Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan USA
Posts: 790

Re: I *like* my visorphone

quote:

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Originally posted by AndyHN
... you need to grab a stylus to make any call

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Jeff

Registered: Nov 2001
Location: Chelmsford, MA USA
Posts: 20

PS

RedsoxPDAer:

Sounds like you bought the wrong case for your VisorPhone. I highly recommend the leather case; very easy to remove your visorphone to answer/make a call.

PDAENVY:

I've actually been using the back of fingernail exactly as you describe; but is this really "acceptable use" ??

Registered: Sep 2001
Location: Aberdeen, Scotland
Posts: 19

Handspring are offering a $100 rebate on the Treo if you own a VP. And you can keep the VP as well. (or sell it)

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I've got the digital blues, my soul is just another number (JJ Cale)

http://www.palmvenue.com

Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Connecticut USA
Posts: 2682

quote:

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Originally posted by sijpie
a $100 rebate

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God bless America, my home sweet home...

Registered: Sep 2000
Location: Orange County, CA
Posts: 64

I wonder if there will be a similar deal when and if they make a CDMA version of the Treo (with the Digital Link)�

Registered: Feb 2002
Location:
Posts: 32

Best of both, no, best of all yes.

I love this sucker! I've had 6 different Cell Phones in 7 years and this is by far the best. I don't have to load any numbers, use any special software. Most of all it just works great in my area! So much so that I got my wife a VDX and VP as well and that makes SMS very useful for us.
If you want to surf the web regularly this is not the device you want but for occasional use it's great!
So with Documents to go, my Visor Pro and my VP I no longer even think of using a Laptop.
IT's not THAT big! I'll take one device over two anyday and if you really must know the WOW factor when people see it is enormous.

Registered: Feb 2002
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 14

I thought I'd make a few comments here to (mostly) defend the VisorPhone, although I will concede that there are a number of reasons why the device falls short of what it could've been (and easily, it would seem).

First I'll explain my mindset wanting this device (and owning it now for almost six months now): I've been waiting for a couple of years for handheld computers to really integrate all the things we want to do on the go- digital pictures, play MP3s, messaging and voice calls... and, ideally, ALL OF US ON THE SAME STANDARDS, so we don't have to look for the phone company that already has most of our friends/family signed up (and don't get me started about Yahoo/ICQ/AIM/MSN messaging incompatibility). Therefore, my mindset does NOT have any room for considering small size, looking good, ringtones, having icons or games, or color skins- It's all about functionality and ergonomics.

OK. So I have my VP installed in a Prism, and my only service option was Cingular. They're really not bad at all. (I had major issues with my VP the first couple of months that might've been Cingular-related, but despite the fact that no one I talked to knew what a VisorPhone was, they were all eager to help.) Coverage is decent and my plan is fine (500min w/ free LD, unltd. NW), considering that I'm not a huge cell-minute user.

I'll go through this point by point:
- Yes it's bulky and heavy. With my Prism, it's even more so than with the Deluxe that RedSox uses. I have an Eagle Creek belt pouch that I use to carry mine (along with my cash, cards, etc.), and I can feel it pulling down. But it's not that difficult to deal with. If I wore anything other than jeans and dockers it would be, like if I was a suit instead of a graphics guy. But the advantage of not carrying two devices really makes up for it's heft.

- I miss the hard cover too, but I've made a thin cardstock "sleeve" that it slides into in my belt pouch pocket that protects the screen. I also added two small squares of the roughside Velcro to the sides of the VP that help me grip it when I'm pulling it out. With a screen protector, I don't worry too much about damage. I also sometimes carry it in my ski jacket's inside pocket. Now if I was female and carried a purse, and things inside could impact the screen, that might be different...

- Cingular also notifies me of voicemail through SMS, and I've occasionally missed those notifications too. I've gotten into the habit of always using the Prism's power button to turn the screen on first, instead of an app button, so I can see if a message came up while I wasn't paying attention.

- SMS is a sore point with me as well, though this is not the VisorPhone's fault. I tried sending one the other day to a friend who I knew had it, and it turned out he'd disabled the feature because no one else he knew had it. I see a lot of potential for SMS, especially now that they're doing AIM through it, but unfortunately it doesn't look like VoiceStream or Cingular (through SMS) or Sprint (through whatever the Digital Link uses) actually have the ability to let you use AIM through their network with a Handspring. (To me this issue is second only to the lack of built-in voice memo recording). I've dialed in to use AIM before, but then I'm using plan minutes, and I'm not going to stay dialed in just to wait for my friends to IM me. Maybe about the same time these networks get us Handspring users the ability to be "always-on" the net without using plan minutes, the IM thing will come with it. Other than that, we just have to wait for SMS to get more popular in general.

- The battery life thing would drive me crazy in the case of the Visor Deluxe. Luckily, because the Prism has built-in rechargeable batteries, it's not as much of an issue with me. I plug in every other day to recharge overnight and I do fine. This is my first argument as to why the VisorPhone is much better suited for a Prism user than for other Visors.

- Handling the Visorphone for phone calls is not as elegant as with other little tiny cell phones, granted. Nothing that's as wide as a Visor and has no buttons to feel would be. With that in mind I worked at it to come up with a usable handsfree headset solution for my situation. What I came up with was a cheap auto-retracting earpiece, stored in one of my belt pouch's pockets, that is plugged into a right-angle adaptor I got from Radio Shack, and plugged into the VP's headset jack. When I want to pull my Prism out of it's pocket, I just unplug the jack from the top of the right-angle adaptor and lift the Prism out. Yes it looks like I have two antennas, but I don't mind. When I receive a call, I unzip the pocket with the earpiece and unreel it. When I'm done I can push a button and it reels back up. Friends have a good laugh and call me a Secret Service agent, but again I don't mind.

- I had the same problem with the VP turning itself off. Drove me crazy for two months. After several tech support calls to Cingular (friendly but unfamiliar with Handspring) and Handspring (friendly but always too quick to just suggest replacement), we hit on the idea that it might be my SIM card. My VP came with an older 16K (I think?) card and Handspring suggested getting Cingular to replace it. They only had 32K cards (16K are now phased out), and when I put it in, my VP wouldn't connect at all. For some reason they now had to get Customer Service to "reset" my account, which also (strangely) disabled my ability to dial into an ISP, but it did solve my VP-turning-itself-off issue for the most part. It only happens maybe once a week now (knock on wood), and I go in and out of service areas fairly regularly. And I did get my ISP capability back.

- Using the VP in a car is indeed quite a bit more difficult compared to regular cellphones. Some people may be able to memorize button placement without being able to feel physical buttons, but I couldn't. Laying it on the seat next to me didn't work too well because it slid around so much. Eventually I made my own cupholder cradle using a custom-cut piece of wood for the base and an angle-bracket mount for surround sound speakers. Then I attached another piece of wood, cut to accommodate the VP battery, to the top of the bracket mount, and used velcro on the wood and the back of my Prism. Again, velcro may not look too great, but I can accept it. Now that I have my Prism/VP mounted right in front where I can get to it, I use it in my car more often and more easily (I mean handling calls, not entering text or anything!). But again the Prism is still more suited to this because you don't have to deal with activating a backlight. A call comes in, the screen turns itself on and I can see instantly who it is. Then I can look back to the road and answer the call by pushing the VP's phone button on top, which I can feel for. In the end, I feel that at the very least, anyone with a cellphone expecting to use it in their car should have it out and ready to handle, not in a pocket or something. I feel pretty strongly about handsfree headsets too, and always make sure I plug in before I start moving, but I'm not a Nazi about it. Having a car mount/cradle makes it even safer, not to mention easier.

- Other minor points: I also use my finger on the screen to dial from the keypad, and I'm actually decent about hitting someone's name in the address book with my fingernail. I know a couple of people who have GSM phones that they take the SIM card out of their VP when they need to go small and look good at business or formal functions. And if it weren't for the introduction of the Treo, I'd consider $100 with service a reasonable price for the VP.

So, to wrap it all up- if appearance is at all important to a person, then yes the VP is probably not for them. For that matter, any Visor (except the Edge) probably isn't for them either. Being able to hide a slender Cli� and tiny Moto phone in your sport coat pocket will work better for them. They could even get a phone with IR and use that in conjunction with their PDA.

But if someone really wants to get all their s*** together in terms of data organization and keeping their devices to a minimum, then some kind of phone/PDA combo makes a lot of sense. If someone has a Prism, and they can handle the car/earpiece issues cleanly, the VisorPhone or Digital Link make even more sense.

Registered: Feb 2000
Location: London, UK
Posts: 92

quote:

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Originally posted by fletcherism
Cingular also notifies me of voicemail through SMS, and I've occasionally missed those notifications too.

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Registered: Jul 2001
Location: Providence, RI
Posts: 78

In response to Fletcherism:

I'm glad that you agreed with many of my points, while still pointing out that you like the Visorphone. My critique of the VP is simply my opinion. I am not saying that the device is worthless. However, I am saying that the VP, as currently designed, is not a practical device for most people, even avid PDA-users.

For example, you recognized many of the VP deficiencies, yet you invented your own contraptions from wood and velcro to make up for Handspring's design flaws. Does anyone really think that the typical Visor owner would create custom and made-at-home accessories to make the VP practical? The answer is a resounding "NO".

As I have said before, I feel HS knowningly released the VP as a beta for the Treo. We VP owners tested out the Phone Interface and tested the functionality of a pda/visor combo and submitted our input back to HS or through boards such as these, which HS is known to monitor. HS then took all of the good aspects of the VP, and put them in the Treo. So now, the Treo is coming put and my VP is on the garbage heap.

Let me just explain to you what a modern "tiny" cell phone does. I bought the Motorola i90 flip phone and here's how I use it daily:

- When I wish to make a call, I unclip the phone easily from my belt-clip (included with the phone). Without even opening the flip, I press a button on the top of the phone and say the name of the person I want to call. The phone recognizes my voice, displays the person's name on the external LCD, repeats the name to me, and dials the number automatically. I can have the conversation on a very loud speakerphone, or open the flip and have a "typical" cell phone conversation.

- If I want to connect to another Nextel subscriber through the built-in radio, I follow the same procedure, but instead of the phone dialing after I say the name, I press transmit button on the side of the phone and chirp the person and talk. My voice immedietley comes out of their phone if its on or in normal mode, and they can reply.

- If I want to make a voice memo for later reference, I simply press two menu strokes and record my voice memo (total of 3 min.). I can even record the person I am having a conversation with on the phone. This comes in very handy when the person I am speaking to needs to give me some important info I can't write down at the moment (i.e. driving). I simply record what they're saying and get the info from the recording later.

- The phone has full SMS and Web browsing capabilities and is able to download system updates and Java applications such as games from Sega.

- The phone is a modem, so I can connect it to my VDX and surf the web with my Visor, if I choose to, and at 14.4 -19.6 kbps, compared to 9.6kbps that the VP is capable of.

- The ring/vibration options on my phone are endless. Rings are very very loud and vibrations is felt strongly. I never miss a call. Plus, the keypad and screen have a very very very bright Blue alienesque glow which uses a light sensor to detect available surrounding light and determine if the keypad light even needed at the given moment.

When I want to use my Visor, I simply pull it out of my shirt/coat pocket, remove the sleek hardcover, and tap away.

I was simply disappointed with the VP plain and simple. Will I buy a Treo? Nope. My Motorola cost me $175 and I plan on using it until I purchase a 3G phone in a couple of years.

What's wrong with the Treo? As a phone, the Treo lacks some important features for the high price it costs. No voice-memo record feature. No voice-activated dial feature. No "always-on" internet connection (a lapse which most Treo reviewers have complained about. VP owners already know the pain it is to dial-up an ISP and endure glacierally slow connection speeds)

As a PDA, the Treo lacks an expansion slot of ANY kinds (i.e. Springboard, Compact Flash, SD, etc).

These are features HS could have easily implemented in the Treo but left them out because the company always seems to do just enough... but NOT go that extra last mile to make a device a "must have". Oh well. I'm glad your happy with your Visorphone. Mine will be on EBAY this summer, case and all. I hope I get at least $20 for it.

Last edited by RedSoxPDAer on 02-18-2002 at 10:00 PM

Registered: Feb 2002
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 14

Just a few points of rebuttal:

>For example, you recognized many of the VP deficiencies, yet you invented
>your own contraptions from wood and velcro to make up for Handspring's >design flaws.

My contraption didn't make up for Handspring's design flaws. It made up for the design flaws of car-mounting mechanisms for PDAs. I've only heard of one manufacturer making these things for Palm devices, all of which are wider than cell phones (especially your tiny one), and the one mechanism specifically meant for the VisorPhone seems to have a problem with the location of the VP's headphone jack. If Handspring had made some kind of car-mounting mechanism and it had these problems, then you'd be right about their design flaws. The fact that Handspring hasn't made an attempt to make a car-mounting device for the VP may take away from your respect for the company, but it shouldn't impact your opinion of the VP itself. By the way, I still don't hear you talking about using a car-mounting device for your new phone.

- When I wish to make a call, I unclip the phone easily from my belt-clip (included with the phone). Without even opening the flip, I press a button on the top of the phone and say the name of the person I want to call.

I know the Spring Digital Link can do this, but since we're specifically talking about the VP, I'll pose the possibility that VoiceStream or Cingular could make it possible for the VP to do this as well. I don't know for sure, and maybe VoiceStream already offers this function for normal phones (Cingular does not), so I won't really argue the point. But if VoiceStream doesn't offer it, then your beef on this point is not with the VP, but with VoiceStream.

- If I want to make a voice memo for later reference, I simply press two menu strokes and record my voice memo (total of 3 min.). I can even record the person I am having a conversation with on the phone.

If your voice memos are being recorded in your "voicemail" or some kind of server connected to the phone company, as opposed to in your phone itself, then again this functionality could be offered to you by VoiceStream without depending on the VP. So again, your beef on this point would be with them, not the VP. But if your phone stores the memos themselves, then yes, it's a shame the VP lacked that function. Actually, it's a shame that functionality isn't a part of all Visors since they have microphones already, but that's on the Visors themselves (and on Handspring), not the VisorPhone.

- The phone has full SMS and Web browsing capabilities and is able to download system updates and Java applications such as games from Sega.

I've stated my frustration with SMS in general and in particular the inability of the VP to take advantage of the AIM service through SMS that VoiceStream offers. As for the Java games, if you really need that on your cellphone, well that only narrows the segment of the wireless customer base you claim to represent.

The reason why that last point is important is because you stated that you feel that the VP "as currently designed, is not a practical device for most people, even avid PDA-users", and I am assuming you find yourself to be one of these people.

Well, for most people, no, the VP is not a practical device. First, you have to own a PDA. Then, your PDA has to be a Visor. That narrows that segment of "most people" significantly. I'm not even sure that most "avid PDA-users" are Visor owners- and if they aren't, they don't have any options for cellphone attachments for their PDA at all.

So the segment of the market that the VP would appeal to isn't very wide to begin with. But I would also argue that with your requirements, you've narrowed yourself out of the segment. You appear to need:

-Small, unobtrusive form factor (most peope prefer but surprisingly few people require)
-direct-connect 2-way radio (most people do not need, or else Nextel would be cleaning up)
-full web capability (as opposed to just WAP, I assume- again not "most people" need)
-ability to download Java apps like games (not many people at all need this)
-voice-dialing (more people SHOULD demand it, but they aren't yet for the most part)

In short, I believe the only way Handspring could've made the VP acceptable to you is if it had all that functionality packed into a module about the size of the Backup Module (or maybe the Total Recall voice recorder). So, I guess what I'm saying I disagree with you about is that it isn't very practical for most avid PDA users. I think if a certain avid PDA user is a Visor owner, then the VP will suit them fine. The only mitigating factor I see in the VP is that it's much better suited for Prism owners than the black-and-white models.

Tell you what- I've got a friend, a senior in college (much younger than I) who just bought a Prism on my advice, with the intention of soon getting a VP. She loves the idea of having everything in one device (as have I for so long) and has no problem with the form factor. Maybe it helps that she's been a Cingular customer before... but I'll let you know how she deals with using having this combo in her purse, as opposed to the small phone she's had.

Registered: Jul 2001
Location: Providence, RI
Posts: 78

Originally posted by fletcherism

quote:

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My contraption didn't make up for Handspring's design flaws. It made up for the design flaws of car-mounting mechanisms for PDAs.

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