Handspring Visor Deluxe (Ice)

[Archived in $100 - $200, Handspring, Products]

Manufacturer: Handspring
Price at amazon.com: $129.99
This item is not stocked or has been discontinued.

Product Features:

• 8 MB RAM stores thousands of addresses, appointments, to-do items, memos, and more
• Fully compatible with thousands of Palm OS applications
• Supports optional expansion modules for MP3 player, pager, modem, GPS, video games, and more
• Important note: If you are running Windows 95/NT or using a non-USB Macintosh, you must order the Serial HotSync Cradle separately
• What's in the box: Visor Deluxe, HotSync cradle, stylus, snap cover, leather slip case, Palm Desktop software, two AAA batteries

Product Description:

The Handspring Visor Deluxe connected organizer is all you'll need to store thousands of names, addresses, appointments, memos, to-do items, expense items, and e-mail. Based on the popular Palm OS, the Handspring Visor Deluxe is fully compatible with thousands of Palm Computing platform applications. Plus, Handspring has added features to the Palm OS like an advanced date book, calculator, world clock, and built-in floating-point math support. The Handspring Visor Deluxe offers a fast USB... read more


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Description from Manufacturer:The Handspring Visor Deluxe is the hot new handheld that runs the popular Palm OS, so it's compatible with thousands of existing applications. It's also expandable with Springboard modules that can add extra memory or a modem, or transform your Visor into an MP3 player, video game, GPS receiver, and more. Plus, its fast-synchronizing USB connection is compatible with both the PC and Macintosh.

To set up the Handspring Visor Deluxe, we followed the Getting Started instructions printed on the software CD-ROM case, inserting the batteries, calibrating the touch screen, entering the date and time, connecting the included USB cradle to our PC (an optional serial cradle is available), installing the desktop synchronization software, and synchronizing the Visor with our PC. The entire setup process was straightforward and intuitive, requiring only about five minutes.

Fans of Palm Computing's Palm III line of connected organizers will have no difficulty using the Visor, as it runs on a licensed version of the Palm OS. All the popular Palm personal information management (PIM) applications are included and work exactly the same way as they do on the Palm. The Visor also uses Palm's Graffiti handwriting recognition system for text entry, which takes only a few minutes to learn and a few hours of practice to master. Handspring has added to the Palm OS an advanced date book, calculator, world clock, and support for floating-point math.

The Visor Deluxe comes with 8 MB of RAM, providing plenty of room for thousands of addresses, to-do items, and memos; hundreds of e-mail messages; and several years of appointments. It also includes a USB synchronization cradle, two AAA batteries, a stick-on Graffiti "cheat sheet," a leather slip case, a stylus, a Handspring logo decal, a Quick Reference Guide, inserts describing accessories and cases, and a software CD-ROM. The CD-ROM includes Palm Desktop Software 3.01, a software link to Microsoft Outlook, and the full-length User's Guide. However, the Visor Deluxe does not come with an AC adapter.

Using the Visor was intuitive and fun, just like the Palm III series organizers that it's based on. However, unlike the Palm, the Visor has an easily accessible expansion port that supports Springboard modules. For our tests, we installed a modem module, an 8 MB memory module, the Tiger Woods PGA Tour Golf game, and a Physician's Desk Reference module (note that you can install only one module at a time). Installing these modules is very easy, and they can greatly increase the functionality, power, and usefulness of the Visor. (For more information, see the descriptions of the individual Springboard modules.

Overall, we were very impressed with the Visor. It takes the best of the popular Palm platform, and adds memory and expandability--all at a great price. --Mike Brown

Pros:

• Easy to set up and use
• Runs the Palm OS and supports thousands of existing Palm applications
• Expandable with Springboard modules
• Good price

Cons:

• No AC adapter included

Average Customer Rating:

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Comment: The Inescapable Choice. Rating:
If you're shopping for a handheld you've got a tri-level decision to make.

First, should you get a Pocket PC or a PDA? I wanted broad-based, dependable consumer support at no more than three hundred dollars. Hence, a PDA.

Second, should you go Palm, Handspring, or Sony? Rather than download everything, I wanted to slip in some of the existing modules, currently available only from Handspring.

Third, should you consider a Neo, or even a Pro or an Edge? I did, but there's no accounting for the premium prices. A physician I spoke to says he downloads "ePocrates" into his Deluxe and has yet to use more than four megs of memory, so eight megs is plenty. (Eliminate the Visor Pro.) Moreover, he said he'd rather change batteries than fool around with recharging them. (I agree.) Finally, he suggested these devices do wear out and that it's more likely that you would want to replace it in a couple of years than repair it. (Makes eminent sense.)

Not I that needed any more convincing, but here are a few items I discovered on my own: 1. The inarguably sharper graphics of the Sony Clie are compromised by its slightly smaller screen (the Palms also have a smaller screen); 2. The attractive thinness of the Visor Edge is neutralized by the adaptor it requires to run a Handspring module; 3. Everytime Palm drops its price, Handspring does the same, pricing its model just under the comparable Palm. 4. Young sales clerks are invariably "gadget junkies" infatuated with Sony products, so take their recommendations with a grain of salt.

Finally, if you receive ANY of the above as a gift, you're likely to be satisfied--providing you discover your life requires the organization provided by a PDA and you have have the time and discipline each day to update and consult it.

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Comment: Buy it, live it, love it Rating:
What an amazing little piece of technology this Visor Deluxe is. Of course, it works the same way a Palm does, but Handspring gives you more stuff for the same money as a Palm IIIxe. Both machines have 8mb of memory (way too much if all you're using it for is a day planner; the 2mb version will be fine for non email users), and work exactly the same way. But the Visor has the expansion module, and while Palm makes do with a serial hotsync connection, Visor has a quicker USB port.

I also had occasion to try out Handspring's customer service the other day (apparently I loaded a bad app onto my Visor, which kept it from booting up), and I'm pleased to say it was fast, very courteous and effective.

The only thing I'd improve on is the thickness of the product, but then again, that's what makes room for the expansion module. And if you look at one of those ultra-thin Palm V's, you'll find they run off rechargable batteries...which means if you're taking it on a long trip, you'll have to bring the charger with you. With the Visor, the AAA batteries last about a month, and they're easy to pack along when you travel (if you think it'll go dead during the trip).

All in all, I'd heartily recommend the Visor to anyone who needs a little organization in his or her life. Now if only Handspring would make good on their promise to make more expansion-module apps...

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Comment: Beware... Rating:
I have this visor. I quit using it after a year. The problem is that it uses batteries... normal use you will get arround a week.
You have to check the batteries even if it has not been used since it consumes batteries. You need to have information stored and updated in your pc AT ALL TIMES, in this way if the information is lost from visor you will be able to recover it-hotsync. Information is usually lost when batteries are low/die.

I replaced it for the sony clie pega tj25 handheld.

For all of you who have or plan to buy this item... Good luck.

Posted at November 11, 2003 06:56 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)