Registered: Sep 1999
Location:
Posts: 20

Is the only advantage the PalmV has over the Visor the fact that it has a metal case, flashable rom and Lithium Ion rechargable power source? What Im really wondering is... is the screen better on the V?

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

Well, is a LiIon battery "better"? I don't know. I'm still quite content with my DuraCells. Besides, when I had my five, it seemed like the battery meter went down awfully fast compared to the DuraCells. I didn't like having to charge my battery every three days or so. I like going at least a week or two before even starting to worry about my batteries.

ANYWAY, getting back to the differences (in particular, the screen)... The screen is supposed to be the same as the screen on the V. So no worries there.

But I'll say again that probably FlashROM isn't necessarily a big advantage because any major revisions that can't be patched will also probably necessitate new hardware in general, whether it's a color screen or a new processor.

Oh, and don't forget the price tag... Is the V still "better" than the Visor? I'm not so sure.

Signed,
A previous V, current IIIx owner and
soon-to-be Visor/ex-IIIx owner.
------------------
Chazzz Fishburn
[email protected]

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Modesto, CA USA
Posts: 599

All of the articles I've read so far state that the screen is identical to the Palm V. If that is the case, the other items you mentioned are the only differences besides the slightly thinner metal case of the Palm V. Some of the other differences are location of the IR port is on the side of the Visor and it's on the top of the Palm V. The buttons on the Palm V also cause it to inadvertenly come on in certain cases. There is a software hack that fixes this minor bug. The other differences are also obvious such as 2MB ram versus the Deluxe's 8MB, which is not available yet from Palm. And of course the price!

After Chazz is note: The lithion ion battey will wear down at different rates. It is rated for 1 month of useage without recharge. The best I've gotten was 3 weeks. This is a none issue provided you are synching on a regular basis and spend enough time (couple of hours) at your PC with the unit in the cradle. If you are out on the road for multiple days at a time ..get the travel kit.

[This message has been edited by RSGMOOSE (edited 10-03-1999).]

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Hong Kong
Posts: 200

1. The Palm V is much thinner compair to the Visor. This justifies the price.

2. Palm V can be upgrade, Visor not. The new Palm Vx will come with Palm O/S3.3 - with Visor you are stuck to 3.1

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

1. The Palm V is much thinner compair to the Visor. This justifies the price.

No it doesn't. For the price of a Palm V you could buy two Visors with cash to spare.

2. Palm V can be upgrade, Visor not. The new Palm Vx will come with Palm O/S3.3 - with Visor you are stuck to 3.1

The advantages or lack thereof of flash capability and OS 3.3 have been thoroughly discussed and I'm not going to go over them here. (read: not worth $150-$270 more) Why are you so vehemently anti-Visor HipHop?

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 13

Interestingly enough, nobody mentioned the springboard expansion port. That feature is the main difference between Visor and V.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location:
Posts: 22

> No it doesn't. For the price of a Palm V you could buy two Visors with cash to spare.

The point is, the Palm V is not comparable to the Visor. The Visor is competing directly with the Palm IIIx/e. Having two Visors will not make either of them any more elegant. The Visor can do everything the Palm V can do and more, but the Palm V does it in style.

On a related note:
Tomorrow should be an exciting day, and I imagine many of us will have second thoughts about our order of the Visor. Palm will be making several announcements. The most significant (in my opinion) is that they are lowering the price of the Palm VII to $500 (down from $600), and they are finally rolling it out nationwide. Whatsmore, they will be lowering their monthly price, but I don't know yet to how much.

Here's the report I read: http://www.techserver.com/noframes/...16717-0,00.html

...but there should be many more similar reports by tomorrow morning.

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

Having two Visors will not make either of them any more elegant. The Visor can do everything the Palm V can do and more, but the Palm V does it in style.

This is the world of consumer electronics, not fashion. Style hardly justifies twice the price, for less. If 3Com had focused on price (like Handspring), rather than style (a large part of the style is the price, and the exclusivity that comes with it), the PDA market might be much larger today.

they are lowering the price of the Palm VII to $500 (down from $600)

Just think what they will be lowering it to when a wireless modem springboard comes out.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location:
Posts: 22

> Style hardly justifies twice the price, for less.

Style often comes at a price. Manufacturing a Palm V is more expensive than manufacturing a Palm IIIx/Visor.

Besides, the Palm V is NOT twice as much as a Visor. BUY.COM sells Palm V for $334, and this is before tomorrow's announcement of the Palm Vx.

> Just think what they will be lowering it to when a wireless modem springboard comes out.

I look forward to such a day

But I wonder if there could ever be a Springboard module to give wierless connectivity to the Visor without at the same time making it unnecessarily bulky. The Palm VII was designed groung-up to be a wireless device.

As for the growth of the PDA market:
There are plenty of low-cost PDAs out there. I seriously doubt 3Com's pricing is holding back the PDA market. More likely, the people who haven't yet bought a PDA, simply don't need a PDA.

In my opinion, wireless connectivity will be the "killer" feature to make PDA's a must-have item.

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

Style often comes at a price.

Exactly. And that price is not justifiable IMNSHO. How stylish would your Palm V be if it was $10 and a Palm IIIx was $500? You don't think 3Com pushed the price up a bit just to make it all the more stylish?

Besides, the Palm V is NOT twice as much as a Visor. BUY.COM sells Palm V for $334

A Visor is $180 and a Visor Solo is $150, that adds up to $330. That's the lowest price for a Palm V anyway, 3Com suggests $449, and that's how much you'll find it for in stores (maybe $399 today).

But I wonder if there could ever be a Springboard module to give wierless connectivity to the Visor without at the same time making it unnecessarily bulky. The Palm VII was designed groung-up to be a wireless device.

Palm VII technology is circa 1998, springboard technology will be circa 2001; the market has not yet taken off and further technological advances are sure to come. Handspring sees Springboards still being sold in ten years.

I seriously doubt 3Com's pricing is holding back the PDA market. More likely, the people who haven't yet bought a PDA, simply don't need a PDA.

Have you seen the market projections? I'm not an analyst, but I don't think all those projected sales are by people who already own a PDA. Based on statements by the people at Handspring it appears that their market research indicates the exact opposite - price is the single factor holding back adoption of Palms by the mass consumer market. You can see that in Jeff Hawkins' early speculation about a sub-$100 PDA and his determination to keep the Visor sub-$150.

[This message has been edited by DKantola (edited 10-04-1999).]

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: GR, MI, USA
Posts: 8

What a Day!

Price does make a difference. I have been looking at the Palm IIIx for a few weeks now. I found the best price at www.buy.com for $273. So today's the day I'm going to order it. I'll save $100 over what I would pay if I buy it locally at Office* of Comp* with no loss in service or support.

So I get to work and find out 3Com dropped the list from $369 to $299. OK, I'll have to wait awhile and see what buy.com does.

I get back from lunch and read about the Visor for the first time (I don't get out much). Now, I can get more memory and expanability for even less money.

I guess I'll wait and see how the production Visor shakes out.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 2

The Palm Vx is definately much cooler in form-factor than the Visor. Is it worth it? Definately, to some. Definately not, to others. Personally, I'll pay $200 more for the aluminum Vx, everything else being equal.

But, of course, it is not all equal. The only advantages I can think of for the Vx is form, possibly the lack of removable batteries, and the updated OS. Meanwhile, the Visor has faster synching, the SpringBoard slot, personalized colors, regular batteries (if preferred), and positive-response buttons.

I can't see any reason to consider any III-series Palm over the Visor, but there is still going to be a market for the V-series and VII-series. Of course, I hate the VII, so I won't mention it again.

But the Vx is still the coolest form. What if you are just not interested in adding any options? Then, if the memory is plenty, the SpringBoards don't appeal, and the internalized battery isn't offensive, get the Vx! Provided you don't care about the price difference.

I'm about to buy one of the two, but I haven't made up my mind yet. The only two SpringBoards that appeal to me are the modem and yet another 8 megs of memory (obscene). But I can get the modem on the Vx, and do I really need the memory? I doubt it, which makes me lean towards the Vx.

And speaking of screens, about which I haven't yet, there's this: most reports have continually touted the IIIx and V as having the same screen, which we in the know, know to be false, though they're close. So just because the Visor is reported as having the same screen as the V, well, I don't believe it. I'd have to see it to be sure.

Batteries could be the biggest weak-point on the Vx for me (if the extra 8 megs and GPS system don't steal me away). I don't trust how long the Vx will last without recharging, and it's a drag to drag around a charger instead of an extra set of batteries. Particularly if you are a heavy user and go away on weekend ski-trips where you read at night using the backlight. With AAAs you can always toss an extra set in your luggage, or just pick them up at the local 7-11.

Anyone have any comparative experience with, say, IIIx vs. V battery life?

Aaron