Registered: Apr 2000
Location:
Posts: 24

ok I am a kid in highschool, tech savvy if you will...
I currently design web pages as a part time job and work for a large corporation. I found out about the visor almost a year ago and since then have wanted to get one.
The question I have is does anyone in here use theres in school, if you do what programs do you use?
Also, what case did you get, what would protect the visor from the rigirouse school life that I must endure?

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Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Seattle, WA, USA
Posts: 406

I use my Visor Deluxe in High School (College actually, in the running start program. I get High school credit for taking college level classes.).The Programs I use most of the time are:
1.Four.Zero to keep track of assignments ( I used the ToDo List before, but Four.Zero is much better suited.).
2.Games, and more Games, even though I rarely ever play them in school..
3.Planning to get the Think Outside Folding Keyboard when it becomes available. For taking notes in class, and writing essays that will need to be typed anyway.
4.Lots of misc. freeware programs that tell me resistor color codes, table of the elements, etc.

that's about it for school use. everything is just on there for fun or other personal use.

Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Chandler, AZ
Posts: 289

My ideal college student setup..
1. Visor Deluxe
2. Stowaway Keyboard (For taking notes, data input)
3. DateBook+ for important dates/meetings/etc
4. SmartDoc for taking notes/word processing
5. Built-in Calculator
6. PalmPrint (for printing wireless)

I may check out Four.Zero.. have heard a lot of good things about that app on this board.

I think the Visor/Stowaway combo is great for students and I am glad to see that there are so many of them that are integrating technology into their studies. For me, having this has made my notes more thorough, reduced my study time (don't have to descipher my handwritten scribble or reference the book as often) and I feel it has made my retention of the material increase. Not bad for a little 5"x3" black box.

Joe

Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 88

Friends,

I am interested to know if you know of any college/university that has moved to use the handheld computer (Visor/Palm) by its students. I know of only one university that is considering this venture. Can you imagine a wireless campus environment where students have a Visor/Palm that can connect from anywhere on campus to the Internet at anytime to communicate with fellow students and faculty while at the same time using the device in the classroom? It is possible and I know of one university that is moving in this direction. I'd like to know if there are others moving in the same direction.

A response here or a direct e-mail will be appreciated.

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: Columbia, MO
Posts: 125

I talked to a guy who's going to Harvard med school, and he said the first thing they do when you get there is issue you a PalmPilot (I told him to try to get a Visor instead ). I don't know if they use it for the PIM functions or the medical-specific programs that are available. Lots of Docs are using Palm OS PDAs now.

FYI: there's a lengthy discussion about students using Visors, do a search on High School and I think you'll find it. I found it very interesting.

[This message has been edited by PaulD (edited 04-09-2000).]

Registered: Apr 2000
Location:
Posts: 24

thanks paul, checked those threads out, real helpful. Now I am definitly sure that I wanna get a visor for school (and games etc...) but I have a few more questions now.

1. What case should I get? School is sure to mean a lot of damage to the visor, what case would give me the best protection without an outragiouse price?
2. What stylus should I get?

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Posts: 29

i'm a senior at the University of Wisc. - La Croose and I use my Graphite Vdlx constantly.

As for programs I don't specifically use anything like four.zero. Instead I attach notes to my classes in the datebook+. i found this works well because i don't have to jump around a lot of programs. I might switch to just doing them a s to do items in dbk+. it pretty much use all the defaults and couple of other goodies. i am trying out silver screen as my launcher and i like its look a lot!

I would recommend it to any student. it is so much nicer than the day planner or assaignment notebook. i always hated going through a semester and filling in clases every day. with the visor you can make a semester worth of classes schedule in dbk by selecting the repeat option.

as for cases i currentlu use the rhinopak 1100. it is very small, pretty rugged, and not too expensive. i keep it in my backpack and really haven't been too worried about it.

its nice too that my campus has a couple of imacs on it. i currently do not have my own computer to synch with( i use the back up module - it rocks!) or download programs. so i just install the programs on the imac, plug in the usb and dowload, then just unistall the program from the computer quick and easy.

again i would totlay recommend a visor to a student. when you get into college and if you become active in a lot of stuff the visor will become indispensable believe me. that's the only drawback i think for anyone using pda. they become so indispensable that if something happens to it or you forget it at hoem you're smei ****ed. its happend to me a couple of times. The worst part really is having that sinking feelin in you gut that you don't have all your info at your fingertips.

blah blah blah..definately get one you won't be disappointed!

Registered: Mar 2000
Location:
Posts: 6

Four.Zero

Im done.

http://www.nathanblack.com/download.shtml

Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Chandler, AZ
Posts: 289

Dave -- I heard a while back of a university having a completely wireless infrastructure. Every student is assigned a laptop and anywhere on campus they have access to classes, homework, course materials, internet, email, etc. Apparently homework, tests, etc are all via the computer. Unfortunately I heard about this about a year or two ago and forgot what campus this was at.

I would love to see these types of infrastructures being implimented at other universities (or even high schools). Most already have fairly sophisticated computer networks and I wouldn't think it would be very difficult for them to add wireless/pda connectivity given the amount of standards that have been addressed for wireless connectivity over the past year.

Joe

Registered: Apr 2000
Location:
Posts: 24

ok now just a few more questions...

1. About how big is the rhino skin 1100 case? Would it fit in a jeans pocket? I think I read that you can clip it to your belt? if so is it confortable when clipped on to a belt?
2. Stylus? I know a lot of people use the panache, anything more versitile for school? I was thinking abou that pen/stylus combo thing, is that any good?

Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 88

Please see the post "Handheld Devices & Wireless Connectivity" where your help is sought.

Thanks.

Registered: Apr 2000
Location:
Posts: 2

Hey r4bid,

I'm only a sophmore in high school and I use my Visor everyday. I think its a good idea for organization and everything. If you plan to get one, I suggest getting the black deluxe, because colors cause teachers to think its a gameboy, but black indescretely suggests it is a graphing calculator or planner. I don't use any cases, but I use the leather slipcase that came with it and just put it in my pocket at ALL times except when I am using it, so nobody can take it unless they mug me. Well, lots of people can get lots of things if people were mugged, so I guess that shouldn't be a problem-- at high school at least. ANyway, there's lots of programs for school. Look at the article here at Visor Central.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Posts: 29

the rhinoskin 1100 does fit in a pocket. it does feel a bit clunky sittyng in there. but not much more than the leather one you get with the visor dlx. plus it offers tons more protection.

as for stylus, i currently use the stock with writerights, but i am getting a dlux one by handspring from someone who had an extra.

hope that helps
dave

Registered: Apr 2000
Location:
Posts: 24

a dlux stylus from handspring? when I go to there site all I see is the 5 color pack and a pen stylus, could someone fill me in here?

Registered: Mar 2000
Location:
Posts: 10

If you haven't heard of PDA Panache already, then you should check them out. www.pdapanache.com. They have a visor specific stylus which is quite nice, full metal, regid tip.
-Rummey

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: Columbia, MO
Posts: 125

The 5-pack that you see on the HS site is the deluxe stylus. I got the five-pack & like it. I already lost the Orange on, and gave the Green to my wife, it looks cool with her Ice VDx, since the green of the circuit board shows through.

Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 33

I really really recommend getting a visor.

Currently, i'm using it in middle school, and even here i find use for it. I used to have this huge binder with all my notes stuffed into but now for some classes, i only need to take my visor. If you can find a printer with an infrared port (we have one in our library) download PalmPrint...teachers love neat papers

Basically, i use diddlebug to take down some quick assignments...like DMcH i don't use a specific app

I use memopad for taking down notes - but to any developers out there, i wish there was a text app that could do formatting. Oh well, it's not like i format my paper notes anyways.

After a week, i guarantee it'll be as connected wit every day life as your other paper organizers and probably more.

Registered: Apr 2000
Location:
Posts: 24

now I cant wait to get one I do however have a few more questions for you all...

1. Color visor? ok, I know that there are planse to make one but that it hasn't been released yet. I also know that the palm color looks terrible. Should I even consider waiting till a color visor is released and if it is good and supported get it, or do I get a mono one now? I am working with a corparation on my time off from school, doing some web design and a visor would sure be of some use, but I don't wanna waste my money on a mono one if the color one will better (I need to save up to buy a car and other things slightly more important than a pda)

2. I have been reading a lot of reviews and posts around here and other pda sites. At first I was inclined to go with the rhino skin shocksuit as a case because of its great looks and protection. However I recently became aware that a lot of the people who have purchased this case started to have it fall apart on them as soon as a month later. Due to this fact I have done a lot of thinking and am now stuck between the rhodiana case (hear a lot of good things about it and the belt thing would be cool in school) and the E&B slipcase. Which one would be better for a student?
3. And finially Panache or handsprings delux pens? (I plan to use writewrits if that helps at all)

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Hoboken, NJ, 07030
Posts: 105

I use a Blue Visor Deluxe with The Pouch (www.thepouch.com) and a StylusPlus (www.stylusplus.com) I use the Visor for all my notes and the StylusPlus (which includes a pen, highlighter, and pencil) for anything I have to write. Most of the time I don't need it but you can fit the Visor with it's hard case in The Pouch and the hard cover is enough to protect the Visor on its own in a pocket. I also have a Stoaway on order.

I take most of my notes in Beam Books but I have a registered version of Note Taker for meetings and such.

Registered: Apr 2000
Location:
Posts: 3

I'm a grad student and I just bought a VDx at Staples last week. Here's what I like about it and what I think it needs:

Likes:
* The built-in programs are more than adequate for maintaining my schedule of work and dissertation writing.
* Graffiti is fast enough for me to take notes in lectures. No more yellowing archives of notes with the occasional missing page...

Whats Needed:
* A word processor that lets one write formatted text.
* A bibliography program compatible with (and having a conduit to) Endnote! I'd love to be able to take notes at the library and collect my bibliographic info there too.

Overall, for a college or grad student, the Visor is invaluable as is, but with the additions I mentioned, it would be the ultimate supernotebook.