Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Posts: 8

When one looks at the problems with the Visor it seems apparent that the company focused on the core product and did not give enough consideration to other aspects. The stylis is a a joke, most PCs in use cannot use USB and the Visor is not offered with a serial option (unless you also buy a second cradle), the order center and support areas seem to have been poorly planned, and let's not even talk about the Web store! An now we are starting to hear of some construction and operating problems (just a few right now).

But then again, anyone who chooses to be an early adopter of technology, especially from a new company, should expect these problems; to expect anything else is foolish. Yeah, on occassion a company has it's act togther, but that seems to be the exception. It is also unfortunate that for all the aggravation that those who choose to be earlier adopters also wind up paying top dollar.

Bottom line - if you choose to be an earlier adopter of the Visor you should expect these problems! The Visor will mature into a complete package, but it is not going to happen over night.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location:
Posts: 95

Perhaps, but Dubinsky, Hawkins and Colligan have done this before. I might expect this from someone who is totally new to business, but Handspring is the second company that these people have begun. They should have learned from whatever mistakes they did before. Besides, some of these mistakes are common sense and could easily have been avoided if they had put another couple months of planning and implementation before launching the product.

IMHO.

MJH <><

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Marietta, Ohio USA
Posts: 92

Mike1in3,

I agree with you 100%. These people was
not "unknowns"... If fact if they were
unknowns, most like myself would not have ordered right away...I thought I was
"investing" in a well known, solid
situation...Why would one think differently ?
It goes to show you again that there is "more to the book than it's cover !

Registered: Sep 1999
Location:
Posts: 52

Ivan, it turns out your comment about USB availablility is, in fact, not true. More than one-half of the consumer computers in North America, and this is the Visor market, do support USB and have USB connection. This is based upon industry sales of Windows 95b and later originally equipped computers plus sales of Windows 95b and later OS's. Dell, Gateway, Compaq and IBM all say that USB connection should not be problem for Handspring. Plus, I for one, would have been disappointed to see a new "state of the art" product rely on slower old-fashioned serial connection. Your frustration is noted, but don't make the situation worse than it really is by guessing at numbers.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Seattle, Wa, USA
Posts: 66

The USB market that everyone seems to be forgetting is the iMac user.

Whether we like it or not, many households are picking up the iMac as their first computer, and as makers of a cheap, easy to use handheld, it's not surprising that Handspring is marketing to those people.

Microsoft will try to kill off USB with W2000, but with the firm support of Apple, I think Handspring is taking a very thought-out calculated risk that the iMac and similar machines will be were the home market is years from now.

Of course, this is just IMHO...

------------------
"Scalpel"
Atomic Hyrax Games

Registered: Oct 1999
Location:
Posts: 9

"Microsoft will try to kill off USB with W2000"

Excuse me? Windows 2000 is the operating system NT users have been waiting for to be able to use USB.

What on earth are you saying?

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Seattle, Wa, USA
Posts: 66

The latest build has no USB support, although Microsoft keeps saying "it's coming". They've said that in the past about technology they don't actually want to integrate.

I'm taking a wild guess, but my suspicion is that MS would like to kill off USB, since it's mainly used by Macs right now. Killing it would hurt the iMac immensely.

Yes, yes, I know that MS and Apple are friends now. I'm just not sure how friendly those friends are.

Of course, this is very off-topic, so I'll try not to ramble on my reckless speculation. Of course, if W00 (or "Windows 2000") doesn't have USB support, I will be very smug.


------------------
"Scalpel"
Atomic Hyrax Games

[This message has been edited by Scalpel (edited 11-05-1999).]

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Kansas City
Posts: 19

quote:

---

The latest build has no USB support, although Microsoft keeps saying "it's coming". They've said that in the past about technology they don't actually want to integrate.

---

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Posts: 8

With respect to USB availability I beg to differ. In spite of claims, Windows 95 support of USB is marginal. In addition, over the last year our company purchased hundreds of PC, very few with USB.

Yes, NEW boxes have native USB and Windows 98 supports it. But what of the great installed base without it? Go buy a USB card and Windows 98 just for a Visor?

Don't get me wrong, I certainly applaude the Visor's use of USB! But failing to package it with a serial cradle needlessly drives up the cost for those who can not use it. I would rather have seen an option to buy a Visor with a serial cradle and then purchase the USB once I have a USB PC.

But such are the problems born by the earlier adopters. ;-)

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Deltona, FL USA
Posts: 16

My 2 cents worth.......

Looking at the visor and planning on ordering one I frowned when I found out that its primary method for communicating with my PC is via USB, BUT then I smiled when I found that for 20 bucks I can order it with a serial connection and still have the USB option for my next computer. Like you all have said this is new stuff and I am sure the makers of the visor are looking ahead and expect USB to be as common as serial is now.

Thanks,
Rob

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: NY, NY, USA
Posts: 155

While all the discussion about USB has legitimacy, I think the main concern is not how the PDA connects to the PC but how the company connects with the user.

A quick word, Ivan -- the biggest problems with the Visor are with the company's ineptitude, not with the product. They have done a lousy job at distributing their product, have an awful customer service system in place that hasn't shown much in the way of improvement, and the technical support is a joke.

The Visor may mature into a complete package, but the reason why the Pilot 1000 is now the predecessor of the "Palm Economy" is because the product was great and the company that distributed it was also great. This company is as bad as the product is good, and assuming the Visor will mature assumes that this company will mature and improve. While I don't doubt that, there are few non-loyalists who would be bothered to jump through the multitude of hoops expected of current Visor customers. I know more people who have cancelled their orders with Handspring, blocked their credit cards against mistaken charges, and who have bought Palm Vx's simply because they realized that the extra $200 goes not just to a better-built product but to a better-run company. For $200, my time is again my own, rather than dedicated to enjoying Handspring's music on hold, their CSR's well-intentioned lack of knowledge, and their technical support reps knowing less than me on how to fix Palm-related problems.

Mebbe maturity is what the company needs, but it seems that the technology really isn't the problem here. Except when it comes to order-taking, website maintenance, and organization of customer service and phone systems.