Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Mililani, HI, USA
Posts: 256

Anyone want to venture a guess regarding the price of Innogear's sixpack Springboard? It does a lot, and I think it's gonna cost a lot. It IS the ultimate Springboard though.

Chris

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Sydney Australia
Posts: 1883

my guess would be $150 till $200
most likely $200

If they make it more expensive than $200 I don't think they will sell a lot of them...

Personally I think $150 would be a decent price...

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Mililani, HI, USA
Posts: 256

I hear you.
But my hunch, as is yours, is that it'll be the latter price. Actually, I won't be surprised to find that it's more than $200. We shall see what kind of miracle Innogear can pull off.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 42

I think it will be $0.99. With tax here in New York (assuming I had to pay tax) that would be $1.07. At that price I can by 7 - one for each day of the week.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Texan in Calgary for a while
Posts: 1361

The only thing Innogear has said is "a couple hundred dollars." They won't get any more specific than that. We'll post something when we here more.

------------------
James Hromadka
VisorCentral.com
Personal Website: http://www.geocities.com/jehromadka

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Sydney Australia
Posts: 1883

"a couple hundred dollars." ???
That will probably mean more than $300....

That's more than the Visor itself...
I don't think people will buy add-ons that are more expensive than the machine itself...

So InnoGear, $249 is the max...
(even a high price for John Doe if you ask me...)

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Mililani, HI, USA
Posts: 256

Actually, I think people might consider buying EXPENSIVE Springboards. Remember, Hawkins "designed" the Springboard to be supported for a LONG time, and it'll be implemented in other Handspring high-end units. Obviously, it depends on the function of a Springboard. Sorry, I'm just being hypothetical, but I can reasonably imagine function exceeding the value of the handheld in certain circumstances. ...demand is another thing altogether though.

BTW, with such free Springboard developer routes, have you folks considered what kind of market Handspring has made possible for less noble applications of the Springboard? I'm going off-topic, I know, but it just occurred to me...the architecture is just waiting for some clever kid to exploit it for, say...captain crunch.

[This message has been edited by ragamuffinn (edited 10-28-1999).]

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Sydney Australia
Posts: 1883

ragamuffinn,
can you explain that further, being European I have no clue who/what captain crunch is..

TIA

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Mililani, HI, USA
Posts: 256

um...no I won't tell you.

...just kidding. Well, since all of our emails are probably being monitored by the NSA (National Security Agency) anyway , here goes. Ever heard of blue boxes? They were devices used to simulate the audible signals used in long distance networks in order to "steal" long distance tel. air time. Captain Crunch was the nickname given to the one who figured out that a whistle found in Captain Crunch cereal could be used as the base unit. The blue box was just one possible, but quite outmoded, example of a questionable application of the Springboard. I'm certainly not a subversive, let alone a programmer, so you won't find me making any Springboards to be used for illegal activity. But I have almost no doubt that there will be a huge market for such devices, once the word gets out. The routes for developers are ripe for it. Use your imagination...the smart ones will.

Chris

[This message has been edited by ragamuffinn (edited 10-28-1999).]

Registered: Oct 1999
Location:
Posts: 26

right on, rag...

just wait until the phreaks & 2600rs & script kiddies get their hands on this "new toy"!

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: NY, NY, USA
Posts: 155

I saw the six-pack at Internet World, and it's pretty wild. I must say, however, I think it might do too much. While it's nice to have a Swiss Army Knife at your disposal, it's another thing to comfortably use any one item in the package over another dedicated item.

IOW, the land modem looks good (I like the lift-away cover -- see their site or pics if they're around). The cellular modem doesn't fit the Star-Tac so it does me no good.

I do like the visual and vibrating alarms, but for regular, every day use, I'd probably prefer a less-weighty device that just supplies the alternate alarms. So TaleVibers or whomever, make a cheap-o springboard that simply and efficiently allows you to use a vibrating alarm or a visual alarm, or both, for under $50. I'll buy it in a heartbeat. If the visual alarm could incorporate an interchangeable lens (to match the color of the case, ie translucent-ish blue, green, orange, ice, or a frosty gray, then that would be great). And the vibrating part could be configured to vibrate for thirty seconds straight, or a series of short, quick vibes a la Star-Tac, that would be great too.

Way I see it, having the Springboard standard will make it easier for co's to implement these kinds of things without reinventing the wheel, and should ease development costs. Keep in mind that Handspring will arrange for a third party to physically implement the springboard once it's designed. This kind of outsourcing will keep the hard costs down and the price will be based on the function of the product. IMHO, this makes this particular springboard a solid, can't miss proposition for manufacturer and interested customer (me). ;-)

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posts: 15

I wouldn't pay more than $175 for it.

If it costs more for the upgrades (add springboards etc) then it makes more 'cents' to spend it on a new one, a-la the PC market.

I hope Innogear keeps that in mind if they want to re-coop their R&D costs before the competition figures this out. Selling at a reasonable price in hopefully large quantities will yield profits...just like HandSprings' strategy.

Anyways...what does everyone think about the RJ-11 port on the bottom of the SB ?

It may make it difficult to use while laying on a flat surface, either it will support the pressure of the Visor and use or it break and may teeter-totter as well.

Not to mention if you have a case (leather etc.) it would need a well-positioned opening to use the modem.

JHromadka - Have you any experience with this and its use?

[This message has been edited by Weasel (edited 10-31-1999).]

[This message has been edited by Weasel (edited 10-31-1999).]

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Barnegat, NJ, USA
Posts: 72

Evan though i doubt the springboard thing is going to be very big i think that the sixpack will go like crazy if its affordable but i will NOT buy one at 300 dollars or 200 for that matter, Since i am a student it would be very useful but out of my 5 dollar price range... and that even leaves underware, just kidden .