Handspring Releases New Visors

ByteHog writes: "Handspring now has 2 more Visors for us to play with. The Visor Neo, which comes in 3 different colors and the Visor Pro" The battery thing especially is a big deal.

Comments

And....

[NetJunkie]

I just picked up a new Ipaq 3670. I've had several Palms in the past and I won't go back until they really change something. While the Ipaq's battery life sucks, the screen is so much better as is the response time.

I just got a cradle and AC adapter for home and work. I just drop it in the cradle whenever I'm not using it and the battery life isn't that big of a deal. Palm/Visor need to make up about 3 or 4 years of features FAST.

No Real New Features...

[akiy]

So, is it basically:

Visor Deluxe + 3 new colors = Neo
Visor Platinum + Rechargeable = Pro

... or am I not seeing much else?

I went and sold my Platinum when the Prism came out in hopes that _real_ new features (increased resolution, more on-screen colors (not just the case!!!)) were around the corner. It seems like there's really nothing new under the sun from Handspring this time around...

Re:Disappointing

[PlazMatiC]

I'm still on my old Palm III. I don't really care about the colour, or the PalmOS version. Bluetooth, afaik, is pointless in .nz, as is wireless. The only issue I have with my Palm III is the amount of ram.

However, were I looking at buying a new PDA, I'd go with an Ipaq or a Journada. For roughly the same price, the storage is far bigger, the applications are far, far better (Hmm.. Useless notes program, or pocket word?), and the processor is much faster (I don't see any palm devices playing mpeg video any time soon)

That's my tree fitty, anyway.

Re:I'll Wait

[briareus]

What exactly is everyone doing with their handhelds that makes "color" and "multimedia" top priorities (other than using them as expensive toys that is)?

no more 2MB version?

[cetan]

I can't afford $200+ for a PDA, but $80 might be nice...why don't they even offer the basic 2MB model on the handspring site? That's sad. Give them a cheapone and they'll get hooked for more.

Sorry, but $200 is just too big of a step for a PDA for me. Yes, not everyone on /. is made of money :)

Re:Clie Visor

[Drel]

1. Memory stick -- proprietary overpriced Sony technology with Sony's idea of copyright protection incorporated. Woo-hoo.

2. High res color screen -- You don't get something for nothing. Much lower battery life, much higher price ($499, compared to $299, it appears).

3. Palm + mp3 player -- Neat. But not as neat as the Handspring 'Springboard' expansion slot, which supports modules for (yes, you guessed it) an mp3 player, several GPS modules, industry standard memory expansion (SmartMedia adapters, etc) and many others.

Handspring still definitely leads in terms of Geek Factor [tm] on the basis of the Springboard modules alone.

Re:I'll Wait

[Chris Tucker]

So briareus sez:

"What exactly is everyone doing with their handhelds that makes "color" and "multimedia" top priorities?"

Color does make for a more readable display in some instances, and as more and more websites start offering "content" (ugh. I hate that word!) for PDAs, maps, graphics, etc, color is very helpful.

Particularly with maps. The Boston subway system uses colors to designate subway lines. The subway map on a greyscale Palm display is usable, but it's not the easiest thing to decipher.

Of course, all that being said, I'm still not ready to ditch my faithful Palm IIIx for a color Palm or the Visor Prism just yet.

Color vs. Battery Life

[r2ravens]

I will trade away color for battery life any day. My PDA (TRGPro) is supposed to be a PD*A*, not an entertainment device.

I know that color can help the GUI a bit in quicker human recognition and differentiation, but it sucks a lot of power. I don't need color until a Palm with a color screen runs 4 weeks on a pair of AAA batteries.

I do agree that wireless networking is an essential feature for the near future and GPS could be very valuable.

I think it was a poor choice for Handspring to use a proprietary expansion slot. One of the reasons I selected my TRG was that it had a standard Compact Flash slot. I can use almost any CF peripheral, including additional memory, modem, barcode wand, whatever.