Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Clifton, Va, USA
Posts: 1

Is the PalmOs upgradable in Visor?
I can't find a definite answer anywhere, some say it is and others say it is not.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Spokane, WA, USA
Posts: 114

Here's the definite answer: yes and no.

Yes: bug fixes will be available, if necessary, via small "patches" that you load onto your Visor. This is how it's been done on Palms for years.

No: major OS upgrades (OS 3.1->3.3 at this point, or OS 3.1->4.0) would not be possible because of the lack of FlashRAM.

And it is that this point, once again, that I will give my standard disclaimer on this subject (my apologies for people who have seen me say this a hundred times already):

Don't worry about FlashROM and system OS upgradability. Visor's PalmOS 3.1h already includes many of the updates in Palm's PalmOS 3.3. Things that aren't there (IR sync support, which BTW is SLOW) can usually be added via 3rd party software. Not a big deal.

Any major upgrades like 3.1 to 4.0 will MOST LIKELY require NEW HARDWARE (since 4.0 will most likely take advantage of a color screen (wonder when they'll announce that) and a new processor (33MHz DragonballEZ).

So either wait seven to nine months for the first color screen (hopefully with some kind of battery life), or go Visor Deluxe now and forget about "OS upgrades".

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

Agreed 100%. The pro-Palm people (say it five times fast and win a Visor ;-) have been pointing at the lack of flash. I just did an update to my III just to see what the 3.3 update did. Needless to say, I'm not too worked up over "wasting money on a flashless Visor ;-)"

IOW, the flash thing, unless this will be the last PDA you EVER buy, is not consequential in the overall scheme of things.

BTW, keep in mind that Handspring will be incorporating flash into their next (high-end) Visor, so if it's that important, wait it out (yeah, right).

Meanwhile, my concern is whether the HotSync update will affect my migration from the III to the Deluxe. I guess I'll find out on Friday, when I finally get it.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: New Brunswick, NJ, USA
Posts: 5

Since handspring has publicly announced that a springboard can boot the Visor and run the OS off of it, theoretically Handspring could put OS updates on a springboard, no ? People are excited about the prospects of a Linux springboard, I can't see how a Palm springboard would be all that bad..... would kill the use of the expansion slot though :-( If the springboard maker were using their noodle, they'd make the springboard have Flash ROM... the device would sorta be a round-about way to make the visor upgradeable.

Either way though, I'm about to call Handspring and put in the order for my graphite Visor. I think the device has promise--- and it's damned cool.

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If I were a signature, I'd hang out right here.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location:
Posts: 27

Chazzz,

Your 7 to 9 month estimate concerning the color screens may be a little off if the info and screenshots at Palmstation are correct. Posts are coming in from folks who say they were there at PalmSource and they are saying its all true and that Palm was demoing a Palm OS 3.5 version of POSE that was in COLOR. Check out the rest at Palmstation.

Also, ZD Net's people say Palm's color PDAs will probably debut in February or March. Check out ZD Net for more.

Just sharing info.


[This message has been edited by Lock (edited 10-20-1999).]