Gateway, Inc. today announced that its branded PDA products will launch during the third quarter of this year.
Gateway’s first PDA offering will be a feature-rich, sleek handheld utilizing Microsoft Windows Mobile 2003 Software for Pocket PCs. The company, which is unveiling this year more than 50 newproducts across 15 consumer electronics and business categories, will fill out its PDA line in future months with a value-priced offering as well as other handheld products.
Geared primarily for business professionals, the Gateway PDA will be included in bundled mobility solutions for small- and medium-sized businesses, corporations, schools and governmentagencies. Gateway’s current mobile product line includes tablet PCs, thin-and-light notebooks and high- performance desktop replacement models.
“Gateway’s new PDAs will be ideal for on-the-go professionals and tech- savvy consumers,” said Mike Stinson, Gateway’s vice president of mobile products. “With Gateway’s many channels — fromthe Web to our nationwide network of Gateway(R) stores — we’ll be able to reach customers in unique ways and bundle handhelds with other Gateway products to create mobility solutions.”
“We are delighted that Gateway is supporting Windows Mobile 2003 Software for Pocket PCs,” said Juha Christensen, corporate vice president of the Mobile Devices Division at Microsoft Corp. ”Gateway’s commitment to meeting the needs of its customers is evident in its decision to deliver PDAs based on Windows Mobile 2003 software, which provides a great experience for wirelessconnectivity, messaging and all the features people expect from a technology-leading PDA.”
Gateway’s entry into the handheld market is the latest effort from the company as it transforms itself from a traditional PC maker to a branded integrator of technology solutions. As a brandedintegrator, Gateway will launch an array of branded products across a host of new categories for the balance of the year, and will integrate those products into customized solutions for its consumerand business customers.
