Registered: Oct 1999
Location: I'm not sure, but I see lots of lights everywhere.
Posts: 1287

For those of you who are buying 2 Visors, you may want to hold off on that second unit. From what I hear Handspring will be launching another unit by early next year. It is to be named "SmartHand".

The person whom I talked to about the SmartHand will not give me anything other than the name of the product. But he claims that after I see the SmartHand I will not want another Visor! Yah right. I'll believe it when I see it.

I think he was just blowing smoke up my...well, you know!

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

From what I understand, SmartHand was the original name for what we now know as the Visor. All of the old rumors as to what Handsprings product would or wouldn't be always talked about the SmartHand. Now we KNOW what it is ... it is the Visor.

-Eric

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: I'm not sure, but I see lots of lights everywhere.
Posts: 1287

The SmartHand is not the Visor. True SmartHand was thought to be the name of the product we now know as Visor. But this is a different unit entirely.

The Visor is made to compete with the Palm III series. The SmartHand will go up against the Palm V/VII series.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location:
Posts: 179

Okay, but who is this person you talked to? Someone at Handspring? You do understand that if you can't give us a good idea of who the source of this info is that we can't just go on your word alone

[This message has been edited by handsprung (edited 10-07-1999).]

Registered: Sep 1999
Location:
Posts: 81

Of course, even foo fighter they told us who it was, we'd be relying on their word about *that*. Or not.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: I'm not sure, but I see lots of lights everywhere.
Posts: 1287

The guy I talked to works for Palo Alto Products. That's the design firm that has worked on the original PalmPilot and Palm III and also some other products like the Dell Dimension tower. I trust him because he has never lied to me before.

I understand your doubt. I didn't quite believe it either at first. But what he told me does seem to coincide with what we know already. And remember even Jeff Hawkins himeself said..."Handspring is not a one product company". They have always intended to create other devices.

And then there is the more odvious fact that Handspring did already register the domain name smarthand.com, that must mean something.

Anyway, I just thought I would share this info with all you Visor fans.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location:
Posts: 61

The only crappy thing is that everyone is jumping at the Visor. It is really cool but I would be more then a little pissed if I put down $250 for the Deluxe and a new Handspring unit (which may have cool new features) comes outs less the 4 months later.

I know Handspring doesn't want to hurt Christmas sales but it would kind of be giving the early adopters (and fans of the company) the shaft right out of the gate.

jonpod

p.s. I know this is typically the way of the tech industry (todays cool stuff is tomorrows landfill) but at least with the Palm there was a bit of a gap between products (and good upgrade paths) so we didn't feel totally lost to "progress"

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Bellevue, Wa, USA
Posts: 72

Here is the question, what would it do that Visor would not? There will be springboards to adapt the visor to do what it needs to. The Smarthand would have OS 3.3 possibly, and what? Rechargeable batteries? OK, I don't want em. Slimmer design like the Palm V's? OK, I don't care about design, functionality over design is what I usually like. So what is the point, other than a liite styling?

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: I'm not sure, but I see lots of lights everywhere.
Posts: 1287

Unfortunately my friend at Palo Alto wouldn't tell me much about it because he had to sign a legal non-disclosure agreement. Odviously he isn't the only one who's seen it. It's a sure bet that Springboard designers have seen it as well, as it will(supposedly)have a Springboard slot. We should all know more information about it's design over the next few months as more leaks occur.

But I have to agree that it will probably be more style than substance. But in the words of my PA friend..."It's way cool!"

Blah!..Blah!..Blah!

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Austin TX, USA
Posts: 79

That's a pretty shortsighted comment, don't you think Irewolf? People have always been able to better existing products, and it will continue to happen. It is nearly certain that the next product will be more capable, versatile, and advanced that the current one. Unless of course it is a 'budget box' kind of thing aimed at the very low end. What can my PC do that the ENIAC cannot?

-Achilles

[This message has been edited by Achilles (edited 10-07-1999).]

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: I'm not sure, but I see lots of lights everywhere.
Posts: 1287

Achilles, From what I know this will not be a low end PDA. To the contrary, it will be a high-end handheld that will go head to head with the Palm V and Palm VII.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location:
Posts: 81

"It's a sure bet that Springboard designers have seen it as well, as it will (supposedly) have a Springboard slot."

I think the Springboard design specs are such that it shouldn't be necessary for Springboard designers to see this hypothetical product. If the Springboard design meets the spec, it should be useable with the device. No way is Hawkins gonna be dumb enough to try to build up a Springboard product base and then chop its legs out from under it by making a device that needs a different version of a Springboard.

Springboards will almost certainly be directly portable from Visors to whatever comes next.

Personally, I think this is at least partially bs. (No offense, foo fighter -- maybe *you're* being bs'ed.) I mean, Visor doesn't even hit retail outlets for a couple of months. Seems like the next rev, whatever it is, would be a few months after that. At least.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: I'm not sure, but I see lots of lights everywhere.
Posts: 1287

I know how you feel Bearpaw. I'm skeptical as well. If it is BS, then it's damn interesting BS. But I agree that the Springboard slots would have to be the same. The only speculation I can make is that the shape of the device must be different.
Maybe it's thinner.

That is...if this thing even exists at all.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Lewisburg, PA
Posts: 56

i wouldn't be surprised...

if handspring releases the visor to the real public (stores) in january, then releases the smarthand or whatever in like march.

My bet is the smarthand will be the thickness of the palm V, and hopefully have the same docking coonector as the visor. I would suspect however it will have a snap on expansion port to allow for springboard modules. you see, the springboard slot is fairly big, and has a certain thickness to it. There looks like there is almost no circuty etc between the lcd and the springboard slot. it is entirely impossible to make a palm V thickness handheld w/ a springboard since the thickness of the springboard alone is the thickness of a palm V. On the other hand I'd like to see them try, and they could easily make a handheld a little bit thinner with a sexy metal case, rechargable batteries and a curved bottom end to make it feel a bit smaller. I suppose only time will tell. (i wonder is it possible to fit all of a palm's circutry in a pcmcia slot card? like the rex; but a full pilot :-) i saw a mockup on digitalconcepts a while back. not that pretty looking, but it'd be damn small.

------------------
Tom Alphin III - [email protected] - www.students.bucknell.edu/alphin/

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Athens, GA, USA
Posts: 23

I agree with pshlortz.

Since Visor will not be available to the stores until the turn of the year, then why would Handspring release a "better" device at the same time the mass market gets ahold of the "lesser" one? It wouldn't make any sense.

Another things. This SmartHand would be a completely different device. It can't even claim to compete with the VII becuase Visor would do that now with the proper Springboard. The only difference betweent he Visor Deluxe and the VII is wireless. And I believe that spring board will come along rapidly. (and probably cheaper than buying a VII.

The only differnence between the Visor and the V is in the cosmetics. So the new device would have to either be 1. only different cosmetically, or 2. such a different device that even with spring board technology it wouldn't be possible. If the second is the case...then it is a mute point.

For the palm users out there, a Palm IIIx will still do exactly what it needs to do a year from now. It's purpose, like the Visors is to do what it was designed to do. If you want a device that does more...don't buy now. Simple. If you know it will honestly do what you need it to do... then who cares.

Another thing (sorry, its long) If Palm releases a new OS (supposedly on this SmartHand) they will have a new device to go with it. And why, then would this happen so soon as to leave all the new Vx owners out to dry? I say both companies will wait until sometime next spring, even summer (a reasonable time to release a new product) to release their "better" device. But if what you buy now does what it needs to, then the only thing being left out to dry is handheld envy.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: I'm not sure, but I see lots of lights everywhere.
Posts: 1287

I've been wondering why Handspring didn't make the expansion slot on the Visor a Card bus slot. Then it would be able to use standard PC Cards already on the market.

I guess they didn't want anyone else getting in on the act.

I wonder if they will license their Springboard technology to other PDA manufacturers. I hear Philips is in the market for a good PDA. HA HA!

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

What is so interesting is that we already have speculation on a successor before the original is even delivered. Even a delay until March of a successor model will leave early adopters feeling left high and dry as a cash cow to support the new product. I don't believe Handspring would want to face that wrath.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: I'm not sure, but I see lots of lights everywhere.
Posts: 1287

The Smarthand is not a replacement for the Visor. It's a handheld that's aimed at a different market entirely.

The Visor is targeting consumers. It's a low to midrange handheld. The Smarthand is being developed as a high-end PDA. It will be marketed towards professionals or "prosumers'. It is not a successor to the Visor. It will simply exist alongside the Visor.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location:
Posts: 179

Well, it took almost a year to make the Visor and I would say that Handsprings total focus has been on the Visor being a small company and all. What we are probably hearing is the same thing people were hearing about a year ago when they started on the Visor. I'd say the Visor is their PDA product, period. The Smarthand could be something completely different but with Springboard capabilities. Maybe we'll all have to choose a human hand over a smarthand and have some sort of operation to install the thing

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: I'm not sure, but I see lots of lights everywhere.
Posts: 1287

Personally, I can't understand why Handspring chose such lackluster names for their gadgets...Visor...Smarthand. Come on Dubinsky, you can do better than that for god sake.