Handspring, Inc.

Handspring, Inc.

Company type	Private (1998–2000), Public (2000–2003)
Industry	Electronics, Personal digital assistants
Founded	1 June 1998 (1998-06-01) in Mountain View, California, U.S.
Founder	Jeff Hawkins, Donna Dubinsky, Ed Colligan
Defunct	2003 (2003)
Fate	Merged with Palm, Inc.
Headquarters	Mountain View , United States
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Jeff Hawkins, Donna Dubinsky, Ed Colligan
Products	Visor series PDAs, Treo smartphones

Handspring, Inc. was a U.S.-based electronics firm established in 1998 by the original creators of the PalmPilot and Palm, Inc.—Jeff Hawkins, Donna Dubinsky, and Ed Colligan—who parted ways with Palm following dissatisfaction with its management under 3Com. The company focused on producing personal digital assistant devices running Palm OS, marketed under the Visor and Treo brand names. In 2003, Handspring combined its hardware division with that of Palm, Inc.

History

Originating in June 1998 in Mountain View, California, Handspring leveraged the founders’ deep industry knowledge to deliver PDAs that featured quicker USB synchronization compared to Palm’s traditional RS232 serial method. Its unique Springboard expansion slot allowed users to attach modular accessories such as GPS units, cameras, music playback devices, and cellular communication modules, strengthening its position within the competitive mobile device sector.

In June 2000, amid the dot-com boom, Handspring launched an initial public offering on NASDAQ under the symbol HAND, with shares increasing by 35% on opening day—signaling robust market optimism regarding the company’s growth trajectory and business prospects.

The 2003 merger with Palm unified their hardware segments, simplifying organizational structure while broadening their footprint in the PDA marketplace.

Visor and Visor Deluxe

Handspring introduced the Visor Solo featuring 2 MB of memory and the Visor Deluxe with up to 8 MB capacity. Both models operated on Palm OS 3.1H powered by a Freescale DragonBall processor and included enhanced productivity applications such as an improved datebook and world clock. The Visor’s side-mounted IrDA port made room for the innovative Springboard Expansion Slot, enabling diverse hardware add-ons. Weighing 5.4 ounces and measuring 4.8 × 3.0 × 0.7 inches, these devices were designed for professionals desiring adaptable mobile solutions.

Visor Prism

The Visor Prism marked Handspring’s inaugural Palm OS device equipped with a 16-bit color screen capable of displaying 65,536 colors, exceeding the Palm IIIc’s 8-bit display quality. Its cobalt-blue chassis and matching cradle represented a departure from the company’s usual vibrant palette. Powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery rather than AAA cells, it maintained both the Springboard Expansion Slot and side infrared connectivity. Running Palm OS 3.5.2H3, it weighed 6.9 ounces with dimensions of 4.8 × 3.0 × 0.8 inches and featured a 2.25-inch square display. The highest available OS update was version 3.5.3.

Visor Platinum

Externally resembling the Deluxe model but offered only in silver or black finishes, the Visor Platinum boasted a faster 33-MHz Motorola DragonBall VZ processor compared to the Deluxe’s 16 or 20 MHz chips and shipped with Palm OS 3.5.2H rather than 3.1H. At launch, it possessed the quickest processor among all Palm OS devices and incorporated a microphone intended for use with Springboard cell phone modules.

Visor Edge

Released in March 2001, the Visor Edge was the slimmest and lightest in Handspring’s lineup at 4.7 × 3.1 × 0.44 inches and weighing just 4.8 ounces. It contained a 33 MHz MC68VZ328 DragonBall CPU, 8 MB of RAM, and ran Palm OS 3.5.2H on a standard 160×160-pixel display supporting 4-bit grayscale (16 shades). Offered in Metallic Blue, Silver, and Red colors, it featured a rechargeable lithium-ion battery providing two to four weeks of operation per charge cycle. Due to its slender design, access to the Springboard slot was provided via an attachable slide-on sleeve rather than integrated directly into the casing while preserving compatibility with Springboard Modules.

Visor Neo

Introduced in September 2001, the Neo was equipped with a 33 MHz MC68VZ328 DragonBall CPU, 8 MB of DRAM, an IrDA infrared port, and Handspring’s Springboard expansion slot. It sported a 160×160 pixel, 4-bit grayscale screen. Measuring 4.8 inches by 3.0 inches by 0.7 inches and weighing 5.4 ounces, it came in translucent Blue, Red, or Smoke-grey housings. Operating on Handspring's customized Palm OS 3.5.2H3, the device was powered by two AAA batteries that could last as long as two months. Positioned as a budget-friendly alternative, the Neo sought to broaden Handspring’s consumer base.

Visor Pro

Also released in September 2001, the Visor Pro marked the final entry in the Visor PDA lineup. It featured a 33 MHz MC68VZ328 DragonBall processor, 16 MB of RAM, an integrated microphone, and retained the Springboard expansion slot. The unit offered a backlit 4-bit grayscale display and was powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Weighing in at 5.7 ounces, it stood as Handspring’s top-tier model in terms of memory capacity and functionality.

Comparison of Visor Models

Model	Solo	Deluxe	Prism	Platinum	Edge	Neo	Pro
RAM Capacity	2 MB	8 MB	8 MB	8 MB	8 MB	8 MB	16 MB
CPU	16 MHz Motorola MC68EZ328	20 MHz Motorola MC68EZ328	33 MHz Motorola MC68VZ328
Palm OS Version	3.1H	3.1H/3.1H2	3.5.2H3	3.5.2H	3.5.2H	3.5.2H3	3.5.2H3
Color Options	Graphite (Black)	Graphite (Black), Translucent Blue, Green, Orange, Ice (Clear)	Metallic Cobalt	Graphite (Black), Platinum (Silver)	Metallic Red, Blue, Silver	Translucent Red, Blue (Darker than Deluxe), Smoke (Gray)	Silver
Display Type	3.0" 4-bit grayscale	3.0" 4-bit grayscale	3.0" 16-bit color	3.0" 4-bit grayscale	3.0" 4-bit grayscale	3.0" 4-bit grayscale	3.0" 4-bit grayscale
Power Source	2xAAA batteries	2xAAA batteries	Rechargeable Li-Ion battery	2xAAA batteries	Rechargeable Li-Ion battery	2xAAA batteries	Rechargeable Li-Ion battery
Launch Date	September 1999		October 2000		March 2001	September 2001	September 2001

Handspring Treo

In early 2002, Handspring transitioned from the Visor series to the Treo lineup, emphasizing handhelds designed around communication features. Apart from the Treo 90, all Treo models were smartphones integrating cellular phone capabilities with built-in keyboards to improve e-mail and SMS functionality. The Treo's popularity was largely due to Handspring’s proprietary VisorPhone software seamlessly integrated with Palm OS. The Springboard expansion slot was phased out to enable slimmer device profiles, as new technologies such as SDIO and built-in components like memory modules, cameras, MP3 players, Wi-Fi, and GPS reduced dependence on external peripherals.

Treo 180 / 180g

Debuting in February 2002, the Treo 180 and its variant, the Treo 180g, were monochrome GSM devices; the Treo 180 incorporated a thumb keyboard while the Treo 180g utilized a Graffiti handwriting input area instead.

Treo 90

Launched in April 2002, the Treo 90 stood out as a non-smartphone device that did not support mobile phone capabilities. At its debut, it was the most compact Palm OS gadget available and introduced innovations such as a color display and an SD card slot, features that became standard in later Treo models.

Treo 270 / Treo 300

The Treo 270 (GSM) and Treo 300 (CDMA) represented paired versions of the same device, with the Treo 300 being distributed by Sprint Corporation.

Treo 600

After Palm acquired Handspring, the Treo 600 was marketed under the PalmOne brand. Its GSM variant was one of the limited quad-band phones accessible in the U.S., signifying a major advancement in Palm’s international reach and growth in market presence.