OVERVIEW

A few years ago when Palm dominated the PDA market, out sprang Handspring's Visor line into competition. They gradually became a leader in the PDA market, and for good reasons. Their products, although using the same Palm OS system, allows expandability though their Springboard modules. Moreover, Visors usually sell at a lower price compared to the Palmpilots with the same computing power and memory.

HARDWARE

My Visor Deluxe (graphite) came with the following:

--- The PDA itself
Undeniably the most important part of your package. I am not bothering to post specifications here, since they are available at Handspring's website (http://www.handspring.com). But, just by comparing with its main competitor, Palm Vx, one can see the Palm has a sleek, smooth aluminum casing, whereas the Visor has a more rugged, tough graphite casing. My dad has been using a Palm Vx for around two years; I had the chance to use it for a while and it has a very solid build. The Visor is no less inferior, even though the casing is made of plastic and not metal, it does not deform much or makes squeaky noises when you squeeze the PDA from its sides. The ribbed edges of the Visor allows one to hang on to the PDA easier, and the better grip gives users a sense of security.

--- Hard plastic cover
The cover is a solid piece of plastic that you attach onto the PDA to protect the screen, or the back of the PDA, depending on whether you attach on the front or the back. It fits perfectly onto the front, covering the screen completely. Some people do find the cover annoying, mostly because it takes a bit of work to unhook the top clip, then pull the cover completely away (yes, the plastic cover is not attached to the PDA with a hinge like the Palmpilots), and THEN either clip it back onto the PDA's back, or throw it across the table/put it in your pocket. The cover is not designed to absorb shock, because the back part of the PDA is completely exposed, and there is no cushioning whatsoever (since it's just a piece of plastic). Therefore I think the sole purpose for it is to protect the screen from scratching. I don't like to use it too much for fear that eventually the indentation to where the clip hangs on to will wear away with every snap on and off. Besides, it gets annoying when you want to quickly look something up in your PDA, but you have to play around with the cover first. Therefore, I use...

--- Black slip leathercase
...which lets the PDA slip in snuggly. The slip case is not too thin (offering a certain amount of shock and scratch protection) nor too thick (not too baggy to slip into your coat pocket). I find it perfect for the Visor. However, the top of the PDA is exposed, to let you hold onto and pull the PDA out when you need it. I personally don't find this a problem, since the PDA is very secure in the pouch that it won't slip out (in case some of you have misinterpreted the name "slip" case). If you carry the PDA in your pocket/backpack/briefcase/trouser pocket (if it's big enough), the slipcase offers ample protection. If you're the sporty type who runs around with your PDA (that's not a good idea anyway), go get those sport cases that completely envelopes the handheld with thick cushioning

--- Free black leather case
It came free with the Visor Deluxe discounts and promotions. The open/close tab is made of Velcro. Your PDA is attached to a black plastic cover (same as the one that comes with the box) that is sewn onto the case. The cover of the case lets you put 3 business cards, plus a bigger slot for receipts, bigger cards, etc. I used it for a while, but changed back to the slipcase, since (1) it is a bit more thick than the slipcase, and I like to carry my PDA in my jacket's inner pocket; (2) I love the feeling of my handheld in my hands. :) Holding the big leather case beats the purpose of using a smaller handheld over bulky paper organizers...

--- USB cradle
The only special thing about this is the USB connection: alot faster than serial cables included with Palmpilots. However, this is only good if your computer has USB ports. It'd actually cost you to get a serial cradle from Handspring. People have reported problems with the Hotsync button (too loose, doesn't work after a while, etc) but I find absolutely no problems at all. It works just by pressing it lightly. Guys, using brute force will not get you what you want. And this applies to other situations as well :)

--- Stylus
A well-weighted stylus with plastic tip and a metal body. The top unscrews to review a screwdriver (for those people who want to void their warranty by taking the handheld apart. Actually, I find the screwdriver perfect for my glasses as well), and the bottom unscrews to reveal a reset pin. I know, it's a standard for styli shipped with almost every model now, but... just to let you know :)

SOFTWARES

--- Palm OS 3.1, non-upgradable. The latest Visors are already shipped with the patched OS 3.1, which fixes some crash problems with the earlier OS. I haven't had a crash at all from the time I have started using my Visor Deluxe. Palm OS 3.1 is rock solid and is very stable. The non-upgradable issue is not serious... afterall, in a year or so you might be getting a new PDA just like most people.

--- The usual Memo pad, Address, To-Do list, etc. AND....

--- Enhanced Datebook and Calculator! The enhanced calculator allows you to do scientific functions and conversions between different units. The enhanced datebook allows you to put to-do items on the calendar, plus create "floating" events (similar to to-do items), but the entry will "float" from one day to the next until you check it as completed.

--- And thousands more from websites like Palmgear, CNet, Zdnet, etc

OTHER OPINIONS

--- As with any PDA, it's advisable to get microfilm protectors for your screen. I got WriteRight from Fellowes, and it's very easy to stick onto the screen. Other than protecting from scratches, it helps improve graffiti recognition and a "genuine paper" feel when writing on the screen. The only problem is that the protector would slightly blur the text. I don't find that a problem at all since I'm not looking at high-resolution graphics

--- Compared with the Palmpilot m105 (which I was planning on getting, but later switched to Visor Deluxe), Visor definitely has a larger screen. Saves alot of eye strain

--- As promoted by Palm and Handspring, newer models have more memory and a faster processor for gamers. GAMERS? I mean, you're investing into your PDA so you can play first-person shooter games on it? COME ON! Spend your money onto a high-end graphics card and you'll get alot more for your buck. PDAs are to be organizers and memo takers. Sure, you can run all sorts of different programs on your Palm OS. I have some simple games (like chess and Hearts) and alot of 3rd-party softwares (like the Periodic Table, an alarm clock, Adobe Reader, Tinysheet, etc), but serious gaming... is not the reason why you should get a PDA.

--- When Visors first came out and Handspring was promoting their expandability, many people speculated whether the Springboard module was really as good as they sound, since at that time, the only modules available were the backup module and the Flash memory modules. Well, Handspring proved to its consumers that the Springboard really lives up to its claims, as there are tons of modules out there now, and more to come.

--- The processor is fast enough for daily use and searches. Unless you're, say, a medical student who has a module containing a database of information and you want to search in that, then the faster processors would offer a slight advantage. If you're a gamer, you'd benefit from the faster processor as well. But like I said, using the PDA for serious gaming is... not a good idea.

--- This unit uses replacable AAA batteries. I myself bought 4 NiMH rechargable batteries and they work perfectly fine. I use my Visor Deluxe everyday, and I use it ALOT, and one pair of batteries last me a week. Batteries only take 6 hours to be fully recharged. I can use my PDA as much as I want to (especially the backlight just for fun) without having to worry about buying another set of expensive alkaline batteries. Of course, if you're the average user, it'd last alot longer, like a month. And no, you probably won't get 2 months of battery life as stated by Handspring, unless you're using disposable alkaline batteries, and you don't use your PDA alot for Avantgo, Adobe Reader, eBooks...

--- Another advantage of using AAA batteries is for those who travel around. You can buy AAA batteries anywhere, and replace the dying ones in your PDA. If you have a Palm V, with a rectangular rechargable battery, you'd have to look for a CRADLE if your batteries run out, which is NOT a good thing if you're away from home.

--- Talking about the backlight, yes, it's weaker than Palm's backlight. It's only useful in a dark or dim room. You wouldn't use it much anyways, and it's not often you'd find a room which doesn't have enough lighting to use your PDA with no backlight, or a room which isn't dark enough to use a backlight. I find that, the more you use it, the brighter the backlight gets. I remember when I got my unit and turned on the backlight, it was really, really weak. I kept using it (hooray for rechargable batteries, no worries about buying new ones for a long time) and eventually it got brighter and brighter.

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I truly recommend the Visor Deluxe to any person who wants to get a PDA. Of course, the more advanced Visor models offer what the Deluxe offers plus more, but until there's a big breakthrough in the Palm OS in which everyone really needs alot more processing power and memory, the Visor Deluxe handles all types of applications extremely well. And they cost alot less too! Get them while Handspring is pushing the price down!

Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 165