Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Kuala Lumpur
Posts: 247

Hey everybody, I've been reading about the problems you guys have been having with the Prism crashing. I assume you guys upgraded from a Visor Deluxe, so I have been thinking about it and came up with a few possible reasons:
1. Mebbe your Prisms are crashing because you have an incompatible app or update that is coming back in the HotSync - my suspicion is that it might be the Handspring OS update that we all installed on our Visor Deluxe (to fix the 8MB DRAM issue and some other stuff).
Try going to your Palm desktop Backup folder on your PC (usually in C:\Program Files\Palm\YOURHOTSYNCNAME\Backup and delete the "HSExt_1_0_3" file from your backup folder. In fact, if there is any file there that is known to have an incompatibility with PalmOS 3.5, you might as well delete it.
Next you've got to do a hard reset and re-sync your Prism. Re-install any apps that don't come back. Hopefully that will work.

2. Another possible problem if you are using a Springboard module such as the 8MB Flash Module (or the InnoPak/2V) is that you could have something stored there that conflicts with the OS3.5. If you are having crashes everytime you plug in the module, you could try plugging it into a Visor Deluxe (if you still have it) and then moving EVERYTHING out of the module into the Visor Deluxe. Next, REFORMAT the module from the Visor Deluxe and then try plugging it back into the Prism. If it works, then it must have been something stored on the module that caused the crash (remember NEVER to store the Stowaway keyboard driver on the Flash Module - it WILL seriously crash the Visor). If you have moved apps stored on the module on your old Visor Deluxe, then it's just a simple matter of beaming them into your Prism one by one then storing them back into the 8MB Flash module, if you want.

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Tan Kit Hoong,
Star Publications (M) Ltd
<img src="http://thestar.com.my/tech/images/thestar_140x45.gif">

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Burlington, VT, USA
Posts: 127

Mike,

Have you turned down the screen brightness? Dropping the brightness to the lowest comfortable point can almost double your battery life over the highest setting.

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Denny Atkin / [email protected]
Editor-in-Chief, Handheld Computing Magazine / www.hhcmag.com

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Midland, Texas
Posts: 231

Perhaps no yet knows the answer, but in regard to dennya's comment about the dramatic increase in battery life if the brightness is lowered, from what brightness setting does Handspring base the 6 hr. battery life from?

tyler

Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Southern California, USA
Posts: 41

Re: Dying for a Prism

quote:

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Originally posted by tbonney
I'll be buying a Prism after the first of the year. I was wondering if the screen on the Prism seems less scratch prone than the Visor Deluxe I have?

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<img src="http://www.handspring.com/products/visorprism/images/PrsmLgPct02.jpg" align="left" width="115" height="115">Brent Dax
[email protected]

Visor Prism, USB recharging cradle, Win2K
I wish I could post from AvantGo...

<B><-- Cobalt Blue is really cool!</B>

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Baltimore MD, USA
Posts: 717

Got my Prism last night, and it is too cool for words.
I downloaded the Handspring Photo album, and installed some of my own pictures. Very impressive! Especially when you compaire the 8 bit pictures with the 16 bit.

There is one odd thing about the screen, an almost 3-D effect. Under certain lighting conditions, a color will look dark to one eye and light to the other. So the color kind of floats above the screen. You can detect this by closing one eye, then the other. It doesn't bother me too much, though.

Hint: before you transfer all of your data from your old Visor to the Prism, first go into Address, ToDo, and Memo, and set up any custom catagories you have on the old Visor.
Otherwise when you transfer those items over, they will wind up in "unfiled".

I had no problems with swaping my full-to-the-bursting FlashRam Springboard into the Prism.

The unit feels real solid and well-built.

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<pre> ^<br> /_\ WINCHELL CHUNG Nyrath the nearly wise at the Praeternatural Tower<br> <(*)> [email protected] http://www.ProjectRho.com/home.html<br>/_/|\_\ ABSIT INVIDIA VERBO IDEM SONANS<br> //|\\ -------------------------------------------------------------------<br>SURREAL SAGE SEZ: I'm nobody. Nobody at all. But the secrets of the<br>universe don't mind. They reveal themselves to nobodies who care.<br></pre>

Registered: Feb 2000
Location:
Posts: 70

prism vs ipaq screen

Let me start by saying that I own a Orange VDx, and have no plans to switch in the near future. That said, I went out to my local Best Buy today hoping for a look at the screen on the Prism. James' review is very positive, but after talking to another user over the phone about his impressions of the Prism screen. The color depth was not an issue but he made some other comments in regards to the resolution of the screen. Because of the limitations of the 160x160 res, he said for example that a simple shape, such as a circle, could not be rendered without jagged edges. He also said that even at arms length, a black grid was visible between the pixels.

Although I was not able to see the Prism at Best Buy, I grudgingly asked to see the Ipaq they had on display. I can see why this device is so highly coveted now. Again, don't get me wrong, I am a HUGE Visor advocate, and have personally been responsible for at least 4 visor purchases among friends and co-workers, and have several others strongly considering a purchase. I did not even want to like any pocket pc, but I came away from that store fairly impressed with what I saw. the screen was very clear from every angle I viewed it from, and I'm told it is the same in direct sunlight although I didn't get to test this. The unit comes with a media player for music (maybe videos too??), a built in mic & voice recorder, and pocket versions of word & excel along with standard PIM apps. Overall it is quite a nice package. I didn't really like the way the interface worked, but that could be because I am used to the simple interface of PALM.

The point of all this is value. Sure the Ipaq lists for $499, but you get a truckload of features for that price. Loading up a visor with just an mp3 player & voice recorder (two items I am interested in) would cost considerably more. With the base price of the prism at $449, I think it is overpriced. If the screen is not comparable to the Ipaq, then it is grossly overpriced. I think that $349 would make it worthwhile, but I need to see the screen to be sure. If there are any prism owners who have seen the ipaq & prism side by side, I would love to hear your impressions!!!

So where does this leave me? Considering the investment I have already made (stowaway, backup & soundsgood, vaja case, and several apps) I think the platinum is the next machine for me, especially if they drop the price to $250 or less. I will reserve final judgment until I actually see the prism screen, but right now, I think if I had to have color, I would want at least a 320x320 resolution along with 16 bit color. Maybe Palm OS 4 will address this (and considering how the Ipaq screen looks, maybe Palm better)

In the near future, I will be sticking with my trusty VDx and waiting for the total recall, geode, blue connect, and keeping my ear to the ground for news on higher resolution for the palm platform. Are there any prism owners out there with other opinions? If so, please share...

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tuffy

Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Mesa, AZ USA
Posts: 50

Old Visor Serial Cradle with Prism?

quote:

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Originally posted by dennya
Yep, just popped my Deluxe into the Prism cradle and it synched with no problems.

The Prism also syncs fine with the USB Hotsync cable (the little travel cable).

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Kevin Reed
TNET Services
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Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Burlington, VT, USA
Posts: 127

Nope, the Prism won't sync in a standard Visor cradle. It won't make proper contact with the HotSync connector due to the plastic changes.

There is a cheaper solution than buying a second charging cradle, however--the USB HotSync cable (designed for travel use) will work fine with the Prism.

__________________
Denny Atkin / [email protected]
Editor-in-Chief, Handheld Computing Magazine / www.hhcmag.com

Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Mesa, AZ USA
Posts: 50

quote:

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Originally posted by dennya
Nope, the Prism won't sync in a standard Visor cradle. It won't make proper contact with the HotSync connector due to the plastic changes.

There is a cheaper solution than buying a second charging cradle, however--the USB HotSync cable (designed for travel use) will work fine with the Prism.

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Kevin Reed
TNET Services
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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Oklahoma City Ok.
Posts: 42

Just a little note I took apart my deluxe cradle and took the board and conector out and set it on the table and held my prism in place with my hand and did a hot sync just fine. The only draw back is it looks silly and you have to hold it down untill the hot sync is done and it does not charge but it does work without spending money on another cradle.

Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Mesa, AZ USA
Posts: 50

quote:

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Originally posted by Herkimer
Just a little note I took apart my deluxe cradle and took the board and conector out and set it on the table and held my prism in place with my hand and did a hot sync just fine. The only draw back is it looks silly and you have to hold it down untill the hot sync is done and it does not charge but it does work without spending money on another cradle.

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Kevin Reed
TNET Services
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Registered: Feb 2000
Location:
Posts: 1571

Prism too big

The "seat" on the regular cradle is not big enough to hold the Visor Prism. Unlike the other Visor models, the VPR is curved close to the bottom of the unit. Adding to this, the Visor is a fraction of an inch thicker than the other models.

Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Oklahoma City Ok.
Posts: 42

But it will work with just a little cut here and a little cut there because i just did it and it worked fine but i will admit it could look better if i had taken more time with it and had done it befor

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Texan in Calgary for a while
Posts: 1361

Just out of curiosity, is anyone plugging in their USB cable into a port on their computer's keyboard? That's what I've been doing, and the AC adapter unplugs sometimes as I pull out my keyboard.

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James Hromadka
Old Friend

Registered: Feb 2000
Location:
Posts: 1571

Surprise

quote:

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Originally posted by JHromadka
Just out of curiosity, is anyone plugging in their USB cable into a port on their computer's keyboard? That's what I've been doing, and the AC adapter unplugs sometimes as I pull out my keyboard.

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

Re: Surprise

quote:

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Originally posted by yardie
I am surprise that you are able to do this. Most keyboards do not have enough power to allow the USB cradle to work.

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James obviously has a super-powered keyboard, what with all the new reviews and articles. I've been hard pressed to keep up!

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-Joshua
Abortion: Darwinism at its finest.

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: Fl
Posts: 67

I have my VDX plugged into my keyboard and have not had any problems with the plug coming out. I moved my cradle around until I felt comfortable that nothing was going to pop out. Not only do I have a VDX connected, but I also have my ipaq connected to the same keyboard.
Does anyone know when the prism will be in stores? I found a co-worker that is willing to buy my VDX. I'm very interested on how the Prism screen looks. My ipaq has an excellent screen but the color is 8bit compared to the Prism's 16bit. Another thing, I'm interested in how much memory is taken up by programs now that they�re in color? Is 8mb enough?
The one problem I have with the ipaq is that in order to go wireless you have to spend a ton of $ (about $400). Plus, even though it comes with a media player you still have to by the CF to store the music. The ipaq comes with 32mb but almost all of that is taken up by programs. I only have room for one song

I plan on sticking with Handspring

Registered: Nov 2000
Location:
Posts: 23

Re: Re: It's coming

quote:

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Originally posted by Usonian

quote:

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Originally posted by JHromadka

My real problem is that I can't find anything that lets me take good screenshots. If anyone has tried a capture program that works with the Visor please let me know. Screenshot hack captured colors but not black

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Hmm, I wonder if the process for downloading a Visor ROM via USB would work with the Prism; if you got hold of a Prism ROM you would theoretically be able to do 16-bit screenshots through the emulator. [/B]

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