Over the longer term, makers of PDAs may face an assault from another popular handheld device — mobile phones. Puny screens and just a dozen tiny keys have hampered the use of cellphones for e-mail and messaging. But a consortium of cellphone makers, including Ericsson, Motorola, and Nokia, has set up a joint venture called Symbian that is developing a new generation of smart phones designed to compete with PDAs.
Nokia’s latest version, released this month, handles phone, fax, email, and Web browsing. It also flips open along the full length of the 2-by-6-inch handset to reveal a wider screen and full keyboard. |
