Sony is getting its second wind in the race for the handheld market.
The consumer electronics giant announced Tuesday it will begin shipping its second-generation Clie device, the PEG N710C, early next month in the US. No Australian or Asia shipping date has been announced yet. The US$499 device will be able to play digital audio and video files and will have a 320-by-320-pixel colour screen.
As reported by CNET News.com, details and photographs of the new model were inadvertently posted on Sony's Web site before the official launch.
The first version of the Clie disappointed many analysts and followers of the PDA (personal digital assistant) market who expected more features from a Sony device. However, many of the capabilities expected in the first-generation device are included in the new Clie, which should help Sony's efforts in the handheld market.
Earlier this month, Fujio Nishida, president of Sony Electronics, acknowledged the shortcomings of the first Clie device, saying, "It didn't have colour and was a little pricey. We are bringing out a better product."
The lack of enthusiasm in the market for the Clie was evident by the device's poor sales. Recent figures from research firm NPD Intelect estimated that the Clie's market share was in the low single-digit range, placing it far behind other PDAs based on the PalmOS, such as Handspring's Visor and Palm's own devices
6%
2%
