Handspring Lowering Price on the Edge

Posted By: Ed Friday, December 7, 2001 9:27:54 AM

Handspring told their resellers yesterday that the suggested price for the Visor Edge is dropping to $270 on December 9. It is currently selling for $300. The company is also offering some giveaways with this model during the holiday season. When an Edge is purchased from Handspring.com, the buyer can choose from a Pen Stylus, a Slim Leather Case, or a Zippered Leather Case.

It runs the 33MHz DragonBall VZ with 8 MB of RAM. It has a 4-bit grayscale screen and is powered by a lithium ion battery. It is 4.7 by 3.1 by .43 inches. It is the only Handspring model to depart radically from the design the company has used from the first Visors. It needs a sled that attaches to the back in order to use Springboard modules.

The Edge debuted in March for $400. In August it dropped to $300.

This is yet another salvo in the price war between Handspring, Palm, and Sony. The three have been steadily cutting prices lately in order to maintain or even increase their share of the handheld market. Another goal is to increase demand among customers during the economic slowdown.

In just the last few weeks Palm has cut the price of the m125, while Sony has dropped prices on N610C and N760C.

So far, the strategy appears to be working to increase sales. Recent weekly retail sales figures show sales of handhelds from all three companies up strongly. However, with these price cuts revenues aren't increasing as strongly as unit sales are.

Thanks to Doug for the tip. -Ed

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Prediction

I.M. Anonymous @ 12/7/2001 9:55:15 AM #
The m525 debuts at $400.

RE: Prediction
I.M. Anonymous @ 12/7/2001 10:03:59 AM #
that's highly unlikely. more like "m525 debuts at $449, drops to $399, spends a year at $349, finally drops to $299 and hangs there for a while," which seems to be palms typical behavior. Besides, the IIIxe was nearly $270 when it came out, no? This is a fairly massive price drop, and not likely to be a model for the future if the economy picks up.

Where is my m525???
I.M. Anonymous @ 12/7/2001 1:00:59 PM #
May 2002?

RE: Prediction
I.M. Anonymous @ 12/9/2001 8:53:23 AM #
Who cares about the m525.

It will be hopelessly outdated with competitors' products when it comes out.

It better be priced at $299 or less if they plan on moving it.

Will the price drop boost sales?

I.M. Anonymous @ 12/7/2001 10:10:47 AM #
With all of the deals available on the Vx(< $200 w/ accessories) and the new Sony T-415, will this price drop have any effect on sales of the Edge? Granted these 3 PDAs are very different, but to the average(less knowledgeable) consumer they appear very similar.

RE: Will the price drop boost sales?
Coyote67 @ 12/7/2001 2:41:33 PM #
Most likely will as Sony has there great and wonderful name. If the ceo of sony took a dump in a box, labeled it sony dump and put it on the market, it would be the best selling product of the year. Thats just my opinion, I might be wrong.

Seriously though, edge has always suffered from sales problems. I think handspring is trying to just get rid of the ones they have taking up warehouse space to make room for the treo. Can't say why it hasn't sold well. You may proceed with the ugly, snap on expansion, too light to pass as a clay pigeon flames.

---------------------------------------
When you have a Clie showed up your mouth, you can only talk in vowels.

RE: Will the price drop boost sales?
I.M. Anonymous @ 12/7/2001 6:26:02 PM #
"...Can't say why it hasn't sold well...."
Answer is: yes, you are right...

SNAP ON EXPANSION

Edge only US$160 in Japan

flashk @ 12/7/2001 11:05:26 AM #
With the weak Yen that's how low the price is in Japan.

With the T600C coming out on the 8th, at 39,800Yen (it might have been 29,800, i can't remember). That should REALLY cut into Palm and HS sales if they release it in the US and cut prices further on N600C and 760C.

Sony seems to have positioned the T600C and 750C Clie's well in Japan. They are half the price of the new Pocket PC's from Casio and Toshiba, and to the average consumer they do the same thing with the Clies being smaller, thinner and cheaper. Of course the Toshiba PPC with CF and SDIO is probably more powerful, but for twice the price, the average consumer might pass up on them.

RE: Edge only US$160 in Japan
I.M. Anonymous @ 12/7/2001 5:23:56 PM #
Oh, yeah- that's GREAT- I'll get mine from Malasia where it's only $40.

RE: Edge only US$160 in Japan
I.M. Anonymous @ 12/7/2001 6:31:06 PM #
So you are so happy and pround to pay MORE and that's your destiny.

RE: Edge only US$160 in Japan
I.M. Anonymous @ 12/8/2001 4:06:57 AM #
> Oh, yeah- that's GREAT- I'll get mine from Malasia where it's only $40.

Nope, Edge costs much more than $40 in Malaysia(Malasia?).

I often purchase products from USA Site.
So you can do that from Japan ....
Unless you think it's too difficult for you.

RE: Edge only US$160 in Japan
flashk @ 12/8/2001 7:17:29 AM #
Actually the prices are much more higher in South East Asia and in South Korea. Up to $US100 more, usually because price cuts are not reflected overseas for HandSpring (different distributers/dealers).

My post wasn't to say that you should buy from overseas, but to show how different pricing can be sometimes in different countries. I know for sure Australia has a pretty raw deal when it comes to consumer electronic products. Overpriced and models sometimes up to a year old still being sold, and various models which are not available (is the Clie available down under yet?).

Edge should be $149.

I.M. Anonymous @ 12/7/2001 1:00:28 PM #
This thing is a POS.

RE: Edge should be $149.
I.M. Anonymous @ 12/7/2001 1:10:44 PM #
I disagree. It is a decent but somewhat dated handheld. I would think $199-$240 USD would be more appropriate.

RE: Edge should be $149.
I.M. Anonymous @ 12/7/2001 2:07:28 PM #
The springboard slot(Or more appropriately, lack thereof) for the Edge is what killed it, I think.

A lot of the Visor owners I know(thinks - Six of them) use their springboard for some sort of storage (Flash module, CF/SM/SD modules, whatever) or for the VisorPhone. Either of these you want in /all/ the time.

Most of the reason why somebody who bought a Handspring would buy a SECOND handspring is because they already own one-or-more modules.

It's the reason the Springboard format was invented /and patented/. Handspring lets anybody develop /modules/ for it, but would tax the hell out of a company that tried to develop a PDA with a slot in it.

It would have been more viable if they had made it just a LITTLE bigger, and made it so it would take a cartridge on it's own. As it was - If you've got to have that big wart sticking out the back to use your 8MB flash module, why bother paying extra for the lack of size?

Of course, if you just wanted smaller, and diden't care about expansion options, There were the early SONY and Palm V? modules - After the 50? models came out, well, the choice was easy.


RE: Edge should be $149.
Coyote67 @ 12/7/2001 2:46:12 PM #
That kind makes sense. I agree with you on the whole big wart sb slot stuck out on the back. What is a shame though, is that the sb2 didn't catch on. Imagine an adapter for the treo?

Before you go, SPRINGBOARD IS DEAD, KILL ALL WOMEN AND CHILDREN and all that stuff you gotta see that it isn't dead with 60 devices for it and growing. As I typed this out something came to me. Springboard, on pocketpcs, linux handhelds as well. HS could license it to others, and then require that any device that comes out for the interface work for all platforms. Imagine, a mp3 player the works with linux handhelds, wince, and palm. You could put the required drivers onboard so it would be all automatic. Bah, I think I'm drunk. GO AWAY MALT LIQUOR.

---------------------------------------
When you have a Clie showed up your mouth, you can only talk in vowels.

In Canada this is $459cdn

I.M. Anonymous @ 12/8/2001 2:19:09 AM #
I bought a Visor Platinum for $299 cdn when there was no other choices. But now Sony is up here in full force for $299 and it would be better perhaps. But since I use a mac my choices were slim. I really liked the Edge, but it was too rich for my blood and many others. I have never seen one except in the store. The m500 is $499 and I have not seen this one either. When people want to spend alot, they go for the PocketPC. I have many of those in my office. No one wants to spend $500cdn for a monochrome PDA. So the Edge needs to be replaced and this model to sell for alot less than $270us. Just my 2 cents. =)

Thats about $270 more than its worth.

I.M. Anonymous @ 12/8/2001 9:29:53 AM #
Is Handspring selling any of these things at this point? I can't fathom why anyone would buy one.

The PDA no one wants!

Foo @ 12/8/2001 9:54:30 AM #
The Edge was a flop. It's amazing that Handspring actually thought this PDA would put the company in profitability. Well, the Edge tanked, and Handspring is still bleeding red ink.

RE: The PDA no one wants!
I.M. Anonymous @ 12/8/2001 9:58:28 AM #
I played with one of these at a local Staples and I was really unimpressed. This thing felt really CHEAPLY made. That stylus was very crappy, with a poor design which made it feel uncomfortable to use because of it's odd shape and the way it connected to the device by clipping on to the outside. CHEAP AND SHODDY. This thing should be priced no higher than the m105.

RE: The PDA no one wants!
I.M. Anonymous @ 12/10/2001 10:42:53 AM #
Handspring.com had the edge for $250 on sunday dec 9,still up today.I think the edge is big and blocky, but overall it is still better than most PDAs available at the same price, including the Palm V at $200. I would not pay $250 for it though I think it is worth $200 tops, not when you could get a Visor deluxe for $100 that has basically the same functions.

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