Handspring Visor (Graphite)

[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:

• 2 MB RAM stores thousands of addresses, appointments, to-do items, and memos
• Fast synchronizing for your USB-equipped PC or Macintosh
• Fully compatible with thousands of Palm OS applications
• Supports optional expansion modules for MP3 player, pager, modem, GPS, video games
• What's in the box: Visor, HotSync cradle, Stylus, Palm Desktop software, Software link to Microsoft Outlook, 2 AAA batteries

Product Description:

The Handspring Visor 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 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 Visor offers a fast USB connection, making synchronizing your PC or Mac simple. Exchange of information between your hand-held and PC occurs with the touch of a button. HotSync technology ensures all your data is backed up and enables significantly faster synchronization with USB support than the normal serial connection. (An optional serial cradle is available.)The Handspring Visor also stores 6,000 addresses, 5 years of appointments, 1,500 to-do items, 1,500 memos, and 200 e-mail messages. This model includes support for Lotus cc:Mail, Microsoft Outlook, and Qualcomm Eudora. Synchronization software for AOL, Lotus Notes, Netscape Communicator, and POP3 mail is sold separately.The Handspring Visor is fully expandable with an external expansion slot that lets you add software and hardware modules (called Springboard modules) in a snap. Modules like an MP3 player, pager, modem, GPS receiver, or video game can be added to make an entirely new device.The Handspring Visor comes with a HotSync cradle, stylus, Palm Desktop software (Windows and Mac), software link to Microsoft Outlook (Windows only), and 2 AAA batteries.The Visor is covered by a one-year warranty. What's in the box Visor HotSync cradle Stylus Palm Desktop software (Windows and Mac) Software link to Microsoft Outlook (Windows only) 2 AAA batteries

Description from Manufacturer:The Handspring Visor 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 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 Visor offers a fast USB connection, making synchronizing your PC or Mac simple. Exchange of information between your hand-held and PC occurs with the touch of a button. HotSync technology ensures all your data is backed up and enables significantly faster synchronization with USB support than the normal serial connection. (An optional serial cradle is available.)

The Handspring Visor also stores 6,000 addresses, 5 years of appointments, 1,500 to-do items, 1,500 memos, and 200 e-mail messages. This model includes support for Lotus cc:Mail, Microsoft Outlook, and Qualcomm Eudora. Synchronization software for AOL, Lotus Notes, Netscape Communicator, and POP3 mail is sold separately.

The Handspring Visor is fully expandable with an external expansion slot that lets you add software and hardware modules (called Springboard modules) in a snap. Modules like an MP3 player, pager, modem, GPS receiver, or video game can be added to make an entirely new device.

The Handspring Visor comes with a HotSync cradle, stylus, Palm Desktop software (Windows and Mac), software link to Microsoft Outlook (Windows only), and 2 AAA batteries.

The Visor is covered by a one-year warranty.

What's in the box

• Visor
• HotSync cradle
• Stylus
• Palm Desktop software (Windows and Mac)
• Software link to Microsoft Outlook (Windows only)
• 2 AAA batteries

Average Customer Rating:

---

Comment: The best PDA for the price... Rating:
The Visor is basically the 2 MB version of the Visor Deluxe.

All Handspring models run variations of the Palm operating system, and have all of the PALM functions people have
come to know and love -- calendar, addresses, to-do lists, and access to a variety of downloadable programs.

However, the 2 MB of memory doesn't go far when you want to take advantage of some of the more interesting programs, such as Avantgo (a free service that
allows you to download publications like the New York Times, CNN, Sports Illustrated onto your Palm for free) or street maps from Mapopolis.com or Vindigo, a city guide that gives restaurant and movie reviews and showtimes. You can fit one, maybe even too such problems onto your Handspring. But pretty soon you are running up against that memory barrier. That would be extremely frustrating for me (I have the Deluxe, a friend has the Visor 2MB and recently upgraded to a higher end model in part because he wanted to add more programs...If you do that, in the end buying the low end model will actually cost you money).

The Handspring models have the best features for the money. They have a noticeably larger screen than the m100 and m105 (which I
returned after a week), expandability (which I have yet to use, although I long for the GPS attachment from Magellan --
maybe when it goes on clearance?)
These models only get four stars, however, because they do have two significant shortcomings.
One is bulk. The Visor, Deluxe and Neo are significantly larger than the Palm V, which is significantly more expensive.
The PDA still fits in my chest pocket, though. (I don't recommend you do that...today mine fell out of my pocked and the screen cracked. I called Handspring and they are sending me a replacement for $85 -- Argh).
Also, unlike the Palm V, 500 and 505, the Visor, Deluxe and Neo require new batteries after about two weeks of relatively heavy
usage. That can amount to $20 a year or so on batteries alone. The Palm V has a lithium rechargeable, and the new Palm
500 has an even better battery, but I can't justify paying that kind of money for what is still basically, at heart, an
appointment calendar.

Also, since this is the ultra-low end model, keep in mind that you need to have a computer to back up your data and to download features to your Visor. Note that the Visors come with fast USB hotsyncs -- which come on all new computers made in the last few years, while the Palm M105 and m100 come with seerial hotsyncs (slower, but almost every computer ever made has a serial port). Palm and Handspring charge you extra if you want the other type of hotsync, so that my influence your decision as well.

BTW, I am a newspaper reporter who previously had four Rolodexes on my desk. No longer. No longer do I misplace names, numbers, or dates. I also don't get lost as often with Mapopolis at my side. This thing has changed and organized my life in ways I didn't expect -- just ask my wife.

It's basically an extension of your brain -- now isn't that worth a couple hundred smackers?

---

Comment: Wonderful Device Rating:
The handspring visor is just about the best PDA I've seen to date in its price range. It's easy to use (runs on PalmOS)and expand. 2MB may not seem like a lot compared to today's desktops, but I store everything I can think of in it and still haven't passed 1MB. The battery life is excellent, as well--I use my visor approximately 1 to 1 and 1/2 hours per day, and 2 AAA batteries last me about a month and a half! You can even keep track of your exact battery voltage with a simple program (BatteryInfo - see below). My only quams are as follows: the backlight is a wonderful feature, but the text entry area doesn't light up which makes data entry difficult at night. Also, amongst the countless features there is no simple alarm clock/timer. However, I suggest going to ZDNet.com and searching for a program called "BigClock". It's only 68KB and takes care of that problem and more. My visor wakes me up in the morning, keeps track of my expenses, allows me to jot down mental notes without carrying bulky paper, and even keeps me entertained when work is slow (solitaire, minesweeper, tetris, pong, etc.). If you don't want to spend a lot of money but want functionality and efficiency, the handspring visor is definitely the way to go =)

---

Comment: Data Lost Twice; doesn't want it's batteries changed Rating:
I was so happy to see that I wasn't the only person who had problems with this device. I love it's capabilities, but have lost data twice: first time I received a change battery warning, so changed batteries, and zap! everything gone.Contacted Handspring, (what a messy website)and lots of words came back, but were they really listening? Second time, I decided to replace batteries long before they needed it, just in case. Data gone. I did the change very fast, less than a minute as advised. I want a refund/repair or new device, but can't really get through to them. I've cooled down somewhat (they depend on that, I imagine) but surprise! I'm buying a new PDA, and it won't be one of theirs! Here I am, researching other brands.

Posted at November 11, 2003 07:40 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)