Registered: Sep 1999
Location:
Posts: 72

I've read a bunch of stories of PDA's getting dropped and the screen cracking. What kind of falls have your PDA's taken and survived? What kind of case/protection were you using?

I thought I read somewhere that the Visor's screen is attached differently than a Palm III's screen. I thought the reviewer stated it might help with the PDA death drop. Does anyone know anything about this?

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Pittsford,NY,USA
Posts: 223

Drop #1: My Palm 1000 (one of the original pilots) has been dropped from about chest high (I'm 6'2") on to a asphalt parking lot. (I was using it at the time and it was out of it's case.) The back covers came off and the memory card and batteries went flying. It landed on the top the stylus and this pushed it in farther than it was designed to go, but this is what probably saved the screen. The stylus kind of acted like a shock absorber. I put everything back together and after saying a little prayer, I turned it back on. It worked! I did a hot sync to restore it and have had no problems with the unit since.

Drop #2: (This morning!) I managed to drop it in the foyer of my house this morning and while trying to catch it, managed to kick it instead. The kicked pilot bounced off the carpeted stairs and landed on the floor just as the kicking foot was coming down. Yes, it landed under my foot! Luckily, I was able to stop myself from putting any weight on it. No damage at all. (I did have the horrible picture of me crushing my visor on the first day I got it.)

-Eric

[This message has been edited by emeyer (edited 10-13-1999).]

Registered: Sep 1999
Location:
Posts: 159

Through all the time I've been using an electronic organizer of some sort or another, I've lost (as in broken) a total of four, and though I've performed plenty of drops, none of the losses were due to a fall. That's why I always feel left out of these kinds of discussions...

Since many of the reviews on the Visor make a note of it's sturdiness, the claim that the screen might withstand 'some' types of falls could be true. But the problem with this topic is, you can't truly verify the durability of a device without testing it to its limit. Not something most of us are up for.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 431

Eric aka emeyer,

I wouldn't worry about almost breaking your Palm this morning and that you might crush your Visor the first day that you get it. I have found that on more than one occasion that somehow I've managed to break something (e.g. I accidentally broke my tennis racket once I had made the decision to replace it with a new one).

Registered: Oct 1999
Location:
Posts: 16

I feel sorry for the poor soul who will come to this message board and tell us how they destroyed their visor. Maybe we should all take bets on how long it will take.
If anyone is the first, please post pics

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Geneseo NY
Posts: 34

For more stories, and pictures check out:
http://www.palminfocenter.com/graveyard/

Registered: Sep 1999
Location:
Posts: 81

I've dropped my Palm a couple of times. (Once into a toilet, d'oh!) No prob, but then I keep it in a play-through case, which helps.

FWIW, a couple of different reviews I've seen describe the Visor as feeling more solid than Palms. Haven't heard anything about how the screen is attached.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 69

Had an E-10 for 1week.

Was at a client's office performing some maintenance on a server. Had the E-10 resting on the desk btw myself and the keyboard (checking off todo items as I did them).... Paused... leaned forward to rest my head in my hand... and placed my elbow dead center of the E-10's screen...

Oh well... it was a piece of crap anyway

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Atlanta, GA, USA
Posts: 56

Has anybody tried the HP test on it? (Basically taking a piece of equipment, say an HP/48, and fast pitching it into a wall). Hopefully they are as tough as the HP/48. I've heard of people accidentally driving over them with their cars, and not having any damage except for tire tread marks.

For some reason, TI never followed HP in that test....

Registered: Sep 1999
Location:
Posts: 72

superfreak,

I guess that's what kinda worries me. I have a HP48 calculator that has survived numerous drops, abuse, etc and the thing still works. I had a friend drive over one and it still works. I was wondering why Palm and/or Handspring couldn't build a PDA with similar toughness...

Granted that the HP48 screen is about half the size of a Palm.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location:
Posts: 8

HP has a plant in Corvallis, Oregon. They used to go to the local college there and drop a variety of calculators from a variety of heights from the taller buildings. Suffice to say, the HPs beat out the competition. My 48s has a little dark spot on the screen and few little dents on the front from when I ran it over with my car, but that was over 6 years ago and it still works fine today. I'm just glad I was driving my Honda and not my Parents' Suburban!

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Hillsboro, OR, USA
Posts: 64

My calculus teacher in high school used to play a joke on his new freshman. The first student of the year to forget their TI-81 (this was when they were still new) would ask to borrow a spare. He kept one in his desk drawer and would toss it to the student, but throw it just a little bit short. It would always bounce off their fingertips and smash to the floor below, keys flying everywhere. The screen was also totaled.

The thing had been smashed a long time ago and he kept it around just to scare the crap out of 'em. I always loved when he'd do that.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location:
Posts: 95

When I was in the Air force, I accidentally drove over our Z-248 (Intel 80286) laptop computer. The case was torn, and had tire marks.

The laptop was unharmed.

I know, this is way off topic, but then, so are HP calculators!

MJH <><