Registered: Oct 1999
Location: brooklyn, ny, usa
Posts: 190

Since I won a sleek graphite Visor Deluxe at Fall Internet World on Friday, I have been using the device on and off over the last couple days (I also use a Palm IIIx).

Here's a couple thoughts about the device.

The device is a very nice matte black with silver buttons and weighs roughly the same as the IIIx. It fits nicely into the hand and the snap cover is not as annoying as some have made it out to be. It uses the same screen as the Palm V and uses 2 AAA batteries.

One thing that Jeff & co. did not improve on is the power drain that hotsyncing does to the batteries....

A note for you WriteRight users...the Palm III screen protectors fit perfectly on the Visor.

Many have commented on the stylus being lousy. I am in agreement with this. It looks and feels cheap. I'll be investing in the replacement styli that have the metal shaft.

I'm impressed with what I've seen so far. It looks like a good alternative to the Palm devices.

If you folks have any questions, fire away and I'll try my best to answer.

sluggo

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: ME, USA
Posts: 46

You lucky dog, you...

Some questions:

1) What power drain when you hotsynch? (Do you mean just while hotsynching, or just when leaving it in the cradle?)

2) How well does the backlight work?

3) How much do you want for it? (Just kidding)

Chuck

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Posts: 36

You know, when you asked how much he wants for it, I quick ran over to eBay and looked to see if anyone had put one up that they won, and.... Not yet! I'm sure that pretty soon idiots, errr buyers will be paying twice as much there for the privilege of owning one.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Salem, OR, USA
Posts: 91

4) Does it feel "brittle and cheap" as suggested in Dan Briody's column? How does the feel of it compare to, say, your IIIx?

5) You say it has the same screen as the Palm V, but in the Gadgeteer's review there is a table:

Visor 3.19" x 2.395"
Palm V 3.075" x 2.242"
Palm III 3.20" x 2.375"
PalmPilot 3.20" x 2.350"

Could you measure the screen size yourself and give us the real story?

6) Many have ordered colors other than graphite so their Visors won't be confused with a grey Palm device. In your opinion, could a black Visor be confused with a Palm device?

7) Could you open your Visor and find out whether the ROM is soldered on the PCB or is in a socket?

[This message has been edited by DKantola (edited 10-11-1999).]

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: brooklyn, ny, usa
Posts: 190

Chuck,

1. It's the same power drain that all Palm devices suffer from. Multiple synchs and/or leaving the device in the cradle will drain the batteries.

2 The backlight is ok. About the same as the backlight on the IIIx/V. I have yet to be able to invert the backlight using the shortcut.

3. LOL.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: brooklyn, ny, usa
Posts: 190

DKantola,

4. The Visor does not feel brittle or cheap. It just feels different in your hand. Hard to explain. The device I have seems to be solidly made.

5. the difference in screen size is due to a slightly larger graffiti/button area. It is common knowledge that HS licensed the Palm V screens for the Visor. btw...all Palm screens are 160x160. The border on the screen and the graffiti/button area varies amongst the palm devices which causes the different models to have different overall screen areas.

6. There is no way to confuse a Palm IIIx and a Visor. The IIIx is grey. The Visor is Black. Probably the same color black that your TV is. People will refer to the Visor as a Palm just because it looks similar in size to a III series, but is very different looking upon closer inspection.

7. If I can find a screwdriver small enough to do it, I'll let you know (the screws are REALLY small).



[This message has been edited by sluggo (edited 10-11-1999).]

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Dayton, TN, USA
Posts: 66

Come on, Sluggo, be a real hero! How does it survive a good ol' torture test!?

1) How many times can you drop it from 5 feet onto concrete without the screen breaking.

2) How many times can you throw it against the wall without the screen breaking. (Just so we know...)

3) How many times can you hit it with an acetylene torch before destroying it. (Hey, I work around these things...)

Just kidding.

One more frivolous post towards becoming a "member".

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Plantersville, TX, USA
Posts: 109

Hey Sluggo!

I have been browsing news groups about the Palm and have 2 questions:


I hear that when the backlight is on, there is an audible hum that comes from it converting power or something. Is this the case with the Visor?

How would you rate the slip in case?

Is the alarm beep louder than the Palm III? I heard that it was rather low.


Steve (Zen)

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: brooklyn, ny, usa
Posts: 190

Zen,

I own a Palm IIIx and now a Visor Deluxe. There is no sound that comes from either device when the backlight is on.

The leather slipcase that comes with the Visor is decent. It serves its purpose. The case is very reminiscent of the original PalmPilot slipper case.

I havent tried alarms on the Visor using the datebook reminder. I use the program "Big Clock" as an alarm clock and that is pretty loud.

sluggo

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Salem, OR, USA
Posts: 91

It is common knowledge that HS licensed the Palm V screens for the Visor.

That's not been announced by Handspring, and as far as I know that's just what everybody's been speculating. I know they all are 160x160, but various reviewers have said that there are subtle differences (besides the silkscreen) between the Visor and Palm V screens, if that's so, they don't have the same screen. I asked for dimensions simply as a way to determine if they are indeed different, since I assume you don't have a Palm V to compare it to.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 90

Someone *has* tried to sell Visors on eBay...I did a search around the 5th or 6th just out of curiosity. Someone posted a kind of garbled version of the "About the Visor" info from the Handspring Web site...and there were actually a few bids. Looked completely spurious to me. People will bid on *anything* on Ebay...

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: brooklyn, ny, usa
Posts: 190

DKantola,

My boss has a Palm V. The display (160x160) area of the Visor looks just like the V. The reason for screen width difference between the V and Visor appaears to be that the Visor shows roughly .05 inches more border between the edge of the 160x160 display and the edge to the plastic case.

the larger silkscreen accounts for the longer height.

I remember reading somewhere that the Visor used the same screen CPU and power source as the Palm V (well, they were 2/3 right anyway). From what I've read/heard Jeff Hawkins speaking about making the Visor cost effective, I can't imagine that he would have another company retool their plant to manufacture screens that are already being made by another plant for Palm Computing.

my .02 and as always IMHO.

sluggo



[This message has been edited by sluggo (edited 10-11-1999).]

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: US Military in Germany
Posts: 46

Sluggo, can you answer the OS question once and for all. Does it use 3.1 or 3.3?

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: brooklyn, ny, usa
Posts: 190

According to the Visor, I'm running version 3.1H.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location:
Posts: 52

Sluggo, does OS 3.1H include the Euro symbol?

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Ingleside, Tx
Posts: 68

From another post, I believe it does support the Euro symbol.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Louisville, KY, USA
Posts: 4

Sluggo,
Have you found a use for the microphone yet? Does the manual mention any use for it? Previous posts on VisorCentral have *speculated* it's use, worth, and usefulness. Someone (HandSprung?) thought it might be used as a 4th input device. Or, is it really only for SpringBoards?

Thanks!


------------------
William R. "Rick" Smith, II, LPC
Doctoral candidate in College Student Development
University of Louisville
[email protected]

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: ME, USA
Posts: 46

Sluggo,

Thanks for the FB...another question from the "newbie"...when you say "multiple synchs," how many do you think it would take to drain the batteries down completely? What I mean is, if I'll be synching 2-3x / day, how much do you think that'll shorten the battery life? (Best guess)

Thanks again,
Chuck

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Schaumburg, IL
Posts: 151

Just to help out here--and I don't have a Visor in front of me--but Hawkins himself as well as several other reputable reviewers have conclusively stated that the microphone is configured directly to the Springboard and will only function with applications/springboards that support it.

A search of the manual--that I downloaded from the HS site before it collapsed--states only this much: "Microphone: Records sounds for use with applications that support this feature."

Hope this helps folks.

[This message has been edited by Jackal (edited 10-12-1999).]

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: brooklyn, ny, usa
Posts: 190

Rick