Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Gainesville, FL USA
Posts: 112

Green VDx, no cracks.

I do what Babylon5 suggests in his post above. Pry up on the cover, then pull off. Either this is helping, or HS had a bad run of cases. Let's post serial numbers (the numbers inside the battery cover). Maybe we can figure something out based on that. My SN is ABCEB44900152.

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Alameda, CA, USA
Posts: 24

has anyone else received a visor deluxe where it was already cracked??? i ordered 3 of the deluxe (orange, blue, and green) on 11/23 and i dont want some refab.. i want some brand spankin new visors...!

Registered: Oct 1999
Location:
Posts: 71

Blue and orange units here. Just received Monday; they were shipped on the 23rd.

No cracks to speak of, but like others are saying, I have been careful to lift up on the cover clip when putting it on or taking it off - and I've told my girlfriend to do the same. After two or three days of this, the cover itself gives a little and there isn't nearly as much stress on the plastic.

Even if they do break, I'm not really sure what the problem will be with that little piece of plastic gone. I've got a Psion Series 5 with a bad case of leperosy and the peeling case has never affected how productive I have been on it.

I'll keep an eye on this thread and post if the case ever does crack. In the meantime, my # is:

ABBEB44902010

[This message has been edited by Doug (edited 12-09-1999).]

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

Let me clear up a few misunderstanding I perceive.

1) My replacement Visor was just that, a replacement. It was NOT a new order. I was getting a replacement Visor for my original one under the warranty. I certainly wouldn't expect new orders to receive 'used' Visors. My replacement came by itself with a new set of batteries; no cradle; no CD; just a Visor.

2) My concern about the 'defect' is two-fold: 1) Will my hard cover fall off the back if the slot breaks off entirely (it seems this answer is no, though I do know from my experience the cover will get much looser when on the back), 2) Will it be SAFELY retained in a case that uses these slots for holding the Visor.

Of course, lifting the top retaining clip up very carefully when removing the cover will *aleviate* the problem (that's what I meant when I said I was careful), but I certainly haven't been abusive with my methods, and the slot has broken.

Let me predict that future Visors, i.e. next generation, will NOT have such a weak slot. Handspring will see this as a product design flaw and make necessary corrections.

Lastly, when I get my hands on a six-pack, the whole issue will essentially go away, provided the final product matches the demo model on Innogear's web page. It appears the LED will not allow the hard cover to go on the back. (I personally see this a negative attribute to the six-pack, but that is a whole other issue.)

tyler

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Las Pinas, Manila, Philippines
Posts: 35

Blue Visor.
Two days old and already the screen's scratched up badly.
Good thing I haven't sold my Palm III yet.

Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 5

My two-and-a-half week old Ice Visor exhibits the same crack, less than 3/16" on RH side. I've been in communication with Handspring tech support several times recently anyway (unrelated issue), so I asked the polite guy at the other end and no, he hadn't heard word one about this flaw. Neither had his peers at the support facility. After advising them of what is being discussed here, I sent a personal e-mail to Ms. Dubinski and yes, the higher ups there at Handspring ARE aware of this problem, and yes, your Visor, like mine, is fully covered by a one-year warranty. If you lose functionality I would think that a call to tech support would be much more prudent than super glue.......

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Rushville, Indiana, USA
Posts: 24

For the individual with the scratched screen.

I got one scratch on my screen before I noticed that there was a rough spot on my stylus.

I have used a Palm Pro in the past and noted that some of the styli had a rough spot on them occasionally. Maybe it happens in the plastic molding process.

The solution is to carefully rub smooth on a piece of paper. No more scratches.

So, you might check out your stylus.

Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 1

The picture that ChrisB posted is exactly what is happening to my visor. Will visor be able to just send out replacement covers, if so can we change colors? Will visor make available just the plastic cases, so when I get tired of looking at the blue one that I own now I can order a different color?

------------------
Momoney

Registered: Oct 1999
Location:
Posts: 71

It's been a month, and both of my Visors (Blue and Orange) have exhibited no tell-tale cracks near the Springboard slot. Granted, I have been careful in lifting the lip of the cover before sliding it on and off, but I doubt my girlfriend has been as careful and we're both doing just fine.

The paint hasn't rubbed off the buttons, they still function good as new, the creaking hasn't gotten any worse than it was initially (which was no worse than my first Pilot), my computer never resets when I do a hotsync, the screen isn't crooked...

Not to jinx myself or anything, but I wonder just how far into production some of these issues, if not all, were rectified.

-Doug

Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 4

For the record ... Graphite Visors are not immune to the Springboard slot "crack/chip".

My unit is chipped and I think I've removed the Springboard slot cover maybe twice since I received the unit. This is an obvious product defect.

Between this issue and the stylus promblem, Handspring might have to replace allot of Visors under their warranty program!

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Bellevue, Wa, USA
Posts: 72

Man, and I thought I was escaping all of the problems I have heard about. This is the first complaint I have about my IVDx. I have the chipping problem. I am missing only about a quarter of an inch on the right (facing the back of the visor) but it concerns me because I can see the cracks formed on the left as well. My cracks also make the "slot" that the cover fits into there smooth, in other words so much was taken off on the chip, that there is nothging for the cover to catch on. This poses a huge problem, becasue then only a case using a velcro attachment could be used! Ugh, time to think about this one. Maybe I can break out my dremmel and carve a new little groove...

[This message has been edited by irewolf (edited 01-05-2000).]

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Honolulu
Posts: 31

After reading this post I checked my BVD and shure enough there is a 1/8th inch crack on the right side and you can just barely see a crack developing on the left side.
Unfortunately this is going to be a serious problem for me as I use a matching leather case which when open has what looks like a plastic cover flipped upside down and secured to the right side of the leather case. This plastic piece on the case is used to hold the visor in place and it won't do much good if the plastic completely chipps off on my visor

Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Clarksville, VA, USA
Posts: 74

Here's a quote from a an e-mail I recently received from Donna Dubinsky concerning the "creaking" and cracking with some colored models:

"I've never heard of the creaking problem, so it must be very rare. Yes, the lip at the top of the ice backs is somewhat fragile. We are strengthening it in future units. It does not appear to cause any functional problem."

I have a Graphite Deluxe and an Orange Visor. The Grph is very solid, no creaking or noticeable giving on the sides when holding it. The orange creaks when gently squeezing the sides. Also with the orange, I've been carefull when placing and removing the cover, therefore no cracking...yet. I don't allow the cover to "snap" in place.

Regards,
David

Registered: Oct 1999
Location:
Posts: 71

I wouldn't worry terribly much about the Visor not staying put after the plastic chips away; from what others are saying, the lid (or case holder as the case may be, no pun intended) will stay put as long as the Springboard cover, or a like-fitting Springboard, are plugged in. There's just a little extra room to move, that's all.

This is just what I've heard but it makes sense.

-Doug

Registered: Oct 1999
Location:
Posts: 71

Here's another thought; perhaps moreso than by having the cover on backwards and removing it/inserting it, do you think the crack is more likely to occur when the cover is over the display, but pressure is applied on the cover? It might push against the ridge of plastic, resulting in its eventual breakage.

How long ago did Donna say that they were changing the plastic design? I received mine in early December and have not had any issue with cracks thus far. If it hasn't been fixed yet, it'll be nice to know when it has so that we can proactively send ours in.

-Doug

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

I think Doug might be on to something. I have wondered the same thing myself, since I have been VERY careful in removing my cover -- to no avail. Alas, cracking on both sides.

If I place my hard cover on the front of the unit, I can slide a business card between the cover and the front casing of the Visor. Squeezing the cover toward the back seems to flex the retaining slot on the edges (where the slot is already cracked).

My money is on this as the cause of the problem. (Of course, I don't have any money so this doesn't mean a whole lot! )

tyler

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Redwood City, CA USA
Posts: 162

Mitchel:

Although this problem is really annoying, I think that if the slot were completely broken away, the springboard cover would still retain the Visor in your Handspring case.

Registered: Dec 1999
Location: "Children are a gift from God, they are a reward"
Posts: 1049

Been another month and still no cracks- Have a question for you that are experiencing cracking- do you have modules in place or just the little cover that came with unit. I have had either my back-up module or my 8MB flash in place ALL the time(I got my back-up module a day earlier than I got my Visor). The little cover seems to be kinda flexible, could it be allowing the strip to flex unduly?

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Gainesville, FL USA
Posts: 112

Still no cracking here, either. I have only a backup module and I DON'T leave it in the springboard slot. (If disaster strikes, I want the b/u module to be somewhere else.) The original springboard slot cover (with a small stack of Post-it Notes inside) stays in the springboard slot all the time.

The idea of pressure from the plastic screen cover pressing on this little plastic slot and causing breakage is interesting....

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Honolulu
Posts: 31

Doug & Tyler,

I posted earlier that my Visor has already started cracking and it is always in the case when it is not on the cradle. I have never used the plastic cover that comes with the visor, therfore your theory on the cracking when the plastic cover is on the front may be true but it is not the only culprit.