May 28, 2001

In order to catch up with the expected rapidly growing personal digital assistant (PDA) market demand, Taiwan's information technology firms are pulling out all the stops in order to advance into this potentially profitable business, and foreign buyers can count on a sizeable selection of new developments during the second half of this year.

Acer and Mitac are set to launch their own-branded PDA in September, while Asustek is expected to introduce Microsoft Windows CE-adopted products by the end of 2001. First International Computer will introduce its Web-Pad, one of the Aqua series, possibly in t he third quarter. The battle for market control is heating up.

According to local insiders reports, Acer and Asustek have respectively struck deals with Casio and NEC to source Windows CE-installed Packet PCs. Acer is due to roll out the new PalmOS PDA products next month already, first to go on sale in local distribution chains, later in Mainland China.

Mitac will introduce Windows CE PDAs in the local market in September.
Asustek's shipments of Windows CE PDAs are expected in the fourth quarter. Micro-Star International Co. will introduce both its own-branded PDAs and Windows CE PDAs in the second half.

The companies concerned make no secret that they regard the Taiwan market as the first step on the road to China. Overseas powerhouses such as Handspring Inc. and Hand Era Inc. and European Psion Plc. plans to compete for the market control in Taiwan to pave the way for an advance into China.