By Margaret Kane, 8 November 2002 09:20
NEWS Palm has agreed to license keyboard technology from the maker of the popular BlackBerry wireless device. Palm said it will incorporate Research In Motion's technology in its recently announced Tungsten line of handheld devices, aimed at the high end of the handheld market. "The coupling of RIM's keyboard technology in our upcoming Tungsten W wireless handheld with the wealth of software applications available for Palm handhelds helps us deliver versatile and innovative wireless products to mobile professionals and enterprises," Todd Bradley, CEO of Palm's Solutions Group, said in a release. The $549/£399 Tungsten W is the first Palm model with a built-in keyboard. It uses GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) for always-on data access and can make phone calls with a plug-in earpiece. Vodafone will offer the device over its network in the New Year, and it is scheduled to arrive in the US in the first quarter of 2003. Financial terms of the deal were not released. RIM has been fiercely protective of its intellectual property, filing suits against several companies that it claims infringed on patents. Earlier this week, it announced a licensing deal with handheld maker Handspring and said the move also signalled a likely end to litigation between those two companies. Margaret Kane writes for CNET News.com.
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