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I used a Psion 3c as a pda for years but when a good deal came up I switched to the Handspring Visor. The Visor is an expandable palmtop that runs the popular Palm OS. It has the ability to run thousands of Palm OS applications in addition to the built in calender, to-do list, memo pad, calculator and world clock.
I also have a VisorPhone, which plugs into the springboard expansion slot at the top of the visor and adds mobile phone and wireless modem features.
The Springboard expansion slot is one of the Visors main advantages over the Palm Pilots, it allows you to just snap a Springboard module into the slot and the Visor can instantly become an mobile phone, Mp3 player, GPS receiver, digital camera and more.
Visor & Linux
J-Pilot and pilot-link make the perfect companion to the Visor for Linux users, J-Pilot is a graphical desktop organizer application similar in functionality to Palm Desktop. The required pilot-link tools are a robust library and a series of conduits for moving information between your workstation and your Visor and are required for J-Pilot.
Linux Palm Software:
- J-Pilot – GUI desktop organiser application for Linux/UNIX
- jpilot-Mail – Mail sync plugin for J-Pilot
- Pilot_Link – Command line tool for synchronizing/backing up/installing
- SyncMal – MAL plugin for J-Pilot, snyc with MAL services such as Avantgo
- J-Pilot RPM – includes jpilot-Mail, jpilot-backup & jpilot-syncmal
- MalSync – Command line tool to synchronize with MAL servers such as Avantgo
- GiantDisc – MP3 Player controller system
- PalmAmp – Plugin for XMMS
- MemoNews – Read Usenet news on your palm
- Boxer – Sneakernet using Palm
- Pose – Palm Emulator
- XCoPilot – Palm Emulator
PalmOS Software:
- Top Gun SSH – SSH1 Client for Palm OS
- Cryptopad – Memopad replacement with blowfish encryption
- Filez – File Manager
- One-Touch Mail – Email Client
- Blazer – Web Browser
- Jabber Palm – Jabber Client
- PalmVNC – VNC Client for Visor/Palm
- LFtp – FTP Client for Palm OS
- Avantgo – Access web content on your palm device
- GutenPalm – Reader for zTXT files (text files compressed with zLib)
- Single Button Launcher – launch up to 5 different applications using only a single hardware button
- Converter – Conversion tool, 100 unit types
- Currency – Currency converter
- Keyring – Securely store secret keys and confidential information
- Scriblet – Scribble a note on the screen
- TealMovie – Play video clips with sound
- Dopewars – Drug smuggling game
- Liberty – Gameboy Emulator
Information:
- Linux USB for Visor – Info on getting the Visor working with your Linux box
- Handspring-Visor mini-HOWTO
- Linux Terminal on Visor via IR
- PalmOS Emulator HowTo
- Using Linux to Develop Software for the Palm OS
- Add a serial interface to your USB cradle
- Build a serial cable
- Modify the Visor to charge batteries in the cradle
- DIY CompactFlash adapter for the Springboard slot