New smart phones due for early 2001 release

From...

The Kyocera Smartphone has a flip-down keypad that exposes a larger view of the phone's display screen

by Matt Hamblen

(IDG) -- Three new cell phones that double as personal organizers have been announced for shipment early next year, offering mobile users the chance to carry one device instead of two.

Analysts predict the pricey smart phones, which cost $500 to $600 in the U.S., will sell next year mostly to the early-adopter crowd that wants to carry just one device. They also says the devices may become mainstream in two to three years.

The latest device in the convergence trend was formally announced Monday by Japan-based Kyocera, which bought the handset division of Qualcomm. The Kyocera Smartphone is estimated to start at $499 and operates on Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) networks.

MORE COMPUTING INTELLIGENCE

IDG.net home page

Computerworld's home page

Play MP3s on your cell phone

Make your cell phone live longer

IBM gets fashionable with wearable cell phone

Reviews & in-depth info at IDG.net

E-BusinessWorld

TechInformer

Questions about computers? Let IDG.net's editors help you

Subscribe to IDG.net's free daily newsletter for IT leaders

Search IDG.net in 12 languages

News Radio

Fusion audio primers

Computerworld Minute

Its organizer runs on a Palm operating system, Kyocera officials said. In form and basic functions, the Kyocera handheld is similar to the R380 World from LM Ericsson Telephone, which was announced earlier this month.

Both new handhelds place the keypad for the phone on the bottom, with a portion of the organizer visible. When the user flips down the keypad, a much larger view of the organizer's screen is available, so the user can read longer e-mail messages, search for phone numbers and dates, browse the Web or send instant messages.

The R380 operates over Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) networks, which are available in the U.S. but don't have as large a coverage area as CDMA, said analysts. The Ericsson smart phone uses the operating system of London-based Symbian Ltd., which is more popular than the Palm in Europe. The phone will sell for about $600, Ericsson officials said.

The Kyocera and the R380 device are expected to sell in the U.S. starting early next year.

The third smart phone announced last week, the 9210 Communicator from Nokia in Finland, won't be available in the U.S. It incorporates a personal organizer and GSM phone in a clamshell design.

Alex Hu, vice president of audit technology at The Chase Manhattan in New York, said he is "not too thrilled" about the latest announcements and that he might wait until smart phones that incorporate Microsoft's Pocket PC operating system, dubbed the Stinger, hit the streets late next year. He said he would be more impressed with a Windows-based operating system. "We're eyeballing all these devices for all sorts of potential uses," Hu said.

Analyst Bryan Prohm at Gartner Group in Stamford, Conn., said smart phones will need to drop to $150 before they reach a mass market.

Hewlett-Packard CEO touts Nokia deal, Net services
November 13, 2000
Speech technology goes mobile, online
November 8, 2000
Demand on mobile phone displays hampers PDA availability
August 21, 2000
Buy concert tickets from your PDA or cell phone
May 16, 2000
Web phones contain PDAs
March 3, 2000

PDA phones deliver all-in-one convenience
(PC World)
Sharp unveils Zaurus PDA with video player
(IDG.net)
Nokia 9210 handset packs color, Java, Net access
(IDG.net)
A Palm-size Sony VAIO?
(PC World)
Add-on modules lure users to PDA demos at Comdex
(IDG.net)
Play MP3s on your cell phone
(PC World)
Make your cell phone live longer
(PC World)
IBM gets fashionable with wearable cell phone
(PC World)

Kyocera
Ericsson R380
Nokia 9210 Communicator

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.