Phone boasts PDA traits

Communications firm Sierra Wireless last week announced it will enter the smartphone market with a range of devices based on Microsoft mobile technology, and geared towards business users.

Sierra's Voq handset, set to ship early next year, is based on Smartphone 2003, the phone version of Microsoft's Windows Mobile platform. The device looks like a standard handset, but the area below the screen flips open to reveal a full Qwerty keypad. It also features an email client that can link to corporate mail servers without requiring any changes to LAN infrastructure, according to Sierra.

The Voq has been designed for business needs not currently being met by handset or PDA makers, said Todd Heintz, marketing director for Sierra Wireless. "Most business professionals have a phone, but few want to carry a PDA outside work hours," he said. "But if you give them a smartphone, they need a better way to input text in PDA mode."

For this reason, the Voq has a flip-open Qwerty thumbpad for easier text entry and a custom application that reduces the keystrokes needed for functions such as text messaging. The Voq has a battery life comparable to standard phones, at four to six hours of talk time, Heintz said.

Sierra Wireless is best known as a maker of wireless kit such as GPRS modules and PC Card adapters, and it supplies Vodafone with hardware for the Mobile Connect service. Sierra Wireless said it was putting its wireless data expertise into making the Voq suitable for professionals. "Other handset makers are more consumer focussed," said Heintz.

One feature that will be attractive to companies is the client-side-only email solution that can access Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Notes and Novell Groupwise servers without needing any additional hardware, Heintz said.

Sierra's Voq is a tri-band GSM/GPRS handset and will be positioned between phones and high-end PDAs in price. This would make it comparable to other smartphones that cost between £200 and £250 with an operator contract.

Sierra said it is in discussions with UK carriers, but would not say which will offer the Voq when it ships next year.