Handspring pushes wireless email

NEWS Handspring has released its Treo Mail email service in Europe for its flagship wireless handheld devices. Wireless email that makes use of mobile networks - whether then linked to corporate servers or ISPs - is becoming popular, with several device manufactures and operators touting services. Treo Mail supports the most popular messaging client/server platforms, Microsoft's Outlook and Exchange, and Lotus Notes R5. It will also allow connectivity through POP3 email accounts. Handspring says the software - written by Visto Corporation - fits with its vision of a hybrid terminal handling voice, PDA functions and wireless email. However, sales of Treos and similar handhelds, such as the xda, available on O2, have disappointed since their releases. Treo Mail will work on current data networks, both GPRS and circuit-switched GSM as well as CDMA 1xRTT, and will be priced on an annual subscription basis, $49.99 for the Internet Edition and $99.99 for the Corporate Desktop Edition. The company is offering a 90-day free trial and there are versions in French and German.