Customer Reviews

Handspring Visor Deluxe (Green)

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Let me put it this way: my firm just invested in a large number of PalmVx devices for our attorneys. Most of them are sitting around unused, or are used only as desk calendars.

A few of us more computer-oriented types went for the Handspring Visor. It is just as good as the Palm products for stodgy business uses, but considerably superior in its expansion capacities and general design, even though it uses the standard Palm OS. The Visor fairly begs to be played with, expanded, tweaked with, and pushed to its ultimate potential. It is extremely well-made, as are the Springboard modules that are now coming on the market. Combine a Visor with a Stowaway keyboard, and you will have almost no need for a laptop again. I have not been so impressed with a computer product in many years. I notice that PalmPilot fans tend to dis the Visor, presumably because change is threatening. Palms and Visors are both great machines. But if you really want to put a handheld to work as a computer, and have fun with it in the process, the Visor has the clear advantage.

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...

My first PDA was a Sharp Wizard, an attempt to replace an underused Daytimer. For 3 years or so, I loved the Hell out of that Wizard. It had a calendar, address book, to-do list, memo, storage files, and even an outliner, plus a little keyboard with remarkably good feel from its rubber keys. With considerable effort with an optional accessory, I could back it up on my PC, but it was so difficult I only did it 3-4 times in 3-4 years!

Then I played around with a Visor in my local office supply store. In the space of about 10 minutes at the store, I mastered the graffiti (inputting letters with a stylus), and the Wizard keyboard was suddenly a thing of the past. The Visor could do everything the Wiz could do, only easier, and the back-up...what a pleasure: With a USB port, about 5-10 sec! What I like: cool look (mine's Ice), nice feel, stylus, image clarity, alarm options, versatility, multiplicity of preferences and options, back-up, supporting software and shareware, ease of changing batteries. What I'd like to see: active-matrix display (color Palm is very good). Two suggestions for buyers: get an extended full-replacement warranty, and get the Fellowes WriteRight screen protectors.

I DO miss my Wiz...but only a little bit. It was a pioneer and had its place, just like Daytimer. The Visor is the next generation, and it's better, smaller, [much] more robust, less expensive, and has almost infinite expandability.

I have bought this product..., and have been using it for about 2 months. It's an amazing product , much more beautiful than the Palm IIIxE . The only problem , that i just discovered now , it's that the Visor don't ship with Flash ROM memory. That means that you can't upgrade his OS ( that is a modified version of the Palm OS 3.1 ). This could or could not be a problem for you guys . If you are a expert user ( like me ! ) , this sure will make you very angry ( when the new versions of the Palm OS , like the 3.5 , ships out , and you will not be able to use it! ) If you are just a regular user , this could affect you little or nothing.

One reviewer said that the Handspring falters due to the lackof Flash ROM. Handspring answers why they chose not to use Flash ROM... the Visor is upgradable via a Springboard module, and that most users would never need to rewrite the entire OS. Don't be afraid, a Visor is a great buy!

I never thought I would get rid of my dayplanner... I bought a "blue" visor in March of 2000, and, since then I live, eat, breath, (it sleeps next to my bed). I use it in my car, everywhere. Memory is excellent at 8mb, added numerous apps, and today, I actually "sent" via infrared a document from my visor to an HP Printer. It took me less than 5 minutes to download the software (through a DSL line), install, and print. As an IS Manager, many employees in my company use the Palm - boy, do they have issues... Can't connect via Serial,etc , difficult to set-up, etc.,etc. My Visor was up and running in my office in under 15 minutes, and, at home, the same. I also purchased a keyboard from Lanware and it is great because it also allows you to hotsync when the Visor is on the keyboard; this way, the USB cradle that the Visor came with stays at home. I have the equivalent of Excel 97 and Word 97, in additon to a dbase app which reads and writes to Access97, and an auto expense tracker (on which I track two vehicles), and Pocket Quicken (which syncs with my Quicken 2000), plus other apps- all this, plus my OUTLOOK 98 notes, memos, to-do's tasks, emails, calendar, etc and I am using less than 3mb of space. I still have about 5.0 mb of space available for data or more apps. Overall I rate the VISOR a 5. This is an incredible product. I am buying two more for the holidays - one for my spouse, a teacher, and one for one of my kids who is in college and using a paper (daytimer) scheduler. I can't wait!! Again, this unit is worth every dime -- especially when I am sitting in traffic, writing, or reading and responding to email I downloaded just before leaving my office. I don't even carry my laptop anymore as I travel between my company's two locations. My next purchase will be the modem for my Visor.

I have been using one for over a month now and I love it, having previously used a Palm Professional. It is better than a Palm for less money.

The advanced DateBook gives me the important list view of all my appointments. The advanced calculator is useful too.

I recommend the JOT handwriting program to allow use of the full screen for writing, the backup module to get a full copy of all contents; synch does not back up everything. I recommend books from peanutpress.com; I love being able to carry a book with me on my Visor. I did not find the memory expansion module to be very useful.

I use the leather belt clip carrier made for the Palm Pro. That way I always have my Visor with me. Most people just think I'm wearing a cell phone.

Knowing that future capabilities will be made available on new springboard modules is a plus.

Overall, a great buy and highly recommended.

I got a Handspring because it was cool. It has the card-slot (springboard), which is a little limited in what has actually come out for it, but it's a good design.

The deluxe model has 8MB, and this was a good price for an 8mb palm-pilot with an upgrade slot, plus, cool colors.

With the non-deluxe model, this is dropped to 2MB. It's only purpose in life was to be a cheaper replacement for the Palm III and earlier.

Then I realized the problem. The O/S is in ROM, not FLASH. The O/S on these are Palm v3.1, which is about a year old. THERE IS NO UPGRADE PATH TO PALM O/S 3.5! To upgrade, you have to buy a whole new one.

Even if you could, you'd have to wait for handspring's version.

I recommend the Palm-IIIxe, it's the same thing, minus the springboard module (only REALLY useful for a few things, which are easily worked around). Palm 3xe has 8mb, and FLASH ROM, plus it comes with Palm O/S 3.5 and is upgradable. If you NEED the cellphone or wireless option, there are sleeves that fit over the pilot that do this.

This is one incredibly handy device. I bought it when it first came out. I'm still amazed that I am finding new, helpful uses for it all the time. All boiled down the Handspring is a handheld computer who's function is only limited by the imagination of the thousands of programers currently writing software for the Palm OS. It is that helpful. At this point I use mine to store, read, refer to many manuals, and regulations (I'm a pilot), also to store and calculate my flight times via a spreadsheet, and even play a few games (not while I'm flying :) All this and it still tracks all my important dates on a calendar. It beeps when I need to do something or be somewhere and I even get to choose how much notice (when it beeps) and what kind of beep it is going to do. It is just that customizable. Whether it is my grocery list or an important meeting this is one handly device. Before buying it is worth going to tucows, zdnet, or palmgear and look for yourself how much software is avaiable for download. Just remember your looking for the Palm OS.

I have little experience with "real" Palms; however, I find the Handspring to be what was promised and more. What I particularly like is are the software plug ins available such as AvantGo to download and surf the internet offline and another applications (can't remember the name) which allows the download of HTML and DOC files. I calculated that the Handspring can store about 20 copies of a normal sized book (I have downloaded several). (This may be true of the Palm IIIeX as well.) I wish the case which occumpanies the Handspring was more convenient.