The main component which the Visor Prism brings to the table that the Palm lacks is the Springboard expansion platform. We've looked at a few devices that can be inserted into this open source port to bring added functionality to the Handspring. In particular the Eye Module 2 which is a mini digital camera, and the MiniJam which is a portable MP3 player.

Spring board expansion modules of all types and descriptions have proliferated on the fact that the system is an open hardware platform. Jeff Hawkins, the creator of the PalmPilot maintains the philosophy that an open, licence-free expansion port was necessary to spark third-party interest in software and hardware development.

The Springboard expansion module system is quite diverse, and from the outset looks quite similar to that of PCMCIA cards, but really is quite different. While the two expansion ports share the same type of connector pins the similarities stop there.

The Handspring expansion port has space so the add-on's can go beyond the back and above the top of the Visor. The modules can draw power from the internal Visor batteries, or come equipped with their own - not to mention extra buttons, antennae, earpies and the like.

Naturally the component of the Visor Prism which makes it stand out the most is its very attractive and handy full-colour LCD display. The 160x160 pixel resolution 16-bit colour screen can display upwards of 65,000 shades of colour behind a touch sensitive screen.