Registered: Nov 1999
Location: San Antonio, TX, US
Posts: 6

BTW: While I'm at it, on a hardware end, how about:
- a MemoryStick reader
- Iomega Clik! drive
- a "smart card" reader
- FireWire or USB port (we'll figure out drivers later)

For software:
- A fullscale Word Processor to go with our folding keyboards
- More eBooks than we can ever read in our lifetimes! Or at least a Rocket eBook, NuvoMedia Softbook, or Open eBook emulator.
- While we're on an RPG end, let's hear it for White Wolf stuff. I see some great LARP ST tools coming out of that... ;-)

Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 5

How about a Blood Glucose Tester for all the diabetic population out there. You see a ton of these things behind the counter at a pharmacy and people have to keep these contraptions with them as well as when they travel - what better idea than to make a plug in that will make their PDA even more a part of their daily lives. The visor can even keep daily readings and have the ability to e-mail the results to their doctor when they hotsync - What do you think ??

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Posts: 97

That sounds like a superb idea!
Maybe the same "Health 5-Pack Unit" can also include:
1. a finger blood pressure monitor
2. a pulse oximeter (measures O2 saturation from the nail bed)
3. an infrared thermometer (measures body core temperature from the ear drum)
4. a breath alcohol analyzer

This would certainly be useful for any paramedic or mobile health professional!

Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 54

I think it would be great if there were an Audi TT module/carrying case.

The dashboard would "clip" or "surround" the unit and provide as a quick getaway in case things get hairy...



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Tony Tran
[email protected]
BVDx

Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 54

Oh, and I forgot to add
http://www.pocketmail.com/

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 2

I'd really like to see an Ethernet Cable tester
w/full logging

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Cogito Ergo BE

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 434

World's cheapest springboard - a slightly oversized faux springboard slot cover that would hold two extra AAA batteries. Carry that extra set of batteries wherever you go.

I would like:

1) High-powered IR transmitter - keeps IR in RIGHT place and increases range of Visor. It would go well with OmniRemote.

2) Six-Pak to actually come to market or at least PCS (GSM) hookup.

I would actually probably buy these if they existed.

A CF slot springboard would also be interesting.

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 2

I love the ethernet tester idea, maybe could be integrated into ethernet card module. I'm really hoping someone makes a ethernet/modem module thats what I want. I know its not lofty like other expectations here but hey I'm simple

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 28

Perhaps the "Killer" module that's needed to jump-start Visor: Digital Radio, to tap FREE news/sports/weather, etc.

I'm hoping by the time I do buy one, someone is clever enough to make module that can pull real-time information from the emerging "Digital Radio" spectrum.

Since one does not need to "subscribe" to a service to receive AM/FM, the info should be available FREE (or perhaps with advertisement from radio station to support).

Visor, your source for All the News ANYTIME, ANYWHERE - FREE!
- see my post in Developer's Corner for references.

Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Connecticut USA
Posts: 2682

How about a Springboard for Springboards? What I mean is an Springboard "docking station" that would allow multiple SB's to be connect to the Visor at the same time.

Ok, so there may be one... possibly two... (certainly no more than three ) minor technical issues with this idea, but that;s why these companies have engineer's and R&D budgets.

There's another thread in here that talk about needing "utility belts" to carry all our toys. I envision myself looking like the telephone repair man with all kinds of neat gear dangling from my belt...

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MarkEagle

Happiness is a Vis r...

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

First whoever posted about diabetes- some one who writes in a magazine about Palm OS (Shawn Barrett, Pen Computing?) did an article on a software program for diabetics and I think he mentioned a module for the Visor in the works that included a blood analyzer.

Some bundle ideas:
Photographers- light meter, sonar "yardstick", with included db of film/light info and voice recorder to help remember what individual shots were actually shot at(aperature, etc.).

Buiders/contractors: sonar "yardstick", virtual builders calculator, Simple grid based CAD program that intergrates with yardstick so you can sketch out rooms with dimensions quickly and voice recorder to add notes to individual drawings.

Real Estate: Same as above w/o bulders calc. instead calc. would be set up for mortgage rates, etc.

Parents Helper: Blue tooth enabled scanner for grocery shopping comparision (AvantGo style daily downloads of local stores prices, db might also include more product info on allergens etc. and kicker- little separate "buttons" that you pin on kids that your Visor can constantly monitor via bluetooth and set off alarm if kids stray too far (user sets alarm distance). Comes with First Aid db installed. (I have 3 boys).

DJ in a Car: MP3 player that comes with jack to plug into car steroes (that have miniplug for portable CD players) and another plug for hooking up a CD player to MP3 module.Comes with mixing software.

Students Helper: Hardware on unit has ability to send text based messaging to other units on campus realtime (Bluetooth w/separate network of solar powered relay pods set about campus?)Students and falculty can send messages. Also allows for Panic button that will alert campus police to problem and apprx. location of student.
Students get to custom select software to match major(specialized calcs, reference books, dbs.). All get planning software, maps of campus and local town(s), updates to calender of school events(via Bluetooth). and a great new thing for bored student hackers to hack into!

Gamers: take the tilt a level(for marble maze) someone else mentioned. Take that silly game where you shot a cannonball over a mountain at other cannon.Take Bluetooth(what is with this guy and Bluetooth?) Mix. Instead of real time IR Pong, you get to shoot at someone (while they're shooting back)utilizing elevation and muzzle velocity. If you could disable sound you could have an awesome battle in the middle of a group of people and no one would know!

Thats enough from you young man, now go to bed!


[This message has been edited by BobbyMike (edited 01-12-2000).]

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 2

How about this, an addon screen? It would be an oversized screen than would double, maby even tripple the screen size.
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| | <-Screen
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| | <-Visor
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Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 3

How about foreign language support (including Japanese or Chinese characters) like the Language Kits that come with the MacOS? (or maybe this should wait until Handspring actually starts marketing overseas ...)

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 18

I found the following ideas on Fredlets Pilot page. http://www.fredlet.com/palm/pilot.htm
Very funny.

While I was at the Handspring open house last week I saw a person there with her newest Springboard module:a dental floss dispenser.
So in tribute to her ingenuity I give you the top 10 most wanted Springboard modules by fredlet:

1. Pez dispenser
2. juice box
3. Viewmaster
4. Magic 8-Springboard
5. swiss army knife
6. Sea Monkey farm
7. Etch-A-Sketch
8. Tic Tac dispenser
9. coin storage
10.mini television

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 22

I personally would like a cell phone, MP3, MiniDisc player/recorder, laser pointer and a GPS reciever all in one.

[This message has been edited by spacemanspiff22 (edited 03-23-2000).]

Registered: Not Yet
Location:
Posts: N/A

What I always missed is a case with built-in solar cells.

Registered: Jan 2000
Location: Potomac, MD
Posts: 22

How about a Handspring/Cisco/Nortel module, which will route L3 traffic while supporting OSPF, RIP/RIPv2, IGRP/EIGRP, BGPv4 and IS-IS? Heck, use the onboard CPU and a 16mb SmartMedia card, internal lithium batteries, and two Ethernet ports and a serial port for WAN connectivity. It should then easily fit into the springboard slot and allow network admins to troubleshoot, test, and even configure Cisco/Nortel routers remotely! Add an additional 8mb and get switching thrown in as an added bonus.

Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 5

Well, Here's my wish list... I saw a few good ideas, one of which was the Hiker's pack. I have been wanting a cell-phone module for quite a while now... It is a very good idea, and I especially enjoy it because I am a student, and if something ever happened, I always carry my Visor, so, I'd have a better sense of security if I had a cell phone with my Visor...

Registered: Dec 1999
Location: brooklyn
Posts: 268

communications are the way to go:

this may have been discussed, or perhaps just implied, but i think the cellphone module should also double as a wireless modem. and, perhaps, while we're at it just throw the regular modem on there too. you could market it as the triumvirate. or something.

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 45

quote:

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Originally posted by MikeD:
Hmm I would like one with a salinity,pH, dissolved oxygen, oxidation reduction potential, and temperature probes in one! (I'm a reefkeeper)

Mike

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Hi Mike, I'm a reef keeper too. I've always dreamed of an all in one device for getting ALL the measurements on tanks that we use all of these different tests for... Having the portability of a Springboard in Visor would be great and then ideally it would be able to be left monitoring and connected to the local area network (Ethernet, Airport, etc) and do X10 for control...

Right now my Springboard project is building an auxilliary rechargeable powersupply that carries extra batteries and recharges from the cradle. Next I want to add a solar panel to the outside of the case and see how much extra input I can get there. Could be very significant since this is such a low power device.