October 6, 1999 Web posted at: 10:57 a.m. EDT (1457 GMT) by Mary Lisbeth D'Amico

From...

(IDG) -- Siemens has unveiled a new handheld device it plans to show to the public next week at the Telecom '99 exhibition in Geneva.

Called IC35 - the Unifier, the pocket-sized device combines an organizer, notepad and WAP (Wireless application protocol) terminal. WAP is a new software protocol that allows users to see scaled-down Web pages via mobile phones or other devices.

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The 2 centimeter-thick device, which flips open, is about as big as a cigarette case. It is expected to be available in Europe next year, Siemens said in a release. No information is yet available on the exact launch date or price.

The Unifier is designed to be used with a GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) handset with built-in modem. To access the Internet via the GSM network, users connect the Unifier to the phone either with a cable or via infrared link.

Once connected, users can send and receive e-mails, paperless faxes or messages via SMS (short message service), a specification that sends data over mobile networks at a speed of 9.6Kbps.

The integrated WAP browser also lets users view Web-based content such as news or weather that has been modified for the WAP format. The Unifier is based on the newest specification, WAP 1.1.

The Unifier also features a slot for smartcards and two additional slots for "multimedia" cards, making it appropriate for applications such as mobile banking or making travel reservations, Siemens said.

The Unifier also doubles as an organizer that can be synchronized with a PC via a docking unit called a SyncStation.

Mary Lisbeth D'Amico is Munich correspondent for the IDG News Service.