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Toshiba is ready to make its long-awaited entry into the personal digital assistant market. The company will launch its handheld computer in July, a company source tells IDG News Service.

Toshiba is nearing design completion of its PDA, the first from the notebook market leader, which will be based on Microsoft's Pocket PC platform and Windows CE operating system, the source says.

Further details, such as target price and international launch details, are still under consideration.

Toshiba introduced the world to the concept of mobile computing in June 1989 when it launched the world's first notebook computer, but since then, although its machines have gotten smaller, it has never deviated from the basic notebook PC form factor. The new PDA will be a test of whether Toshiba can translate its mobile computing leadership into new markets.

It will face stiff competition from a handful of companies, some already established and others that have more recently entered the market. Among them are Sharp, Compaq Computer, Casio Computer, Palm, Handspring, and Sony.

The latter three companies all have machines based on Palm's proprietary operating system, while Compaq and Casio, like Toshiba, use Microsoft's Pocket PC and Windows CE. Sharp, which has its own operating system, is planning to capture a greater market share by offering machines based on the open-source Linux.

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