How does it look?
The question on everyone's mind is, "How does it look?" On my ice model Visor it looks okay. Not stunning, but not too bad. Perhaps one of the other woods would have been a better choice, or it may look better on a graphite Visor. I'm also not fond of the way the overlay stops at the top of the Visor's microphone. This leaves about a quarter inch band of plastic case that ruins the look. This is most likely due to the Visor's case being curved. If GoStyle extended and curved the overlay it would look much nicer. Since the Palm handhelds have a flatter face, they don't suffer from this and look much better as a result. Judge for yourself in Figure B.

FIGURE B

The Palm IIIc looks quite lovely with its new wood siding. Click picture for a larger image.

Choose your wood
GoStyle offers the overlay kits in several different types of wood. The standard woods are cherry, maple, walnut, and mahogany. These are priced at $29.99. In Figure C, you can see some samples.

FIGURE C

The standard overlays come in cherry, maple, walnut, and mahogany.

They also offer the set in more exotic woods for $39.99. The exotic woods are: paduak, purpleheart, teak, and zebrawood. Figure D shows some samples of these.

FIGURE D

For more exotic tastes, try paduak, purpleheart, teak, or zebrawood.

You will also find some new colored woods such as kiwi, watermelon, blueberry, and lemonade. These are available for $34.99 and samples are shown in Figure E.

FIGURE E

If you prefer your wood fruity, try kiwi, watermelon, blueberry, or lemonade.

As I mentioned earlier, I have the cherry overlay on my Visor. In an informal poll (and by this I mean randomly asking people I know, as well as some strangers I met on the street), the classy look received mixed reactions. I did get a few responses like, "It looks stupid," and "It reminds me of one of those wood-paneled station wagons." Most people, however, thought it looked okay but could be better.

The day the fashion dies
What happens when you get tired of the wood look on your handheld? The good news is that these overlays come off relatively easily with no damage to your valuable Palm device. A small amount of adhesive may remain behind, but it can be easily removed by rubbing it with a cloth or napkin moistened with some rubbing alcohol. Just be sure not to get any on the screen.

The bad news is, the overlay will be pretty much destroyed. You might be able to carefully lift it away with the assistance of a razor blade, but I wouldn't risk it if I were you. The cost of a new set of overlays is small compared to the cost of a new handheld.

An air of distinction
The bottom line is, do you want to stand out from the crowd or do you prefer to blend in? For those in a more professional environment, such as attorneys, executives, and the like, the wood overlays add an air of elegance and distinction. Those who are drawn to the Visor's colored cases are probably not likely to be drawn to the wood overlays, unless they go for the colored woods. Visors already have a distinctive look in the handheld world. However, for Palm device users, $30 to $50 may be well worth it to be able to pick your handheld out of the sea of gray.

Product availability and resources For more information on GoStyle wood overlays, visit http://www.techstylemobile.com/pda.html. Information on the overlays can also be found by visiting Mobile Generation Software at http://www.mobilegeneration.com/accessories. To read Craig Bobchin's review of the eyemodule in the June issue of PalmPower, visit http://www.palmpower.com/issues/issue200006/eyemodule001.html. Bulk reprints Bulk reprints of this article (in quantities of 100 or more) are available for a fee from Reprint Services, a ZATZ business partner. Contact them at reprints@zatz.com or by calling 1-800-217-7874.

Craig is a consultant who has been using Palm devices since 1996. He is the author of over 150 articles on all facets of computing. Craig can be reached at Cbobchin@csi.com.