Java rings the changes at Sun

Sun Microsystems chief executive Scott McNealy has claimed that a ring with a Java chip inside it will open doors or even find a Web page in the future.

Showing off the prototype at the site of a planned new corporate building in Massachusetts, US, McNealy said the chip inside the ring costs about $1 and works in the same way as a smartcard.

?You can reach for your car door and open it, or put it on the steering wheel and the car will start,? he said.

McNealy revealed that Josten and Dallas Semiconductor are building the Java smart ring, which would cost about $60.

When questioned about whether Sun would produce a handheld Java device, McNealy indicated that a number of portable devices were being developed jointly with telecoms companies such as Alacatel, Samsung and Nortel.