August 31, 2000
Sony CLIE' officially announced

The monochrome version of Sony's new Palm OS-based handheld for the US Market will be called the CLIE'. Pronounced "klee-AY," CLIE' stands for Communication, Link, Information, and Entertainment. The new device is designed to be more of a multimedia device than other Palm OS computers have been, as evidenced by its Memory Stick slot and bundled multimedia software. An 8MB Memory Stick is included with the CLIE' handheld. Another significant feature will be the JogDial, situated in the upper left hand corner. Turning this dial brings up a pull down menu with the applications list. With this Jog Dial Navigator, many simple selection tasks can be performed without even removing the pen, according to Sony.

The CLIE' is also a little smaller than other Palm OS devices, including the Palm V. While maybe a smidge taller than the Palm V, the CLIE' is 2.79 inches wide, while the Palm V is 3.1 inches wide. Other features are 8MB of RAM, 2MB of Flash, USB interface, Lithium Ion rechargable battery (which charges through the cradle and lasts up to 15 days on a single charge), PictureGear Pocket Software for viewing and sharing images (and even including images in an Address Book entry), and gMedia video player software. AvantGo is bundled with the CLIE', as well as TrueSync software for synchronization with MS Outlook and Lotus Organizer. The product is expected in stores sometime in September, and pre-orders can be placed on the following website: www.sony.com/clie/. No word yet on when the color version will be available. Watch this site for a comprehensive review when the unit becomes available. -Shawn Barnett