Sony has launched a new version of its Clie personal digital assistant (PDA) in an attempt to penetrate the entry-level market that has so far eluded it.
The US$150 (about HK$1,167) Clie PEG-SL10 has a monochrome display with a resolution of 320 x 320 pixels and an eight megabyte internal memory. It runs on version 4.1 of the Palm operating system.
As a typical Sony handheld, it comes with a Jog Dial navigation control, and a Memory Stick expansion slot.
The latest handheld will be released first in the United States. Sony said it had not yet decided on a marketing plan for the SL10 in Hong Kong.
Manny Lopez, market analyst at International Data Corp, said the launch of a new entry-level handheld in Hong Kong would help to expand their already broad popularity in the Hong Kong market.
'This new model will not only be targeted to budget conscious consumers, but will also be a cheap alternative for corporations looking to implement handhelds into their work environment,' he said.
IDC said that Sony's Clie was the second most popular PDA in Hong Kong last year. Sony has shipped 15,723 units and has a market share of 12 per cent, following Palm with 43 per cent.