Of Phones And PDAs
PDAs To Sport Voice-Enabled Features

Makers of personal digital assistants (PDAs) are looking to add voice functions to the existing range of features. Motorola announced an alliance with Palm to develop a phone that combines Palm's operating system with wireless phone technology. The new device, slated to be available by early 2002, will have a color display screen larger than that on most mobile phones although smaller than the 3-by-4-inch Palm screen-and will enable users to surf the Web and access the address book and calendar stored on their PDA.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong-based manufacturer RealVision said it would ship a snap-on module for the Palm that contains a microphone and speaker jack for making calls over a GSM wireless network. The product was slted for a 2001 release in Asia and Europe.

Handspring showcased an expansion that allows its Palm-based Visor PDA to complete phone calls. Integration of the phone and the PDA address book permits users to speed dial, use caller ID and set up conference calls. The VisorPhone also supports text messaging. The module uses GSM technology, but a CDMA version is in the works.

Like the projected Palm version, the VisorPhone includes Web surfing, but the company is downplaying the Internet's role. "Voice is the most important application right now", said Hawkins, who co-founded Palm. "Wireless networks are going to carry more voice than data for some time."

Though the sector seems viable, computer/phone combinations have not really taken off. The reason was an unidentified market for these products.

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