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* IT managers still leery of new devices
HANDHELD COMPUTING devices, ranging from mini notebook PCs to smart phones, are coming from all directions. The one question remaining is, who I will buy them?
Hoping the answer to that question will be IT managers, vendors will use the Comdex trade show in Las Vegas this week to showcase a host of"enterprise-friendly" products. But the devices still face a variety of hurdles before they land on approved corporate buying lists.
In addition to the myriad of security and asset-management concerns, the immediate difficulty for IT managers is keeping track of products as they find their way through the back door of many companies.
"The biggest challenge ... is getting control of handheld purchasing before it spreads throughout the enterprise," said Gerry Purdy, president of Mobile Insights, a consultancy in Mountain View, Calif. "Right now handhelds are being acquired piecemeal, on individual expense reports."
The PalmPilot from 3Com and IBM is leading the assault with its diminutive form factor and attractive price point. In addition to recently adding paging capabilities and a raft of software developers to the fold, the PalmPilot has built up a solid reputation and impressive core of users.
But the new breed of devices that are based on Microsoft's Windows CE 2.0 operating system, which will be on display at Comdex, are seeking to make up some lost ground. Hewlett-Packard, Compaq, NEC, and Philips will officially introduce new WinCE-based products at the show in the...