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First Impressions
When I first received the Visor Edge in the mail I eagerly ripped open the packaging and checked out the contents. What's in the box? Well you get the Visor Edge unit itself, the Springboard attachment, the USB cradle and wall plug, and the documentation. I opted to get the metallic red colored Edge, which is only available from Handspring's site. When I saw the Edge for the first time, I was impressed by it's sleek metallic look. The platinum is painted to look metallic but having the actual metal there is definitely cooler. The Edge even feels more solid when you hold it in your hand. The cool feel of the aluminum casing gives the impression that the Edge isn't a toy. The platinum's plastic casing made it feel more like a gameboy than a state of the art PDA. The buttons on the Edge are also metal, and have their symbols engraved in them. They really complement the whole Edge design nicely. The Edge is definitely thinner than the Platinum, so it fits much better in my pocket. The metal flip cover is definitely a nice touch and it's been a long time coming. The flip cover can only flip to about 90 degrees back, so you can't flip it complete all the way behind the Edge. If you want to put your Edge inside a leather case, you can remove the flip cover and attach the included spacer to keep the connection in the back from being exposed.
Now let's move on to the Springboard module. The reason the Edge can be so thin is because Handspring decided to separate the Springboard connector and the actual Visor unit. Instead you have to remove the flip cover and attach the Springboard connector. It's kind of a pain if you want to quickly attach a module. Not to mention you have to carry the connector with you if you want to attach one at all. Also the flip cover doesn't fit when you have a Springboard module attached, which is unfortunate because I wanted to keep my screen protected while I had my MP3 player attached. I don't think it was the best way they could have done it. I'm sure maybe installing an additional clip to keep the cover attached wouldn't have been too hard. Unlike the Platinum, the Edge now has rechargeable batteries built in. You don't have to worry about running out and buying batteries constantly. I know that was one feature I really wanted from my Visor Platinum. I use lots of Springboard modules and they pretty much suck the life out of my Platinum. I have to buy fresh batteries almost every 2 weeks if I constantly use my Platinum. The Edge's USB cradle also serves as a charger. The USB cradle is a new design and isn't compatible with other existing Visor handhelds. The Edge also has a small LED on the power button that blinks while the unit is charging. It can also serve as a silent alarm when you don't want to draw attention to yourself.
With the new casing of the Edge, comes the custom stylus. It snaps onto a little holder on the right side of the Edge. The only concern I have with this is that I couldn't use my PDA Panache stylus from my Platinum since it doesn't have the holding mechanism. The stylus is also metal and is good quality for coming standard with the Edge. The only problem I have, is that it's a little hard sometimes to put back on the Edge. You have to align it with the holding mechanism, and sometimes it rotates in my hand so when I go to put back on, I have to rotate it back a little. I guess I'm used to just putting the stylus in the holder like the one in the Platinum without having to do anything special. The stylus also doesn't have the familiar reset pin that the other Visor Styli have. That means you'll have to find other means to reset your Edge if needed.
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