Registered: Mar 2001
Location:
Posts: 3

I am planning to buy a new PDA, and there are at least 3 new models come out this month, Visor Edge, Palm m500 and m505. Not sure which will be best for me, Edge look cool, 505 has color for $50 more, 500 and 505 using PalmOS 4.0....

What will be your choice?

Registered: Jun 2000
Location: Santa Cruz, CA, USA
Posts: 44

Tough call but I'd rather have a bird in the hand (pun intended)

The cynical part of me says that Palm announced the 505 and 500 early to steal the Edge thunder. I cannot see the SD/MMC stuff delivering anything more than memory expansion and maybe a barcode scanner in the next six months. I can do the memory stuff already on my Vdx and a whole lot more. Personally I would not wait but then I am already smitten with my blue Edge. It feels a whole lot less plastic than my old Palm V. Despite all this I am still dying to see and touch the Palm 500s and see if they are an improvement on the V. It's about time they speeded up their units.

Registered: Sep 2000
Location: Orange County, CA
Posts: 64

Dave,

How does the backlight work on the new Edge? I've got a Prism, but use it outdoors too often (especially for GPS) and it's getting very frustrating not being able to see the screen in daylight.

If the backlight is better on the Edge, I might consider sidegrading via my Best Buy warranty.

Thanks!

Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Hong Kong
Posts: 16

Re: Tough call but I'd rather have a bird in the hand (pun intended)

quote:

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Originally posted by meta_dave
The cynical part of me says that Palm announced the 505 and 500 early to steal the Edge thunder. I cannot see the SD/MMC stuff delivering anything more than memory expansion and maybe a barcode scanner in the next six months. I can do the memory stuff already on my Vdx and a whole lot more. Personally I would not wait but then I am already smitten with my blue Edge. It feels a whole lot less plastic than my old Palm V. Despite all this I am still dying to see and touch the Palm 500s and see if they are an improvement on the V. It's about time they speeded up their units.

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I completely agree - the SD/MMC standard is only emerging, and I have yet to see anything other than memory expansion being used in the near future. Granted, it's a big plus, and better than a Springboard, but the cards are pretty expensive and difficult to find.

Perhaps that'll change as Palm tries to validate the choice of SD/MMC as its expansion strategy.

I picked the Visor Edge knowing that the M505 was being announced this week. Color is nice to have, but not at the expense of visibility in daylight (FWIW, I was using a Visor Prism until this week).

There's also been some criticism of the Springboard adapter for the Edge - keep in mind that just about anything that uses SD/MMC as more than memory expansion will stick out from the device as well, through a connector that's a lot flimsier than the way Springboards or the Edge's expansion slot can be used.

Personally, I'd like to see a color Edge with a good reflective screen. Until then, I'll rely on the Gameboy Advance for color games

Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Glendora, CA
Posts: 96

I agree with the whole SD/MMC thing. I have been following the developments of these two for a little while, because I was looking at a Casio EM-500 (sorry guys). MMC, as I understand it, will never be more than memory...AND as far as flash memory goes, it is slow. I think CF with transfer at 6MB per second, while MMC will only do 2MB per second. SD on the other hand (which is also supported by Casio) will transfer at 10MB per second, and have expandability because it is secure.

Yes, the modem dongle (you have got to love the word dongle) will protrude...like a lot of them do now...and yes, the camera will protrude...but so what, they do to...GPS, same thing, as well as cell phone attachments. Somewhere along the line...if it isn't "just memory" it is going to stick out the side, top or bottom of the PDA. I don't believe this is going to matter as much in the long run though.

my 2 cents.

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Registered: Mar 2000
Location: Roseville, MN, USA
Posts: 161

I'm seriously considering getting an m505. From what I've seen so far, I want one, but I'll have to see it in person before I actually commit to buying it.

Recently i've been thinking about what I'll do if I don't like the screen on the m505. If the m505 won't meet my needs, would the m500 or the Edge?

I like the Edge, and I'd love to support Handspring, but honestly I think I'd get an m500 over the Edge. First, the m500 has a built in vibrating alarm. I hate enduring people who can't be bothered to turn off their cellphones, etc. in movie theaters, so I really like having silent, vibrating alarms on all my devices (pager, phone, Visor). You can have a vibrating alarm with the Edge but only with a Springboard module. Adding the module adapter to the Edge destroys the advantages of its small form factor. Second, the m500 can take SD memory expansion and stay the same size. If I want to add memory to the Edge, be it CF/SM/Flash/Whatever, I have to have the module adapter on it, making it about the size of my current Visor Deluxe. Third, the m500 has its IR port on the top where it belongs (this is pretty minor). Fourth, you have to remove the flip cover (one of my favorite Edge features) in order to attach the Sprinboard adapter.

There are reasons that the Edge is better (I really like the flip cover and I already have two Springboard Backup modules) but for my expected needs, the m500 is a better fit.

Of course, if I had a Powerbook G4 I'd have to get the silver Edge since they match so well.

Registered: Mar 2001
Location:
Posts: 3

I like the vibration feature, but one thing I am worried about, the vibration mechanic will somehow make the circuit welding part to be loosen, and make the PDA not functioning.

I had a pager years ago, I use vibration all the time, someday it was not working, so I opened the cast and found out that some welding parts were loosen, I didn't dropped my pager before, so I believe it was mostly caused by the tiny motor that make the vibration.

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: Roseville, MN, USA
Posts: 161

I have a cellphone and pager which both have silent vibrating modes. The pager is three or four years old, no problems so far. I doubt they'd put a motor strong enough to break the m505 in the m505.

I've also been using an Innopak 2/V for maybe half a year and it's been really great.

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Boston, MA, USA
Posts: 90

I'd say the 505 is looking good.... or wait and see if Sony brings the new color Clie to this country... 320x320 resolution would be worth having..!!
Maybe HS will do that for the color Edge - they have to right to get back at the 505...??!!

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Registered: Oct 2000
Location:
Posts: 380

If you can't make up your mind, just buy an Edge and an M505 like I did (OK, I never said that I had much common sense).

Registered: Jun 2000
Location: Santa Cruz, CA, USA
Posts: 44

Backlight on the Visor Edge

In response to the question above about quality of the Edge backlight:

It is pretty much the same as the old Visor Dx one. The big difference you can see on the Edge LCD is its overall color - it looks paler or perhaps whiter than the greenish tinged Vdx. The contrast is just as good but I think I prefer this new look especially in the metallic casing. The graffiti area is paler and more grainy looking too - all part of the mettalic look.

The speaker seems to be much louder too. It gave me a shock when I first used it to wake up.

I really like the toughness of the unit. It feels like the plastic rim is like a bumper which might deal with shocks better than Vdx - haven't dropped it yet though.

Registered: May 2000
Location: Houston, TX, USA
Posts: 194

Wait for sony, all i have to say.

Registered: Jun 2000
Location: Corpus Christi, Texas, USA
Posts: 181

Looks like the Stowaway Keyboard, Palm Modem Connectivity Kit, Travel Charger, HotSync USB & Serial Cables are already available for the new Palms. It won't be long until all the other accessories are on the market. Like the Kodak PalmPix and GPS, etc.

I can't imagine a long time line for the manufacturers to adapt to the new Palm Expansion Card slot and the Universal Connector. Especially those that already had a product out for the Palm Vx.

Cards now available:
Memory Back Up Card $39.95
16MB Expansion Card $49.95
Games Card $29.95
Dictionary/Thesauras Card $39.95
Travel Cards for European Cities, Asian Cities & US cities, $39.95 ea country

Registered: Nov 2000
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 201

quote:

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Originally posted by Charo
Looks like the Stowaway Keyboard, Palm Modem Connectivity Kit, Travel Charger, HotSync USB & Serial Cables are already available for the new Palms. It won't be long until all the other accessories are on the market. Like the Kodak PalmPix and GPS, etc.

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Registered: Mar 2001
Location:
Posts: 4

My question exactly!

I, too, am debating.

I bought into Handspring December 1999 because I believe in the value of the "underdog". I've enjoyed my Visor for over a year because of its quality, price, and potential (though I have no Springboards). I use it so much that I think it's time to upgrade (more memory, more style).

I believe in Handspring as a company with VISiOn(R). Someone to keep Palm, Sony, and anybody else (Kyocera?) venturing into handhelds pushing for more and better products - especially the OS. But the m50x is sooo appealing...

Is SD/MMC really going to be big? What about this "wireless" ability on the m50x? Where is bluetooth? How about the lighted graffitti area on the m505? Is Palm OS 4.0 worth it? Lots of questions, few answers.

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Registered: Jun 2000
Location: Corpus Christi, Texas, USA
Posts: 181

quote:

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Originally posted by critic


But the thing is, so far all of these major add-ons are sleds, which do away with the one really impressive thing about the m50X - it's form factor.

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Registered: Nov 1999
Location:
Posts: 62

M505 looks like a winner

I ordered my Visor DX in October '99 right after Handspring opened its doors. I suffered through the bad times awaitin' without knowing when or if it would arrive. It's time for an upgrade and I think the Edge is a beautiful thing, but that M505 is out there calling me. I think that the SD expansion is pretty attractive, and the form factor of the M505 is even smaller than the Edge, and in color. The color reflective screen is supposed to be better in direct sunlight than inside.

Ahhh, Handspring, tell us that you are going to offer a product that can take on the M505 and I will wait! Throw us a bone people! Palm is clearing out all of its old inventory of Vx's, IIIx's and IIIc's and once that is done, I am not sure that the Edge can compete with the M500 head to head at $399. I know you need to maintain price but . . . If you can give us an Edge that has a color screen we would all be happy and willing to pay $449.

Registered: Jan 2001
Location:
Posts: 125

There are rumors that HS is set to unveil a color version of the Edge sometime this summer (possibly with 16 megs of ram). It supposedly hasn't been released yet so as not to curtail sales of the Prism. However, I think the price of this color Edge will be a bit more than $450.

Marty

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: Roseville, MN, USA
Posts: 161

A color Edge sounds interesting, but I think the m50x series still beats it in terms of expansion. The Edge needs expansion without destroying the form factor and requiring the removal of the hard cover.

I'd be interested in a color Edge if it had an SD slot on the back that the Springboard sled connected to instead of using the hard cover connector. That would allow me to use my current backup modules with it (unless it had 16MB of ram) and use SD expansion most of the time without removing the hard cover.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: at work...
Posts: 736

quote:

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Originally posted by mmendo1
There are rumors that HS is set to unveil a color version of the Edge sometime this summer (possibly with 16 megs of ram). It supposedly hasn't been released yet so as not to curtail sales of the Prism. However, I think the price of this color Edge will be a bit more than $450.

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