Registered: Nov 2000
Location:
Posts: 35

Is the sys truly OS upgradeable in the plat or prism to Palm OS 4.0?

SOmewhere i remember someone saying only 3.5.2> 3.99, it cant go to OS 4.

I ask because i here os 4 should be out sometime soon with the Vxc or Vc whatever. Can the Plat do this? SHould i get it or wait for the 4.0 models?

Registered: Jun 2000
Location: Surfside, FL, USA
Posts: 113

<sarcasm>You could wait for the 4.0 models, but then again, OS5 will be just a year away. And then 6 will surely be coming up and so will 7. All these will have improvements over the others, so maybe you should wait. </sarcasm>

Seriously, get the device you want now, enjoy it, and then you have something instead of always waiting.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Streamwood, IL USA
Posts: 118

Echo Echo Echo.....

No, the prism and Platinum will not be able to run OS 4.0 The roumor mill says that OS 4.0 will support the ARM processor (which the Prism and Plat do not have.)

However, cptncelchu, is right, you can never upgrade any device ad infinitum. If you wait for the "next best thing" to come around the corner, you will always be waiting.

Personaly, I have always liked that the Palm OS devices were so cost effective that I could afford to upgrade with new product launches. I expect I will probably upgrade again in another year. Some people upgrade their home computers, some thier PDAs and yet others both. I have not upgraded my 200MHz MMX PC and have no plans to, but I have had 4 Palm devices in 4 years.

Hope this helps

Good Luck.

Registered: Nov 2000
Location:
Posts: 714

Actually, 5.0 is the BIG upgrade. That will go to ARM processors, software graffiti, and other more CE-like features. 4.0 is supposed to introduce some better multimedia, integrated bluetooth support, and 16-bit color (For Palm users).

__________________
Matt Nichols
[email protected]

Registered: Nov 2000
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 201

OS 5

quote:

---

Originally posted by Matthew Nichols
Actually, 5.0 is the BIG upgrade. That will go to ARM processors, software graffiti, and other more CE-like features. 4.0 is supposed to introduce some better multimedia, integrated bluetooth support, and 16-bit color (For Palm users).

---

Registered: Nov 2000
Location:
Posts: 35

well ok, so guess its not gunna support 4.0. So is 3.5.2 the highest that will come out for the Vpl or Vpr? Because if palm is already in the works for 4.0 and 5.0 i suppose the 3.xx line wont get much better.

i dont want the to always have the newest thing out there, but i would like something that would be able to at least hang on for a few of the steps. wasnt that the whole point of an upgradable OS? or is it just a marketing ploy to get us to plop down $50 more? Really, if there are only going to be little patch type upgrades what is the point really?

with a PC i can upgrade componenets, i can install windows 2000 if i want, i can install linux. what gives with a palm if i cant support an upgrade from OS 3.5 to OS 4.0? That basically tells me that he upgradable system isnt really upgradable... if there is nothing to upgrade to. That blows.

Dont get me wrong, ill probably get the plat anyway, but still, it pisses me off i wont be able to upgrade to a new OS. Unless handspring will modify a 3.XX to handle 4.0 apps w/o handling the new harware components attributes.

And OS 4.0 is supposed to come out with the Palm Vc in march isnt it? so thats around... 4-5 months where the plat or prism seemed pretty good...

Registered: Jun 2000
Location: Sunnyvale, CA
Posts: 216

quote:

---

Originally posted by MrSuicide
...Really, if there are only going to be little patch type upgrades what is the point really?...

---

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 434

MrSuicide is missing the point . . .

Contrary to the ravings of Microsoft zombies - PDAs are not PCs; and we can be glad that they are not!

To show you just how different things are in the Palm OS world, consider that some Palm applications still run on the original Palm OS. There is no comparison to the PC world with regards to backwards compatibility. Most folk upgrade their Palm OS PDAs because they want new hardware or new hardware features; not because new verions of their applications break on the old OS.

If the above doesn't convince you, consider this: there are millions of Palm OS users running some version of OS3. The vast majority of these OS3 users will never upgrade their OS (especially now that Palm is charging for upgrades); and there are a significant number of users who can't upgrade even if they want to (the >1 million Visor users and the legion of m100 users). If you were a software developer, could you afford to do without the business of millions of customers?

If you can not shake your PC mind set, you would be better served getting a Pocket PC. After all, Microsoft's whole point is that PDAs should be just like PCs. Other than the form factor, Microsoft's PPC isn't really a PDA. It is a stripped down laptop, and it is a highly compromised tool because of that. It can't really do the work of a laptop (its stripped-down office applications are lacking too many of the regular apps' features), and it is a clumsy PDA (clunky and inefficient interface). Some folk get along fine with PPCs. Fine. More power to them. However, since you keep going on about upgradability, I'd like to remind you that there has been close to zero success with upgrades on these devices. If you buy a new generation PPC, and you get to buy all new software. That is their history. This scorched earth approach to upgrades is Microsoft's idea of Nirvana; and they will soon be bringing it to a PC near you . . .

Since you mention linux, maybe one of the embedded-linux PDAs will be more to your liking?

[Edited by yucca on 01-19-2001 at 04:19 PM]

Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Aberdeen, SD
Posts: 2531

quote:

---

Originally posted by MrSuicide
with a PC i can upgrade componenets, i can install windows 2000 if i want, i can install linux.

---

__________________
-Joshua
Abortion: Darwinism at its finest.

Registered: Nov 2000
Location:
Posts: 35

well i know i dont want a ppc, and i love my visor solo w/ OS 3.1.

And so long as 3.5 will always be able to run cool new springboards.... no nead for mmc expantions or 16 bit color. Im just venting about how fast things change.....

Well, ill hopefully be able to check out OS 4.0 before i get my plat in exchange for my solo for my birthday in late march =0

Registered: Jan 2001
Location: Midwest
Posts: 232

Got a Visor? Don't sweat OS upgrades.

The BIG reason OSes are improved is to support new hardware. USB meant we all upgraded our PC OS to support it. Wanna run dual processors? You'll need a better OS than win98.

Palm's OS upgrades are there to support hardware advances. They slowly add features (like IR) to their devices and have to change the OS to support them.

The Visor you bought has an OS in it that will run the hardware it came with. I've been making my Palm-owning friends jealous with my Platinum, simply because I could pop in my Eyemodule or VisorPhone and have a hardware upgraded PDA. The fact that the modules have whatever drivers/software needed to use their hardware on them means the OS doesn't HAVE to be upgraded. The minor changes the OS would need to support a new technology can be included WITH that technology on the springboard module it comes in, and automatically installed when the module is inserted.

I'm not the least bit worried that I'll regret buying a "fixed OS" Visor. My Palm owning friends are worried they are stuck with hardware that can't be hardware upgraded.

I'm a Pronto Universal remote control owner. I've got a home theater setup that requires a computer with graphical interface to control it. I've read many comments about Omniremote software that can make a palm into a universal remote control. The problem with a palm is that it's IR emitter isn't designed to be a remote control, and isn't optimal for the omniremote software. Add on IR emitters or re-emitters have been made, but they seem a cludge. The Visor is even worse because it's IR port is on the side. Guess what? You can buy an Omniremote springboard module for your visor that includes the omniremote software AND a more powerful IR emitter that aims straight out the top of your Visor. The Visor didn't need an OS upgrade to become a better IR emitter. It just needed a module.

Dave

__________________
There is nothing yet made by man that cannot be improved upon.

Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Aberdeen, SD
Posts: 2531

quote:

---

Originally posted by MrSuicide
And so long as 3.5 will always be able to run cool new springboards.... no nead for mmc expantions or 16 bit color. Im just venting about how fast things change.....

---

I know. It broke my heart to find out that Apple's new iMacs are going to have a cd-rw standard on the DV models. And OS X. Not to mention probably faster and cheaper than mine as well. My computer is jealous of all the time I spend looking at the new models at apple.com. It'll be a while before I get rid of ol' Bessy, though. I'm a one computer man (during the honeymoon anyway).

__________________
-Joshua
Abortion: Darwinism at its finest.

Registered: Jun 2000
Location: Sunnyvale, CA
Posts: 216

Re: Got a Visor? Don't sweat OS upgrades.

quote:

---

Originally posted by DBrown
...Palm's OS upgrades are there to support hardware advances. They slowly add features (like IR) to their devices and have to change the OS to support them.

---

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Mineola, NY USA
Posts: 161

MPM, if you want to have the 16 level gray scale, download the Firepad suite of programs to view and create photos and movies in 16 level gray. You really don't need 16 gray for anything else but photos and movies anyway. Fireviewer bypasses the Visor's OS and writes directly to the screen in 16 gray. I was skeptical until someone last week pointed it out to me.

__________________
-Michael-

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 434

MPM does have a point re: the grays

Apps like AvantGo do support 16 grays, if the OS supports them. I know that the images from my space.com AvantGo channel would look alot better if the VDX's OS could be patched to v3.3.

The Visor's OS 3.1 has other weak points:

• no IR HotSyncs
  
  
• no PQA support

Registered: Jun 2000
Location: Sunnyvale, CA
Posts: 216

Done it...

quote:

---

Originally posted by MHCohn
MPM, if you want to have the 16 level gray scale, download the Firepad suite of programs to view and create photos and movies in 16 level gray. You really don't need 16 gray for anything else but photos and movies anyway. Fireviewer bypasses the Visor's OS and writes directly to the screen in 16 gray. I was skeptical until someone last week pointed it out to me.

---