Kyocera Shows Java-Based PDA

Kyocera is developing a new personal digital assistant based on Java, to help PDAs access programs that are now available only on PCs.

The new PDA, the Pocket Cosmo, runs Personal Java 1.2 on top of the Elate operating system from Tao Group. This will allow it to run programs written in Java faster and using less memory than other PDAs, which usually run on a Windows, Palm, or Linux operating system, according to Kyocera representatives. Java has already found a place on some cell phones.

Kyocera plans to start taking orders from Japanese customers through its Web site on June 17, and to release the Pocket Cosmo in late July. The company is considering selling the product overseas but has not decided when it might become available, says Takuro Takeshima, a Kyocera spokesperson.

The company will also not disclose the price of the Pocket Cosmo, as it will be sold on a customized basis, with some of its applications developed in conjunction with business customers. Price will vary with configuration, Takeshima said. "It will be around the same as other PDAs currently in the market," he added.

Familiar Form

The Pocket Cosmo runs on a 206-MHz Intel StrongArm processor, and comes with 32MB of memory, a 3.5-inch color TFT display capable of 65,536 colors, and a Compact Flash card slot that will allow wireless Internet connectivity, according to Kyocera.

A business-software suite developed for the PDA will give users access to Microsoft Word and Excel documents, according to Kyocera. Also, the device will be able to view all major graphics formats sent by e-mail.

The device measures 3.12 by 4.3 by .7 inches, and weighs just under 6 ounces. The rechargeable battery will last about ten hours, Kyocera said.

"As this is a new concept in PDAs, not many applications are available for it yet," Takeshima said. Kyocera expects to work through its corporate user channel for initial distribution.

"However, if third parties are interested in providing content and programs in Java, they can," he said. The PDA can be more easily adapted for different corporate users and consumers because it is based on Java and the simple real-time Elate operating system, he said.