Handheld maker PalmOne plans to announce next Wednesday two additions to its Zire line of devices, as it continues to look to the consumer market to improve its prospects, according to sources familiar with the company"s plans.
The Zire 72, which will cost $299, and the Zire 31, to be priced at $149, will both use PalmSource"s Garnet operating system. The Zire 72 will likely use Intel"s latest high-end handheld processor, the PXA270 chip code-named Bulverde, which has a clock speed of 312MHz, the sources said. The high-end handheld will come with a built-in digital camera, a digital audio player, a high-resolution display, a Secure Digital expansion slot and Bluetooth networking technology. The sliding case used with the Zire 71 will not be used with the Zire 72.
The Zire 31 will use an Intel handheld chip with a clock speed of 200MHz. It will come with a Secure Digital expansion slot, a digital audio player, and a display with a 160-by-160-pixel resolution. Details about both products have been leaking out to numerous enthusiast and online retail sites in the weeks leading up to the formal announcement from Milpitas, Calif.-based PalmOne.