Handspring Visor Prism

by Handspring

Product Details

Product Manual [3.22mb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 4.8 x 3 x 0.7 inches ; 5.3 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B00004Y7TD
• Item model number: 1008NA
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (136 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #66,315 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: October 15, 2000

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

Handspring's first foray into the realm of color palmtops, the Visor Prism may not deliver the crispness of displays on the latest Windows CE devices from Casio and Compaq, but it does improve on the Palm IIIc, its main competitor.

While the Prism costs more than the Palm IIIc, its increased color depth and brightness (it delivers 16-bit color compared to the 8-bit color of the IIIc) really shines in gaming and graphical applications. Even the default world map that's used to set geographic location and time appeared more distinct and offered the illusion of 3-D.

Like other Visors, the Prism contains a Springboard module slot, letting users upgrade its capabilities--such as adding an MP3 player, expanding memory, and eventually adding a cell phone (among many options). With the color screen of the Prism, modules such as the eyemodule digital camera really take on new life. With the Prism, the eyemodule takes color pictures, while previous versions of the Visor only allowed users to view them in grayscale.

Further, unlike other Visors, the Visor Prism uses an internal lithium-ion rechargeable battery--a nice touch as the color display would have drained the standard two AAAs quickly. Handspring claims that a fully charged battery should last a week or two with normal use, but we found continuous use of the display, such as with game playing or extended note taking, wore the battery down much faster. However, every time the Prism syncs in the fast-transferring USB cradle, the battery gets charged--and it only takes a few minutes to top off the current level of juice.

Although the color screen only extends the thickness of the Prism by a tenth of an inch compared to previous Visors, it's still twice as thick as the sleek Palm V line of devices. But it is smaller than CE devices such as Casio's EM-500 and the Compaq iPaq, and for its size category of palmtops, it delivers the best colors around. --J. Curtis

Pros:

• 16-bit color (compared to the Palm IIIc's 8-bit color)
• 8 MB memory
• Expandable using Springboard modules

Cons:

• Color display not as bright or crisp as Pocket PCs

Product Description

Expandable: Snap in Springboard modules whenever you want. Connected: Sync quickly and easily with USB connection. Rechargeable: Recharge the battery right in the cradle. Imagine the possibilities when you add these modules: digital camera, gps receiver, game pack, phone , music player, wireless modem.

See all Product Description

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

56 of 56 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very nice PDA, but . . ., September 30, 2001

By 

R. Barnett "TechGuru" (MA., United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Handspring Visor Prism (Office Product)

Since this is my 1st PalmOS PDA I don't have as much experience as some other reviewers. However I do know what I do & do Not like. My list of Pros & Cons for this fine PDA:

Pros specific to this device:
1. Ability to display 65,000 different colors.
2. You can create notes/ business cards w/ color.
3. You can read and work faster. One thing I've found that's quicker than reading, to ID something, is color. If I label an item in a To-Do list in red for instance, I know w/o reading that its a hot item to do ASAP. This helps one prioritize items. It just makes sense.
4. CPU speed. This units fast. Although the color display DOES make the unit slightly slower than a Visor Pro/Platinum.
5. Color games beat B/W games when in waiting rooms. ;-)
6. Display easier to read indoors than a Palm m505. (Isn't this where 90% of its use will occur anyway?)

Cons specific to this unit:
1. Battery life. Handspring advertises up to 2 wk. between charges. Yea right! Maybe if you only use it for <5 mins. a day. Who do you know that can do Graffiti that fast? I usually get 4-7 days between charges. Or about 5 continous hrs. Which is generally better than a PocketPC but worse than a Palm m505's reflective color display.
2. Bulk. In this respect: Don't expect a carry case made for a Visor to fit unless it says it'll hold a Prism. Unit itself is easier to hold than a PocketPC w/ color.
3. Although better than before, you still can't get color with every PalmOS app thats out there.
4. Display washes out in bright sunlight.

Overall I'd give this unit a 9. It's a great unit but...Slim it down and give it more ram and battery life and I'd give it a "10". - Rob B. 9/2001

66 of 69 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Bulky and Heavy but Nice Colors, November 18, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Handspring Visor Prism (Office Product)

The new Handspring Visor Prism is a cool product for the right user. That user needs to care very little about size, bulkiness and probably should be an avid game player.

Some major problems I have with it are:

1) It is thicker, bulkier and heavier than the regular Handsprings, and not even close to the sleekness of the Palm V Series. It won't really fit in your pocket and will weigh you down. So, if you care about size and portability don't buy this product. The product looks terrible in a case as well. It is just too thick.

On the plus side:

2) The colors and the screen are very nice. However, I would say that unless you are an avid game player or plan on loading up your Visor with a lot of pictures then you really won't be able to show off the potential of the display. I have also found that the screen looks great in dim/dark conditions. It could be used as a flashlight in the dark, it is so bright. However, in normal bright conditions such as your office, outdoors, or in airports, I prefer the Palm B&W displays. The colors screen just doesn't show that well under normal conditions. It is kind of like when color screens for PCs first came out - Passive Matrix.

3) The rechargeable batteries are definitely a plus.

Oh, and one more thing: you will need to find color applications that support the Prism. There are some good ones such as ZAP2000, Todo plus, and flipchart.

Overall, I would rate the product a 3.5 stars.

40 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Take it from a proud new owner - it's a winner!, February 2, 2001

By 

Ryan K. Ozawa "Dad and Dork" (Honolulu, HI, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Handspring Visor Prism (Office Product)

I wanted to contribute to the feedback of general PDA and Handspring fans as an actual Prism owner and everyday user and say, it's worth it!

I had an old Palm III (and before that a Palm Pilot Personal), and am a longtime fan of the simplicity-is-key brilliance of the Palm OS. When Handspring debuted with its expansion slot, I knew my next PDA would come from them. In 2000, they came out with the faster Platinum, and the color Prism, and I mulled over the two until my brain started smoking.

I sprang, ultimately, for the Prism, even though I thought the color would be just a gimmick at best. But now I'm convinced: it makes a world of difference. I could never go back to the green screen. Even out of the box it's a more pleasant user experience - easier on the eyes. And no time at all, I'd downloaded heaps of free apps that took advantage of the color (including some gorgeous games, photo album utilities and movie players).

I also got the eyemodule digital camera add-in (also available at Amazon - I had to put the expansion slot to use, after all), and it makes a great partner to the Prism.

The Prism's screen is not as brilliant as the Palm IIIc or other PocketPCs - but the greater color depth makes a world of difference compared to the former. It's hard to use outdoors in the sun, but if you're a cubicle inmate like me, it shouldn't be a problem.

Another distinguishing feature of the Prism is the rechargable battery. At first I thought I'd feel weird depending on the charging cradle, but it's second nature... and it absolutely beats wasting AAA batteries or fiddling with rechargable AAAs (I've a desk full of 'em!). With daily use, I've yet to see my battery meter drop below three-quarters full. The biggest downside is travel - make sure you have a travel charger cable (also available on Amazon).

And the speed is nothing to sneeze at. Both the Prism and Platinum boast a boost of 50 percent over previous models... and compared to my old Palm III? Thinking back to life then is like remembering my first 486 computer.

Other notes: The Prism is slightly thicker and heavier (with a power button on the right side), so custom cases you have for other Visors might not work (I use Handspring's own "sport case" with no problems). Also, it's contrast settings are sometimes off out of the factory, but an "easter egg fix" posted around the web can solve most "shimmer/flicker" problems.

Bottom line? The Prism is the first PDA to have it all. The simplicity and efficiency of the Palm OS. The speed of the latest chips. A built-in long-life rechargable battery. And a color screen. If you were debating between the latest offerings like I was, the extra dollars are definitely worth it.