Handspring Visor Neo (Smoke)

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

Manufacturer: Handspring
Price at amazon.com: $149.99
This item is not stocked or has been discontinued.

Product Features:

• Affordable handheld with 8 MB RAM stores thousands of addresses, appointments, to-do items, and more
• Built-in address book, to-do list, memo pad, date book, advanced calculator, and world clock
• Use expansion slot to turn the Visor Neo into an MP3 player, modem, GPS receiver, and more with optional Springboard modules
• Runs Palm operating system works with thousands of Palm OS applications; compatible with Windows 98, Me, and 2000 and Mac System 8.5 or later
• What's in the box: Visor Neo, USB HotSync cradle, Stylus, 8 MB RAM, Two AAA batteries, Snap cover, Desktop synchronization software for Windows and Mac

Product Description:

Get the memory, versatility, and speed of a much more expensive handheld with the affordable Handspring Visor Neo. This striking, smoke-gray handheld comes with 8 MB of memory, allowing you plenty of space to store thousands of names, addresses, appointments, memos, to-do items, expense items, and e-mails. Plus, the Visor Neo runs with a fast 33 MHz Motorola Dragonball VZ processor--the same as in the Visor Edge. Expand the capabilities of your Visor Neo with the built-in expansion slot, which lets you turn your handheld into an MP3 player, pager, modem, and GPS receiver. Just slide an optional hardware or software Springboard module into the slot on the back, and your Visor Neo takes on a new function with no configuration or additional software required. The Handspring Visor Neo runs the popular Palm operating system, so it is fully compatible with thousands of Palm OS applications. Also, Handspring has added features to the Palm OS, like an advanced datebook, calculator, world clock, and built-in floating-point math support. Enter memos and notes into your Visor Neo with the easy-to-use Graffiti handwriting software. With the Visor Neo's speedy USB connection, synchronizing data with your desktop has never been easier. Just place your Visor Neo into the included USB cradle and exchange data with the touch of a button. The Visor Neo's infrared port lets you beam data to other handhelds, and it also has a built-in microphone for use with digital voice recorder modules. The Handspring Visor Neo comes with a USB HotSync cradle, stylus, snap cover, desktop synchronization software for Windows and Mac, software link to Microsoft Outlook (Windows only), two AAA batteries, and a one-year warranty. What's in the box Visor Neo USB HotSync cradle Stylus 8 MB RAM Two AAA batteries Snap cover Desktop synchronization software for Windows and Mac

Description from Manufacturer:Get the memory, versatility, and speed of a much more expensive handheld with the affordable Handspring Visor Neo. This striking, smoke-gray handheld comes with 8 MB of memory, allowing you plenty of space to store thousands of names, addresses, appointments, memos, to-do items, expense items, and e-mails. Plus, the Visor Neo runs with a fast 33 MHz Motorola Dragonball VZ processor--the same as in the Visor Edge.

Expand the capabilities of your Visor Neo with the built-in expansion slot, which lets you turn your handheld into an MP3 player, pager, modem, and GPS receiver. Just slide an optional hardware or software Springboard module into the slot on the back, and your Visor Neo takes on a new function with no configuration or additional software required.

The Handspring Visor Neo runs the popular Palm operating system, so it is fully compatible with thousands of Palm OS applications. Also, Handspring has added features to the Palm OS, like an advanced datebook, calculator, world clock, and built-in floating-point math support. Enter memos and notes into your Visor Neo with the easy-to-use Graffiti handwriting software.

With the Visor Neo's speedy USB connection, synchronizing data with your desktop has never been easier. Just place your Visor Neo into the included USB cradle and exchange data with the touch of a button. The Visor Neo's infrared port lets you beam data to other handhelds, and it also has a built-in microphone for use with digital voice recorder modules.

The Handspring Visor Neo comes with a USB HotSync cradle, stylus, snap cover, desktop synchronization software for Windows and Mac, software link to Microsoft Outlook (Windows only), two AAA batteries, and a one-year warranty.

What's in the box

• Visor Neo
• USB HotSync cradle
• Stylus
• 8 MB RAM
• Two AAA batteries
• Snap cover
• Desktop synchronization software for Windows and Mac

Average Customer Rating:

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Comment: The best PDA for the price... Rating:
The Visor NEO is practically identical to the Visor Deluxe, except it comes with a processor that is twice as fast. Because the Palm software is so efficient, that speed is rarely an issue, and you can save a bit by getting the cheaper 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 -- addresses, to-do lists, and access to downloadable features like Avantgo (a free service that allows you to download publications like the New York Times, CNN, Sports Illustrated onto your Palm).
I've even put a free map of my county on my PDA from Mapopolis.com (a must if you haven't tried it! Streets are searchable). Also, make sure you add Vindigo, a city guide that gives restaurant and movie reviews and showtimes.

The Handspring models have the best features for the money. They have a noticeably larger screen than the 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 low-end Deluxe and Neo are significantly larger than the Palm V, which is significantly more expensive.
The PDA still fits in my chest pocket, though.
Also, unlike the Palm V, 500 and 505, the 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.

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. 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?

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Comment: Good PDA solution for the bare necessities Rating:
Handspring's Visor NEO is just one of dozens of PDA's on the market. Basically, if you are looking for a good serviceable PDA, the Visor NEO is just about as good a choice as any PDA out there.

Here are some product highlights:

1.It has everything you need. All the standard PDA features you've come to love and expect are here: calendar, address book, to-do list, notepad, tools and utilities, expandable hardware, downloadable software, beaming, HotSync software for your PIM software (Outlook, PalmDesktop, etc).

2.Black and white screen.

3.8 MB ram

Drawbacks:

1.Black-white screen. While Handspring PDAs have bigger screens than their Palm competitors, if you use your PDA frequently you'll eventually suffer from what I call "old-school" Gameboy syndrome as you'll probably rack up the optometrist visits due to all the squinting because of the black and white screen.

2.Needs batteries. As this PDA does not come with lithium batteries (which are rechargeable and in most cell phones) you'll need to occasionally replace your AAA Energizers every few months when they die out.

In a nutshell, the Visor NEO is just as good as about any other PDA. If you are on a budget, at about $$$ this is the cheapest and most serviceable solution out there for your needs. The Visor NEO is good, but not great.

The one advantage the Visor NEO (and all Handspring PDAs) have over their Palm competitors are its larger screens. They are easier to read than Palms because of this.

Overall, the Visor NEO is a solid, if slightly flawed product. It's the cheapest, but still very much serviceable, PDA solution out there. If you need more out of you PDA, consider the higher models.

Mildly Recommended

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Comment: Good for Beginners but watch out.... Rating:
I have had my Neo for about 6 months now and use it several times an hour as I am a therapist trying to keep up with appointments and phone numbers all day in and out of the office. This thing had become like my right hand until last week when the batteries went dead. As before, I fetched some new batteries, put them in the back, closed the compartment, but...no power. Tried several other sets of batteries, still no power. My heart sank, considering all my appointments for the day (not to mention the month and previous few months) were in there and I had no idea what I was supposed to be doing that afternoon. After several attempts, the Neo powered back on but guess what? ALL MY INFORMATION WAS ERASED. Thankfully, I had hotsynched about 2 weeks before this event but not often enough to retrieve any information for the last two weeks or the following month. I have spent a solid week recompiling my appointments and phone numbers but, even so, all the phone numbers have my fax number in parenthesis before the actual number. I don't understand that, but whatever, it was easy to erase all that. Lesson learned here: if you purchase one of these, hotsynch daily and be careful of technical glitches in the programming. Myself, I am returning this and shopping for a color PDA NOT made by Handspring.

Posted at November 11, 2003 07:59 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)