Get A Grip On Integration

Solution providers expect vendors to unveil a number of new Pocket PCs with innovative wireless capabilities and technologies this fall.

In late June, Toshiba, based here, released a Pocket PC with built-in Wi-Fi technology. The device uses an Intel 400MHz X-Scale, which allowed the company to integrate wireless capabilities without compromising battery life, said Oscar Koenders, vice president of product planning at Toshiba. The company also incorporated an on-off switch for wireless capabilities, so that users can conserve battery life by turning on the feature only when they need it.

Toshiba based its latest device on a lighter form factor. The e740 is slightly smaller than competing models and weighs about 4 ounces less.

The unit, which includes 64 Mbytes of RAM, 32 Mbytes of ROM, a Compact Flash/Secure Digital slot and a lithium-ion battery, costs $599. Toshiba also offers an expansion pack that includes additional battery capabilities and an integrated USB port.

The vendor's handheld, with its integrated wireless features, is the prototype for models to come, said Larry Mittag, vice president and CTO of Stellcom, a San Diego-based integrator of mobile technology.

"Having integrated features is really key in portable devices," Mittag said. "PCs were made to be expandable, but handhelds are made to be used right out of the box, so integration is much more important."

Mittag expects to see a number of such models on the market by the fall, as well as additional devices that include support for Wi-Fi and 2.5G wireless technologies.

Indeed, Toshiba acknowledged it's working on technology that will allow mobile workers to roam seamlessly between Wi-Fi and 2.5G.

Rod Keller, executive vice president of Toshiba, said the company plans to roll out such technology by the middle of next year. Toshiba will also be working to increase the popularity of Wi-Fi hot spots.

"Today there's a significant shortage of 802.11 in public spaces, and we're doing some things to proliferate the technology," Keller said.

Still, not all solution providers believe Wi-Fi is a crucial selling point. Anthony Meadow, president of Bear River Associates, an Oakland, Calif.-based provider of mobile solutions, said most of his clients are happy with traditional synchronization capabilities.

"For the most part, our customers are focused more on improving productivity of their mobile workers by using mobile computers without wireless communications," Meadow said. "There are some exceptions, though, and I think more of our customers will be interested [in wireless when the security issues with 802.11 are worked out and when there are more 802.11 networks in place."

Such reservations don't appear to be stopping vendors from working on new wireless devices.

Sean Burke, vice president of Hewlett-Packard's Smart Handhelds group, said that wireless technology will be a key component of the company's products this fall. Burke expects iPaq models to include integrated wireless capabilities by the end of the year. "What we'll be doing is decreasing the overall size of these devices, and you won't need expansion pack sleds," he said.

Also, HP is close to releasing its GSM/GPRS expansion pack in the United States, said Burke. The company is waiting for certification on U.S.-based carrier networks, he said.

Meanwhile, published reports have suggested that Dell may also be looking to enter the handheld space. Industry publications have reported that the direct seller of computing products is shopping around for a manufacturer in Asia and would like to offer a low-cost device by the holidays.

That's an appealing prospect to Meadow.

"It seems to me that there's been an exodus of companies in the mobile hardware arena for the last couple of years," he said. "Having a new company, especially a strong player, enter the market is a good sign and helps validate the market yet once more."