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Report from Internet World


Thu Oct 7, 1999 - 2:54 PM EDT - By Marcus Adolfsson

The Visor

This report is the first in a series of articles that will be published containing information from Internet World. It was updated on 10/8/99 to include additional Springboard previews.

Internet World 1999 was the first chance for the public to see the Visor and its support accessories in person. Here are our opinions and impressions:

The Visor Itself

VISOR COLORS
Mike: You really should see the colors in person before deciding and buying. No website, no photo can capture them. All of the translucent colors look like toys! These should be called "Palmboys," for they look like Gameboys! I was severely disappointed by this, because I was planning to buy an Orange one. The only color that looks mature is "Graphite" -- which is a dark, matte black. To use an immature image, I call it "Batman Black," because it has the light-sucking quality of Michael Keaton’s costume in the original movie. It is nice; it is masculine; you would not be ashamed to show this in public. I cannot say the same for the other colors, unfortunately.

Of the rest of them, only the "Green" is interesting, sea-green-like; but I think the others are just childish. Sorry! As for the translucent Visors being color on its face, backed by "Ice," I now understand the reason. Except for the "Graphite" Visor, all of the docking stations are "Ice" colored! ("Graphite," of course, has a "Graphite" dock.)

Marcus: I agree with Mike here. The translucent colors have a Color Gameboy style to them, but we need to remember which market they are for - low to mid end consumers. Many college/high school students would probably want translucent Visor, while business people will go for the stylish graphite. VisorCentral reader David Levin, who also visited Internet World, stated that "They didn’t come off as Gameboy-ish to me. I thought the colors were a nice change from standard black/grey. And no, I’m not a kid/student."

VISOR FEEL
Mike: The Visor feels quite different in the hand than a Palm III. Although it is not much thinner, it feels very thin. Although not much longer than a Palm III, it sticks out of a shirt pocket more (at least my shirt pocket!). The metal application buttons both look and feel smaller to the touch. But they have a very solid feel and there is no mistaking touching one of them; your finger absolutely feels the button. They have a snap to them and feel like they can take a lot of impacts. Although -- when compared to a Palm III -- they feel as if they "jut out" from the case, rest assured that these buttons will not accidentally activate in a shirt pocket! The ridges on the side of the Visor case are necessary, given the need to pull out/push in Springboards without the unit slipping out of one’s hands and to the floor.

Marcus: Mike is right - the Visor feels VERY thin. Not as thin as a Palm V, but almost. The unit feels solid and the application buttons seems to work great.

The Stylus >>