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DDG · Apr 4, 2001, 10:05 AM

I need to make a decision within the week to take advantage of rebates/coupons on the net. Here's the deal:

I can get the Sony Clie with the Mac Pac (3rd party software, not from Sony) for $220, the Visor Deluxe for $160, or the Visor Platinum for $260. Anything over that is out of my budget.

I live and work on a Mac G4 and want tight integration between the two machines. My main concern is Mac support. I am not familiar with the desktop software from Palm so here's my question: is the Sony with the $30 Mac Pac just as compatible as the Visors (which come with the software-not sure if Handspring does anything different with it) when it comes to installing software into the PDA from your computer, etc.

Please help ASAP. I'm leaning towards the Sony because of value for the buck but I don't want to sacrifice potential Mac compatability.

Thanks everyone! Give me your wisdom.

mikithecrackhead · Apr 4, 2001, 01:08 PM

I have the Handspring Visor Deluxe and I love it. 160 buck is a GREAT deal. But Honestly I would wait a little bit sony is supposed to come out with something new soon. (I hope they do not ignore the mac users again).
as for compatibility, the visor is by far the best mac friendly device out there. Some of the Newton users might argue with me but I cannot buy one anywhere, I think they are extinct? there are a few diehards that still use them.
~~back on the subject... Sony makes products to match up with their Vaio line. Handspring's products are pioneers in cross platform devices. Palm, until recently has ignored the mac user.
If you need something now- go with the visor. As soon as Palm allows them they will continue to develope for the mac users. I will admit the clie is a nice looking pda.
good luck on your decision

mikithecrackhead · Apr 4, 2001, 01:11 PM

does the sony have an ir port? ( if you plan on using it) ir is useful for beaming info to other palm devices, printing and other stuff.

DDG · Apr 4, 2001, 02:09 PM

Yes the SONY has an IR port but I can't use it as the G4 tower has no IR beaming. As far as waiting for the next SONY offering, I'm sure it will be way out of my price range as $260 for the Visor Platinum is the most I'm willing to pay right now.

Technically speaking, I know the SONY is superior to the Visor Deluxe. I am more concerned with software. Being that I am unfamiliar with the process of syncing with your computer and installing software onto the Palm, I am worried that the Mac Pac for the SONY would not be as functional as the software that Handspring includes on their CD's.

BTW, I am getting the above prices by applying $50 Rebates offered by Handspring and SONY for their units (Except the Platinum), and a $40 coupon from Staples that expires next week. Shop4Digital.com sells the SONY for $239.99.

marusin · Apr 4, 2001, 04:25 PM

I would definitely go with the Handspring... It supports the Mac natively (no extra things to buy) and you have the expansion possibilities with the Springboard modules... I've had a Visor Deluxe for about 1.5 years and it's been great...

I also think (and I could be totally wrong), but the Sony's screen is smaller than the Handspring's? I remember walking past the Sony store during lunch one day and thinking how small the screen was... It could be just because the whole unit is smaller? Anyways, get the Handspring...

-Mike

DDG · Apr 4, 2001, 04:34 PM

Visor Screen size: 3.1"
SONY Screen size: 2.9"

I looked carefully at this difference at my local Best Buy and it didn't seem to be too big a difference to me. The screen quality on the other hand goes to the SONY. It was much sharper than the Visor as it is a TFT screen as opposed to the Visor's FSTN screen. Another reason why I like SONY's hardware is that it has a rechargeable battery built-in. But again, that's just focusing on the hardware side of my dilemma. It's the software differences if any that I'm wondering about.

Since I mentioned the battery, how often do you Visor users go through your batteries? (Average cost in a year?)

Thanks all for participating. Please keep your wisdom coming.

mikithecrackhead · Apr 4, 2001, 07:44 PM

I bought rechargable batteries NiMH ( ICU hasndspring power accessoryy kit) $50 - 10% off= $45

mikithecrackhead · Apr 4, 2001, 08:04 PM

new clie info here from what i hear is that they might drop the price of the new one ( from 399 to 299) It might still be out of your budget, but if the new one comes out maybe they will cut the price of the old one.

scaught · Apr 4, 2001, 10:20 PM

i would go with the visor deluxe. mac compatible for sure out of the box, good track record with mac users. all 3 devices are going to run the exact same programs, one is going to save you some money that you could spend on a nice case or something. (save a few tricks the visors can do that the sony cant). as far as batteries, depends on how much you'll use it in a day, and how much you use the backlight (which can chew through batteries in a matter of a couple hours). just get the visor deluxe.

RoofusPennymore · Apr 4, 2001, 10:57 PM

There are some pictures of the new Sony on Go2Mac. It is suppose to have a 320 X 320 screen.

DDG · Apr 5, 2001, 01:36 PM

Yes, Sony's new device is BEAUTIFUL but again, I am certain it will be out of my price range. I have sent an e-mail from Mark/Space, the maker of the Mac drivers for the Clie and am waiting to hear from them about Mac compatability differences.

Scaught, what tricks do you find the Visor has over the Sony? I found your post helpful and I'm really stuck in the middle. You guys have great input. Keep it coming! I'll update as well.

dvd · Apr 5, 2001, 02:16 PM

get the clie like i am ..just need to save up. I was going to buy it on ebay for about 250 or so but now the shop4digital.com site made me think twice, except the part where you need a creditcard which i dont have thats why i'm going for ebay. get the clie it's small

mbperk · Apr 5, 2001, 04:08 PM

To confuse you more I own the Clie, and I like it. One cool thing is you can take pictures of the people in your address book, and store them with there numbers and such.

If I were you I would go with the new Visor edge or the color m505.

But beware that it takes Sony forever to release software updates. It still has not updated to the new Palm desktop sw. I also have a Sony Network Walkman, and I got WinMe when it came out. Well the Openmg sw that transfers the songs to the device does not work in ME. I got an email today and they finally have updated it to work with WinME(6 months later).

------------------
Cheers,
Brad
bradperkins.net

mikithecrackhead · Apr 5, 2001, 10:46 PM

IMO, i don't trust sony or sony products, they are not very mac friendly. I don't know how good their mac pack is, but I think they are a little behind when it comes to making mac compatible devices. The clie might be a great product, but I am a little skepticle with using it with my mac. It prob. is a much better device when used with a wintel comp.

marusin · Apr 6, 2001, 10:22 AM

My Visor goes through a pair of AAA batteries about every three weeks or so... I use it every day... Usually sync it twice a day and spend a good 10-20 minutes reading AvantGo on the train (or other places that shall go un-named!)

I never use the backlight because I'm never using it in a dark environment... I really think that for the price you can get a Visor Deluxe (which includes all of your Mac-Compatible software and your cradle) it's well worth it... Use the additional money you would have spent on the Sony (and the supporting MacPack) to put towards a Springboard Module...

You will not be sorry with the Visor... If it's just the looks you're going for (and you want to spend the extra money), then that's the only reason I would see getting the Sony in it's place...

-mike

DDG · Apr 6, 2001, 01:35 PM

OK, here is where I'm at right now:

I'm leaning towards the Deluxe based on the feedback I've been getting. I don't like the fact that Sony doesn't seem to support their unit as well as Handspring does, or update their software very often if at all, and that's for Windows users. The Sony is definitely a more superior product, but in the end will the niceties of the unit make it worth spending $60 more for it? I haven't even seen any nice cases made specifically for it.

I've been browsing other Clie forums and I've read of Mac users complaining of not being able to open Windows only .exe files. This is true for the OS Updates. Sounds like a hassle to me.

Here's where I'm at:

Visor Deluxe: 65
Sony: 35

Anyone have any input to bring me over the edge? Or bring me back to a 50/50 tie? Post your wisdom!

dvd · Apr 6, 2001, 01:45 PM

waht do u mean not able tor un .exe applications? well duh it wontwork, which exe program u tring to run a Palm desktop app? palm os app? if its palm os then you wont be able to use it with the visor anyways since' thats a windows format application and if you get a visor its the same thing you will have to download the palm apps that are in .sit or .zip(am i correct?) I'd get the clie, which my friend recently got and i ummm kinda let him borrow the drivers for the clie for mac ;] , since i dont have one. He loves that thing. I saw the visor its cheap material, and the clie is sooooo small, if they included white and gray strips in the boarderand add a apple logo, you'll have a apple like product. It IS really up to you, yes you dont get support from sony thats the down side. But you wont be able to update the OS on the visor, even on the new ones they dont have the newest. thats not good. i rather have them spend a little more money to make it flashable thats the only reason why i want a clie. so yeah i'm just saying anything but seriously get a clie. I will soon.

RoofusPennymore · Apr 6, 2001, 01:50 PM

Don't be surprised if the sony comes down in price.

mikithecrackhead · Apr 6, 2001, 11:53 PM

do you really need to upgrade the os?
I have seen some of the old palm pilots and they seem to work work great with os2
can the clie os be upgraded?
with the money you save by buying the visor you can get the back up module. which is a MUST. portible backup without the need for a computer. can you do that with a clie? can any palm do that? I think not.

handspring offers true plug and play expansion. With everyone else, it's not true plug and play because they require an installation of software before the modules, etc. are available.
If you ever need to expand your visors there are many springboards out there to suit your needs. Where are all the memory stick accessories?
And another thing developers of handspring are the same developers who made all the palm series pdas except the mxx series. And they came from Apple/Newton so they are familiar with the mac platform.
I hate to bash sony because the clie is a device of good quality. It is nice to see them develope something other than a Microsoft machine. But there is little support for the mac, and even their own pda. ( where are their promised expansion accesories, camera, keyboard, mp3 player, etc?)

dvd · Apr 9, 2001, 02:30 AM

hmm me wanting the clie..is just for show i guess...damn you making me want a visor now..if i get it.. i think i'll go for platium over deluxe since most ppl have it, i like to be unique thats why. =p how much u think a plat. will go for?

DDG · Apr 9, 2001, 07:49 AM

OK, I'm down to my last couple of days and I think I am close to a decision. Starting this topic has been very beneficial to me and I thank you all for your wisdom. I'll let you all know what's the final verdict.

BTW, for those who want to know, if you go to staples and have them price match the units in question, after rebates and discounts, you can get the:
Sony for around $150 w/o the Mac Pac ($30)
Visor Deluxe for around $135
Visor Platinum for $235

These are excellent buys! Visor Deluxe $50 Rebate expires this week as does the Staples $40 coupon. Sony $50 Rebate expires in May.

scaught · Apr 9, 2001, 08:29 AM

Originally posted by DDG:
Yes, Sony's new device is BEAUTIFUL but again, I am certain it will be out of my price range. I have sent an e-mail from Mark/Space, the maker of the Mac drivers for the Clie and am waiting to hear from them about Mac compatability differences.

Scaught, what tricks do you find the Visor has over the Sony? I found your post helpful and I'm really stuck in the middle. You guys have great input. Keep it coming! I'll update as well.

well. the only thing i was referring to was the visor expansion modules, of which there are quite a few to choose from now (extra memory, mp3 players, the phone thing is super cool, it was a little dry for a while). as far as not being able to update the OS on the visor, i seriously think its a non-issue. OS updates really havent done that much, OS4 is mainly for palms new 500/505 with SD card.

im just not that impressed with the sony, it seems flimsy and cheap and not very sturdy. sony is notorious for their lack of support, and honestly, i see them getting out of the market soon. their memory stick thing is ok for storage, and i think you can run programs off the stick with a hack, but that little slot doesnt do anything else. theres a digital camera, a gps finder thing, and a fingerprint recognition module (?wtf?), but those are just recently announced as "coming some day". is sony's cradle USB or ? i dont know. you should check that out too.

just get the visor. it even comes in fancy colors. bytheway, i use a palm III. lemme know if i can be of more help to you.

------------------
you're going to have my foot at your lip in a minute, young man.

scott

dvd · Apr 9, 2001, 09:25 PM

Alright i'm also in this dillema, either a visor plat or clie, but now to think about it i might get a visor, does anyone know if the Springboard "SoundsGood" the mp3 player which is 120bucks now , will i be able to transfer songs from my mac?

marusin · Apr 10, 2001, 01:55 PM

Unfortunately, I don't think that the Good mp3 player runs on the Mac... I could be wrong, but all the specs I've read lead me to believe that you can't...

Not to get off topic, but where did you see the Good mp3 player for $120? I saw it for $150 at PalmGear but can't find it anywhere else... I use a PC at work and for that price would maybe be interested...

-Mike

mikithecrackhead · Apr 10, 2001, 03:00 PM

amazon.com has the mini jam mp3 player for $199 which is mac compatible.minijam @ amazon.com

dvd · Apr 10, 2001, 10:57 PM

heh i didnt really see it for 120....i just estimated of what i saw before..

DDG · Apr 11, 2001, 03:55 PM

OK, Here is my final decision.

I decided to purchase the Visor Platinum and actually am waiting for my confirmation e-mail from Staples. Using their $40 off coupon with free shipping, and having them price match shop4digital.com's price on the Platinum, I got the unit for about $235. Here is why I went with the Platinum:

When I first started this forum, I was leaning somewhat strongly on the Sony Clie. But after further research and reading the responses I got in this forum, I decided to not buy something that has a poor history in support, and virtually no support for the Mac except for software support by the third party.

Then My choices were the Visor Deluxe and the Platinum. With a $75 difference in price, I figured that twice the speed, 4-bit grey-scale, and the updated OS justified the price difference. I feel that this little powerhouse will have a longer usable life for me because of the added features. At $160, the Deluxe is an entry-level steal! But at $235 for the Platinum, the latest and greatest in speed, it will last in usability for that much longer.

Thank you ALL for the excellent responses and the valuable input you gave. I can definitely say that this forum was my greatest asset in deciding. Thanks again everyone!

Until the next great Palm question.
DDG

dvd · Apr 11, 2001, 05:13 PM

how did u get the 40 bucks back on 200 bucks spent and how do u price match online ? u have to call them first right?

DDG · Apr 11, 2001, 06:22 PM

Stop the presses!

I'm getting the runaround now on my order. When I originally requested a Price Match, I received one for $274.99. Once I placed my order as mentioned in my previous post, they wanted to "requote" the Platinum and they came up with some high figure that makes no sense. I even called Shop4Digital.com to get the price INCLUDING shipping and it was no where near what Staples is now quoting (now that I placed the order). I e-mailed them back telling them to cancel my order. What's the point of getting a price quote if they are just going to "requote" it once you've already made your purchase.

I expressed my dissastisfaction and told them I will be posting my experiences online. This is very upsetting. What a scam.

For those curious as to how to request a price match,
1-Go to Staples.com and click "Help" on the top.
2-Scroll down to "Contact Us" and click on "Payment/Credit"
3-Click on "Price Match" and follow the instructions.

Again, expect to get "requoted" once you place your order. I will re post any updates here.

dvd · Apr 12, 2001, 12:32 PM

what do you mean requote? like when its in you shopping cart it would change price?

DDG · Apr 12, 2001, 03:32 PM

What happened was I placed the order and replied to the order confirmation e-mail with the Price Match quote I was given (per their instructions). It was then that I found out that they requoted the price match and declined giving the match to me. This was all done AFTER they gave me the original quote and AFTER I already placed the order.

I called them up today to voice my complaint and to confirm whether they received my e-mail stating to cancel my order. I spoke with a very nice and helpful customer rep. and she asked me to fax the e-mails so she could read what took place. She said she would get in touch with me tomorrow (4/13). I'll come back with an update.

dvd · Apr 12, 2001, 11:44 PM

damn those large companies. told you to go for the clie..heheh j/k...I want to know how your platinum is, my friend has a clie and i sent him the drivers which i "obtainted" and he said some apps cant be installed to the clie..and stuff..oh well..that just pisses me off i really want the clie.!!!

DDG · Apr 13, 2001, 12:00 AM

Good news.

Staples came through. Before I even heard back from the lady I spoke to on the phone (see my previous post), I received the following e-mail from a customer support rep...

"We appreciate your inquiry concerning this issue.

I do apologize for the incorrect information that was sent to you in prior e mails. I have in your email history the price match quote to www.shop4digital.com at $269.99 plus the $5.00 shipping for a price match total of $274.99. I have issued $26.11 for the price difference to your Visa card. This amount should show up and be posted within 5 business days. Once again I do apologize for the inconvenience that this order has caused you.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you require further assistance. Thank you for your patience concerning this matter."

Persistence paid off. I end up paying about $235. What a deal. I don't think a smaller company would have corrected themselves the way Staples has here. I highly encourage all readers to phone in your price match as this is the most reliable way. There are great Staples coupons out on the net so make good use of them and have them match the lowest price you can find.

Well, it's late, I'm tired, it's been a long day. I'll be back. Hopefully I'll get the Platinum tomorrow!

dvd · Apr 13, 2001, 02:50 PM

now dont be playing with it for like the whole day.we need a report!! hehe.

DDG · Apr 14, 2001, 11:23 AM

It's Here!

I received my shiny new Platinum on the day Staples said I would be getting it, two days after I placed the order, and I paid nothing for shipping.

I felt like a kid opening the box to a long awaited toy. The packaging inside reminded me of how Apple packs their products. Very user friendly and consumer oriented.

Initial reactions: I am very impressed with the Platinum. The screen seems sharper and of a higher quality than what I remember from the store model. The included leather case really isn't all that bad. It fits the Platinum like a glove and is only slightly thicker than the unit itself. I was planning on getting a $40 case from Handspring but now I'm thinking twice about it. Learning Graphiti was a lot easier than I thought it would be! After only a few minutes of practicing, I was writing away. The only problem I have is with punctuations but again, I have only practiced for a couple of minutes. Many will find that using the on-screen keyboard is a lot faster than manually wrtiting in the information.

The unit itself feels very strong and solid. I liked the surdy weight including the batteries. My wife found it to be extremely light. I have not loaded the software yet but will do that today.

If anyone has any ?'s on this little power house, feel free to post here. If not, I'll have one final post to wrap things up. This post turned to be more popular than I thought. Thanks again to all for your wisdom! I am extremely happy with my purchase.

mikithecrackhead · Apr 14, 2001, 01:38 PM

congrats and good luck on yoour new platinum. I just purchased the eye module for my visor deluxe ($ 129)

scaught · Apr 18, 2001, 10:15 AM

Originally posted by DDG:
Learning Graphiti was a lot easier than I thought it would be! After only a few minutes of practicing, I was writing away. The only problem I have is with punctuations but again, I have only practiced for a couple of minutes. Many will find that using the on-screen keyboard is a lot faster than manually wrtiting in the information.
.

ya. just remember. a palm os device is meant to be an EXTENSION of your desktop computer. if you have alot of information to enter, like all the phone numbers you want to enter when you first get it, type them in on the computer and sync up. graffiti is easy to use, and handy when you have to enter something, but if you have to enter alot of info on it when youre away from your desktop, get a keyboard or something.

------------------
you're going to have my foot at your lip in a minute, young man.

scott

DDG · Apr 18, 2001, 10:57 AM

All right. It's been a few days, and I am completely happy with the Platinum. AvantGo is my #1 application at the moment and I am amazed at all of the practical apps you can find on the net. The included cases are nice, but I will probably go ahead and buy a case from Handspring as they feature a clip that works like the included clip on cover. This way, you don't need velcro to attach your device.

If you have gobs of info to input, definitely input via your desktop. I did not have to input any contacts as Outlook Express dumped my entire address book into the Platinum and updates it every time I synch.

Excellent device! Customer Service from Staples and Handspring are above and beyond expectations. For those of you stradling the fence between Sony and Handspring, the Platinum was the clear winner for me. And what a deal at $235!

Thanks for all of your input everyone! Until the next forum.
DDG

dvd · Apr 18, 2001, 01:49 PM

aww 235? gimme gimme gimee. heheh damn i want it.. i found the coupons for 40 bucks at this site monstercoupons or something like that i'll give u guys the link fi u want, so i gues i can do the price match and get the 40 bucks and get it for 235 too right? i hope staples accepts paypal..=\

dvd · Apr 22, 2001, 01:46 PM

so how do u do the price quote. i went to shop4digital.com and the shipping price was 24 bucks! so if i add that wouldnt it be like 240 for the visor deluxe that i want to get now anyway? i just requested a quote and put 10 dollars are the shipping. how do u get the exact shipping?

DDG · Apr 25, 2001, 01:33 PM

dvd,
Follow my previous posts in this forum for instructions on how to do the price match. I was able to get it for less because Staples originally messed up in their quote. They quoted me a certain price for shipping from shop4digital ($5) when the price for shipping was actually higher. They honored their original quote. Kudos for Staples.

dvd · Apr 26, 2001, 03:00 PM

well damn i ordered my visor dlx like 2 days ago i got it today happy but total was 220. i just used the orignal price since they didnt get back to me with the 40 bucks off. so then tax will make it 220. Hey btw how do i get the 50 dollars back,do i use that slip thing that was sent with the visor?

DDG · Apr 26, 2001, 03:42 PM

I'm not sure what cane packaged with your Deluxe, but go to Handspring.com and get the info and the rebate coupon from the source.

By the way, yet another chapter to this forum, I have arranged to have my Platinum picked up for a return to Staples. Nothing wrong with it, I'll explain why later.

dvd · Apr 29, 2001, 12:34 AM

ahh explain now?!!?!?!? ehehe ..is it cause u gonna buy a newer model?

DDG · May 4, 2001, 04:47 PM

Here's the deal.

I have returned the Platinum because I figured that after buying a case for it ($40 w/ amazon coupon), total price would be around $280. Only $60 less than an Edge after price match, or $40 less than an m500 after price match. Being so close to the price, I decided to upgrade and get a new model.

I have since thought about it more, and decided to get the Deluxe for $159 after rebate. Is the Edge or m500 worth another $200? For me, I think the Deluxe will do what I need it to do over the next two years or so. I couldn't justify paying that large of a price difference for one of the newer models. My new Graphite Visor should Deluxe arrive in a couple of days.

It's been a long forum, and it's finally come to an end. The Visor Deluxe for $159 wins my purchase. Thanks to all again for your wisdom.

Fly Navy.
DDG

dvd · May 5, 2001, 01:34 PM

i got my visor for like 220 with tax at staples with the 40 bucks rebate..damn tax..anyways i should get the visor 50 bucks rebate any time this millenium so yeah 170 toatal price. umm yeah i call my new creation the iVisor hehehe i bought a flipcover for it at flipcover.com, this visor will last me until apple makes one so i can get flamed at everywhere by PC idiots that will say stupid things.