Handheld Daily
February 18, 2001
http://members.fortunecity.com/stivems
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[1] Welcome
[2] Visor Prism Review
[3] GPS Review
[4] Audio
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[1] Welcome to the first edition of Handheld Daily. HD comes out daily Monday through Friday. Each issue will include information on the ever changing handheld industry.

[2] ZDnet Review November 30, 2000 Like the citizens of Pleasantville, the Palm players have been dragged gradually from a gray world out into the light by competition from Pocket PC. The latest example, the Handspring Visor Prism, successfully marries the popular Palm OS and simple, highly usable Visor design with a brilliant color display.

The Visor Prism isn't the first the handheld based on the Palm OS to incorporate color. The Palm IIIc, which was introduced back in February, got those honors. But it turned out to be a dubious distinction: The Palm IIIc's 256-color display paled in comparison to Windows CE- and, more recently, Pocket PC-based devices.

The Visor Prism more ambitiously supports up to 65,536 colors, matching the color depth of the Casio Cassiopeia EM-500 and E-115 (and surpassing that of Pocket PCs from Compaq and HP). But before you get too excited, keep in mind that that the Visor Prism -- like all devices based on the Palm OS -- is restricted to a resolution of 160 by 160 pixels, compared to 240 by 320 pixels for Pocket PCs. As a result, the Visor Prism's adjustable backlit display appears grainier, though it is still far better than that of the Palm IIIc.

On our test device, Handspring also included several applications for viewing images and video and a selection of games to give us a better idea of the performance of the color display. Though it doesn't match that of Pocket PCs, it still a big step forward from the gray-scale display on most Palm-based devices, and it makes the user experience much more enjoyable. In fact, once you get used to it, it's annoying when you run an application that doesn't support color.

In another first for Handspring, the Visor Prism includes a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that is rated for 2 weeks of normal usage (6 hours continuous usage), according to the company. Like all Visors, it includes a USB cradle and works out of the box with Microsoft Windows Me, Windows 98, Windows 2000, and Apple Mac OS. (Windows 95 and NT users will need to purchase an optional serial interface.)

To squeeze color into a Palm-based handheld, Handspring had to slightly increase the size and weight of the device. It's 4.8 x 3.0 x 0.8 inches and weighs 6.9 ounces, but it still feels quite comfortable in your hand and the cobalt blue case looks absolutely great.

Like the Visor Platinum, the Visor Prism includes the fastest processor (33MHz Motorola Dragonball VZ) of any Palm-based handheld. The closest competition from Palm currently maxes out at 20MHz. On our tests using Quartus's Benchmark 2.0, the Visor Prism was on par with the Visor Platinum -- 41 percent faster than a Visor Deluxe and 82 percent faster than a Palm Vx. The Visor Prism includes 8MB memory, which Handspring claims is sufficient for 12,000 addresses, 10 years of appointments, 6,000 to do items, 6,000 memos, and 400 e-mail messages.

In addition to the latest version of the Palm OS (3.5.2H), the Visor Prism includes all of the standard Palm applications as well as Date Book+ (which includes floating appointments, integrated to-dos, and a journal), scientific and business calculators, and a world clock for frequent fliers. The Visor Prism also supports infrared data synchronization -- a feature of Palm OS 3.5 and later.

By Visor standards, the Prism carries a pretty hefty price tag (though it is still $50 less than the least expensive Pocket PCs). Still, if you want a Palm-based device with color, the Visor Prism is the current best choice hands-down. --by John Morris

[3] Global Positioning System (GPS)

Hardware Geodiscovery Geode Geodiscovery has combined GPS technology with an Internet-based information service to provide travelers with local maps and guides, wherever they go. The company's GeoView Web, a map-based Web interface, displays travel guides that you can download to your Visor with GeoView Mobile software. When you snap the Geode GPS device into your Springboard port, GeoView Mobile puts the travel information you've downloaded in the context of your current location, and orients the display so that it's always facing the same direction you are. A search feature allows you to search the guide by type of information (restaurants, accommodations, etc.) and then by criteria (price ranges, etc.). The module is useful only in the United States right now, but Geodiscovery says it will have coverage of other countries available in the future. Geodiscovery (Company info), www.geodiscovery.com; price not yet available; compatible with Handspring Visor

Magellan GPS Companion Magellan's 6-ounce GPS Companion clips onto your Palm V and provides up-to-date maps of local and regional areas. The included Map Companion software includes comprehensive U.S. street details, and allows you to zoom, search for specific streets, plot routes, and view multiple maps simultaneously.Magellan Systems Corp. (Company info), www.magellangps.com; $169 street; compatible with Palm V series

Nexian Handy GPS Nexian's 12-channel Handy GPS receiver with integrated mapping offers street-level mapping and helps you navigate in unfamiliar areas. Nexian (Company info), www.nexian.com; price not yet available; compatible with Handspring Visor

[4] Audio Hardware

CUE CUERadio This FM radio and wireless data receiver provides free access to FM radio and news and information services. Personal messaging and traffic alerts are available for a fee.

CUE Corporation (Company info), www.cueradio.com; $159.99 street; compatible with Handspring VisorGood Technologies SoundsGood Audioplayer Good Technology's elegant MP3 solution for Handspring Visor users hits the target for easing device overload. The fixed 64MB memory in this module holds a commute's-worth of songs while adding less than an ounce to your burden and zero extra baggage. Read a full review.

Good Technology, Inc. Good Technology's elegant MP3 solution for Handspring Visor users hits the target for easing device overload. The fixed 64MB memory in this module holds a commute's-worth of songs while adding less than an ounce to your burden and zero extra baggage. Read a full review (Company info), www.good.com; $269 direct; compatible with Handspring Visor

InnoGear MiniJam MP3 Player InnoGear's Minijam MP3 Player is available with 32MB ($199 direct) or 64MB ($259 direct) of memory to store 30 or 60 minutes of music. The module includes two memory slots, so it's expandable up to 128MB, or two hours of music. To load MP3 files onto the module, you simply drag and drop them from your desktop. The player's software allows you to manage playlists, view track information, change skins, and even read eBooks on your Visor. InnoGear Inc. (Company info), www.innogear.com; pricing varies according to amount of memory included; compatible with Handspring Visor

SOURCE: ZDNet Reviews

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