Sony jazzes up its CLIE handheld

The new Sony CLIE will retail in Japan for $420

In this story: A comprehensive platform Memory stick advantage RELATED STORIES, SITES

By Kristie Lu Stout
CNN.com Writer

TOKYO, Japan (CNN) -- Sony has unveiled the upgrade of its CLIE personal digital assistant featuring audio playback, improved color display and longer battery life.

The CLIE will be able to play digital audio files recorded on Sony's memory stick, a storage unit the size of a stick of chewing gum.

The new audio-enabled handheld represents another step in Sony's efforts towards the convergence of its audio, visual and computer products.

The handheld has been slimmed down and features a silver-colored casing. It will retail for about $420.

A comprehensive platform

"Our long term objective is to make a platform that can do a number of different things," Sony spokesperson Merran Wrigley told CNN.com.

"We take the handheld concept and turn it into a more comprehensive platform."

Rival handheld products, like the Handspring or Palm Pilot, can only play audio files by adding a separate module.

The new CLIE, which is based on the Palm operating system, has a built-in audio playback capability.

The upgrade, like its predecessor, can access the Internet via a mobile phone link. Sony says built-in connectivity will be featured in future versions of the handheld device.

Memory stick advantage

Bluetooth and digital photo taking functions are in the CLIE product development pipeline.

Bluetooth is the radio technology that allows devices in close range to exchange data wirelessly.

Such features are already available on the market but not engineered into today's array of handheld services.

Sony says its memory stick has become the company's strategic advantage in the race to manufacture an all-in-one personal digital assistant.

"The memory stick already takes the CLIE one step in that direction," says Sony's Wrigley.

"It's a unifying platform for those types of devices."

Research group IDC anticipates that four million PDAs will be sold in Japan in 2004, three times as many as in 1999.

Sony will start to market the CLIE upgrade to Japanese consumers on April 7. There is no timetable yet for other markets.

Sony targets Palm with $400 PDA

CLIE
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