Palm PC marks IBM PDA debut

IBM will enter the PDA market later this year with the release of its Palm PC handheld computing device in Japan.

Featuring a colour display, a Qwerty keyboard and a 486 processor, the handheld machine will also include a customised operating system and a Web browser.

IBM has licenced OS-9, a modular handheld OS developed by Microware Systems. Future versions of the Palm PC's OS will support the Java scripting language.

The product is expected to hit the US before the end of the year but as yet there is no date for a UK release.

Big Blue has also pulled out all the stops to release versions of its systems management software based on its takeover of Tivoli earlier this year.

The company will shortly start shipping AIX and OS/2 versions of its Netfinity server family, adding to a range of products already available under the Eagle family of servers.