Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Ft Walton Bch, Fl
Posts: 24

Has anyone else had problems with the Prism developing a crack on the right side of the unit near the stylus? I just noticed a 3-4 mm crack along with a small (2 mm)crack near the screen just below the stylus. Ive only had the unit for 2 days!

Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 21

Your post made me look, and yes, I too have a small crack that connects the "barred" segment under the stylus with the section that wraps around the screen.

Shoot!

Mine arrived Thursday. It's not seen any real action yet, but I've just finished migrating to it from the Newton and wiping my Newton clean!

I guess I'll send an email to Handspring next.

-Tim

Registered: Jun 2000
Location: Pembroke,MA
Posts: 307

That's a molding mark in the plastic, not a crack. I have 2 Prisms in front of me right now, one brand new and the other 2 months old, and they both have this molding mark that gets created during production.

Another mark that looks like a crack, but insn't, can be found on the top of the Prism at the left corner of the springboard slot. Both of my Prisms have this mark...

I think there are a few other threads about people with "cracks" that turned out to be molding marks.

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: NYC
Posts: 287

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Jon932
Has anyone else had problems with the Prism developing a crack on the right side of the unit near the stylus? I just noticed a 3-4 mm crack along with a small (2 mm)crack near the screen just below the stylus. Ive only had the unit for 2 days! [/QUOTE


This issue was discussed a long time ago, after the Prism was released. And most of us aggreed that those are not cracks. Those lines you see are common to all Prisms because those lines were made when handspring built the case. I have seen them in all Prisms and I will never change my Prism because of that.

A word of advice, Most of the time (98%)when you buy a new Visor, it will be free of failures. If you call Handspring for a replacement because of minor things like: cases or screen scratches, you most probably will get a refurnished one. I've seen most replacement units worst than the first ones. I don't think you want to be stuck with a unit that has system failures rather than keeping one with scratch issues.

I hope this gives you food for thought.

Al

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It all started way back in February 2000 with a Blue VDX.

Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 21

quote:

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Originally posted by LarryN
That's a molding mark in the plastic, not a crack.
[clip]

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Whew!

Thanks

Registered: Jun 2000
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 52

Yeah,I noticed the crack on my new Prism on Thursday and had another one sent to me on Friday. Both of them have the crack marks, so it's definitely part of the molding. However my first one had the paint-peel problem (and one dead pixel), so I'm hoping the new one won't.

--dianeholly

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Ft Walton Bch, Fl
Posts: 24

If it is not a crack then why is it there. It looks like Handspring would have QC'd the product well enough to realize that the line (or crack) does not look like it belongs on the case. I also have a small crack (1-2mm) that runs parallel to the LCD on the right side. If it is dark enough in a room you can turn the unit sideways and see light escaping from the screen. When I sqeeze the top and bottom of the case together the crack seals. Please dont tell me that is part of the manufacturing process.

Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Arlington, TX
Posts: 334

Jon932,

That is where the two pieces of the case meet. The front and back havles are not sealed to each other. Yes light will escape from there. It is not a manufacturing problem. If it were sealed, there would be no way to open the case for repair without destroying it.

The "cracks" are from the molding process when the cases are produced. Plastic requires form molding where two halves of a form are put together and the liquid plastic is poured into it and cured. Then the two form halves are removed leaving a small amount of plastic that seeped into the cracks between the forms. That is what you are seeing when you think the Prism has cracks.

Rick

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Rick

www.visorsolutions.com

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Ft Walton Bch, Fl
Posts: 24

What I am talking about is a crack that is above where the two halves join. Probably half way between the crack formed by the two halves and the top of the case.