Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 79

Well, it has been fun. I've had my Visor for about 2 months now. I bought springboards and keyboards for the little guy but it is time to say goodbye.

Because of my new line of business, I am getting a Palm Vx and Omnisky modem........I know I know the Omnisky springboard is supposed to be out any time but I needed something today.

What I will miss:

- The backup springboard
- Cool colors
- Using my Thincom modem and Stowaway keyboard at the same time.

I will still keep reading this great disscusion board....and perhaps someday I will get another Visor.

I am selling all my Visor and all the stuff on ebay. Email me if anyone is interested.

[email protected]


Thanks.

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: bright side of the moon.
Posts: 996

but just think, you'll now have a sleek, metal cased PDA with wireless capability, voice recording is available with the cool go-vox for the V series, and i remember seeing a module that clipped to the serial connector on the PalmV which allowed you to backup everything onto it (it didn't look great when it was clipped on but you wouldn't want a backup module attached to your Palm anyways...)

I don't think life will be too bad...(don't forget the cool aluminum cases that come in different anodized colours aswell!!!)

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Stealth-Mod.

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

I think you're making the right decision. When I first got the Visor, it was a tough choice to make over the Palm Vx. If I had known how long it would have been before wireless module became available, I would've gotten the Vx. You'll have a light, durable, sexy PDA that can connect to the internet today. Enjoy.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location:
Posts: 106

I agree as well. Everything Visor and SB manufacturers PROMISE is available today, elswhere. Most of what Visor sells itself on has yet to be provided. What little is available costs more than the unit itself. I personally have been waiting (and waiting and waiting) for a simple voice recorder SB. There are no less than FIVE of them on VisorCentral's voice recording section. Two are nowhere to be found when you go out to their WEB pages and the other three Promise (there's that word again) to have them ready to go by end of third quarter 2000 (say, isn't that this Saturday?).

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: bright side of the moon.
Posts: 996

i'm with you RJT...i've been waiting for a 'simple' voice recording module for what seems like FOREVER! I like the flip cover voice recorder for the PalmV models. (i thought about retro-fitting the Palm III version to my visor but it just doesn't sit right).

I consider my visor a HUGE learning experience in the world of PDA's (this is my first one). Now that i know what i use it for and what i would like, my next purchase will serve me better.(ironically, it might not be Handspring).

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Stealth-Mod.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 295

Hoser, you seem to really dislike the Visor/Handspring for a Visorcentral staff member.

Registered: Aug 2000
Location:
Posts: 63

Yeah I really like my Visor and it gets the job done for me. But I just can't get over some of the other cool devices out there now. Like the new Sony. I mean its about the same price as the palm Vx and it comes with 16 megs of memory and is easily upgradable to much more. I'm getting a little sick of the SB promises. I understand that it can take a while produce a new device like the springboard, but it just seems like I've been waiting for a long time for some simple stuff, like extra memory(not the lousy 79 buck 8 megs that handspring will sell you).

Now its gotten to the point that I've very very seriously considered putting the visor up for sale on ebay. Very seriously. That sony has my name all over it. I keep my faith that some of these SB's will come out, but another month and I'm gone. I've no spent more that 350 on my visor, and I'm nearing the Sony level. The one thing that gets me is the rechargable battery, but if that little clip thing for the sony comes out that lets you use a 9 volt to recharge it, well thats it. I'm sold.

I was tempted again today at the CompUSA. Damn those Sony people. 64 meg memory stick for $120. need I say more.

I hate being a gadget nut. I am so poor because of it.

-VisorHolic(well at least for another month)

Registered: Feb 2000
Location: Chicago, IL, USA
Posts: 57

Good move... I can't say I blame you.

My next PDA certainly WILL NOT be a Handspring "Vapor". What a joke....

It seems to me that most of the Palm accessories are produced by Palm. Handspring has relied too much on third party's empty promises as a marketing tool.

vISor
FULL OF SH#T...

Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 79

For me...not a dislike

I am not answering for hoser but I can tell you that I am not as excited about handspring as I used to be.....don't get me wrong I still think it is an ok product but here are the reasons:

1. To many Soft and HARD resets. I owned a PalmPro for 2 years and maybe did a soft reset once or twice a month. I loaded it up with all kinds of hacks and junk too. I only did a hard reset once. With my Visor I had to do about 3 or 4 soft resets a day. Also at least 4 times now my Visor has decided to Hard reset it self spontaneously. I have been through 3 of these things and my Dad through 4. Thank goodness for the backup springboard I was back up and running in minutes.....maybe thats why they made the backup springboad.

2. Springboards drain the batteries too much for me. I hate replacing batteries.......they need to stick with built in lithium batteries. When I got my thincom I thought....cool, I'll just leave it in all the time.....oh that was nice.....batteries lasted about 6 days.

In my opinon the Visor is good product for people that do simple stuff but for those who like to put it through the tests it is too unreliable.

You know I am very excited to get my Palm Vx with the Omnisky modem. I'm hoping for a more rock solid PDA. Yes it costs more.....but I am sure it will be worth it.

Will I buy another Handspring product? Yes only if it has 2 things.

1. Flash upgradable OS
2. Proven reliablity

heyday

Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 79

Be careful. From what I understand, you can not run programs off the memory stick in the Sonys. Maybe you know this already. I also read an article that soon they are coming out with a color version for only $50 more.

heyday

quote:

---

Originally posted by Visorholic
Yeah I really like my Visor and it gets the job done for me. But I just can't get over some of the other cool devices out there now. Like the new Sony. I mean its about the same price as the palm Vx and it comes with 16 megs of memory and is easily upgradable to much more. )

---

Registered: Aug 2000
Location:
Posts: 63

quote:

---

Originally posted by heyday
Be careful. From what I understand, you can not run programs off the memory stick in the Sonys. Maybe you know this already. I also read an article that soon they are coming out with a color version for only $50 more.

---

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Sydney Australia
Posts: 1883

quote:

---

Originally posted by LanMan
Hoser, you seem to really dislike the Visor/Handspring for a Visorcentral staff member.

---

Yeah hoser what's up with that? , I think they need to fire you because you are not Visor-crazy!

Now seriously, I think it is good that Hoser also is open for other things outside of Handspring-land....

This makes a person more openminded (and I think a better moderator too....)
It would be different if he would be bashing the product though... But he is just stating that the discussed configuration is OK too....

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Do files get embarrassed when they get unzipped?

Registered: Jan 2000
Location: Berkeley, CA
Posts: 25

I too have considered ditching my Visor for a Palm Vx and OmniSky modem, but what keeps me from doing so is the ability to be able to use the Minstrel and Stowaway at the same time. The keyboard is just far too useful for me to have to give up when I want to go online, which is almost constantly. Supposedly the Minstrel S module will be out in mid-October, only a couple of weeks away, which isn't too long to wait for the one and only Springboard I ever care is released.

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Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 79

Will it work at the same time?

Where have you heard that it will work at the same time? I am not doubting you but if the Minstrel springboard takes over the serial port it will not work. With my Visor I was syncing via IR to my cell phone and the Stowaway keyboard would not work.


Just wondering.

heyday

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: bright side of the moon.
Posts: 996

quote:

---

Originally posted by LanMan
Hoser, you seem to really dislike the Visor/Handspring for a Visorcentral staff member.

---

Wow, don't check the board for an evening and all of a sudden there's a whole discussion about you!

I LOVE MY VISOR. It helps me more than any 'productivity' tool i've ever used before. Ask anybody i work with and they'd say that i've become MUCH more organized since getting my Visor last november. But like a few others on this thread, there are things about my visor i wish weren't true.

I haven't had too much problems with hard resets and soft resets. My concern comes from this point of view:

I use my visor as a PIM and to check my email while on the road (so i'm not lugging around a laptop...seeing as email is the only thing i need to do whenever i travel, even for business!) I have the stowaway because i personally think it is the one great product out there that should be bundled with all PDA devices. It improves the functionality of the Visor x10. Even though i don't use the stowaway every day (actually more like once or twice a week) i still think that besides the visor itself, it's the most important add-on (more than the backup module (i can hear some screaming now ) becuase i've recovered from past resets quite easily...it's just a matter of being organized with your files on your PC)
And finally, I NEED a voice recorder. I work in an industry where walking through the plant leaves metallic dust on your shoulders EVERYTIME! So pulling out the visor and trying to write is just asking for trouble...i thought about buying a separate voice recorder but thought i'd wait for the module to come out.

SO here's my situation.

The visor does all this, however, the one thing that is troubling me is the construction of the visor. I used a PalmV for a week (a friend's) and the metal case felt sturdy, the screen seemed harder and it was nice and small. I went and used the Clie in the store a short time ago and again, it felt sturdier than my visor (i was holding both at the same time) and the screen seemed harder and easier to write on. Another interesting note, it was easier to write graffitti (the harder screen resulted in better character recognition?).

The PalmVx has a modem available, has a stowaway available, and has a voice recorder available. The Clie doesn't have a modem or stowaway YET, but does have the memory stick.

I'd like a PDA that appears to have been made with some sense of quality. Let's face it, they all do pretty much the same thing (at least in my case). So if you are going to improve on something, make it of higher quality. And my current visor just doesn't seem to have that quality. Cracking in the case, creaking, shifting, etc.

I hate to use this analogy, but, i could have bought a $500 used car to get me to work but i decided to spend some more money and buy a new car that has some quality in it and in the end, it does the same thing (gets me to work) but it's not falling apart (knock on wood! )

If, and this is a pretty big 'if', Handspring would just produce a model that satisfies a consumer that wants to spend alittle more to get a sleek, higher quality Visor, then yes, my next PDA will be a visor. However, if they continue to cut costs on the quality of hardware side of things, i'll have to jump ship. Pretty simple.

And many wonder why the PalmVx is selling so well even though it's priced $150 more than the visor deluxe???

If handspring doesn't 'spring' (sorry ) for a 'top end' model then i'd like to see a PalmVx with the SanDisk slot and faster processor.

WOW what a long post.....

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Stealth-Mod.

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 61

I have been waiting for a voice recorder too. I ended up getting DLink DMP-100 MP3/Voice recorder for $19.95 after rebate. It's a little larger than a pager, but has 2 hours (upgradeable to 4) of space for voice messages and is capable of storing 99 different messages. You can also upload them to your PC and store them as WAV files.

It has come in very handy, but it is a separate device. I just need to upgrade my case so that I can fit both my Visor and my DLink in there.

Just an idea...

(Places like Staples/Best Buy/ OfficeMax keep having the unit on sale for $49.95. There is a $30 mail in rebate from DLink)

Registered: Oct 2000
Location:
Posts: 61

The omnisky service isn't available in my area. One of the reasons I purchased the visor is that some of the other module manufacturers services did work in my area. So for me buying a Palm with wireless might as well be used as a paper weight.

Is Omnisky still the only wireless provider for the Palm?
I've been out of the loop a little the last month or so.