Handspring’s Visor Overshadows Palm
When it comes to getting organized these days, paper’s out and hand-held personal digital assistants are in. But so many companies are attempting to go mano a mano with the industry standard, Palm, that when you’re standing in front of the display case, selecting one can make you want to throw your hands up in frustration.
Two months ago, I was in front of that display case and bet on the promise of the Visor by Handspring Inc., whose founders developed the Palm. I bought three--a Mother’s Day gift, a 40th birthday gift for a close friend and a Deluxe model for myself.
What sold me on the Visor--other than the groovy colors it comes in--is that it’s more than just a Palm clone. Visor is a device you keep and add to, instead of discarding when the latest new thing hits the market.
Handspring sells three versions of the Visor, a 2-megabyte model with a cradle for $179, a 2-megabyte model without a cradle for $149 (sold on Handspring’s Web site) and the 8-megabyte Deluxe model that comes in blue, orange, green, clear and black for $249. The Visor Deluxe also comes with a slim leather slipcover.
Springboard
While the Visor and the Palm III series generally look, feel and operate the same, the Visor has an expansion slot in the back that presents some exciting possibilities. The Springboard, as they call it, lets you plug in and play different modules to transform the Visor into a digital camera, an MP3 player or a one-way pager.
Palms have add-on peripherals such as a portable keyboard and modem, but these don’t compare with Visor’s possibilities. When you slide a module into the slot, the Visor immediately loads the required program. The slot remains covered until the user chooses to insert a module.
This, undoubtedly, is the coolest feature. The list of modules in development generally fit into three categories: communication (including cordless and wireless phone modules), software and memory. So far, only a handful of these modules are available, but several more are due out this summer.
I’ve used the Eyemodule digital camera attachment ($149) by Palo Alto, Calif.-based Blocks Products, and Morgan Hill, Calif.-based InnoGear’s InnoPak/2V flash memory and vibrating alert ($44.95).
The camera, with a fixed-focus lens, is about the size of a box of Tic Tacs and comes with Windows-based editing software (Mac-compatible software is being tested).
Using the Visor screen as the viewfinder, Eyemodule can take pictures both in black and white and in color. However, you can’t check the color quality on Visors’ gray screen--and good lighting is key. A Handspring spokesman did say color screen technology has been under consideration.
As for storage, a Visor can hold hundreds of black-and-white images and more than 25 color images. The Eyemodule also works with the 2mb model, although it holds fewer images.
At a meeting last month, I was able to unobtrusively and quickly snap some color pictures for the group’s Web site. Although the images were a bit distorted, they were fine to post on the Web site after a bit of tweaking.
With the InnoPak/2V, you get an extra 2mb of Flash memory that you can use to store any Palm OS application or database file, freeing up memory on the Visor. It also lets you transform all of Visor’s appointment alerts into a silent, pager-like vibrating alarm.
The memory part of this module is useful, but I haven’t found much of a need for the Visor to vibrate as it sits tucked in my purse.
One downside to using modules that don’t provide their own energy source, such as the Eyemodule, is they suck up battery juice too fast. (I’ve had my Visor and camera since late April and have had to change batteries three times already, with only moderate use.)
A suggestion with regard to the modules: Someone should design a small carrying case to accommodate the Visor and several modules.
Hardware
While I’m generally pleased with the Visor, there are a couple of niggling things. The calculator function is way too sensitive. It’s too easy--and incredibly disheartening--to inadvertently trigger the big black buttons with the stylus, a pen-like instrument you use to navigate the device.
I didn’t find the same level of hypersensitivity when I used a Palm Vx. Handspring suggests adjusting the digitizer, which tweaks the accuracy of where you tap your stylus on the screen.
Design-wise, I have a problem with the location of the infrared port, which lets you transfer applications and information to other hand-held devices. It’s at the top of the left side; Palm’s is on top of the machine, where Visor’s Springboard port is. If the IR port were on the right side, users who have their Visors in carrying cases would be able to beam to other hand helds unobscured.
Using a docking cradle that connects to a desktop computer via a universal serial bus (USB) port, you can synchronize what’s stored in your Visor and on your computer. The USB port speeds this process compared with the serial port Palm uses. But the more you have to synchronize, the longer the process takes regardless of the type of connection.
Unlike with the Palm, Macintosh owners can use the Visor with no additional attachments. Palms currently require the purchase of a MacPac kit, which includes software and a cable for the cradle.
Software
Handspring uses Palm OS 3.1, with some improvements. The calendar, DateBook+, integrates ToDo and floating events (basically a recurring to-do item), and a time-stamped journal. These additions make the date book application fairly complete.
It also includes a world clock that, among other things, lets you select a city and check times for sunrise and sunset, as well as how many hours of daylight to expect on a given day. The calculator is enhanced to handle business, math and statistical functions.
With 8 megabytes of RAM, you’ve got tons of space to add all the applications you want. I keep trying to push the limit to see how much space I can fill by adding applications. Although I’ve added several every week I’ve had it, I still haven’t used even half the memory on this thing.
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Shareware and Freeware
Looking to add and update applications on your Palm OS-compatible personal digital assistant. Check out these sites:
* https://ca.yahoo.com/computers_and_internet/ software/pda_software/palm_series
* https://mobile.yahoo.com/wireless/downloads?.mcb=
* https://www.visorvillage.com
* https://www.pilotyid.com
* https://go2mac.com/palmlounge
* https://www.pdastreet.com
* https://www.palmblvd.com/software.html
* https://www.handango.com/software.shtml
* https://www.beyond.com/shareware/palm_shareware.htm
* https://www.palm.com/resources/shareware.html
* https://www.springzone.com
* https://www.handheldnews.com/category.asp?ObjectID=2912
* https://www.palmpilotfiles.com/categories.shtml
* https://www.palmspot.com
* https://www.fileplanet.com
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Hand-to-Palm Combat
Although both Handspring’s Visor and 3Com’s Palm use the same basic operating system, Palm OS, they are different in a several respects. Here is a quick look:
Operating system
*--*
Visor Deluxe Palm IIIxe Palm OS 3.1 Palm OS 3.5
*--*
*
Memory upgradeable
*--*
Visor Deluxe Palm IIIxe Yes No
*--*
*
Expandable
*--*
Visor Deluxe Palm IIIxe Yes (via modules) Yes (add-on peripherals)
*--*
*
Built-in microphone
*--*
Visor Deluxe Palm IIIxe Yes No
*--*
*
Colors
*--*
Visor Deluxe Palm IIIxe Blue, green, ice, Graphite* orange and graphite
*--*
*
Infrared port
*--*
Visor Deluxe Palm IIIxe Yes Yes
*--*
*
Update OS
*--*
Visor Deluxe Palm IIIxe Yes Yes
*--*
*
Mac-compatible
*--*
Visor Deluxe Palm IIIxe Yes (out of the box) Yes (using extra cable)
*--*
*
Synchronization
*--*
Visor Deluxe Palm IIIxe USB or Serial Serial (or USB with converter)
*--*
*
PC applications
*--*
Visor Deluxe Palm IIIxe Palm Desktop Palm Desktop
*--*
*
Display
*--*
Visor Deluxe Palm IIIxe *High-resolution B&W; *High-resolution B&W; *Backlit *Backlit *160x160 pixels *160x160 pixels
*--*
*
Battery type
*--*
Visor Deluxe Palm IIIxe 2 AAA 2 AAA
*--*
*
Battery life
*--*
Visor Deluxe Palm IIIxe About 2 months About 2 months
*--*
*
Weight (with batteries)
*--*
Visor Deluxe Palm IIIxe 5.4 ounces 6.0 ounces
*--*
*
Size
*--*
Visor Deluxe Palm IIIxe 4.8x3.0x0.7 inches 4.7x3.2x0.7 inches
*--*
*
Memory
*--*
Visor Deluxe Palm IIIxe 8mb 8mb
*--*
*
Storage capacity (approximates)
*--*
Visor Deluxe Palm IIIxe *12,000 addresses *10,000 addresses *10 years of appointments *5 years of appointments *6,000 to do items *3,000 to do items *6,000 memos *3,000 memos *400 e-mails *400 e-mails
*--*
*
Suggested retail cost
*--*
Visor Deluxe Palm IIIxe $249 $249
*--*
*The Palm IIIe Handheld Special Edition comes in a clear plastic case, comparable to Handspring’s “ice.”
Sources: Handspring, Palm
