.KEYWORD edge
.FLYINGHEAD PRODUCT REVIEW
.TITLE Handspring’s on the cutting edge with the Visor Edge
.FEATURE
.SUMMARY With Handspring’s latest release, the Visor Edge, the company has finally managed to match the thin, stylized look of the Palm V while maintaining its expandability. In this review, Craig M. Bobchin gives you the skinny on this thin, exciting new handheld.
.AUTHOR Craig M. Bobchin
I’ve been using Palm OS-based products since 1996. I started with the original Pilot and then moved to a Pilot 5000. I used that until Handspring came out with the Visor Deluxe, so I feel that I can speak with some knowledge and experience on the topic.
I’ve always envied the users of the Palm V series, because they had a handheld that was smaller and lighter than my Visor, albeit without the expansion capabilities offered by the Springboard modules. Now, however, Handspring has released their newest product, the Visor Edge, pictured in Figure A.
.FIGPAIR A The Visor Edge will make style junkies drool.
This is a unit that will make style junkies drool. It looks very, very cool, from the hinged metal lid to the curvaceous stylus docked on the side. Simply put, the Visor Edge is what we all expected a PDA to look like in the 21st century.
The Visor Edge is extremely thin, measuring 4.7" x 3.1" x 0.44". Its side view is pictured in Figure B.
.FIGPAIR B The Visor Edge is appropriately named.
Aesthetics aside, though, the real question is, how is it to use?
The Edge has all the features that we’ve come to expect from the Visor, but it also has a few extras. In order to slim the unit down, Handspring made two changes that, while I understand the need for them, I don’t necessarily agree with them.
.H1 Rechargeable
First, Handspring did away with the need to change batteries or to carry around any extra AAA batteries with you while you travel. The Visor Edge now has a built in Lithium ion battery that’s supposed to last for several weeks. As I’ve only had the unit a week, I haven’t been able to fully test this area. I will say that after a week of using and not recharging the Visor Edge, the battery icon is indicating the battery is still far from empty.
However, I’m not a fan of rechargeable batteries in my PDA. I travel a lot and always try to pack as light as possible. I bring my back-up modules and leave the cradle at home. With the Visor Edge, this isn’t possible, because the cradle also serves as the charger for the built-in battery. The Visor Edge is pictured in its cradle in Figure C.
.FIGPAIR C The Visor Edge charges in its freshly redesigned cradle.
If I get stuck without a way of charging my batteries, I can say goodbye to my data. This is not a good thing, in my opinion.
.H1 The Edge connector
The other item that Handspring eliminated in the quest for thinness was the built-in Springboard port. They have replaced it with a new "Edge connector" that allows you to use Springboards through the use of a detachable Springboard slot that slides onto the back of the Edge, as shown in Figure D.
.FIGPAIR D The Edge connector attaches to the back of the Visor Edge.
This is useable, but it’s ugly as a wart on a supermodel. Add a larger Springboard like the VisorPhone or the MiniJam, and you have one bulky handheld to carry around. This is not the best looking option, but it’s functional.
Of course, having the Edge connector also means that you’ll have to remove the cover to use the Springboards or any Edge connector boards that may come out, as the cover makes use of the same connection port.
.H1 Silent alarm
The Visor Edge uses Palm OS 3.52H, and they have made a couple of tweaks to the operating system for the occassion. One nice item that you’ll like is the new silent alarm. This will blink the translucent power button when an alarm goes off, as shown in Figure E.
.FIG E With the silent alarm, the translucent power button will blink.
However, if you use DateBk 4 (at http://www.pimlicosoftware.com) instead of the built in Datebook+, you’ll have to experiment to get the alarm to blink. I imagine that Pimlico will have an update to DateBk 4 in the near future to handle this issue.
.H1 Fast Lookup
Another nice addition is the new Fast Lookup for the address book. This allows you to find a phone number without opening the full address book or using the stylus. You can use the hardware buttons to navigate through the entries. I expect that this will be used a lot by most people.
To enter Fast Lookup mode, you just press the up arrow when the address book application is first launched or any time you are at the top of the address list. You’ll hear a beep that tells you that you’ve entered Fast Lookup mode, and the bottom of the screen will show a visual representation of how the application buttons are remapped. To return to standard lookup mode from this screen, press the up scroll button again.
The alphabet is then divided into A-L and M-Z, as you can see in Figure F.
.FIG F The alphabet is divided into A-L and M-Z.
Pressing the corresponding button will filter entries accordingly. For example, the first time you press the A-L button, it’ll eliminate all names whose first letter is between M and Z. If you press the A-L button again, it would eliminate all names whose second letter is between M and Z. Gradually, the names will be whittled down, making it easier to find who you’re looking for, as shown in Figure G.
.FIG G Fast Lookup whittles down large Address Book directories.
I know it sounds confusing, but with a little practice, you can search your Address Book and find a single name while blindfolded and with one hand tied behind your back.
.H1 Problems
I had a couple of problems with my Visor Edge. The first review unit that was sent stopped working after a couple of hours for no apparent reason. As it was a pre-production version, I wasn’t too surprised. The second unit seemed to have a slightly less sensitive screen than my Visor Deluxe. I frequently had to tap multiple times to get it to recognize input. This could also be the result of the new stylus, which is a bit flatter and not as comfortable as the PDA Panache stylus (at http://www.pdapanache.com) I’ve been using. It also lacks a reset pin, and that’s something I miss.
The stylus is pictured in Figure H.
.FIGPAIR H The Visor Edge features a redesigned stylus.
One other thing you should be aware of is that the screen is a little narrower than that of the Visor Deluxe. This means that any existing screen protectors will either have to be cut down or replaced with new versions.
I have only one other minor complaint about the Visor Edge. My pinky finger rubs up against the lower stylus docking area when I use the built-in stylus to write Graffiti. I use Graffiti a lot, and I can see myself getting a callus on my finger from this.
.H1 Conclusion
The Visor Edge is a nice addition to the Visor line. At $399, it’s definitely targeted at the executive user, and the lack of a built-in Springboard further enforces this. Those people who are looking at buying a Palm m500 or the Palm Vx will want to take a look at the Visor Edge as well. It offers everything those units do, plus a lot more expandability through the use of the Springboard modules. This is one cool PDA.
.BEGIN_SIDEBAR
.H1 Product availability and resources
For more information on the Visor Edge, visit http://www.handspring.com/products/visoredge/.
For more information on DateBk 4, visit http://www.pimlicosoftware.com.
For more information on the PDA Panache styli visit http://www.pdapanache.com.
For more information about Palm computers, visit http://www.palm.com.
.H1 Bulk reprints
Bulk reprints of this article (in quantities of 100 or more) are available for a fee from Reprint Services, a ZATZ business partner. Contact them at reprints@zatz.com or by calling 1-800-217-7874.
.END_SIDEBAR
.BIO
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