OTHER TECH

I Wanna Hold Your Handheld Looking to draw a crowd? Pull out this puppy. Sony's Clié PEG UX50 personal digital assistant ($700) is a 6 1/4-ounce wonder, with multimedia chops beyond what some full-size laptops can muster. Its sleek case (with charger cradle below) opens to reveal a backlit micro keyboard that's actually useful for entering things like addresses and short notes, a retractable stylus for optional touchscreen operation, and a 480 x 320-pixel LCD screen with the sharpest graphics I've seen on a handheld. The Palm OS5 operating system and 104 megabytes of memory let you fire up the Clié's many apps, which can do things like play MP3 files, recognize your handwriting, record your voice, snap decent pics, and even capture a bit of video. The UX50 can "sniff out" nearby hot spots that let you make a Wi-Fi connection to the Web. You can also get online using the Bluetooth option, once you mate it with a Bluetooth-enabled cellphone like the Sony Ericsson P800 reviewed below. It's just as easy to send and receive text, graphics, and audio files from other computers using the HotSync option. Be warned: if you get one of these little creatures on Christmas morn, you'll want to take the rest of the day to get to know it. www.sonystyle.com, 877-865-7669

Swell Phone With its phone, PDA, camera, MP3 player, Web browsing, gaming, and video capabilities, the Sony Ericsson P800 cellphone ($650) lets you indulge in a half century of hard-won technical innovation. The phone is topnotch, with clear sound and great extras like personal ring tones, picture phonebook, voice dialing, and access to other functions while on a call. The CommuniCam mode takes photos that you can store, transfer, or send in an e-mail right from the phone. The P800 pulls PDA duty with a full suite of productivity software, and it easily syncs with other devices via either its infrared port, a built-in Bluetooth link, or the supplied SyncStation. I had no trouble marrying the Sony Clié to the P800 via the Bluetooth connection and then sending over some files. Speaking of wireless, the phone easily passed the Net test, getting me online without much fuss. The crisp, generous 1 5/8 x 2 3/8-inch widescreen display is enhanced for things like playing games with 3-D graphics. For operation, you can either use a stylus on the touchscreen or a clever, finger-friendly removable keypad. The P800 is so full of options that it could very well render both your PDA and cellphone obsolete. www.sonyericsson.com, 800-374-2776