NEC turns to Psion to go on air with Bluetooth

Japanese giant NEC is to take a range of Psion Bluetooth fixed wireless devices and technology and build them into its own products and those of its PC division, Packard Bell.

Tom Wright, Psion Connect's COO, said: "Our first products will focus on the existing base of notebooks and desktops with the PC Card and USB products, while future products will be embedded." While most other available products are based on the earlier 1.0 standard, the Psion products taken on by NEC are based on Bluetooth 1.1. Serge Palaric, director of mobile product lines at NEC, said: "Bluetooth devices will redefine the way we communicate, especially while travelling." The two companies will market the products jointly under the Psion Gold Card brand in Europe. They announced plans to collaborate on future developments of Bluetooth and wireless communications. Psion late last year announced a similar deal to supply Bluetooth technology to Compaq.