Registered: Oct 2000
Location:
Posts: 34

I am currently investigating two methods of mass producing aluminum bodies for the Visor deluxe. This would enable you to essentially have the metal look and feel of the Palm V (but unfortunately no diminishing of the Visor's size). In addition, you would be able to have it anodized in your favorite color (one of a variety available, anyway).

This would essentially be a complete replacement for your current graphite/ice/blue case. And would involve a little "assembly required" on your part.


It is going to be expensive to have all the toolings made and so the question I have for everyone is:

How much do you feel a fair price is for such a product, and would you be interested in purchasing it?

Registered: Feb 2000
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 165

quote:

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Originally posted by ckrupsha
It is going to be expensive to have all the toolings made and so the question I have for everyone is:

How much do you feel a fair price is for such a product, and would you be interested in purchasing it?

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It's hard for me to say what a fair price is without knowing how much the R&D/production costs are... but personally I probably wouldn't pay more than $50 for a metal housing for my Visor - that's probably unrealistically low, but I just can't imagine paying $250 (http://www.dave.com/palmiii.htm) for a voided warranty and a few pieces of metal, no matter how slick it made my Visor look... and anything approaching $100+ seems like an awful lot - if I'm that concerned with how my electronics look I'd be better off putting my money towards an iMac.

It's like the Nokia phone & Palm M100 faceplates... I can't imagine spending $25 for a colored, molded piece of plastic that probably cost $.25 to make. People buy them, though... I don't know about the M100, but the Nokia faceplates seem to be quite popular. Best of luck!

-Andy

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

I'd say i'd pay no more than $125.00

I've paid 99.99 for the stowaway and $129? for my modem....i'd like the max price for any visor accessory to be no more than $125.

That's me.

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Registered: Feb 2000
Location: Moved to Clie Land
Posts: 331

I would go $125 for my Platinum(imagine it's the same specs as the VDX?) Would this include buttons too?

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"Stupid Handspring."

Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Victoria, BC
Posts: 6

I would spend up to $100, but by the time you will start producing whem I'll probably need a case for Prism. Do you plan to make them too, or just DLX.

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

quote:

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Originally posted by MIKE STH
I would go $125 for my Platinum(imagine it's the same specs as the VDX?) Would this include buttons too?

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Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Aberdeen, SD
Posts: 2531

If it's somewhere near $100 I'd do some serious considering. Getting rid of the grips would make absolutely no difference to me.

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Registered: Sep 1999
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 431

While I still had my Blue VDX, I would have paid $125 for this faceplate. I thought that I would want one for the Prism too. But, I really like the Cobalt Blue Prism case and don't think that I would NEED to have a replacement unless someone came out with a very HIGH quality aluminum faceplate for around $100.

I don't think that a replacement for the back or buttons is important.

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 1

I would pay around $100-$125, about the same cost as a good titanium case from Rhino Skin. This would fill my #1 wish for the Visor, so please make them avaliable soon

Registered: Jan 2000
Location: Twin Cities, MN
Posts: 1683

I'd probably pay no more than $50. It'd be nice to have, but anything over $50 would probably push me into considering upgrading the entire unit to the Prism or something.

How about an extruded foam or rubber case...maybe a bit oversized? I think that'd be not only nice looking, but extremely practical (sort of a built-in-case).

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Registered: Oct 2000
Location:
Posts: 34

Thanks very much folks. This was always something I wanted to have, and if I can make a quality product that fits within everyone's budget and still makes a few dollars for my trouble, it will definitely be a go.

I don't know what to do about the grips -- I should be able to include them without too much trouble. It is a stylistic thing I guess. And I was basically intending to use the existing buttons -- I don't want to get too far ahead of myself.

As for the prism, lets just say that will be the next project if there is enough of a market for it. For the record, I am hoping to keep this under $100 (and not $99.95 either!).

Anyway, thanks very much for your input!

Registered: Feb 2000
Location: Moved to Clie Land
Posts: 331

Grips make no difference to me, nor do the buttons...I was just asking

I'm anxious...keep us posted on an ETA please.

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"Stupid Handspring."

Registered: Nov 2000
Location: Bay Area, CA
Posts: 6

At the less-than-$100 point mentioned, I would be very interested in a quality case for my newly-ordered prism. See, I don't even have it yet, and I want to change it!

Registered: Oct 1999
Location:
Posts: 103

The sub $100 mark is the best place for something like this. There another company that was making palm3-type metal covers and was asking over $250 for them and esensially apeared to be finding that people will not pay more that the cost of their device for an accessory ... seriously I think that outside of the sub 100 mark you would not make alot of money with these because not many people if any would buy something like this (as cool as it is) for more that $100.

If you are seriously going to produce them count me in. It was my understanding that the Visor-Plat was the exact same form factor as the delux so if you can get these going in any kind of numbers before I get my Visor-Plat in a month count me in. If you are serious. You have my business.

Registered: Oct 2000
Location:
Posts: 34

Well as I suspected, the key is staying below $100. Toolings for this are going to be pricey, and it just boils down to how many will I sell. I think that under $100 it may be possible to move enough to make the whole thing worthwhile. After some meetings I've had it appears that we will not be able to keep anodizing costs under $100 (for the total package) unless we are using the same colors as some of our other products.

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: dynamic!
Posts: 189

why void your warranty? what a waste of time.

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Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Deep Space.
Posts: 76

Not to be left out. I'm also interested in a replacement case. As for the warranty, that was void when I rewired it to charge batteries.

Will the replacement assemblies still fit the existing Visor Deluxe cases/covers, bases and springboards? Especially that tiny little grove above the springboard slot that the Handspring cases and covers 'clip' into.

Will it reduce EMI interference? This could be a plus with some wireless springboards currently requiring special sheilded Visors.

If it included an aluminum clip cover like the original Visor's, I'd pay up to $150.

Explorer1

Registered: Oct 2000
Location:
Posts: 11

How did you rewire..?

How did you rewire your VDx to recharge batteries?

Kalrand
The voice of reason

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Deep Space.
Posts: 76

Previous posts earlier this year discussed building a NiMH battery charger and modifying your Visor to charge batteries within the Visor. Search on 'NiMH' or 'charger cradle' or try this previous thread:
http://discussion.visorcentral.com/...p?threadid=3874

Registered: Oct 2000
Location:
Posts: 10

With the Prism 'paint coming off posts' you might consider doing a case for those. I'd buy one if they came in clear colors or a blue that wasn't painted. I'd say no more than $40-$50 for a plastic replacement, probably $100 for the metal one. Hope it comes to market.