Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 3

I purchased one of the first Prizms. The images and the colors on the screen were great. After reading an article that was mentioning the fleeker on prizms, I was expecting something not perfect. I was very happy. Last week my prizm died on me. First it didn't respond to the stylus then it got worse. Handspring sent me another one in a few days. But this one not only fleekered slightly, the colors were faded, too. For example in avantgo, the photos from my own web site now, look like 8 bit. My friends noticed the difference too.

Since I know how great the images could look from my experience with the first one I was very disapointed. I complaind to Handspring. They sent me new one. This has the same problems. I went to a store to see another prizm. The image on that one was rock solid. I couldn't test the image colors because it didn't have any photos on it.

Does anybody have any idea what is going on? Should I ask for another replacement or this is the quality I should expect now on?

Thanks in advance
Ragip

Registered: Nov 2000
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 13

I had the exact same problem. My first Visor Prism had a beautiful screen (which I broke). Went through the RMA process with Handspring and the replacement Visor had a much lighter screen, and weird flicker waves when you changed the viewing angle. I asked for a second replacement and it had the same problem. I have compared this one to a Prism in CompUSA and there is a definate difference.

Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Clarksville, VA, USA
Posts: 74

This is interesting. For a point of reference, have you installed the Handspring Photo Album? There are a couple of pictures that have an 8 bit and 16 bit rendering. Comparing both renderings, how do they look on your Prism?

David

Registered: Nov 2000
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 13

dtgillis,

I did as you suggested. There is a clear difference between 8-bit and 16-bit pictures on the "bad" prism.

However, comparing the photos on a "good" prism (from work) and the bad prism, there is a huge difference! Using the example album, picture 11, "Two Boys", looks horrible on the bad prism. The boys have mottled faces. The image looks like a heavily compressed jpeg. The difference between the bad and the good prism is also very apparent in the "berkley rose garden" beetle pictures and and in the "elizabeth - 16 bit" picture.

Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 3

Another flaw with the "bad" prizm is that the surface of the screen is not as hard and flat as the "good" prizm. it's difficult to sense the exact registration level of your pressure. (I think different room temparatures make it more or less flexible.) Combined with the poor Grafiti performance this creates annoying results.

Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 3

If you were wondering what happened to my quest for the "good" Prism. Here it is;
After the third replacement with the same faded colors and slight flicker. I return the last one to the Handspring. Before I mailed it, went to a neighbor computer store, showed the difference between my Prism and their floor sample. I told them that I would buy a prism from them but only if it is the same quality as their floor sample. Confidently they said "Sure!" They opened 3 boxes for me. Surprise! They all had the same problems. Disapointed I went to other stores. At the end I ended up buying one and switching with a well handled floor sample. They didn't understand why someone would settle for a floor sample but I am happy with my new Prism. I am going to take really good care of it now. I hope this one won't die on me either

FYI: In my search, of all Prisms screen brightness and the tint were always different. Almost there were no two alike