Sony Developing Bluetooth Memory Stick

Posted By: Ed Wednesday, April 4, 2001 8:02:42 AM

Sony Corp. is developing a new type of Memory Stick called "Infostick" with built-in Bluetooth capabilities for its Clié handhelds. They have already finished the hardware and are currently developing the software.

The project has been going on since 1999. According to Yasushi Fujita, part of the Memory Stick Division at Sony, "With this easy-to-carry-around Infostick, any terminal turns into a device for sending/receiving e-mail messages. "

Update: It will be available in Japan in June for about $125 (15,000 yen).

Update 2: Months past this date, the InfoStick still hasn't been released.

He went on to say, "It began with a basic concept of a Memory Stick to access the Internet just by being attached to any terminal. We wanted to create something that can be a (communication) device by itself, if it is attached to a terminal. So we integrated a network ID, a service ID, communications settings, application settings, and all other necessary information into the Infostick. "

Naturally, the Infostick will work with any of Sony's devices with Memory Stick slots. Those are what Mr. Fujita refers to as "terminals".

The company isn't concerned at this point about the Bluetooth standard's slow progress. Hiroshi Matsubara, part of the Mixed Device Group at Sony, said "There's no denying that Bluetooth hasn't been as prevalent as its standardization organization initially expected. But entirely new technologies often can't be transplanted easily, in real life. On the contrary, we are satisfied that the development process so far has been steady."

He went on to say, "We pushed the development of the Infostick ahead of commercialization because we wanted to be trendsetters in Bluetooth technology. We hoped to demonstrate our initiative in deploying Bluetooth, both within and outside of Sony. "

They considered a IEEE 802.11b Memory Stick but decided it would cost too much to develop, would be too large, and draw too much power from the Clié.

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I wouldn't buy it...

Lucky Dragon @ 4/4/2001 10:57:38 AM #

For this type of application, it would seem that a clip-on accesory would be superior, as it would leave the Memory Stick slot open for other things. (i.e. memory sticks!) But then I've also seen pictures of a clip-on Ble Tooth attachment that they're supposedly also, so maybe we'll have some choices.

RE: I wouldn't buy it...

I.M. Anonymous @ 5/19/2001 3:01:02 PM #

They should do something like the old sonic and knuckles video games for the sega genesis....you should be able to have another plug for a memory stick or another accessory on top of the bluetooth accessory so that you can use both in conjunction. This would also be useful if you could clip memory sticks together and have double the RAM.

Sony got it right twice

I.M. Anonymous @ 4/4/2001 3:23:48 PM #

New color Clie and now Bluetooth... coolness

[ No Subject ]

Lim M S @ 4/6/2001 10:01:12 PM #

This MS device Iooks right compared to the SD Bluetooth device because it doesn't have a part that stick out of the slot form factor. I hope someone will make a CF version.

BTW, for Bluetooth to be successful, it has to be built-in or available at all times. No one will be enthusiastic about a device that requires you to plug & unplug whenever you want to communicate - hence the Clie should have had 2 slots for MS devices.

RE: clip-on and MSDuo for that purpose

Pal @ 5/20/2001 7:06:36 AM #

From the very beginning when Sony introduced N700C in Japanese market, they showed clip-on type BlueTooth adapter. Now, one maker, au (KDDI), introduced the first bluetooth celluler phone. I expect to see the clip-on module first within one month form now!

MS slot problem, also sony has a option to use MS duo and MS slot will be able to use as "infostick" with expandable exchangeable memory which is called MS"Duo".

Cheers,

http://pal-mac.com/sonipa2E.html

We cann't buy and Sony PDA anymore.

best-p4u @ 12/21/2005 2:15:47 AM #

=.=

We cann't buy and Sony PDA anymore.

best-p4u

RE: We cann't buy and Sony PDA anymore.

best-p4u @ 12/21/2005 2:17:00 AM #

We cann't buy and Sony PDA anymore.

so sad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.best-p4u.com

best-p4u

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