Registered: Oct 2001
Location:
Posts: 203

Fish or Cut Springboard

It's time for Handspring to clarify its expansion strategy, be it SD or Springboard.

http://www.visorcentral.com/content/Stories/1457-1.htm

Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Plant City, FL
Posts: 385

Looking in the wrong place

Visor owners/fans/enthusiasts who are looking to Handspring for a hard answer as to the future of the Springboard are looking in the wrong place. It really doesn't matter much what Handspring's official "position" is regarding the future of the Springboard expansion slot (I seriously doubt that they even have one). The fact is that if no one is making new modules, no one - including Handspring - is going to design Springboard into new devices.

Let's face it, Innogear isn't likely to ever do another production run of Minijams - when they're gone, they're gone. I'm guessing makers of GPS modules, modems, 802.11, etc. are all pretty much in the same boat. Very few companies are going to gamble a very expensive production run on the Springboard making a comeback - even if Handspring were to release a new killer Springboard equipped Visor tomorrow. Low cost modules like CF adapters and flash memory modules will certainly stay in production for quite some time, but that won't compel Handspring to include Springboard in new devices since they can just throw in a standard memory card slot and achieve the same thing.

Like it or not (and if Handspring wants to accept and admit it or not) the Springboard is dead.

__________________
<ul><li>Dave Kessler<br>President - Kopsis, Inc.</li></ul>

Last edited by dkessler on 06-04-2002 at 09:34 PM

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

dkessler summed it up eloquently. The springboard IS dead, whether Handspring admits it or not.

__________________
We're all naked if you turn us inside out.
-David Byrne

Registered: Dec 2001
Location:
Posts: 5

I think Handspring always thought it would make it's money by licening the Springboard slot to other manufactures (namely Palm). When Palm and the others took a pass I think that was the beginning of the end. Springboard was/is a great product but it never achieved any sucess outside of Handspring. Handspring might realease another Visor with the SB slot but it will just be to get a little more R&D money for the Treo. If they were truly committed to the Springboard there would be a Treo with the SB slot. It doesn't take Einstein to figure this one out.

I've been using Visors since they first came out but for my next PDA I'll have no reason to stay with Handspring.
So long, I'll miss you.

Registered: Feb 2002
Location:
Posts: 9

total screw up in management

i recently started a poll which asked what feature or product customers would like to see handspring continually support.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hands...rveys?id=925018

items with the most votes were springboard expandability, followed by Palm OS, Visor Pro features, Visor Platinum features, then Visor Platinum features.

The lowest ratings were for the Treo product line.

so, i guess this is a no brainer for most business folk what the probable destiny will be for Handspring given they've placed their bets on the Treo line.

what struck me was how out of touch Handspring management is. Their product strategy is contradictory to the results I see in a simple poll. How can anyone in their right mind bet on a unknown product line versus a cash cow?

companies, by their nature, are considered by the investment and accounting community as a "going concern", which i think means, for the most part, an entity that must be nurtured, maintained, and grown. what strikes me is how do handspring board of directors and management stay true to this guideline given their recent actions.

anyway, enough of my rant. as much as i hate to seem them go, handspring will be out in about 2 years lest they change their strat.

Registered: Mar 2001
Location: Nebraska- the Good life
Posts: 695

Bronze- was your poll a balanced poll of the marketplace, or a poll of mostly Visor owners who do not own a Treo and do not plan to get one soon?

Quite frankly, Handspring already made their money off us, and now they want new customers. They think the way to accomplish this is with the Treo line- and they may well be right- they certainly are not competing aggressively in many other market niches.

I can't wait to see what the 90 will do when it comes out!

__________________
Do what you can, with what you have, where you are at!

Registered: Feb 2002
Location:
Posts: 9

i admit, the poll was placed in a handspring forum, which may or may not include current owners of handspring products. one caveat in most marketing surveys is that current owners of a product only know enough about the current product line that their responses to that survery, to some degree, may be prejudiced against future product lines.

but, i don't see any compelling reason to buy a treo product over a visor product. treo 90 ain't gonna sell. period. treo phones, yeah, maybe, the numbers sure don't show it today. and if a pda phone became a compelling product with enough promise, you've got other companies with enough complementary assets (manufacturing, distribution channels, engineering, marketing, etc..) to easily benefit from the treo product line at the expense of handspring.

i still maintain my call that management screwed up. did they make their money off of us? - i.e., the market has saturated for a particular market segment, i don't know. but there are strategies that one can do to move to the next segment with the same product line. who knows, maybe handspring only knows how to compete in emerging markets and sony can compete well in late majority markets.

it seems a telltale sign an industry has shifted to the late majority target segment is when japanese firms kick in to reap the rewards due to economies of scale.

Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 3034

quote:

---

Originally posted by bronzefury
i admit, the poll was placed in a handspring forum, which may or may not include current owners of handspring products. one caveat in most marketing surveys is that current owners of a product only know enough about the current product line that their responses to that survery, to some degree, may be prejudiced against future product lines. [...]

---

Registered: Oct 2001
Location: Duluth GA
Posts: 26

Springboards or bust!

I got into PDAs with a Handspring - I was much more impressed by that kind of expansion tech, than ANYTHING else I saw. So what if they put on a mem card slot - this could do so much more. Only lately have I seen some things attempting to add features via these card slots...

Handspring clearly had a niche in the market and failed to develop it. Without a decent market share on the main unit, dependent hardware can't succeed, and probably won't be offered a decent, competitive prices. If the hardware that currently is out there isn't succeeding, why do anything more. Targus came out with the Handcam in December. It is ALREADY removed from their website! That's a 6 month product lifespan!!!
I can't conceive of a developer starting a new SB under these conditions.

I'm NOT doing Handsprings over the Treos - I DON'T like thumbboards and do like grafitti or a FULL SIZE keyboard. The 90 is not a PRISM replacement because I Can't use my springboards nor attach (yet) a full size keyboard. Unless the new wireless one would work

Other PDA sites are already touting the DEATH of the Springboard (See PDA BUZZ for instance). In my view Handspring is heading in the WRONG direction and the death of the Springboard is only the warning bell of the Corporations own complete demise.

I fear that I've bought my last Handspring. I've liked it and recommended it in the past. Now, I'm not so sure. I'm much more impressed with the New Sony NR70V than ANY of the Treos. But nothing has the same potential for expansion.

__________________
Mark Brinkman aka OMNITRON
My PDA??? - Visor Prism with Memplug CF and 128MB card

NEW >>> [email protected] <<< NEW
View my Handcam Photo albums at <a class="a" href="http://www.webphotos.iwon.com/list_photos_edit.asp?mi=1&smi=1&a=54400">IWON</a> or <a class="a" href="http://photos.yahoo.com/mark_a_brinkman/">Yahoo</a

Registered: Dec 2000
Location: Alexandria, VA
Posts: 49

IMO, Handspring should have gone dual (dual expansion, I mean) a long time ago. SD for data-related (let's face it, power users are inclined to use something like MemPlug anyway; why not make it a little easier?) and Springboards for larger, more complex expansion modules--whether the VisorPhone,

If the Edge, for instance, had offered this sort of setup, with an onboard SD slot and the Springboard, I think lots of people would have bought it over the m500. Maybe even over the m505. If they'd offered a color version--with a better screen than the m505...

At this point, though, it's a non-issue, and while I had been planning to get a Visor for quite a long time, I definitely won't now. I am looking at the Treo 90 because that looks like the best model for my needs, but I had been looking elsewhere until it was announced.

Registered: Jul 2001
Location: Providence, RI
Posts: 78

It really amazes me how some people want the best of both worlds. You want Handspring to release new devices with the Springboard expansion slot, but you'll be the first to complain when the device is so large and you have to lug this thing around on a daily basis while your coworker carries around a slim Sony Clie T650 or Palm M505. Where the heck are you going to put a bulky Springboard lot on a slim device? The thing is simply TOO BIG.

Sony will soon be releasing the Memory Stick Duo which is HALF the size of the current Memory Stick and will be produced in sized UP TO 1GB, and future 'regular Memory Sticks' will be produced up to 4GB! Why would Handspring seek to continue incorporating the dated and way-too-big Springboards slot when its competitors are starting to develop technology that takes up a fraction of the real estate.

Some of you will respond that not everyone cares about size and care more about expandibility for GPS devices, Visorphones etc. Well I'm here to tell you that you are in the minority. HS will not stay afloat by continuing to produce bulky devices for the small number or salespeople and other professionals who use the Springboard on a daily basis and don't mid carrying around a brick-sized device. Handspring recognizes that the general consumer wants a device that can do alot and fit smoothly in a shirt ot pants pocket.

So give up on the Springboard and support HS as it moves towards SD expansion technology. Soon, you will see SD GPS and other devices, in smaller packages for the Treo 90 and future Treo devices with the SD slot, after HS releases that patch, of course.

I know that the Treo 90 has made HS catch my attention again. However, it does not offer built in audio playback, hi-res screen, and scroll button as my Sony Clie N760 does, so I ain't comin' back yet. But if HS moves towards these types of features BUILT-IN, HS will get me back as customer. The point is that they have caught my attention again, and probably the attention of many other HS defectors.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location:
Posts: 110

Dead as a doornail

(Whatever that actually means )

I think SB died quite a while back. In the last - what? two years? has it really been that long? - HS has only released two really new models: the Edge and the Treos. (To me the Neo/Pro models aren't new, they're just slight tweaks of the Platinum.) Notice that neither of them uses the traditional Springboard. (Hey, whatever happened to the "Edge connector springboard?" Stillborn, I guess.) When thin Palms really started picking up, HS itself recognized SB was not going to succeed. The SB slot just makes the handheld too big.

Near as I can tell, the only advantage SB has over the current SD slots is that it allows hardware-type modules (cameras, MP3 players, etc) to be a bit more user friendly. But a quick look at eBay suggests what I've always guessed - the vast majority of modules sold are software modules (memory/backup, databases, etc). Since the SD slot works fine for that, SB's disadvantages greatly outweigh its advantages.

Plus, with many of the newer Palms having 16mb built in, the market for expansion modules has probably been cut almost in half. An 8mb flash module is all I've ever used in my Prism - and I've certainly learned that built-in memory is a whole lot more user-friendly than SB flash.

SB is dead, alright. Hopefully HS itself won't be next.

Registered: Jul 2001
Location: Providence, RI
Posts: 78

See, users like ALANF make rational and even-keeled contributions to this forum. Everything Alan said makes sense and is true.

However, Alan, beware, because users such as Toby (and other Springboard loayalists) will dissect our statements and make tedious and pointless replies to try and discredit our ideas and continue to harp on the advantages of the SB and how they will NEVER EVER EVER buy another HS product if the Springboard isn't included etc etc etc...

Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 3034

quote:

---

Originally posted by RedSoxPDAer
[...] However, Alan, beware, because users such as Toby (and other Springboard loayalists) [...]

---

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

quote:

---

Originally posted by RedSoxPDAer
See, users like ALANF make rational and even-keeled contributions...

---

__________________
-Joshua
Abortion: Darwinism at its finest.

Registered: Jul 2001
Location: Providence, RI
Posts: 78

quote:

---

Originally posted by dick-richardson

And you have contributed exactly what to this thread? All I got was an indication of your level of reading comprehension.

---

Registered: May 2000
Location: St. Paul, MN
Posts: 1429

please everyone keep it civil or this thread will be shutdown. Personal Insults are never tolerated on VisorCentral/TreoCentral boards.

Be polite, and try to be respectful of others opinions. Thank you.

__________________
-miradu

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

quote:

---

Originally posted by RedSoxPDAer
It never ceases to amaze me how someone manages to come out with unwarranted personal insults. Did I insult you Mr. DICK?

---

__________________
-Joshua
Abortion: Darwinism at its finest.

Last edited by dick-richardson on 06-07-2002 at 06:40 AM

Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 3034

quote:

---

Originally posted by RedSoxPDAer
It never ceases to amaze me how someone manages to come out with unwarranted personal insults. [...]

---

Registered: Mar 2001
Location: Nebraska- the Good life
Posts: 695

Getting back on topic, I bought my first VDX because of the expansion ability, price, looks, and a few software features. I LOVED the Springboard, and invested heavily in modules.

In hindsight, I rarely used most of them. The HandyGPS was cool, but I used it for a few hours total. A free-standing GPS like the Garmin Venture would have been a better investment.

The eyemodule (I had both at one time or another) were pretty cool, and probably the most fun/most used non-memory modules I had... but the Olympus D100 (is that it?) digital camera is easier to carry and has a lot more features, and can be purchased refurbished on Amazon.com for under $120. AND the photos are more useable afterwards. (On the other hand, PDA cameras DO let you take pictures where you are not supposed to!)

MiniJam and SoundsGood? Pretty cool- if you are into MP3 and stuff. I am not really into MP3's, though, and if I have to tape my music to MP3 format, I may as well just carry the original format player.

Memory modules? These were useful, but since most PDAs in the last couple years have this feature built-in, it is not much of a benefit any more.

I originally thought that the portability and interchangeability of the modules would off-set the costs and feature issues- but the dang things are hard to carry! I carried a largish pouch (Rhinoskin 2000 or similar) just for the modules and other small accessories. That sure was not convenient!

Ah well. Springboards were, I believe, an important part of the evolution of the PDA. I think they helped force other companies to rethink THEIR expansion abilities.

__________________
Do what you can, with what you have, where you are at!