Registered: Nov 2000
Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Posts: 133

I have owned two Visors and one graphite Visor Deluxe. The Visors were a shinier black color and the Visor Deluxe is more of a flat dark gray color. I have also noticed that the flat dark gray color on my Deluxe can be scratched, but the shiner black color on the Visor didn't. Are the graphite Deluxes painted or are all of the graphite models different depending on the production lot they were in?

Anybody know?

Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Connecticut USA
Posts: 2682

As far as I know, all graphite Visor's (Std and Dlx) are molded in that color. The variations you're seeing are probably due to different manufacturing lots, though any significant difference in color would puzzle me due to my (limited) knowledge of the plastic molding process.

The Handspring Devloper's site has an application note titled Visor and Visor Deluxe Plastics that lists only one graphite material:

Composition: Polycarbonate/ABS blend
GE Tradename: Cycoloy�
GE Material Code: GE C2800
GE Graphite Color Code: BK1455

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Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 239

There are a few reasons that two Visors might be different shade:

1) In any type of chemical manufacturing process, there is going to be lot-to-lot variation. Just like baking a cake or cookies, no matter how much you measure, each batch is going to taste/look different. You didn't mention when you purchased the two Visors. If they were both VDXs next to each other on the same shelf, in the same store, I would expect them to be the same shade. A Visor solo and a VDX purchased months or years apart, well, not so much.

2) "Fire sale" type items. If GE had some plastic for another customer that canceled their order, they might offer it to Handspring at a discount (GE makes plastic in little pellets and ships it to the customer, then the customer melts it down and molds it into whatever they want). Even if the shade was slightly different, as long as it met their standards (like impact, elasticity, and fire-retardant qualities), Handspring could save money by going with a slighty different shade for one shipment.

3) Handspring changed their color standard. Maybe they got a new marketing director, and the plastic they were using was not black enough, or was too black. It's not uncommon for a company to change their standards from time to time, as they figure out what they need, especially a company as young as Handspring.

This is all speculation, of course, just some thoughts.

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Registered: Apr 2001
Location: 'braska
Posts: 211

We just had 2 related threads on this in the VPL area.

http://discussion.visorcentral.com/...?threadid=14178

http://discussion.visorcentral.com/...?threadid=13806

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