A Decent Product from a Decent Company...
Written: Jun 12 '00 (Updated Jun 26 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Inexpensive, Highly Customizable and Expandable, USB and Serial Port Support
Cons: Hardwired OS, Cheap Stylus, Handspring sacrificing long-term customer satisfaction for short-term growth
The Bottom Line: Low price is no bargain if you can't count on the product! Fortunately, Handspring seems to be figuring this out.
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| jtoc72's Full Review: Handspring Visor Deluxe Handheld |
As promised, I am reporting back on the status of my Visor Deluxe following the installation of an OS patch supplied by Handspring.
Two words: it worked! :-)
I am happy to report that my Visor hasn't crashed once in the month or so since I downloaded and installed the patch. And, the little problem with my one-touch back-up module also seems to have been corrected as well.
As for Handspring. I emailed them with my concerns, and I received an email back saying they would forward my concern up the food chain in customer service - and that was the last I heard from them.
I know that Handspring is a fairly large company with a large client base, and they can't give personal attention to everyone who buys their products. However, my main criticism of the way they're handling their products stands: I want the product I bought to work. I don't want to trade it in for an $85 replacement, or a $100 credit towards a more expensive model with bells and whistles I don't really need.
They ought to remember what happened to Xerox in the late 70s and early 80s: Xerox had the fastest, most efficient repair crews in the world. The problem is, most folks would much rather have their product work continuously without breakdowns than have world-class repair technicians come out and fix them!
Apart from that, I have no real complaints.
SECOND REVIEW FOLLOWS...
In the interests of fairness, I am leaving my old review up, as I stand by it. However, I've had some developments occur with my Visor that I wanted to share, and they don't reflect well on the product or the company.
Since acquiring my Visor, I did have to perform cold reboots of its OS about a half-dozen times between 1999 and 2001. Considering that I got the unit for free, and initially packed a number of shareware and freeware programs onto it, I figured such inconvenience was minimal and probably my fault.
Since the beginning of 2001, however, my Visor began crashing more often; first every few weeks, then just about once each week. I have removed everything from the unit except it's default software and AvantGo, but the problem has only gotten worse. Also, the one-touch back-up module I bought to ensure that I could quickly restore my Visor while away from my office has NEVER worked - not once!
In my field, losing the entire content of my PDA can quickly go from being an inconvenience to a career-threatening problem. When my Visor crashed on 5/21/2001, it took the directions to a very important conference with one of my company's software development partners with it. I had to drive 30 miles out of my way round-trip to my office to get the contact information I needed, and was 15 minutes late to my appointment. Thank you, Handspring! :-(
I called Handspring and they informed me that the unit was no longer under warranty, but that they would be happy to replace it for $80. If this were a hardware issue I would consider this a bargain; but the problem appears to be the unit's OS, which is the same today as it was the day I first bought the unit. If Handspring's products only have a 2 year life expectancy, they need to lower their replacement costs or put a warning label on the back of their PDAs! Moreover, the price of my particular Visor has dropped from $249 to $199, and now includes a free case. An $80 replacement fee isn't *that* great a deal for people who bought first-generation Handspring products!
To be fair, the Customer Service representative was professional and courteous, and did direct me to an OS patch on the Handspring Web site which I installed this morning (5/22/2001). If this does the trick, I'll report back. However, given that Handspring emails me promotional material regularly, I am confused as to why they didn't email me a notice about the OS upgrade as well. I am much more interested in keeping my Visor running than buying a color-coordinated case or a phone plug-in for it!
The Visor is still a bargain, and I can't deny that I was initially very happy with my purchase - which ended up costing me nothing. However, given the problems I've been having lately, the fact that the back-up module never did work (a $120 add-on), and the apparent change in the company's attitude towards it customers, I'm seriously considering putting the $80 replacement cost towards an iPaq...
ORIGINAL REVIEW FOLLOWS...
I've been very, very happy with my Visor Deluxe and with the service I've received from Handspring, its manufacturer.
While the Visor is bulky compared to the newer Palms, it is the same size as the baseline Palm model. I've also found it to be extremely durable - much more so than a coworker's aluminum Palm V. Her Palm V came with a "flip-top" cover that snapped-off when she dropped it; my plastic-encased Visor just bounced when I dropped mine.
It is too bad that the Palm OS is hard-wired into the Visor. On the other hand, there is no shortage of software for Palm OS 3.1, and with 8 MB of memory, you get a lot more bang for your buck with a Visor Deluxe running 3.1 than most Palms running 3.3.
Handspring is totally dedicated to customer service in a way that Palm - so far as I know - isn't. I ordered my Visor the very first day that Handspring began taking orders. Due to overwhelming demand, their database crashed and my order was lost. However, their Web site had automatically generated a receipt for me. The upshot is this: when I called Handspring and provided them with proof of purchase, they sent me my entire order for FREE. Since my purchase included their one-touch back-up module, I received over $400 worth of hardware in exchange for my interest in their product.
One word of warning about the Visor and Visor Deluxe: they come with really cheap styli. I can say from experience that the standard stylus that comes with a Palm will also damage the unit's screen; protective screen covers are a must for any handheld. However, the Visor's stylus really beats on the unit's display. It also lowers the perception of quality surrounding the product - Handspring ought to reconsider its decision to ship their products with an un-molded plastic lump rather than a decent metal-and-silicone stylus.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 280.00
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Epinions.com ID:
jtoc72
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Location: Inkster, MI
Reviews written: 1
Trusted by: 0 members
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