Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 4

I admit ive been thinking about this ever since Handspring announced the springboard slot. Isn't it inconvenient to have so many springboard modules? Sure the buyer can customize the visor to his/her needs, but what if they want to use more than 1 or 2? For example, if i were to get a GPS, a mp3 player, a cellphone, a backup, and a keyboard, how the hell am I going to carry all those around? Do you understand what im trying to say? I don't want to be stuck with the mp3 player when i need to make a call, or with a backup, when Im lost, etc. etc. Not to mention the cost, which would end up being definitely more than $500. What are your solutions to this problem? How will you deal with (carry) so many springboard modules? Too bad you cant at least use more than one at the same time.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Metro Station, Hollywood and Highland
Posts: 1018

Most people will only carry one or two modules on their person during most of the day. Not all Springboards are for all times. After all, most of us have pretty routine jobs, so we won't need to carry a GPS module all the time. People might carry the two-way pager and the Six-Pack with as their general-purpose modules and leave the more frivolous ones, like MP3 players, in the car.

Suggestion to accessory makers: it shouldn't be too difficult to make a nice leather Springboard carrying case the size of Franklin Planner (holds a dozen modules!).

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Posts: 97

Hmmm...I've been wondering the same question also. Maybe someone will come up with a Springboard that can adapt/connect several Springboards together simultaneously... but that sure would make for one bulky Visor!

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: West Hollywood, CA 90069, USA
Posts: 126

Better yet...

Just buy a palm pilot, and then you won't have to worry about the inconvenience of only one springboard slot. In fact you'll have the joy of no expansion capability at all.

(BTW, this is called sarcasm)

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 434

quote:

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Originally posted by pkunda:
(snip) Isn't it inconvenient to have so many springboard modules?

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You're kidding, right? It would be better to have fewer (or no) modules?

quote:

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Sure the buyer can customize the visor to his/her needs, but what if they want to use more than 1 or 2? (snipping examples)

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Given that:

1. the MiniJam will eventually work outside the Visor (as will any cell phone module worth the purchase price),

2. the backup module should only be plugged into the Visor when you want to perform a backup, and

3. the keyboard has nothing to do with the Springboard slot - it can be used without interfering with the Springboard slot

This just leaves the GPS from your examples.

I don't know how familiar you are with GPS units, but you typically don't run them continually. You take a position, get a bearing on the next way point, and shutdown until you need to take another reading. If nothing else, this saves batteries.

What you might be missing is that most of the Springboard modules are intended for episodic use. Sure. You may have one that you use almost all the time (the SixPak comes to mind), but the rest you plug in for just the time that you need them.

quote:

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. . . how the hell am I going to carry all those around? (snip) Not to mention the cost, which would end up being definitely more than $500.

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How would you carry these things around in their tradional form? Seems to me that as Springboard modules they are more compact than their conventional counterparts; and, due to their similar sizes, they could easily fit in a multi-compartment belt case (just an example). The prices that I've seen to date are generally on a par with the conventional product, so I don't see a justification for your cost complaint.



[This message has been edited by yucca (edited 03-09-2000).]

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 51

One of the reason I bought the Visor instead of Palm IIIxe because I want to be able to backup when I'm on the road. The backup module may be the only spring board I bought another one might be the 8 MB spring board.
For most people, I believe, the two I mentioned are probably the most useful. Another one may be the Modem.

Let's be realistic, I don't think the spring board MP3 will sound as good as any MP3 you can buy now. I also don't think the picture quality of the digital camera module will be as good as what you can get from a real digital camera. If there is a cell phone spring board, do you think it will be as good as a Nokia ... I don't think so.
I think people will use their current cell phone and etc. because the quality is better.

To me the Visor is a very good organizer. It saves me a lot of time. I think we want to turn a good organizer to be a super duper computer which it was not designed to be.

Don't get me wrong, I love my Visor (and my backup module). I would not trade it for any Palm.
I don't think you have to worry about carry 15 different spring boards. I believe most people will use 2 or 3 at the most because of the reasons mentioned earlier. Another thing, batteries life is also an issue. To use all those high tech spring board, we probable have to replace the batteries daily.




[This message has been edited by saranss (edited 03-09-2000).]