Handspring announced two new models. But are the Visor Neo and Visor Pro much different or better than the current stock? We got hands-on with the new handhelds to tell you what, if anything, is new and improved.

It's tough keeping up with the Joneses. Handspring is competing with Palm to deliver a PDA with just the right blend of features, design, and value. Hence, the company's two new models are strategic updates. The Neo is a necessary update to the company's popular Visor Deluxe, with new colours and a faster processor at the same, old price. The Visor Pro, with its 16MB of RAM and rechargeable battery, should appeal to the true power-Visor users. Fortunately, both handhelds sport Handspring's biggest selling feature: the Springboard slot, which lets you add all kinds of hardware accessories to your PDA. However, we were a tad surprised that these new Visors aren't more revolutionary. With the recent explosion of new models and designs, do these new models really have enough sparkle to catch consumers' interest?

Handspring Visor Neo
It doesn't break much new ground, but this colourful, midpriced model keeps the Visor line current.

Handspring Visor Pro
For the few who were clamoring for 16MB of RAM in a Palm OS device, the Visor Pro delivers.

Handspring Visor Neo (Red)

By Special to ZDNet, Eric Steinman

The Visor Deluxe filled a certain niche in the handhelds market by being both sophisticated and affordable. Handspring has now updated this popular model with the colourful Visor Neo, which features an updated OS and a faster processor, while sticking with the 8MB of RAM and the affordable price of the Deluxe. All of these improvements are ultimately positive, but they don't represent any significant design or technological leaps forward.

New colours
The Neo is nearly identical to the older Deluxe in shape and size. However, it comes in three translucent, iMac-influenced colours (grey, red, and blue), which allow you to see the guts of the unit. While this new aesthetic is certainly eye-catching, the general feel of the new plastic unit is a bit cheap; in fact, the casing holds fingerprints and smudges like tattoos.

While new styling seems to be the prime focus of the Neo, this device also boasts the updated Palm OS version 3.5.2H3 and a supposedly faster processor. The new processor, which is the same 33MHz DragonBall VZ processor used in the recently released Visor Platinum and Pro, is not noticeably faster then the slower processor on the Visor Deluxe in most tasks. The speed difference is only really evident in applications such as Dreadling, which seriously tax the computing power of the PDA.

The software bundled with the Neo is essentially the same as that of the Visor Platinum and is comparable to that of other recent Palm OS devices. It include a scientific calculator, speedier synching compared to the Deluxe, and a relatively new feature called Fast Lookup, which enables you to search for names and addresses by pressing the six buttons below the screen instead of using the stylus.

The Neo also sports the same Springboard expansion slot that is standard on all previous Handspring models. This enables you to plug in one of the many available Springboard modules. Consistent with previous Visors, the Neo ships with a standard USB HotSync cradle, but this time around, the cradle is fashioned from clear plastic that feels greasy compared to the plastic on previous Visor cradles.

Without a doubt, the Neo is being marketed to a hip, image-conscious demographic and has the flashy colours to prove it. At a cost of less then AU$500, the Neo will certainly be an ideal choice for students and those wanting to pick up a PDA without breaking the bank. Or just pick up the Visor Deluxe, which has plenty of RAM, some colourful cases, a Springboard slot, and a lowered price of AU$399 (and dropping).

The good: Snazzy colours; reasonably priced; updated Palm OS; faster processor speed.
The bad: Cheap, greasy plastic feel; breaks no new ground.
The bottom line: While the Visor Neo looks nice and proves to be a good value, you can expect to be underwhelmed by this update to the Visor Deluxe.

Handspring Visor Neo (Red)
Company:Handsparing Australia
Distributor:Advanced Portable Technologies
Ph:  02 9433 8333
Product Availability:  Last week in October
Price:  AU$499
ZDNet Rating: 6  out of 10

How we rate products
Handhelds

ZDNet editors rate handhelds on a scale of 1 through 10. Any product achieving an 8 or better can be considered for an Editors' Choice award. To calculate the rating, different criteria are scored on a 1 through 10 scale. These scores are weighted as detailed below, added, and converted to conform to our one through 10 rating system.

Here are the rating criteria, with their weights:

Price(20 percent of the total rating)
The lower the price, the better. A score of 5 represents an average price for the class of handheld under consideration, while a 10 would be exceptionally low and a 1 exceptionally high.

Performance (20 percent of the total rating)
The performance of a handheld is judged in comparison to similar handhelds. A score of 5 represents an average ability of the handheld to quickly execute functions it was designed to perform.

Features (30 percent of the total rating)
The range of features is considered in determining this portion of the rating. From form factor to software bundle, we consider everything this product delivers to the consumer. A product that provides just the basic electronic organizer functions rates a 5. Products with wireless connectivity, color displays, or other features will earn a higher rating.

Usability (20 percent of the total rating)
Usability rates ease-of-use of the keyboard, handwriting recognition, built-in wireless functions (where applicable), clarity of the display under varied lighting conditions, and so on.

Battery life (10 percent of the total rating)
We use the manufacturer's claimed battery life as a starting point to determine a rating. In the course of reviewing the product, we make sure that the claim is reasonably correct, although we do not perform a full-fledged battery drain test. A handheld with a battery life measured in days will warrant a rating of 3 to 7. Battery life measured in weeks will receive a rating of eight or higher.

Handspring Visor Pro (Silver)

By Special to ZDNet, Darren Gladstone

Meld together some of the best features from across the Handspring product line, add 8MB more RAM, and you'll come up with the Visor Pro. While it may look like the slightly souped-up Platinum, power users will discover a lot more power with a reasonable price tag

Room to grow
So what is involved in Handspring's recipe for a good PDA? First is the generous 16MB of RAM--more than any previous Palm OS device we've seen. You're likely to wonder if you'll even fill up all the available room. It's certainly more than you'll need for storing your contacts, your calendar information, and your to-do items. AvantGo and Vindigo fans will find this model especially appealing (because those two services eat up megabytes of storage), as will those who regularly use big databases on the go. However, when you consider that the Pro, like all Visors, has a Springboard expansion slot so that you can drop in additional storage or other modules such as the entire Physicians' Desk Reference, you'll realise that it's overkill for many users.

Another important ingredient in the mix, Motorola's 33MHz DragonBall VZ processor keeps this PDA speeding along. Running taxing software, such as Dreadling, didn't slow this PDA a bit. However, most users will have a very hard time discerning the speed increase over the Visor Deluxe in everyday use.

Borrowing from the Prism and the Edge, the sealed case of the Pro houses a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. With its energy-efficient, three-inch, monochrome LCD, this handheld should let you go several weeks between charges. Unlike most Handspring models, the Pro is offered in only one colour: a warm silver with a see-through grey cover.

The edge in software
The most attractive addition to the Pro is the augmented Fast Lookup feature in the address book. First seen in the Visor Edge, this function lets you quickly bring up any name simply by pressing the six buttons below the screen with one hand--no stylus required. We tried stumping it with a test database filled to the brim with 1,700 contacts, and it worked without fail every time. The only surprise is that the Visor Pro runs an updated version of Palm OS 3.5.2H3, rather than Palm's latest OS, 4.0.

Taking stock of all the options jammed into the Pro, one can't help but think that this will be a pricey endeavor. Fortunately, that isn't the case. With a AU$749 list price coupled with the flexibility of the Springboard expansion system to add new hardware functions, the Visor Pro is a good choice for those who feel the need for 16MB of RAM. However, if you're content with 8MB of RAM and a monochrome screen, you'll have a wide range of choices that include the slim Visor Edge AU$949 and the sleek Palm m500 for AU$979.

The good: Stylus-free contact lookup; 16MB of RAM; rechargeable battery; good price.
The bad: No real advantages over the Deluxe for the average user; more expensive.
The bottom line: This is for power users on a shoestring budget.

Handspring Visor Neo (Red)
Company:Handsparing Australia
Distributor:Advanced Portable Technologies
Ph:  02 9433 8333
Product Availability:  Last week in October
Price:  AU$749
ZDNet Rating: 7  out of 10

How we rate products
Handhelds

ZDNet editors rate handhelds on a scale of 1 through 10. Any product achieving an 8 or better can be considered for an Editors' Choice award. To calculate the rating, different criteria are scored on a 1 through 10 scale. These scores are weighted as detailed below, added, and converted to conform to our one through 10 rating system.

Here are the rating criteria, with their weights:

Price(20 percent of the total rating)
The lower the price, the better. A score of 5 represents an average price for the class of handheld under consideration, while a 10 would be exceptionally low and a 1 exceptionally high.

Performance (20 percent of the total rating)
The performance of a handheld is judged in comparison to similar handhelds. A score of 5 represents an average ability of the handheld to quickly execute functions it was designed to perform.

Features (30 percent of the total rating)
The range of features is considered in determining this portion of the rating. From form factor to software bundle, we consider everything this product delivers to the consumer. A product that provides just the basic electronic organizer functions rates a 5. Products with wireless connectivity, color displays, or other features will earn a higher rating.

Usability (20 percent of the total rating)
Usability rates ease-of-use of the keyboard, handwriting recognition, built-in wireless functions (where applicable), clarity of the display under varied lighting conditions, and so on.

Battery life (10 percent of the total rating)
We use the manufacturer's claimed battery life as a starting point to determine a rating. In the course of reviewing the product, we make sure that the claim is reasonably correct, although we do not perform a full-fledged battery drain test. A handheld with a battery life measured in days will warrant a rating of 3 to 7. Battery life measured in weeks will receive a rating of eight or higher.

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