> Yup. Maybe we will be seeing a game-company led burst of development in =
> the computer industry. Gameboys that talk to each other. Hmmm, Are these =
> things more powerfull than a Palm Pilot. Theres a GameBoy emulator for =
> Palm Pilot, will we see a Palm Pilot emulator for GameBoy 2?? Will =
> Nintendo end up competeing with Nokia???
Maybe we can just get a gameboy plugin for the Handspring (see
attached) line of handhelds. I saw a kid at lunch yesterday with one
of the new GameBoys and was instantly jealous. It's the size of my
palm pilot (half the size of my old gameboy) and does color, and makes
pretty sounds. I realized where my fascination with handheld devices
started. ;)
> Now Sony, Nintendo, etc. etc. arent really open companies. Hell, if you =
> want to try your hand at developing a playstation game, you need to show =
> several million dollars in your wallet before they'll even talk to you. =
... and Palm requires nothing but a box with gcc (essentially free), or a
couple hundred ducats for Codewarrior. whee. Can't wait for a GameBoy
plugin to next-generation handhelds. Or whatever other good convergence
will come out of all of this in the next few months / 10 years.
Evan
---------
From: evan.cordes@UMICH.EDU
To: ccordes@us.ibm.com, pacordes@aol.com, lbf@umich.edu,
backrow@citi.umich.edu, chunk@monkey.org
Subject: Handspring releases some details
Date: Thu, 09 Sep 1999 09:54:08 -0400
Sender: epcordes
the following from:
http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,2330104,00.html
Palm creators prep faster, cheaper Visor
Handspring set to launch new, expandable handheld that outperforms and
undercuts the Palm -- and uses its OS.
By John G. Spooner , ZDNN
September 8, 1999 4:39 AM PT
Handspring Inc. will turn the Palm world on its ear next Tuesday when
it releases Visor -- a cheaper, faster and more expandable Palm
operating system-based handheld device.
The San Mateo, Calif., company -- founded by the ex-Palm Computing duo
Donna Dubinsky and Jeff Hawkins -- has developed the device based
around the Palm OS, version 3.1.
According to sources, there will be three Visor models:
The Visor Solo for $149.
The Visor for $179.
And the Visor Deluxe for $249.
By way of comparison, 3Com's lowest-price Palm, the IIIe, is priced at
$199.
The Visor handhelds will utilize the processor, lithium-ion battery and
improved LCD screen from 3Com Corp. (Nasdaq:COMS) subsidiary's Palm V
handheld, sources said.
But, that's where Visor will depart from the Palms that have come
before it.
Handspring has developed a number of new touches, such as a new
Palm-III like form factor that includes a built in microphone and a
slot that can accommodate a range of peripherals, called Springboard
modules. The peripherals or modules will include a number of devices,
ranging from pagers to MP3 players to voice recorders. Cellular phone
modules are also expected, sources said.
The Springboard modules will offer plug-and-play, sources said --
meaning that a user can slide a peripheral into the Visor and have it
up and running quickly, without installing software on the device. The
modules, for the most part, will carry their own power supplies, so
that they will not wear down the batteries of the device itself. Many
of the modules will be developed by third parties, sources said.
Optimized hardware design An optimized hardware design will make the
Visor faster than the current line of Palm handhelds.
At the same time, Handspring did some work to optimize the datebook and
calendar applications, sources said.
Sources said the Visor Solo will offer 2MB of memory, but will not come
with a cradle.
The Visor, also with 2MB of memory, will offer a universal serial bus
(USB) cradle. A serial port cradle is also an option, sources said.
A Visor Deluxe model will offer 8MB of RAM and include the cradle and a
leather case, sources said.
Good news for Macintosh users, the Visor will ship with a CD-ROM that
offers support for both Windows and the Macintosh operating systems,
sources said. Palm users with Macs now have to purchase a $14.95 Palm
MacPac.
Handspring executives declined comment.