Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 24

Okay guys, I know you are eager to answer my question, so here we go:
For Christmas I will be getting a Visor Platinum, along with a Slim Leather Case, a Fisher Space pen/stylus, rechargeable AAA batteries, and a few other things. Recently, however, a previously unthinkable thought has crossed my mind: the Prism. For an extra $150, I could get color. My question is, is it worth it? I intend to use my PDA to look at graphics/photos, so teh prism would help there, and I will also be using it to play games. the $150 would come out of my birthday, which is next month, btw. So do I go through the hassle of returning my Platinum to Amazon and having my friend order me a Prism (cause amazon won't let u use the AMZN-ELECTRNC code twice) as well as return the case (as I understand, the prism won't fit in the case) and the batteries, or will I be satisfied with the platinum? If you need more info on how I plan to use the PDA, just ask. Also keep in mind that a $450 piece of equipment is a lot for a highschooler like myself to be responsible for. Any advice would be appriciated, but remember, the Amazon code is only good through the end of the month, so I need your help quickly!
-Fagan

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: NC, Indiana
Posts: 465

It's really up to you.

I use my trusty Blue Visor Deluxe at school with my Stowaway. I'm not sure what you mean by looking at photos though. It's a 160X160 screen--trust me you can't see much. The only picture/video novelty I get is converting video with FireConverter to play on mine. Which doesn't show up well anyway.

Anyhoo, I wouldn't put all my eggs in one basket. Greyscale is just fine for high school applications. Photo viewing really isn't applicable and viewing video (one 4 bit greyscale that was 1:30 long was 4.2 megs), is pretty inapplicable when you think about it--along with the fact that is has no point beyond novelty.

Save your $150 for a Stowaway for school (an awesome combination), and use the rest for some other stuff.

Besides, borrowing from one's birthday fund is a bad idea because you'll have nothing to open a month from now. Also--you wouldn't have anything to open on Christmas morning :-(.

When you head off to college you can buy a color Visor maybe (hint* save up gradually ). That way you'll get a Visor with better rez, PalmOS 5 and other fascinatingly intruiging modules such as the Glade Plugin Springboard Module!

Merry Christmas!

__________________
-Vincent

Registered: Nov 1999
Location:
Posts: 341

Keep the Platinum

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

Stay with the platinum. The prism is nice, but given your situation I'd say the platinum is a better buy.

__________________
-Joshua
Abortion: Darwinism at its finest.

Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 24

Re: It's really up to you.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Vinny
I'm not sure what you mean by looking at photos though. It's a 160X160 screen--trust me you can't see much. The only picture/video novelty I get is converting video with FireConverter to play on mine. Which doesn't show up well anyway.

---

The Handspring Photo Album on their site looks pretty promising, it can show full 16 bit color images and the quality looks good. Anyone else want to tell me if the quality is good or not? I want to know if I will be dissapointed at looking at images like this:

quote:

---

Save your $150 for a Stowaway for school (an awesome combination), and use the rest for some other stuff.

---

Honestly I have thought about this, but I don't think that I need a Stowaway right now, because at highschool they won't take kindly to me typing in the middle of class. Even if I do want a keyboard, I could get one for my birthday in addition to the Prism upgrade. I don't know if you other kids get $250 spent on you for your birthday, but I a lucky child.

quote:

---

Besides, borrowing from one's birthday fund is a bad idea because you'll have nothing to open a month from now. Also--you wouldn't have anything to open on Christmas morning :-(.

---

This isn't an issue, I will have plenty to open on both occasions.

Registered: Feb 2000
Location:
Posts: 70

I just replaced my plat with a prism two days ago. For viewing photos, it is really nice, but the problem is that the palm os wasn't really built with color in mind, and most programs (even the color ones) don't use the color very well at all. Over the next few months more programs will probably introduce color, but this is one area where ppc has the palm os beat. I have about 12 days before my decision is final on whether or not I go back to the plat. Strangely enough, there seems to be so little worthwhile content in color for the palm, and the plat was such a nice device, that I am considering switching back. I do like the rechargeable batts for the prism though. My vote for you is to stay with the plat and wait until palm os 5 for the color when they have things set up to take advantage of it. Just my $.02

__________________
tuffy

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: NC, Indiana
Posts: 465

Re: Re: It's really up to you.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Fagan

The Handspring Photo Album on their site looks pretty promising, it can show full 16 bit color images and the quality looks good. Anyone else want to tell me if the quality is good or not? I want to know if I will be dissapointed at looking at images like this

---

I believe you will be dissapointed. The Visor screen is only 160X160 resolution. The a isn't a picture viewer LCD, it's a PIM. It will be "ok" I suppose, but I can't really understand the practical purpose of this when you can just print an image out or e-mail it. The only time I've ever used any image/video viewing app was to show a clip from a Pinky and the Brain episode once.

quote:

---

..because at highschool they won't take kindly to me typing in the middle of class

---

Really? No teacher in mine has ever objected to any people using them. I don't live in a trendy school either--its in the middle of a cornfield in fact .

quote:

---

I don't know if you other kids get $250 spent on you for your birthday, but I a lucky child.

---

Congratulations. I had to buy my Visor on my own but the Stowaway was a gift from my Grandma

Merry Christmas!

__________________
-Vincent

Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 24

Re: Re: Re: It's really up to you.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Vinny
I believe you will be dissapointed. The Visor screen is only 160X160 resolution. The a isn't a picture viewer LCD, it's a PIM. It will be "ok" I suppose, but I can't really understand the practical purpose of this when you can just print an image out or e-mail it. The only time I've ever used any image/video viewing app was to show a clip from a Pinky and the Brain episode once.

---

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: NC, Indiana
Posts: 465

Well then, I guess get color

Well if your opinion of good image quality is that, than more power to you. It's not what I would consider good but if you think it's OK, then that's what matters.

If you really think $150 for the cool factor is worth it--then you should do that. It is a Personal Information Manager after all--get what you want and need.
This isn't the case for me, but it may be for you!

Merry Christmas!

[Edited by Vinny on 12-23-2000 at 02:57 PM]

__________________
-Vincent

Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 24

Vincent:
Thanks for all of the replys and the help.
I think that I will stick with the Platinum and ask for something else for my birthday. After viewing several grayscale images on my bro's VDX, I have decided that it is enough to suffice, and that I will priobably upgrade to a PPC or Palm-OS ?.? device in 2.5 years. later everyone, and I wish you all a very merry Christmas.
-Fagan

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Lincoln,RI,USA
Posts: 51

Also keep in mind that your Platinum will show better images due to the 4-bit grayscale versus 2-bit on your brother's VDX... Merry Christmas.

__________________
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
- BaseMan
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

"There's a fine line between clever and stupid"
-Nigel Tuffnel, Spinal Tap

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: NC, Indiana
Posts: 465

Baseman

Not quite..Fireviewer talks to hardware directly so it can do 4bit (16 shade) grayscale. You are correct in stating that you can't do software 4 bit on a VDx though.

__________________
-Vincent

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Lincoln,RI,USA
Posts: 51

Ahh... I see that is true. I haven't used FireViewer so I cannot say I've had the pleasure. Just DL'd it though... looks pretty cool.

Thanks for the info.

[Edited by BaseMan on 12-26-2000 at 04:39 PM]

__________________
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
- BaseMan
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

"There's a fine line between clever and stupid"
-Nigel Tuffnel, Spinal Tap