Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 1

I nabbed a Deluxe the month they shipped and have loved the thing almost MORE than my car. I have sent a number of close friends and co-workers to Handspring for their own PDA's.

I recently took advantage of the YadaYada offer and have had the Minstrel for a good week now, the whole time wrestling with "Fatal Error" alerts and soft reboots. Works wonderfully...when it works. So, I contacted Handspring regarding wanting to get my Deluxe swapped for an optomized one. Told them I tested the Minstrel on a friend's Prism and it all went well...

NO-GO! I was told they will not swap it since the YadaYada Minstrel S is now considered a third party module and the only way they will do a swap is if it is due to a VisorPhone. WHAT!? ARGH!!!

Registered: Jun 2000
Location: Santa Clara, CA USA
Posts: 8

Optimized Visor Supports YadaYada/GoAmerica

Hi laphta,

I think you talked to someone at Handspring who was confused. My brother and I were able to figure out the deal last month after we came home from Comdex in Las Vegas. We talked with OmniSky, GoAmerica and YadaYada about their Minstrel S modem compatibility with the Visor and Visor Deluxe. Here's the scoop based soley on our research:

For YadaYada, you can use their Minstrel S with an optimized Visor or Visor Deluxe but YadaYada recommends using a Visor Platinum or Prism because some of their services only work under Palm OS 3.5.2. Visor and Visor Deluxe have Palm OS 3.1H. For the optimized Visor or Visor Deluxe, you may contact Handspring and request an RMA for your original Visor. You have to have proof-of-purchase for the module to do the swap with Handspring.
For more details, see: http://my.yadayada.com/faq.jhtml

For GoAmerica, you can use an original Visor or Visor Deluxe with their Minstrel S but performance may be affected by increased RF interference. In this case, you may contact Handspring and request an optimized Visor/Visor Deluxe which has less RF interference with the Minstrel S. You have to have proof-of-purchase for the module to do the swap with Handspring.
For more details, see: http://www.goamerica.net/html/showc...cts/minstrel_S/

For Omnisky, you need a Visor Platinum or Prism with their Minstrel S because OmniSky's software requires Palm OS 3.5.2. The Visor and Visor Deluxe ship with Palm OS 3.1H. See http://www.omnisky.com/products/visor_index.jhtml for more info.

Cheers!

Guido79

Registered: Oct 2000
Location:
Posts: 72

I agree with guido - somebody at Handspring was confused. I requested and received an optimized Deluxe [in 8 days] by simply explaining the YadaYada situation and the problems I was having with my original Deluxe. They gave me an RMA # and shipped the optimized one with a pre-paid return via FedEx. They kept a customer happy, which was not automatic since I thought Deluxe owners basically got screwed with this wireless incompatibility thing.

The optimized Deluxe works great with the modem.

Don't let Handspring turn you away! Ask to talk to a supervisor if the first person won't agree.

I wonder if they changed their policy?

Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 11

Rep at Handspring was confused

I called Handspring and told them that I was "thinking" about getting the YadaYada modem and the Rep gave me an RMA number and overnighted a new optimized VDX to me. Didn't have to show proof of purchase or even prove that I was joining YadaYada (which I did). Anyways, Handspring just earned themselves a lifelong customer (as long as they keep making awesome products). Now if only my modem would arrive.

Pritam

Registered: Nov 2000
Location:
Posts: 85

quote:

---

Originally posted by laphta
I nabbed a Deluxe the month they shipped and have loved the thing almost MORE than my car. I have sent a number of close friends and co-workers to Handspring for their own PDA's.

I recently took advantage of the YadaYada offer and have had the Minstrel for a good week now, the whole time wrestling with "Fatal Error" alerts and soft reboots. Works wonderfully...when it works. So, I contacted Handspring regarding wanting to get my Deluxe swapped for an optomized one. Told them I tested the Minstrel on a friend's Prism and it all went well...

NO-GO! I was told they will not swap it since the YadaYada Minstrel S is now considered a third party module and the only way they will do a swap is if it is due to a VisorPhone. WHAT!? ARGH!!!

---

__________________
...the patron saint of the easily amused...

Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 4

Another trick when dealing with Handspring: you may want to just mention that you ordered a Minstral S modem, not YadaYada.

Here's my story: I talked with a Handspring customer service rep. today. I told her I had ordered the YadaYada service. She said that the YadaYada service did not work with the Visor Deluxe, only the VPL and VPR. I politely mentioned that was only true with the Omnisky service, not YadaYada's (based on what I had gleaned from numerous posts to VC's message boards). But she was undetered.

Finally, I asked the rep if I ordered just the Minstral S modem, would Handspring send out the optimized VDx. She said yes, so I told her I ordered the modem. After that, she handled my request (RMA and all) for the optimized VDx. Very strange.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location:
Posts: 231

Getting optimized DX!!

I took a little effort but my optimized DX is on the way! My mistake may have been calling tech support insted of customer service. I talked to the same guy in tech support and twice he told me he would not exchange my BDX for and optimized.

So the second time he said no I asked to talk to a supervisor. The supervisor asked me to describe the problem and he concluded that due to the DX's inability to hold a steady signal that I should get a shielded unit. He gave me a reference number and told me to call customer service to set up an RMA. I'm happy now.

Registered: Jan 2001
Location:
Posts: 17

I just called the Handspring repair/tech support number, told them I wanted an optimized Deluxe, and they sent me one. All they asked for was a serial number and my credit card as collateral for returning the old one.