Product Requirements:
Device:
Handspring Visor PDAs
2K Handmute.prc

Force feedback devices are really in vogue right now. If you don't happen to know what force feedback is, it is a device that gives you sensory feedback to your actions. For example, a force feedback joystick might give you the feeling of recoil when you shoot a gun in a game. The joystick handle will jerk back after you fire. There are force feedback mice, joysticks, headphones, and now even a force feedback Springboard for your Handspring Visor PDA.

The innovative folks at Tech Center Labs have created the RumbleCard. This is a Springboard module which has 2 functions. It can serve as a silent vibrator alarm, and it can enhance gaming experience by providing force feedback.

Before you can use the RumbleCard, you must first install a Palm OS Hack. There are two hacks written by John Pane that can be used, HandMute or AutoHandMute. Both are very small .PRC files. HandMute is freeware, while AutoHandMute is shareware ($5). The only difference between the two is that AutoHandMute will sense when the RumbleCard is installed in the Springboard slot and will enable itself automatically. With HandMute, you must go into HackMaster (or another extension manager) and enable or disable as needed.

This is my main complaint with the RumbleCard. Springboard modules are supposed to be self-maintaining, in that you should just plug them in, and they install the needed software. Having to download, install, and then enable or disable the software pretty much negates the whole Springboard philosophy.

Once you have either HandMute or AutoHandMute installed and enabled, you're all set to use the RumbleCard. The hack intercepts System and Alarm sounds and instead of playing the usual tone thru the speaker, it will buzz the vibrator inside the RumbleCard module. You can then use the RumbleCard as a silent alarm if you wish. The vibrator isn't super strong, so if you want to use it in this manner, you'll want to keep the Visor very close to your body so that you can feel the vibrator go off. There is a separate version of the RumbleCard that also includes a tale light that blinks and LED and vibrates when an alarm is sounded.

The better use for this module is for gaming. The only problem is that it will not work with every game in circulation. It has to be game that uses the system sounds instead of game sounds. The best game I've tested so far is Pinballz. This is a 3D style shareware pinball game that is quite a bit of fun. With the RumbleCard installed, you can 'feel' when your ball hits a bummer or flipper. It really adds a bit of realism to the game. What would make this game even better would be if sound effects and force feedback could be used at the same time. As it is now, you can't do both at the same time.

I tried several other games with this module and had mixed results. Of the 5 games I tested, only 2 yielded force feedback. I tried AtomSmash from Red Mercury, Mega Bowling from Megasoft2000, Dragon Pinball from Stand Alone Software, Lock'Em Up from LudiGames, and Volleyball from Mercury Development. The only games that actually worked were Dragon Pinball and Volleyball. However, neither of them worked as well as the Pinballz game.

This Springboard module does not require batteries as it gets its power from the Visor. During my review period, I did notice that while using the RumbleCard for games that the battery level would go down a bit faster than normal. Since I use a Visor Prism, this didn't really bother me due to the fact that I could always just pop it back in the cradle to top off the juice.

The RumbleCard makes a fun addition to game playing. If you like pinball games, be sure and buy Pinballz ($12.95). Otherwise, if you are buying this module just to use with a specific game, you might want to contact Tech Center Labs first to see if it is actually compatible with it.

Price: $19.95

Pros:
Lets you feel the game play
Can be used as a silent alarm

Cons:
Requires a hackmaster extension to be installed
Isn't compatible with all games