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More Mobile Phones Add PDA Functions

Techstination feature for Tuesday, April 22, 2003

More mobile phones add PDA functions. Bloomberg Boot Camp, a report on today's technology. The list of devices that combine cell phones with PDAs is growing. Kyocera's new SmartPhone... adding a color screen to its Palm operating system..is being offered by Verizon Wireless, Sony Ericsson's P800 that combines a phone, a PDA and a camera is coming out from T-Mobile, and Sprint PCS will be coming out with a new PocketPC device made by Samsung. Microsoft's mobile devices division lead product manager Ed Suwanjindar says the SPH i700 will combine voice with high speed data...

"So the ability to browse the Internet, watch videos, conduct MSN messenger chats, also an emerging trend on handhelds, digital photography. These devices include cameras so people can send images and they can even add photos of people into your contacts. So when somebody's calling you you can actually see a picture of them as they call."

But the convergence devices are still pretty expensive. The best bargain as far as data service pricing has been concerned has been the Danger SideKick from T-Mobile. Microsoft believes sales will grow...

"I think when we combine these devices with the broad range of services that will ship with them, there's definitely broad possibilities in terms of consumer uptake."

Sprint expects to begin selling the i700... by the end of June. Bloomberg Boot Camp, I'm Fred Fishkin.