Registered: Oct 1999
Location:
Posts: 103

Springboards are pretty cool. In fact the springboard slot was one of the main reasons that I purchased my visor delux(ice). And I am very satisfied with my visor delux but I am incredibily disapointed that none of the springboards eccept handsprings are for sale.
Cars don't run well on vapors and people are not good at working with ethereal hardware.

The killer-apps are unavailable.

On a weekly basis I go online and check out handsprings site and look for some information about Think Outside's expanding keyboard(Supposedly to be released in november- isnt it november now ?) And then out of raw morbid curiousity I check innogear's site to see if they have gotten smart and decided to start selling their products before the biggest buying season of the year(thanksgiving,christmas, and new years). Same thing for Marcosoft and their Quo Vadis Handy GPS.

Is there some kind of disturbingly megla-maniacal plot going on? Trying to force us to buy the handspring modem and 8meg flash out of desperation instead of the 6-pack we accually want ?

Personaly I am all kinds of happy with my visor but what is a springboard slot if all it does is provide you a place for the matching springboard slot cover to go.


Regards
Bane

[This message has been edited by Bane (edited 11-09-1999).]

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Potomac, MD, USA
Posts: 90

You could always trade springboard slot covers with someone for a neato look! I got graphite--ne1 wanna trade ice? .. jk...

It seems that if the springboards Innogear designed worked at all these conventions where they demoed them, then they should be able to produce them in time for the holiday season--they are missing lots of business otherwise.

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JakeBlues2
"the BAND!"

Registered: Oct 1999
Location:
Posts: 103

All other manufaturers of consumer devices have figured out that consumers don't like waiting..... what is it with spring board developers ..... If handspring had been selling the springboard modems when they released the visors we would all have a springboard modem right now ....

People and Technology is all about NOW. When technology is ready NOW. People are ready for technology NOW.

Why no one gets this clue I havent the fogiest.

If some of you guys (and gals) could post the supposed release dates( as exact as possible or available) of some of the killer-app springboards. We could get a list of release dates going. I for one would like to know exactly how long it takes for the manufacturers to get off their posteriers.

[This message has been edited by Bane (edited 11-09-1999).]

[This message has been edited by Bane (edited 11-09-1999).]

[This message has been edited by Bane (edited 11-09-1999).]

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

Bane,

I think it's like any other consumer industry, where, I believe contrary to what you're saying, 3rd party supporters want assurance that there is indeed a market before they start tooling up for major production. This assurance can only be given in the form of the number of already existing customers. They are even more at the whim of market fluxuation than the 1st party and simply have no recourse if the 1st party fumbles and leaves 3rds hanging dry. I don't know of any consumer market where this isn't the case. But I don't know much, so if you can inform me, that's great. really.

But with camera equipment, laptop accessories (this you MUST be aware of, since you're into mobile computing), heck, even the CD market (if you remember how early CD was introduced), the pattern is that 3rd party support doesn't take off until about 1-2 quarters after there is strong evidence that a market exists in the first place. So expect to see hoards of springboards by Q2 2000. (Assuming that HS's Visor goes all the way.)

Oops. I think I now know why you're talking about the NOW of people and technology. Perhaps the one place where what I've said doesn't hold up too well is the computer hardware industry, where chip support and 3rd party board support (and even software support) kinda (but sometimes do not) go hand in hand. But I think the handheld market behaves more or less like the remainder of consumer markets. For one, on the developer end, it's smaller--there is less investment driving it. Two, on the consumer end, it's smaller as well. The number of PDA users is growing, but it's still nowhere nearly as large as the number of pc users.

Chris

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Potomac, MD, USA
Posts: 90

Ragamuffin has a good point. Imagine if Phillips Nino had some sort of 3rd party developers behind it (did it?). They'd be high and dry now since the whole line has just been cancelled. For us, investing in a startup costs only $150-$250 to get a great device which we are betting will be supported for a long time to come. The investment for a springboard manufacturer is enormously more and they want more assurances before investing. Also--lots of testing...

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JakeBlues2
"the BAND!"

Registered: Oct 1999
Location:
Posts: 103

If they want assurences that there is interest in the visor they might take for example that the demand for the devices in question have crashed the handspring online store twice! The first time was on the first day the visor was released and the second time was when they finally got the site backup after the first crash.

Who can argue with that kind of evidence.

[This message has been edited by Bane (edited 11-10-1999).]

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: VA, USA
Posts: 27

I think they (now) have evidence that the Visor is popular. Unfortunitly it takes time to go from "I got one to work in the lab" to "we can crank out thousands of these a day, almost none are DOA, and they are cheep!".

They don't call it Easywere do they?

Registered: Oct 1999
Location:
Posts: 103

'Fraid I have to disapoint you guys again. Innogear- one of the springboard manufacturers who will probably make the most off of the visor in selling their springboard hardware - had fully working non-prototype demo springboards for that big fatty con that was held right before the visors release in october. They were demonstrating them to the con attendees.
The hardware was working just fine. Demo's usually are first run production models.
That was over two months ago. I've seen a chain of video stores (blockbuster video accually)get built in 5 weeks. Two plus months after a working design implemented is not a small amount of time. If anyone has any REAL and logical reasons why everyone does not already have a 3rd party springboard in their hands right now I would love to hear it. And again; Please, people when you find the supposed hardware release dates please post them.

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Posts: 35

"If you build it, they will come" (or buy, place orders, and wait impatiently). My feeling is that they'll release it after the press and everyone is excited with their fingers on the keys ready to punch in their credit card numbers and send them to a factory in nowhereland where they process orders and...

Well, the point is that they are either trying to:

1. Build a better product for the consumer

2. Get more attention, and therefore more orders

That's just my opinion.

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Signing off,

C. Russell
[email protected]

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

Bane,

I can't tell you why there's a delay. But it just doesn't seem that our waiting is out of the ordinary or that the wait is exceptionally long. I don't expect springboards to start hitting the street in a big way until next year. Logical or not, it's a pattern that is not unfamiliar by now.

Chris