What is the Visor? Very simple! Visor - a stylish and comfortable Pocket PC (PDA), which will facilitate, diversity, and organize your life! Visor runs on the operating system Palm OS, that is, as it may seem, is a device similar to the Palm. However, it is not so. Everything in order.
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Today the company Hanspring, based creator of the popular Palm organizer in 1998, produces two models of PDAs: Visor (2MB) and Visor Deluxe (8MB). Both devices are sensitive screen, recognize handwriting and supports all applications that are compatible with Palm OS 3.1. In Brief specification Visor PDA you can find on the pages of the section "Device" site hPC.ru. What is still Visor differs from Palm? Better or worse? Externally Visor is very similar to Palm III, except that five colors: Translucent, Graphite, Green, Blue and Orange. In fact, Visor is a device with a completely unique capabilities. Do Visor Organizer has many advantages (to them include support for USB, built-in microphone, easy synchronization with Macintosh and more), but the main difference from all other Visor handheld platform Palm - is the availability of expansion slots Springboard. Expandable Visor turns into a universal device. Depending on which module is connected to the Visor, Pocket PC into a digital camera, MP3-player, an electronic library or even a GPS-receiver. Moreover, different modules can be changed without stopping the work of CPC. It is now presented, and announced some 65 Springboard-modules, and, most likely, their number will still grow. While only 16 units available extensions, the most interesting of which - Eyemodule, InnoPak/2V, Thincom, Handspring Modem, and plug-ins memory. Others are electronic books and games, or for an opportunity to significantly inferior to one of these analogues.
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Eyemodule - a digital camera, you can work in three modes of photography: color 320x240 (the frame is 187K), black and white 320x240 (37K) and black and white 160x120 (9K). We must not forget that Visor - a device with a monochrome screen, though the module does not flash. The resulting image can be transmitted via infrared to another device or transfer to PC. If the Visor Deluxe is 5MB of free memory, a digital camera will make about 500 black and white and 125 color photographs. Eyemodule hardly be called a serious digital camera, but for amateur shooting device is well suited. InnoPak/2V from InnoGear is the real embodiment of the idea of "two in one." 2 MB of additional memory and a silent vibrating signal to fit into a standard expansion card Springboard. Simple, convenient and, most importantly, inexpensive. Handspring Modem - a standard wired modem to a 33.6 KB. Useful functions - when connected to digital telephone network gives 4 alarms (so that the user did not spoil the modem). Two AAA batteries provide 3 hour continuous operation. Disadvantages: too heavy, bulky and slow speed. The main advantage of the modem - that he is available now. Thincom from Card Access is very compact, compared to the Handspring Modem, the size of a standard memory card for the Visor. Speed was not particularly high - only 33.6 Kb, and the food he takes on the Visor. To the device comes with software Browse-it, MultiMail and Online. Upgrade to 56 KB. Which modem is better - to judge only by the user. However nice that already have a choice.
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From memory expansion modules are available now Handspring Backup Module and Handspring 8MB Flash Module. It is believed that the first step is to buy the Backup Module, and then buy the other modules. I think it makes no sense to explain what might be useful for extra memory. Sometimes, even without additional 8MB unavoidable. Thus, the main advantage Visor - expandable. It is this feature has made a real rival Handspring Palm. Slot Visor Springboard allowed to position differently than the device Palm. For Palm owners need a PC or even laptop to store data from your Pocket PC. Visor users can make backups to a special unit - which means that they are not tied to your PC. Visor is positioned as a standalone unit. The possibility of expanding the CCP allowed to allocate a separate niche for the Visor.
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Provision, which takes Handspring, due not only features produced by the CPC, but also because what the situation is today in the PDA market. Not so long ago, the company refused to Palm production of several models of handheld devices Series III. Now manufactured only Palm IIIc, Palm Vx, and a brand new m100. Thus, a device similar to the Palm Visor PDA remained. And although it is believed that a cheap substitute for m100 Palm IIIe, it seems to me that not every self-respecting man would buy "a bar of soap" as a monochrome organizer. It turns out that Palm gave little space for the Visor. There is no reason to doubt that Handspring does not miss his chance. Already, sales of devices over the Internet Visor outperforming PDA Palm. The only thing that really hinders Handspring - it is a problem of licensing the OS from a competing company. But if things with the Palm OS will go normally, Handspring will conquer all potential users of the Palm series III (it should be noted, they are many).
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The world market for the Visor handheld promises much. What are the prospects for the device in Russia? Judging by the success of the Palm handhelds in Russia (in reality - about 60% of sales), the device Visor will enjoy great popularity. Especially when you consider that the Palm III series will be more available. Replace their Palm can only monochrome m100, but the PDA will appear in Russia only in the fall. As it became known, m100 shipment to Russia will begin October 10, 2000. For the market of handheld devices is a very long time. October 10 Visor, with proper support from Handspring, can win up to 30% of sales on the Russian market. A good prospect. The first modules of Springboard, which will appear in Russia, will become Handspring Backup Module and Handspring 8MB Flash Module. In September and October this year will begin selling this summer announced MP3-players, GPS-receivers, radio modules, and other equally interesting devices. What remains is confirmed by their appearance in Russia. From now on weekly news about new Springboard-modules will have a direct bearing on us. Let me remind you that starting from August 14, Visor will be available in electronic PALMagazine company MakTsentr. Visor for the first time officially appear in Russia. The very colorful Visor, which is not fit in the concept of "electronic organizer", which poses a serious threat to the popularity of Palm, which "expands" to almost any portable device that ... that ... that ... authors, translation: