Color My (PDA) World
Written: Dec 09 '00 (Updated Dec 09 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great Color, All the Palm Virtues
Cons: Cost of the Springboard Modules
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| kajguy's Full Review: Handspring Visor Prism Handheld |
After being an advocate of Personal Digital Assistants (PDA) for many years now, it is so gratifying to see them emerge from techno-geek obscurity into the bright spotlight of mainstream popularity. Why? Because the concept of a fully capable computer in your pocket is so viable. A couple years ago, Jeff Hawkins, the inventor of the original Palm Pilot, left 3Com, after it purchased Palm Computing, to start his own company to manufacture another, competing, PDA based upon the ingenious Palm Operating System. And, thus was born Handspring and the Visor PDA line. The Visor Prism is the latest addition to the family.
When the Visor line was first introduced late last year, there were incredible snafus in the ordering system and it was annoyingly difficult to buy one, since they were only sold online from Handspring's Web site. My own order was botched twice and so I ultimately stuck to my Palm. But, in the past year, Handsping has apparently mastered these problems and the Visor line is now widely available at retail outlets across the country and has snared a significant chunk of the PDA market pie.
It is now time to reconsider the Visor, and, most importantly, the latest Visor, the top-of-the-line “Prism”, which sports all the standard Palm OS features plus a gorgeous new 64,000 color display. The crispness, clarity and color depth of the Prism’s color display flat out blow away the wimpy 256 color display of the comparable PalmIIIc. Wisely, Palm has dropped the retail price on the IIIc (which formerly retailed for about the same price as the Prism) by $120.00. That’s just a tip as to how good the Prism is.
As with all Visors, the principal advantage of the Prism over the comparable model of the Palm is the "Springboard" expansion slot on the back of the unit. This allows you to insert all manner of interesting third-party devices (Springboard Modules) which instantly convert the Prism, and the other Visors, into a digital camera, a cellular phone, an MP3 player, a GPS navigator, etc. When the Visor line was first introduced, there were almost no Modules at all. Now, there are several, although they are still pricey. I am most intrigued with the concept of making the Prism into a cellular phone capable of making video phone calls.
Also, unlike the comparable Palm models, the Visors all come with audio recording capabilities and with playback via headphones. The Visor's also come with USB connectivity, which is a real plus over many of the Palms. I tried the Palm USB Kit with my PalmIIIe and could never get my computer to recognize it. The Visor USB implementation works. The Visors also have a beefed up Calendar and Calculator, although I consider these only marginal improvements over the Palm.
I also like the cosmetics on the Visor line better than the Palms. The cases look much classier, although I really don’t care for the colored models that much. Yes, it's fun for cell phones, but I really don't see the point with a PDA. The basic dark gray is fine by me.
I've hosted Palmtopia (www.chrisopfell.com/palmtopia.htm) for the past two years and seen all the Palm devices, including Visors. I've owned three Palms. Like the Palms, the Visors, including the Prism, have all of these "gee whiz" features:
It has an infrared port that allows you do "beam" anything from your electronic business card to complete programs, like Pocket Chess and Tiny Sheet (an Excel compatible spread sheet), to other Palm users and vice versa. Try it. Talk about great conversation starters! I've actually make friends this way.
It has the rock-solid Palm OS 3.5 operating system, which means it boots up instantly and does not crash. Kiss that hourglass good-bye!
It has the same core applications as all of the other Palms: the address book, the memo list, the to do list and the scheduler, complete with unlimited alarms, in case you forget something.
You can also download the same 5,000 plus Palm OS-compatible programs available on the Internet (like games, language translators, spreadsheets, e-books, calculators, remote controls, drink-mixing guides, virtual girlfriends, etc.) as the Palms.
The Prism will work with an optional modem Module so you are e-mail endowed and, some very rudimentary Web surfing. It will also upload and download all your Palm data from your desktop computer in a process known as Syncing. So, if you lose your Prism you have not lost your data. The Palm can also be made password protectable so prying eyes won't be able to feast.
It uses the same touchscreen technology that permits you to enter data by writing it in on the screen with a stylus using the included Graffiti handwriting recognition program, which is simple and quickly learned playing the included Giraffe game. Of course, there is also a tiny popup onscreen “virtual” keyboard so you can tap away, like a typewriter, but my advice is the learn Graffiti and enjoy your leisure time. I believe Graffiti is the single most important element in making the Palm-based PDAs the success they are compared with the prior generation of tedious data entry devices, like the Sharp Wizards.
Whew! For $449.00 SRP, the Visor Prism is loaded! Unfortunately, given the popularity of all Visors, don't expect to find much of a discount on the Prism, if any, especially now during the holiday season. Searching MySimon.com might be your best bet, though.
As an attorney, I've been able, using a free program called "Make Doc", to convert legal documents into the Palm format so I can have them with me on my PDA when I'm in Court. I don't worry about all the deadlines I have to face on my cases. I just enter them into my PDA, and the PDA chirps delightedly to remind me when I need to do something. I can't begin to tell you how much aggravation this has spared me, not to mention jail time! I love the convenience of the To Do list, where only the things that need to be done that day show up. If I don't complete them, I can instantly continue them to any date I choose.
And, I have all the "hard law" I need stored in the Memo section. Since it is word-searchable, when I am in Court arguing in front of the Judge, I can very quickly look up what I need, since my Palm-based PDA boots up instantly. Ouch for the bad guys!
While I'm waiting in the Courtroom for my case to be called, I can study a legal treatise that I have stored for review or look busy while I play Pocket Chess, one of hundreds of games designed for the Palm. How's that,counsel? In fact, one of my friends who claims to be a chess expert found it impossible to beat my PDA! It really is a computer, not just an organizer.
I have now convinced several of my associates to get a Palm-based PDA. And, unanimously, they all ask me: "How did I ever get by without it?" Well, they must have, but it certainly wasn't easy.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 449.00
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Epinions.com ID:
kajguy
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Member: Chris Opfell
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Reviews written: 42
Trusted by: 14 members
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