December 1, 2000

Handset helpers
Enabling technology for the next generation

A wave of enabling technology continues to roll out in support of new cellular handsets, and even Microsoft is in on the fun. The software giant has partnered with cell-phone IC leader Texas Instruments in hopes of winning market for the Microsoft Stinger smart-phone platform in 2.5G GSM handsets. The partnership will allow Stinger-based software to work with TI’s DSP-based Open Multimedia Applications Platform. Qualcomm, meanwhile, announced the MSM5200 IC, which will support 384-kbit/sec data rates in 3G wideband-CDMA handsets.

—Maury Wright