Dell tests waters in handheld computing

Joining the ranks of competitors such as Compaq and Hewlett-Packard, Dell Computer has formed a handheld team to look at ways to enter the increasingly crowded (and increasingly lucrative) handheld computing market. Although the firm already resells handheld products, Dell is exploring how to integrate personal digital assistants into its product lines. The hardware firm may benefit from its late entry into the PDA fray-it has the option to develop products using the Palm OS, Microsoft's Windows CE/Pocket PC, or even Linux. The firm may still opt out of the market, however, depending on the findings of the handheld team's market research, according to company spokesperson Bill Robbins.