HP launches all-out drive for chunk of mobile phone sector

Computer maker Hewlett-Packard (HP) made its debut at Asia's largest communications trade show this week by unveiling a three-pronged mobile e-services strategy to support next-generation wireless networks in the region.

HP chose CommunicAsia 2001 to unveil its new personalised location-based services and what it claims is the region's first industrial-strength test bed for high-speed third generation (3G) and 2.5G mobile applications based, respectively, on the 3G WCDMA (wideband code division multiple access) and the 2.5G GPRS (general packet radio services) platforms.

It also announced an alliance with PacketVideo, a maker of software used to deliver rich media over wireless communications systems, to establish a regional wireless multimedia development laboratory in Singapore.

'HP's vision is to create a new paradigm for mobility, which is based on the collective ability of appliances - both wired and wireless - to work together using an always-on infrastructure and to deliver personalised e-services,' said Curtis Welcher, worldwide general manager at HP's service provider and mobile solutions division.

He added that the company's mobile e-services drive was being rolled out steadily worldwide.

HP's personalised, location-based service was demonstrated at CommunicAsia using the company's hand-held Jornada computer. Location-based service represents a technology that enables users to push and pull information from Bluetooth-enabled devices, customised for the timezone or specific location where the user happens to be.