Customer Reviews

Handspring Visor (Graphite)

5 star:		(39)
4 star:		(30)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(13)

 

 

I've had my Visor for 2 months now and it has been a great purchase. Compared to the Palm IIIe and Palm M100, I believe it is superior in almost every facet. My girlfriend has a Palm IIIe and the only drawbacks I can think of for the visor are: the cover, the stylus, and lack of ROM. The cover is definitely a little annoying to deal with and handspring should really create a flip cover like palm devices have. The stylus that comes with the visor isn't as nice as the one that comes w/ the IIIe, but this is rather minor as it is plenty good to get the job done. The lack of ROM isn't as big of an issue to me because newer versions of the OS are mainly different to allow the newer devices' features to work properly (color display for Palm IIIc and Visor Prism), and in most cases do not affect the functionality of older devices. On the other hand, the visor can offer users so many more possibilities than a comparable device by palm. Springboards are now abundant and the options available are really amazing (check them out before you buy either palm or handspring). Although currently they are relatively expensive, as with any new technology, in due time the price will come down to level where the average buyer will be able to afford them. One main reason I bought a visor rather than a comparable palm was because I was worried that RAM would be an issue sometime in the near future. With Visor, you can buy a RAM springboard and get on with life again, with a Palm, what you start off with is what you will end up with. Before I bought mine, I didn't know how much I would use my visor or what I would use it for. I didn't want to get stuck with a device that wouldn't meet my needs if I ended up using it a lot.

Finally, just some advice for those buying PDAs: regardless of which brand you buy, think about what you will use it for. For example, if you aren't going to have a ton of reference data or books stored on your PDA, 2 MBs will get you through quite a bit. Buy a PDA that will take care of your needs, but also one that will allow a little growth (most people don't realize how much potential there is for their PDA... tons of free downloadable programs). Finally, I highly suggest buying some type of protective case (there are some nice small ones out there that aren't too bulky, e.g. a palmglove or the new handspring neoprene) for carrying your PDA around in. Whatever brand you buy, it won't be able to hold up to very many drops (if any) or sitting down on in your back pocket.

I bought the Visor after my Philips Nino DIED after less than two months of service. The short battery life of the Nino wasn't nice, but the short life of the BACKUP battery definitely hurt! I didn't bother getting it changed, the Nino is in the bin.

So, I had the obvious choice of the Palm platform. It is robust, no crashes (yes, CE crashes big time), highly compatible (CE has compatibility problem with Win NT! ) and has extremely long battery life (2 months, versus 2 days for CE powered devices). The obvious choice was Palm IIIe for a no-frill technology minded engineer like me. However, Handspring popped up on my screen at the right time. Now this is what I call value.

Handspring was established by the inventor of the original Palm Pilot and the team consists of all the key personnel of Palm Computing (before they left!). The Visor, from all that I have read, was developed to OVERTAKE Palm, in terms of productivity, infinitely upgradeability and value. The Visor is selling at around the same price as the Palm IIIe and has about the same specifications. However, while the Palm IIIe will always be what it is, the Visor can be upgraded through the purchase of SpringBoard modules. These modules include memory, backup software, games (like PGA Golf), digital camera (you read RIGHT!) etc etc, and a lot are on the pipeline. And remember, anything that runs on Palm will run on the Visor, they use the same operating system. Also, Visor comes with the IMPROVED version of Datebook, called Datebook+, and it's more useful than ever. It is so user friendly it requires NO learning on my part and I could almost run it straight out of the box.

Now you know why the Visor is a better choice than Palm III, and even Palm V. Identify your need. If you see less than 1200 friends normally, I guess you would be very happy with the normal Visor (also, really great for college students, believe me). If you are the gadget guy, go get the Deluxe version (with more RAM and comes in five tasty colors). Still want to get the Palm? Well, feel free...I stick with my Visor, with a big smile knowing that it is 110% well worth the money.

My Palm IIIx (which I loved) slipped out of my hand, and as luck would have it, fell face down on a rock. Bye-Bye IIIx. Since I've become addicted to PDA's I waited several days until my mourning period was over and was ready to by another IIIx (actually IIIxe, the IIIx replacement). Didn't even think about buying another make or model since I was so satisfied with my IIIx for the year that I had it. I mentioned my loss to a fellow worker, who had a black (graphite) 2MB Handspring Visor. Found out that it not only used the Palm OS, but that the company was created by some of the folks who worked at Palm, which suggested to me that with all that know-how, the Handspring would be as good as my Palm or even more so. When she showed me that back of her Handspring, and I saw the removable module, that did it! The one thing I had always wished the PDA's had were interchangable modules, like my Texas Instruments T-58 programable calculator from over twenty years ago! If only my Palm had a backup module I would very rarely have to hot-sync to my laptop to backup my data, and here it was in the Visor. Even though there is an 8MB model, for my purposes I never even used half of the 4MB in my Palm, so the 2MB Handspring model was plenty. Plus, if the time came where I did need more memory, there is an 8MB flash memory module that I could slip into the handspring. That did it. I've had mine for two weeks now (with the optional backup module and a metal stylus to replace the plastic one that comes with the 2MB model). I love it! The screen is tack sharp, and I've had no problems what so ever. If you are in the market for a PDA, check out Handspring before making your decision.

I used a Palm pilot for a year and then had to give it up when I left my job. The Palm interface is brilliant and totally friendly, so I didn't want to lose that. Because of the price, I was attracted to the Visor. Having used it for a couple of months, I like the Visor at least as much as the pilot, if not more. The only negative is that the Visor is slightly larger and I can feel it in my shirt pocket.

Otherwise, I think the Visor buttons are more responsive. I love the City Time program that comes with it. This not only gives the time in four other cities besides your own, but the graphic displays a "sun clock" that shows a worldmap with continents in day or night. Also, touch the map and city times pop up.

The Date book plus is a fine improvement over the Palm date book. I use it as my daily to do list. It allows you to give 'floating appointment' which you check off when done. If you don't complete it, it pops up on the following day.

The Visor calculator is many steps up from the Palm, it lets you do all kinds of conversions, miles to KM, ounces to grams, temperature, length, area, volume and finance, so I could get rid of my HP 12C, too.

I like the USB port which syncs about twice as fast as the serial one did.

I like the fact that the batteries are replaceable. When I traveled with the pilot, I was always concerned about using it too much as its charge went down. (I play cribbage and hearts on the pilot on airplanes.) With the Visor, I just bring spare batteries.

I have ordered an expansion module with another 8MB because there are so many cool programs available for the Palm operating system.

In summary, you get the benefit of the very friendly Palm operating system and some improvements in design for a lower price.

Check it out.

I don't think there's any other PDA more worth its value. All the Palms are over rated, expensive and can't be expanded. My friend has a M100 and it's not worth the money. Other PDAs like the Jornada and the one by Compaq don't have the Palm operating system and that's a major flaw. Sony's PDA has Palm OS but costs 400 dollars. It's worth it's value because of the memory stick capabilities, but I can't think of anybody who has 400 bucks to spend on a PDA. The Visor is just perfect and at only $180, it's very reasonable. All the functions of the visor is the same as the Palm and I don't understand why someone can chose something that can't be expanded if it costs the same price.

I finally gave up trying to balance home/work/family. I decided to keep everything in one place and the Handspring Visor was something I could afford that included everything that I wanted. Its great - easy to learn with the display instruction. I popped the batterys in and started using it in seconds. I carry it with me where ever I go and I can say it is making my life easier already. From birthdays, grocery list, events and TO DO list. Its got it all. You don't have to be an executive or know anything about computers. Its great - MOMS will love it!

I have been using my Visor since December of 1999 and it has been GREAT! Besides the great features for a reasonable price, it has filled a need for me to have updated information with me wherever I go. With this Visor, I keep it synched with both my work and home computers. Before this, I would always be at home - and needing an email address on my work comuter - and vice versa. Plus the hassle and weight of carrying a paper calendar and notebook, from which I had to transfer information by hand every year to a new one. Now I have all my info all the time - and it serves as the "link" keeping home and work computers on the same page. I am now so ORGANIZED! <smile>. I did a lot of research and spoke with several "tech" friends - who all recommended the Visor over the Palm. I have compared models belonging to friends and firmly believe I have the better PDA - at a better price. Buy it!

My Visor is great. As an avid internet user and a busy college student in need of organization, this was by far one of the most wise purchases i have ever made. I am really impressed with the all of the palm software there is available, and the Springboard slot makes the Visor that much more useful. If you're undecided between a Palm Pilot and a Visor, I would reccomend the Visor, because it is far more versatile and expandable than the Palm Pilot.

I just bought a Visor graphite, what a great product! It is expandable with lots of cool modules, including an MP3 player. Can be expanded with 8mb ram modules, and supports all Palm OS applications. The OS is update-able by installing patches. The buttons have a nice responsive feel to them, and it hot syncs fast with the USB port, the hard cover is nice too. The datebook plus is a visor exclusive and has more features than the regular datebook that is also included. It also has a world time program, and an advanced calculator that turns my visor into the ultimate device. Lots of freeware availible for the Palm OS, which is nice! The visor deluxe just adds 8mb of ram, which I don't need yet. If I do need 8mb in the future, I just buy the expansion module! It can also beam with any palm device that has an IR port. Great purchase. I like the fact that the contrast can be adjusted by an on screen "button" too.

PROS

1-Solid, compact, simple, attractive design. 2-USB cradle (faster than Palm m100's serial cable). 3-Larger screen than Palm m100. 4-Logical placement of buttons; 5-Easy expanability of memory and other options through Springboard expansion slot. (Palm m100 cannot be expanded.) 6-2MB memory is more than adequate for most users. (I have about 5 games, Avantgo web clipping software and other applications and still have memory remaining. Palm applications utilize memory much more efficiently, and therefore are much smaller, than comparable MS PocketPC applications.)

CONS

1-Snap on cover is cumbersome and a bit annoying to some (including me). I would have preferred a flip top cover. But a cover is better than no cover, since the screen needs adequate protection from the elements. 2-Infrared sensor is located on the side of the PDA, which makes it awkward to communicate with Palm PDAs (where the infrared sensor is more logically located on the top). This would be OK, but certain applications, such as the universal remote software, are difficult to use with the infrared sensor on the side of the unit. 3-Cheap stylus. Plus, the stylus doesn't snap or click into its slot, which makes the stylus easy to lose.

OVERALL

- A good buy overall. However, I would consider spending a few extra bucks to buy the Palm IIIxe. The new Sony Clie is also a compelling product. Handspring is a nice product but I'm not sure it's superior to Palm or Sony. In the final analysis, it's hard to go wrong with any Palm-OS-based PDA product currently available. They are superior to PocketPC products in terms of their practical usability and functionality and are generally well made. I would recommend a Handspring for its expandability but would recommend a Palm for its logical design and build quality.