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GMate to Unfold a Linux-Based PDA

Yopy handheld, making its U.S. debut next month, snaps open like a clamshell-style mobile phone.

Martyn Williams, IDG News Service

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South Korea's GMate plans to unveil a folding-type version of its Linux personal digital assistant at the Comdex Fall 2001 show in Las Vegas next month, a company executive says.

The new Yopy PDA folds open, just like a clamshell-type cellular telephone, to reveal a 3.5-inch color LCD on the top half and a 40-key keypad on the bottom half. The company is hoping it will become useful for people on the move, so is also developing a clip-on CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) modem to allow users to access the Internet via mobile networks.

Its specifications are similar to those of GMate's original Yopy PDA, which looks like a conventional PDA. It is based on a 206-MHz, 32-bit StrongArm processor, runs GMate's Linupy ARM Linux operating system, and has a 3.5-inch color display capable of 320-by-240 pixel resolution and 65,000 colors. The memory in the new PDA--64MB of RAM and 16MB of ROM--is an improvement on the old model.

Connectors include a slot for Multimedia Cards, an infrared IrDA port capable of speeds up to 115 kilobits per second, RS232C and USB sockets, and connectors for a microphone and headphones.

Software onboard includes a Web browser, e-mail software, MP3 music player, schedule managers, engineering calculator, image viewer, and voice recorder.

The new PDA measures approximately 4 inches by 2.8 inches by 0.6 inches and weighs around 5 ounces.

GMate first made headlines with its Linux PDA at the CeBIT show in Hanover in early 2000 when it unveiled the device to the world. The Yopy made its Comdex debut at last year's event along with some head-mounted displays developed by GMate. The promised commercial sale of the Yopy has been slow in coming. The most recent estimate from the company is that a commercial version will go on sale in late November this year.

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