the affordable, handheld ebook reader and effortless visits to on-line libraries. Oh wow ... this is really something. We need to step back a minute and appreciate this because it is a mind blower!

Folks have purchased dedicated music devices ever since I can remember.

An ebook reader for $100.00 ($150.00 max.) is a miracle. Talk about a wholesome device for the masses!



the ebook reader ... what a concept!

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Posts: 120

The picture I have in mind doesn't quite exist - but it's all available and a simple, I think, matter of configuration.

I see a device that is an ebook reader only (right now folks carry around pda's, books, and lots of other stuff and devices. ) Everything doesn't have to be (and isn't) multi-function. I truly think a dedicated ebook handheld (as follows) would fly - more than fly, actually.


The Standard:

- existing Visor Neo with its USB cradle
- minus graffiti writing area
- preloaded with CSpotRun (like MemPlug)
- cost $99.00

(an AC adapter, better display could probably be done and still stay at this price point)

The problem-if you bought a device like this why upgrade?
(Hey, maybe folks like me would buy a handheld that does other stuff)

Also, I think the mfgrs. are making a mistake building on the idea of entry level products. Some of us just want a good device that gets the job done. And, maybe we'd buy an extra. Or buy one for one of the many non-profit groups that are doing so much good with these devices.

In addition to the publishers' lament - "people don't read anymore"

add

"People don't want complicated devices. Please, please keep it simple".

the ebookreader

Registered: Jun 2002
Location: By the toilet.
Posts: 174

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---Can't seem to delete this duplicate, so I'm removing the contents instead. MY message is below.---

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Last edited by Digisane on 10-17-2002 at 03:08 AM

Registered: Jun 2002
Location: By the toilet.
Posts: 174

Waaay off topic

This thread is going way of topic - but;

I personally don't get what is so with ebooks. Sure, they save paper, that's a major plus, and they are convenient to carry about but if your battery's dead, no ebook to read.

I do have some ebooks in my Visor, ("Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy" is one of them) but i prefer to physically touch the book and flip the pages. Also, I would like the hassle-free design of the book in which you just flip it open and start reading from whichever part you left off with, provided you've bookmarked properly.

And I read in bed. If I ever fall asleep while reading I don't need to worry about the ebook reader falling off the bed and onto the floor about 2 feet.

When I got my Visor (Dlx then) I kept looking for ebooks to download and read from the Visor. But now, most recently I ordered a book from Amazon.com. You know, those books made of paper. Call me old fashioned.

I do miss the fact that you can carry 4 to 5 books in your pocket, however, but then I find that you don't read 4 to 5 books at once and whenever I turn on my Visor, I whould be too busy making schedules and meeting arrangements or small notes instead of reading. Would have preferred voice recording too. Sometimes fool around with Bejeweled, but mostly shuffling contacts and meetings.

On the other hand, e-comics would have been fine with me. If someone could just make a software reader that could read a standardize e-comic format, and have a service that sends it via email to you and every morning, so you get 4/5 panels of comic that is automatically detected and synced into the reader.

I know that there are picture converters to convert comics but then what's the point when by the time the conversion is done you've already read the whole thing. OF course, there's a question of copyright too.

Anyway I just prefer quick takes.

*For those who take the subway/bus/whatever to work, I realise the wonderful convenience of ebooks. But then, I drive.

========

quote:

---

Originally posted by alight
The picture I have in mind doesn't quite exist - but it's all available and a simple, I think, matter of configuration.

I see a device that is an ebook reader only (right now folks carry around pda's, books, and lots of other stuff and devices. ) Everything doesn't have to be (and isn't) multi-function. I truly think a dedicated ebook handheld (as follows) would fly - more than fly, actually.


The Standard:

- existing Visor Neo with its USB cradle
- minus graffiti writing area
- preloaded with CSpotRun (like MemPlug)
- cost $99.00

the ebookreader

---

__________________
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Registered: Jul 2002
Location: Cincinnati OH
Posts: 11

There's nothing wrong with paper books. I own more than a thousand of them. The experience of reading off paper will never be duplicated electronically.

However, I'm a firm supporter of ebooks. I'm very happy with reading doc files on my Treo 90. QED and KReader never lose my bookmarks. And the collection at memoware is huge. Many public domain books that have been out of print for years are finding their way onto Palms of the curious. There are other advantages too, like adjustable font sizes, and the fact that War and Peace is not 4 inches thick and 5 pounds, but tucked away on a device smaller than a cigarette pack.

The real power of the ebook is in pdf style documents that link information to other sources. Paper books progress in a linear pattern, but ebooks can link information to other information by taping on text and will be readily able to jump anywhere in a document and jump out of a document to a page on the web, thanks to communicators. Reference ebooks have quite a future. I'm also am not a fan of dedicated ebook readers, since they limit access of information only to what's on the reader and won't be able to communicate remotely.

But ebooks will never kill off paper books. Computers just give paper books more fodder. Why else would the computer book section in the bookstore be the largest?

Registered: Jul 2002
Location:
Posts: 120

Overall, I quite agree with most of what you said.

War and Peace on a handheld is a pure delight. I like scrolling and, incidentally, that goes way back to the original format of reading.

However, working with content that requires flipping pages and clicking links doesn't work for me on a handheld. I need the screen size (12") and browser capability of my laptop for that. I also use my printer a lot.

You've touched on something that seems really important, though. Paper books (for all the good reasons they exist and people buy them) won't go away.

Ebooks and ebook reading handhelds (of whatever configuration) are a truly wonderful addition. It's not, nor do I think it should be, an either/ or situation.

Though a special interest of mine, I see them as a plus that, perhaps, will have a profound impact in ways we cannot even imagine right now.

It's all about books - gotta' love em'.