Registered: Sep 2000
Location:
Posts: 1

Hallo, I've been a lurker for a week or so but thought about something this morning with the announcement of this new cell phone SB.

I don't have a visor yet, but plan to get one after the 30mhz version come out(not color, $150 just for color is a bit much). I plan to get a stowaway and the backup module followed by the MP3 and *maybe* the cell SB as finances allow. Enough about me now.

As more and more of these neat modules come out, the question becomes when do you use em? If I get the MP3 module and the cell module, I can't recieve a phone call if I'm listening th MP3s. Has anyone thought about how you're going to handle that? You could just use the MP3 judiciously and then leave the cell phone plugged in most the time, but still....

The visor is the first step towards integrating many electronic devices into one multipurpose unit. But the next step will be to integrate the SBs. I can see everyone clamoring for a cell/mp3/8mb/whatever all-in-one card next year.


VisorDesire
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Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 295

I believe that the new SB cell advertising will be aimed at wireless Internet access. Not so much actual cell phone use. I think that you will be able to use it as a cell with no problem, but the idea of holding it up to your face isn't appealing. The other option is to carry an ear bud around everywhere.

Any Qualcomm PDA phone users out there? What's it like to hold your PDA against your cheek? (Not that cheek )

Registered: Apr 2000
Location: Santa Clarita, CA
Posts: 198

I used to think that was impossible...

I used to think that too much integration was impossible. Shortly after getting my Visor, I had to deal with the inevitable "Batman Syndrome", trying to find space on my utility belt for all the stuff (cell phone, visor, pager, mp3 player, etc).

"I can't wait until springboards come out and everything is integrated into one unit" I said.

Then as they started coming out, and I started actually considering shelling out over $200 bucks, I started seriously considering if it was justified, and how I would use it. That's when I started to realize that maybe springboard integration was not a panacea (a solution to all my problems).

There are problems with integration. The cellphone/mp3 conflict is just one. Not that you would be talking on the phone while listening to mp3's anyway, but wouldn't you worry about missing a call because your cellphone springboard is out while you're listening to the new Metallica, or whatever?

If you had a cell phone module, wouldn't you have to treat it much more carefully than you do a stand-alone cheap Nokia cell phone? I wouldn't be balancing it on my shoulder while writing something for fear that it would drop, break my visor's screen, and render all my springboards useless.

I think integration is good, but only to a point. I'll keep my Nokia cell phone. I'll keep my Diamond Rio 500. If someone comes out with a Cellphone/mp3/am-fm radio/memory springboard, I'd consider it. But if they did, it would cost $800 and nobody would be able to justify buying it.

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

Well written, mchlwise. I agree with you and you have crystalized a concern I've had for the last few months. I have found myself becoming more of a 'PDA minimalist'. Deciding exactly which features are important and deciding to only invest in those features (after carefully planning around conflicts of modules).

My final conclusion. I have the Handspring modem which i use whenever i travel and need to check my email. I have the Stowaway for typing minutes at meetings and creating documents while watching TV (then formating them later on the computer) and I plan on gettting a voice recorder module which will sit in that springboard slot for the rest of my visor's life (unless replaced for that brief time to check my email while travelling ) Otherwise, any other module out there leads me to the comment "i'd rather buy the stand-alone version".

After looking at my 'needs' expressed above. I wonder if I should have gone with the PalmVx as the only thing my visor DOESN'T have that i would love is a metal case. (seeing that a voice recorder from Targus, Modem, and stowaway are available for it)

Signed,
Regret?

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Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Metro Station, Hollywood and Highland
Posts: 1018

These seem like problems in theory, not in practice. The problems aren't substantially different with standalone devices. When you're listening to music on your Rio and you hear you cell phone ring, you take your headphones off and pick up the phone. The VisorPhone has its own batteries, so you'll at least be able to answer the phone outside of the Visor, the plug it in.

When most people want to reduce what they carry on them to one device, it's usually the cell phone, not the PDA. This kind cell phone/PDA of integration (with a better form factor the the Qualcomm PDQ) is a major step forward. MP3 players are great, but not the sort of things that most people "need" to carry around at all times like a phone. I'd be happy with a cell phone module that's enabled with wireless web access. It looks like the VisorPhone will only do SMS for data, which is somewhat disappointing.

A lot of people dislike the idea of holding the Visor to their heads. I did too until I actually tried holding it up to my head, rather than simply "thinking" about it. I didn't find it as bad as I would've assumed otherwise. The "cheek mark" factor is only marginally worse than I have to deal with on the Qualcomm QCP-2760, which obliges me to wipe the LCD diligently already (this isn't the same Qualcomm PDQ phone that LanMan is talking about, which most users seem to dislike).

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: NJ
Posts: 517

Another thing to consider, although not exactly a necessity, is downloading files. Where are you going to store them? Suppose you have a MJ or an 8 MB SB, you would first have to download the files to the Visor and then transfer them to their final destination. What about downloading MP3's? For that you would really need an all in one SB. Until Springboards are capable of such things the Visor is...

...a customizable Palm device that most people will only use one module with. Like Hoser, I'm going to sit down and figure out just what I need my Visor to do and base my purchasing decisions on that. Of course if you can afford to spend a grand on all of these new SB's then I guess your Visor is just a revolving door.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Metro Station, Hollywood and Highland
Posts: 1018

quote:

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Originally posted by lennonhead Another thing to consider, although not exactly a necessity, is downloading files. Where are you going to store them? Suppose you have a MJ or an 8 MB SB, you would first have to download the files to the Visor and then transfer them to their final destination. What about downloading MP3's? For that you would really need an all in one SB. Until Springboards are capable of such things the Visor is.

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Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 434

Yeah. There are some concerns re: cellphone SB

I'm going to wait before passing judgement on the cellphone module. I do wonder about functionality when it is not plugged into the Visor. Also, since I've devolved to carrying my Visor in a trouser pocket (sans case even! ), I'm wondering just how baggy I'm going to have to get with my pants. After all, it looks like the visorphone is going to add at least another quarter inch to the Visor's waistline. Another thought, can the visorphone accept pages (for those callers without caller id)? Finally, does anyone know what kind of battery they are using in this thing?

Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Chandler, AZ
Posts: 289

Hmmm.. I wonder if there is any thought of having the visorphone communicate with one another - ie, call up another visor phone user and then while talking to them, be able to transfer (beam) items back and forth.. hmm

Joe