Browser Promising First Full-Screen, Full-Color Wireless Display Debuts
By Jay Wrolstad, Wireless.NewsFactor.com
A wireless Web browser that its developer said brings PC Internet access technology to mobile phones and PDAs (personal digital assistants) was unveiled last week by virtual reality product designer Interactive Imaging Systems, Inc. (IIS).
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The iCOM wireless personal Internet browser is the first portable, handheld wireless device to feature a full-screen, full-color VGA display, IIS said. The device provides Web access through wireless modems, local area networks (LANs), Bluetooth networks and mobile phones.
Screen Innovation
Previous attempts to take PC Internet technology into the wireless realm have been unsuccessful for two principal reasons, IIS said: limited display screen resolution and wireless networks built for voice rather than data.
While the latter problem is addressed by the global rollout of high-speed wireless data networks, the viewing of graphics and text on small, low-resolution displays still presents a barrier to broad market acceptance of wireless Internet devices, the company said.
Because most Web-enabled cell phones and PDAs are either text-based or have low-resolution displays that offer limited Web protocol support, IIS said, they do not provide access to a vast amount of Internet content. Consequently, such products have largely disappointed consumers and e-business users, the company said.
PC Desktop on a PDA
The iCOM browser addresses this problem through a proprietary virtual display system that lets users view any Internet data -- including HTML, graphics and Java -- in an image equivalent to a desktop PC, IIS said. The device is based on the Windows CE operating system and includes a full complement of PDA applications.
The device also mirrors a user's desktop experience, enabling transmission of full-length e-mail messages, faxes and files, the company said, and is based on the OptiNav user interface. It has two flash expansion ports, allowing access to memory expansion modules; wireless LAN or modem cards; Bluetooth; data ports; mobile phone interfaces, cables or cards; digital cameras; GPS receivers; and bar code scanners. New applications can be installed using a docking device or directly over the Internet, the company said.
New Product Line
Specially designed versions of the browsers will meet the needs of police forces, the military, and medical personnel, IIS said. The company added that it plans to roll out additional personal Internet browsers in the coming year, including handheld and wearable devices, at prices comparable to PDAs or next-generation cell phones.
Rochester, New York-based Interactive Imaging Systems manufactures personal display products that let users interact in computer-generated environments and the Internet. In addition, the company makes virtual reality systems and hardware for the professional and consumer markets.
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