Registered: Sep 2000
Location:
Posts: 20

If you are enraged about the Visor Phone release, lets talk! Handspring is just a frog's hair away from not getting another penny from me. I can't be the only one who is pissed about the pricing. Who can justify $500 for a Cell phone?

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 276

I think you are missing something...

I am not sure of your past experience with purchasing cell phones or packages.... but I don't think many people buy cell phones outright and without packages.

If you read the page, the price for the VisorPhone is reduced with a package purchase. Now, if you were discussing the pricing of the packages I would totally agree with you. For 150 minutes, which is about the time I use in the first half week of a month... it's $35. Insane.

But, I think you have to look at it this way... no one else has this technology, time to set the bar high and then lower it as competitors come into the marketplace. Now, I wouldn't ever visualize myself holding a PDA to my check, let alone consider this a must-have gadget. I don't think as many sales will come about for this product, in comparison to a Minstrel or Yada. Just my opinion.

But I also think your accusation of Handspring being the culprit is an unfair charge. Ever venture over to Motorola's cell phone page. My year old StarTac with no wireless web is still selling for close to $400 without a package. Time to come back to reality all...

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what?<br>

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

I hope they don't sell any at that price and then maybe it will come down. I might buy the phone for let's say $200 to $250 without service but not $499. I will just go on with my nokia on my hip and my prism in my pocket. Also did you see how large the thing is? It would not fit in my shirt pocket and i just don't know about you but i just don't want to carry $1000 hanging on my hip for someont to rip off.

Registered: Nov 2000
Location:
Posts: 13

Compared to Minstel S

The VPhone is comparable to the Minstrel in size, so I wouldn't let that dissuade me. Data speed is somewhat slower, but I'll probably get better coverage with BellSouth than I'm getting from Omnisky. Price w/plan is comparable to the dang Qualcomm 860 I bought a year ago for sucky wireless data, as well.

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Tim Kelly
www.dietryin.com
www.bushlite.net

Registered: Sep 1999
Location:
Posts: 179

Handspring, What a joke!

I've been waiting and waiting for this thing. Handspring announced it would "be available before the end of the year". Yeah, its a available...only if you live in a certain area. I've got Cingular (Bellsouth Mobility) here but its not showing as available yet. I've emailed them here to see if I went ahead and got one if it would even work. They are crazy if they think people are going to shell out $500 for a phone MODULE...remember its only a phone when you hook it to a Visor, so a minimum of $150 more. I've got a Prism, that would make a $950 phone, HA! I think I'll stick with my Nextel i1000 plus. I'm rigging a cable now to hook it to my Visor

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

They have coverage in Tennessee?

Weird.

From what I see on the site, the phone is $299 with a coverage plan. A bit high, but not outrageous. It'll come down over the next year, I'm sure and even at $199, it is certainly competitive with the other small phones on the market.

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Registered: Sep 1999
Location:
Posts: 106

quote:

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It'll come down over the next year

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www.remain.calm

Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Here
Posts: 213

First to market

Handspring is first to market in this technology of Palm OS based PDA and wireless phone/wireless modem with GSM support. Lots of companys are scrambling to get this technology out, yet handspring has begun to deliver. Others publish vaporware about their future super vaporware product. Of course initial costs will be high, that's the benefits of first to market. The price is not new news, it's been published for months. I'm exicted about the visorphone and especially as they work to have support under more carriers 1st of next year.

[Edited by george_vc on 12-18-2000 at 05:21 PM]

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Mililani, HI, USA
Posts: 256

the springboard slot is outdoing itself

I'm starting to think that the players in the handheld/personal telecom space are going to continue to diverge, rather than converge, over the next few years. Digital phones are getting smaller and smaller, and usability is increasing. Features like voice recognition/dialing are more widely used, and the prices are dropping (and are already much cheaper than a $500 Visorphone or a $300 Visorphone bundle when you look at the big picture). Phones still have a very specific use, and if the interface is kept intuitive, then people would rather use an ultra small, extremely functional phone rather than a bulky, hardly functional web/phone.

So with phones advancing quarter by quarter, why would anyone want a phone that only works when it's plugged into a unit that makes it as big as my old analog Audiovox? The added functionality of an integrated address/phone book is simply not worth the major step backwards that the Visorphone takes. My digital phone is small and slips on to my belt, and I hardly notice that it's even there. Try doing the same with your Visor. And has anyone seen the Motorola Vaders? Not cheap--but definitely seductive--AS A PHONE.

Also, while mobile phones are actually beginning to replace wired phones as regular, 24/7 communications devices, why would anyone want to be bound to the Visor? In real-world use, it would usually mean that I won't use my Visor as a handheld organizer whilst the phone is in use, simply because it's too much of a hassle to whip out a hands-free everytime I want to check my datebook and talk at the same time. (How many of you use your Visor while on the phone? LET'S ALL RAISE OUR HANDS REAL HIGH SO THAT HANDSPRING CAN SEE HOW STUPID THIS PRODUCT IS.) This makes absolutely no sense to me. The Visorphone works against the genius of the handheld organizer.

Furthermore, the Visorphone works against the genius of the springboard slot. The Visor "is whatever I want it to be" but only if I don't have the phone module attached to it all the time--which is what a phone should have to be, otherwise it'll be absolutely ineffective as a reliable communications device. Who would want to risk missing important calls because they are backing up their Visor, or listening to MP3s, or using their 8MB memory module? So what if my digital account comes with voicemail, numeric paging, or SMS? I'll still miss my calls...

It seems that many developers are so seduced into developing sexy, non-killer app springboards that they never stop to ask, "Will people really want to use this Visorphone or am I just in heat?"

[Edited by ragamuffinn on 12-18-2000 at 06:49 PM]

Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 88

In rsponse to the many comments already posted.

Yep, news about the VisorPhone has been available for months. Some of us heard about it before news was posted on the Handspring web site. In fact, I changed my digital service provider (to Bell South - Cingular) anticipating the VisorPhone and the GSM protocol. In fact the Bell South representative told me it would be easy to move to the VisorPhone from my Ericsson 888. Well now I find out I cannot use the current service I have unless I pay nearly $500.00 for the VisorPhone. Not at all happy. Pay that much for VisorPhone when I can use a Prism with my Xircom Springport modem, my Ericsson 888 and a cable connection. Pay $500 - no way. Also, there is no need to have two service contracts. The service contract I currently have has at least 10 more months to run unless I terminate with a penalty.

Will I contact Handspring? You bet.

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D. Watkins
Please rescue a Greyhound

Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Here
Posts: 213

Dave I understand your frustration, it sounds like your issue is with mis-information from Bell South rather than Handspring. Technically it is easy to move from your ericson 888 to the visorphone by moving the chip but Handspring never even hinted about migration into an existing plan other than saying you could buy the phone for $499 standalone. My "guess" is that plans will include that you could extend your plan to 1 year and get the visorphone deal, but ONLY after phones are also available from your provider (not just handspring) after the new subscriber phase is over and the supply chain is full. Again, just a guess on my part, I have not information as such. Probably if handspring brings a new subscriber to Bell South by selling their phone, handspring gets a benefit from Bell South or whomever. If they just sell the phone, they do not get that bene, so it is made up in the higher phone price. I think when the supply chain is full, things will improve. This is marvelous piece of new technology, I am axious as well about it. Common, voicestream support !

Registered: Feb 2000
Location:
Posts: 638

I think that we must get real on this price issue. 500 dollars is the price of the phone without service, and with service it cost 300. Now many of you cheaper people might belive that 300 dollars is alot for a phone, but maybe you just havn't gotten into the cell phone market yet. Last time I went into my local Verizon store there were 3 "quality" phones being sold. These phones were all motorola, and cost from 179.99 to 449.99 with a service plan. If you think that 500 with out a service plan is alot, imagine what a 449.99 phone with plan cost by itself. Now, of course there were many other phones being sold that cost well under 100, but as I have learned from previous experience, they don't last, and it is worth it to buy a quality phone in the first place.
As to not smash Verizon, I would also like to say that the phone sold by Sprint are in no way better priced.

I personally would love to use this phone, but do not, and wish not to replace my brand new TimePort. If I had not bought this phone, then switching to a GSM network would be well appreciated, especially for a phone that only cost 300. The phone market place is a expensive market, and should not be approached by those fearful of payments.

BEN
PS If you think that 500 is alot for the phone, then imagine this. The phone bill for my family last month was 429.95, try paying that 12 times a year, and buying cutting edge phones.

Registered: Sep 2000
Location:
Posts: 20

Rantings

Gentlemen,

Thanks for all of the info. Several good points were made and noted! Yes, my above rantings where a bit overboard. I'm just going to keep my fingers crossed for a migration plan for existing Voicestream customers to get the Visor Phone at $299.

Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 106

quote:

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Originally posted by BEN
These phones were all motorola, and cost from 179.99 to 449.99 with a service plan. . . . BEN

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Registered: Feb 2000
Location:
Posts: 638

quote:

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Originally posted by Kupe

quote:

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Originally posted by BEN
These phones were all motorola, and cost from 179.99 to 449.99 with a service plan. . . . BEN

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I didn't see the $450 phone, but it musta been pretty amazing! Kupe

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Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 6

I brought my VDX knowing that the phone will come out and it'd be great to have the phone module. However, after reading their website, the price turn me off first hand. I don't think springboard module companies understand one point: Integration is not that an attractive deal to most people if the price is not reasonable. I have to agree with ragamuffinn about the size and usability of a Visor phone. I don't see myself plug the MP3/cell module in and bring the whole thing when I go hiking, but I won't give it a second thought if I have a song music clip. I just cannot justify the price I have to pay for a device won't even work on itself when I can buy a standalone for the same price or even cheaper, and probably won't drain the batteries and make me lose data. I know this is sort of new technology we're talking about, but a thing that have to plug in some other device and cost more??? Modules are add-ons, will you pay the same price for a plugin that only work when you plug it in your software? If it softwares works one way, so should the hardware, I don't see that why there should be any difference.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location:
Posts: 179

IT'S NOT A PHONE, ITS A PHONE MODULE!

Remember that this is a phone module, not a phone by itself. Without a Visor it won't do diddly. So add another $150 (minimum) to that price if you want to compare it to another phone. So thats $450 (Visor) to $750 (Visor Prism) if you can get one with a plan or $650 to $950 if you get a plan on your own.

First to market? What are you smoking. Ever heard of the Qualcomm pdQ? And there is the Kyocera QCP that will be available very soon. Those are under $500 for the whole thing, maybe cheaper if you get a plan.

I know the price was announced months ago but there was no mention of the $500 price for buying it without a plan. Anyone who gets this will probably already have a phone and if they cancel that it will cost them in some cases. Some providers will hopefully let you just switch if you are staying with the same one and your lucky enough that if it is one who supports the VisorPhone.

My biggest beef is the cheesy announcement about it being available by the end of the year. It's only available in certain areas...guess I didn't read the small print.

Registered: Feb 2000
Location:
Posts: 638

Re: IT'S NOT A PHONE, ITS A PHONE MODULE!

quote:

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Originally posted by handsprung

First to market? What are you smoking. Ever heard of the Qualcomm pdQ? And there is the Kyocera QCP that will be available very soon. Those are under $500 for the whole thing, maybe cheaper if you get a plan.

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Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Columbus, Ohio USA
Posts: 255

Visorphone.. wtf does it do outside of the Visor? Same thing with a pager I guess.

Springboards seem cool, but the Visor itself has to have some way to make the cost come down and be a significant part of the functionality. I can get a $250 mp3 player or I can get a 250 springboard module which HAS to work with the Visor. If for whatever reason I get the "next best thing" and it's not a Handspring, I'm screwed.

Good selling point, but still don't see any practical uses aside from backup/flash module.

Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 106

Re: Re: IT'S NOT A PHONE, ITS A PHONE MODULE!

quote:

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Originally posted by BEN
I don't have the press release on hand at the moment, but I do remembre a price of roughly 500 being announced when the phone was announced.

BEN [/B]

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