Comdex is show of handhelds

A raft of handheld devices and the network computer are the highlights of Comdex Fall in Las Vegas this week.

Many big-name vendors will be showing off their new palm-top computing devices, all based on Windows CE.

Compaq, NEC and Hitachi will be among the manufacturers keen to prove that one in the hand is worth a major R&D investment after all.

The Compaq PC companion, a talking point at Compaq for years, was postponed to coincide with Microsoft's handheld OS. It will weigh less than 450g, offer either 2Mb or 4Mb, and will be priced at $500 to $700.

Sony announced it will be attacking product areas such as DVD and Web set-top boxes.

Carl Wankowski, president and COO of Sony US, said a major convergence of technologies would mean vendors getting involved in things outside their traditional area.

'I think this convergence is starting to redefine itself as collision,' he said.