Sony's Handheld Gets Best of Breed

Sony Electronics (SNE ) has a well-earned reputation for persistence. The company's first entry into a new field often isn't very good. But, as it has shown with laptops, Sony will keep trying until it gets it right.

The latest evidence is the new Sony CLIE, a handheld based on Palm software. The first CLIEs, introduced last year, were so-so Palm clones. The color version featured a dim screen that was panned so loudly by reviewers that Sony never marketed it outside of Japan. But the newest version of the CLIE, which costs $500 and is just a bit narrower, longer, and thicker than a Palm V, is a breakthrough for Sony. Despite reservations about a Memory Stick expansion slot, I think it is the best color Palm device available, superior to both the Handspring Visor Prism and the new Palm m505.