NEW YORK -- IBM this week is officially taking the wraps off its latest catchphrase: pervasive computing.

At PC Expo here, the company discussed its efforts to extend its e-business umbrella into the world of automobiles, home appliances, smart phones and other handheld devices. IBM's goal: Provide the enabling technology to make these devices more intelligent and more connectable.

"It's about providing convenient access to relevant information and the ability to take action on it anywhere, anytime," said Phyllis Porio, director of marketing for IBM's pervasive computing efforts. "It's not just access but also doing transactions. The real potential of pervasive computing is connectivity to enterprise data."

Pilot to begin in September

IBM didn't make any product or technology announcements related to pervasive computing at the show; it simply provided an overview of its development work in this area. Although much of what IBM is touting may be pie-in-the-skyish -- intelligent washing machines that alert you when you inadvertently include a red sock in a load of whites, for example -- the company seems to be making significant strides in advancing the technology.

IBM, Nokia and the SABRE Group plan to begin a pilot in September in which travelers can use cell phones to change flight plans and receive updates from airlines regarding flight schedules. For example, a traveler using a Nokia screen phone would receive an alert if his or her flight were cancelled, along with a list of options for new flights.

In July, IBM is expected to announce a pilot program with a North American telecommunications company for home networking. Officials declined to name the partner.

While IBM doesn't plan to manufacture intelligent handheld devices, it will contribute technology to help make these devices more intelligent.

The company's Client Stack software, for example, integrates a real-time operating system, embedded speech technology, a Java Virtual Machine Layer, class libraries and the DB2 Everywhere database for handhelds. IBM is talking to several device manufacturers about licensing the Client Stack, including 3Com for its Palm series, Porio said. IBM also has had discussions with Microsoft Corp. about supporting Windows CE devices, she added.

In addition, IBM is working on the back-end infrastructure for supporting these devices. Version 3.0 of the company's On Demand Server, due next year, will include transcoding technology that will be able to identify and communicate with the myriad devices communicating with the network. As part of this effort, IBM pledges to support open standards including the Wireless Application Protocol and the Open Service Gateway.

IBM is at www.ibm.com.

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