Sony Unveils Color, Monochrome Clies

Sony Electronics is hoping to land a one-two punch on the personal digital assistant market by offering two new Clie models with double the memory of its existing models, aimed at both entry-level and tech-savvy users.

Sony has begun taking preorders for the color Clie PEG-T615C and monochrome PEG-S360. Both the T615C and the S360 are scheduled to start shipping within the next two months, the company said in a statement. Both models are based on Motorola's 33-MHz Dragonball VZ processor, the same one used in current Clie models.

Sony claims the T615C, with its 320-by-320-pixel resolution screen, is the thinnest color device running Palm's operating system. The handheld also functions as a universal remote control, so tech-savvy users can control their home stereo and television from up to 15 feet away using the Clie's infrared port, Sony said.

Memory Boost

The T615C includes 16MB of internal memory, which is double the memory of previous models. The device is 0.5 inch thick and weighs 4.9 ounces. It uses Sony's Memory Stick media and comes bundled with Documents to Go software, which lets users edit Microsoft Word documents on the device.

The T615C is expected to ship in late January, with an estimated street price of about $400, Sony said in the statement.

Sony's monochrome S360, which also features 16MB of memory and a Memory Stick slot, includes a rechargeable battery, the company said. It also comes bundled with digital image viewing software. The S360 is expected to beginning shipping in February, priced at about $200, Sony said.

Expanding Line

Sony launched its first monochrome Clie in the U.S. in September 2000. The company priced the first Clie in the $400 range, which was then occupied by Palm's Vx and its color IIIc. However, the Palm models had no media slots, while Sony's Clie offered Memory Stick support for memory expansion.

Clie went color in July 2001 with the release of the PEG-N710c.

The remote control feature first appeared on the Clie PEG-T415, which was unveiled last fall. It has a 15-foot range for controlling audio and video equipment, and also uses the Dragonball VZ 33-MHz processor.