Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Denver, CO, USA
Posts: 1

I placed an order for a Visor Deluxe with the 8mb flash ram last week. But now, the TRGPRO looks interesting. It seems to me that the main difference is SpringBoard vs. the compact flash ram. Which is "better" for the future?

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Midland, TX USA
Posts: 95

This would be a really tough question, but for my hope that Springboard developers are already working on a CF card Springboard (there are already PCMCIA cards for CF cards, which is the base socket of the Sprinboard). If so, you would get the best of both worlds.

Note, the original Innogear MP3 player was going to use Smartmedia cards, but have now switched to a smaller proprietary format, so the "ability" for more than 8mb flash is there (as TRG is proving).

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Dayton, TN, USA
Posts: 66

I think that the Springboard is inherently a better platform, given the "plug-and-play" nature of the thing. A CF adapter might work, but then you'd be back to loading drivers for the CF cards. I'd prefer to pick my add-ons from the (soon-to-be) available springboards. I don't expect there will be any lack of variety.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location:
Posts: 103

I am thinking that I might just get both. The springboard is a pretty cool deal with all the kickass springboards but the trgpro has some posibilities ... and it is compatable with the old palm pilot accessories like the parachute ( www.unilinear.com ) which is pcmcia card slot for the pilot. It is scheduled to be released later this quarter so says their website.... which at this rate if I ordered the minijam and the trgpro and the parachute I would probably get them about the time I get my viser ..... sigh

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Spokane, WA, USA
Posts: 114

I think I'm going to stick with the Visor. It was initially kind of a tough decision because CF is such a common format. I wish it would've been added earlier. But at this point, I have to agree that the Springboard really is probably the better of the two options. Springboard should be able to handle CF, but good luck getting CF to handle Springboard. Besides, Springboard might be able to also handle a Clik disk, or Sony's up-and-coming Memory Stick, if you want to talk about having more memory.

So Visor it is, as far as I'm concerned. Although, I applaud TRG's efforts.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location:
Posts: 103

You have to admit that there has to be a coolness factor to having cf and pcmcia off of your palm device .... the only hitch would be getting drivers for everything ...

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Burlington, VT, USA
Posts: 127

While there will likely be more CompactFlash cards available on the market than Springboards, I'd be willing to bet that the number of CF cards with *Palm OS drivers* will be less than the number of Springboards.

Not to mention cool Springboards like the Six-pack, that aren't likely candidates for CF. And are there CF GPS and MP3 players?

Registered: Sep 1999
Location:
Posts: 27

Another issue to consider is the price for add-ons:

8MB Springboard memory upgrade: $80
8MB Sandisk CF memory card: $30

Just one example.



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Wes Salmon
PDA Buzz Guy
www.pdabuzz.com

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: San Francisco, USA
Posts: 75

I'm not sure you can use the memory price as a guide, just yet.

I think that really soon, we'll see a third party put out a memory springboard that is bigger than Handspring's, and costs about the same as CF memory does.

Everybody knows that the accessories marketed by the original manufacturer are always overpriced and do less than the third-party offerings.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location:
Posts: 103

as far as memory cards go...what drivers ? CF is a generic memory type. There are 4 major types sandisk, ata comapctflash, Kodak flashram, And one other whose name escapes me at the moment. You can pick up cf anywhere digital camera's are sold. On the downside I have never heard of cf mp3 players or gps....

[This message has been edited by Bane (edited 10-20-1999).]

Registered: Sep 1999
Location:
Posts: 27

mportuesi,

Since Handspring is the sole provider of any additional memory, they are all we can compare to. There is no guarantee that anyone other than Handspring will ever ship a memory springboard so you can't discount this large price difference on the possibility of a cheaper solution in the future by a 3rd party. Also, it would be VERY hard for a 3rd party to manufacture a proprietary product like a memory spring board for more less than half of what Handspring does ... that's the only way they could ever come close to CF memory prices.

Bane,

You're right, the TRGPro's biggest downfall is the lack of diverse CF accessories. Memory, modems, Ethernet, barcode readers ... that's about it. Since CF has been standard on most CE devices for 2 years now, I don't think the introduction of the TRGPro will spark any real change in this unfortunately.

Now if the new color Palm that comes out next year also has CF, that would change a lot.

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Wes Salmon
PDA Buzz Guy
www.pdabuzz.com

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: San Francisco, USA
Posts: 75

DaBuzz,

I agree with you that since Handspring is the only memory provider for the moment, then that's what we should go on.

But I disagree with you in that I believe it's really easy for a third party to sell a memory springboard. All of the Springboard specs are public, and license-free.

I've looked at the Handspring development manuals, and they outright *tell* developers how to build their own memory modules!!! They provide the part numbers for the kind of memory you'll need, and how to wire it up as a springboard.

So, I'm still certain that we'll see third-party memory springboards. They may not be as cheap as CF, but I'll bet that they'll be cheaper than Handspring's module. Handspring can charge extra because they have the brand name.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location:
Posts: 27

mportuesi,

I'm sorry, when you said "and costs about the same as CF memory does.", I assumed you meant costs about the same as CF memory does which would be ~$30 for 8MB.

Now if what we're saying is "They may not be as cheap as CF, but I'll bet that they'll be cheaper than Handspring's module.", I completely agree. But how much cheaper can they get? Will a $60 3rd party springboard module compete against a $30 CF card? Maybe, but I can't see accessories that are double the cost or more being a value-add to any product.

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Wes Salmon
PDA Buzz Guy
www.pdabuzz.com

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: San Francisco, USA
Posts: 75

I think it's likely we could see 8 MB selling for $45-$50 from a third party. It's more than $30 for CF, but still a lot less than $80 for Handspring's memory module.

And if Handspring sells zillions of Visors, the economies of scale could be high enough to make springboard memory price-competitive with CF memory. How many PalmOS-based PDAs are out there versus CF-capable digital cameras?

Even though this is all just speculation, I just have to believe that we'll see third party memory springboards. After the Sony Playstation and Nintendo 64 came out, there quickly appeared third-party memory cards in each of those proprietary formats, that undercut the house brand by $5 or more, on a $20 product.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Baltimore, MD, USA
Posts: 8

All I have to say is, whatever you think of the name "Visor", it's a lot better than "T-R-G-Pro", or is it "T-R-G-P-R-O?"

Registered: Sep 1999
Location:
Posts: 27

mportuesi,

I think $45-50 for a 3rd party 8MB springboard is a bit of wishful thinking but we'll see soon enough I guess. If it does happen to be that cheap, it will make Handspring seem like an overly greedy monopolist by selling the same product for $80.

quote:

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How many PalmOS-based PDAs are out there versus CF-capable digital cameras?

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You left out CE devices which almost always have CF slots these days. There are also CF readers for your PC/Laptop that allow you to use a CF card in more than one device and share data. Imagine the convenience of being able to take digital pictures and view them on a TRGPro simply by inserting the CF card. Pretty cool stuff.

There are many advantages to CF other than price, that was just one of my examples.

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Wes Salmon
PDA Buzz Guy
www.pdabuzz.com