Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Indiana
Posts: 84

Handspring: Don't forget about us!

All right, I understand the current round of Visor enthusiasm over the Platinum (which I want) and the Prism, but I have a deeper concern about Handspring, which I will share with the group.

Now that the Visor brand has had its successful launch, and its new models are underway, I have a fear that Handspring will essentially forget its original users. As a public company moves onward and upward, with new products and a drive for more market share, it also tends to leave the people who actually bought the products behind. I saw it today with the new e-newsletter from Handspring, advertising only color software - which doesn't work on my Ice VDx. The shift is happening, and I can't say as I like it.

Handspring, unlike other manufacturers, has the opportunity to keep its core constituency in the fold due to the same innovation that makes the Visor a better product than its competitiors: the SpringBoard. I sincerely hope that Handspring forces all SpringBoard manufacturers to make their SpringBoards DOWNWARD compatible -- compatible with ALL levels of Visor. If a SpringBoard is suited toward a color application, let the module handle color...but also B&W. And let it be compatible with our OS.

I really love my Visor. It's a fabulous product that (in a goofy way) I believe makes my life that much easier and simpler. I'd hate to see the company that made it turn its backs on its own product and the people who own it.

[Edited by Morris on 10-18-2000 at 09:56 AM]

Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Connecticut USA
Posts: 2682

quote:

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Originally posted by Morris
As a public company moves onward and upward, with new products and a drive for more market share, it also tends to leave the people who actually bought the products behind. I saw it today with the new e-newsletter from Handspring, advertising only color software - which doesn't work on my Ice VDx. The shift is happening, and I can't say as I like it.

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My guess is that they're just pushing the Prism a bit harder than the others. Remember, we're in the holiday buying season now. The perceptions about color are probably their motivating factor right now (along with probable higher profit margins ). If they didn't also release the Platinum, I might agree with you, but clearly they're still supporting us B&W-er's...

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God bless America, my home sweet home...

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Texan in Calgary for a while
Posts: 1361

Both ActiveSky and PacMan will work on your VDX. Many color apps run just fine on monochrome screens. After I synced the Prism I was surprised how many of my apps had color icons and color features. TakeNote and StarPilot look fantastic in color.

Most programs that use OS 3.5 will work in earlier OS versions. As for module makers, I doubt they would take the risk of losing sales, and with the ability t have ROM updates for modules, both OS 3.1 users and 3.5 users should be ok.

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James Hromadka
Old Friend

Registered: Oct 2000
Location:
Posts: 4

i agree with Morris.

handspring has already "abandoned" many of their initial stances which distinguished them from palm... no flash memory to lower to cost of their devices? hah! look how expensive these things are. complete compatibility? you only have to read this board to realize that they aren't. anyway, the thing is: handspring can only do so much because palm controls os development... unless their strategy is to draw a pool of users away from palm and create an entirely new platform.

Registered: Feb 2000
Location:
Posts: 1571

Huh?

Many Palm OS compatible software will now work on the Palm either. Why? Because they are poorly designed. If most Palm OS can work on the Visor, why can't all?

Handspring did the right thing by using Palm OS. I would never buy one if they were using their own OS. Why? Because I don't want to get caught in the PocketPC/Mac situation -- nice machines, but very little developer support.