Psion Looks to Corporates with Series 5 Launch

Psion has shifted its focus away from its traditional retail stronghold as it attempts to secure itself a position in the corporate market.

The palmtop manufacturer has announced a new reseller accreditation and training programme to coincide with the launch of its latest product offering, the Series 5.

The Psion Corporate Solutions Partner programme is designed to train resellers that either want to simply sell the products or develop applications.

Kevin Vaughan Smith, Psion corporate solutions director, said retail would remain important to Psion, but corporate resellers would be targeted to get the Series 5 widely accepted as a necessary business tool.

?We see the large corporates giving the Series 5 to employees in the same way they do with mobile phones. While we see it still having a strong following in the retail market, the corporates will buy from the corporate resellers,? he said.

Geoff Finch, BT card services and fixed mobile convergence director, said the Series 5 would have as much impact on mobile business practices as the mobile phone did in the 1980s. ?When you can hook one of these up to your GSM phone, you will be able to work effectively no matter where you are.?

The Series 5 goes on sale on 1 July.