CLIÉ

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

SONY CLIÉ Logo

The CLIÉ N760C with its included headphones and the Audio Player program.

A CLIÉ PEG-NZ90 Personal Entertainment Organiser model featuring an impressive multimedia specification

The Sony CLIÉ is a series of personal digital assistants running the Palm Operating System that are unique from other PDAs by such features as a jog-wheel interface, a Memory Stick slot, ATRAC3 audio playback, and high-resolution displays, though earlier models did not include all of these. Many other Palm OS devices have since caught up with Sony's standard for high-resolution screens, though Sony was an industry leader at the time of introduction. Most models were manufactured in Japan. An acronym for creativity, lifestyle, innovation, emotion though formerly communication, link, information and entertainment, the name is apparently an attempt at a new coinage, though it means "tool" in the Jèrriais language. The proper pronunciation is "KLEE-ay".

The CLIÉ handhelds were distinguished from other Palm OS models by their emphasis on multimedia capabilities, including photo, video, and audio playback, long before any other Palm OS PDAs had such capabilities. Later models have been credited with spurring competition in the previously stagnant Palm market, closing many of the gaps that existed between Palm OS PDAs and those powered by Microsoft's Windows Mobile operating system, particularly on the multimedia front, but also with Sony's proprietary application launcher interface.

[edit] Macintosh support

Officially, the CLIÉ line never supported the Macintosh OS, and Sony never provided any software with the handhelds for Mac OS. However, as a Palm OS device, every CLIÉ handheld was inherently capable of HotSync operations with a Mac OS computer. This allowed for the synchronization of the basic PIM functions, as well as for the installation of new software, though this inherent capability was unusable because the Mac HotSync software would not recognize the handheld. PalmSource, however, silently added the capability to recognize older CLIÉ devices when providing new versions of its Palm Desktop software for Mac. This was necessary for those who could synchronize only via USB.

The CLIÉ user community soon discovered that these "updates" were simply a matter of adding a few lines to the USB-detection property-list file. Since then, detailed instructions have been posted online for those who want to synchronize their CLIÉ handhelds. Interestingly enough, no modifications are required for Bluetooth synchronization, but WiFi synchronization is impossible because the Mac OS HotSync software does not support network synchronization. Some workarounds for the multimedia features also exist. For those who desire stronger Mac OS/CLIÉ integration, the product Missing Sync made by the company Mark/Space is also available.

[edit] Closure of handheld line

In the summer of 2004, Sony announced that new CLIÉs would, from then on, be manufactured and available only in Japan, and in the spring of 2005, Sony announced the total termination of its CLIÉ line of products. The last models to be released worldwide were the PEG-TJ27, PEG-TJ37, and PEG-TH55. The last model released in Japan was the PEG-VZ90. Soon after the closure of the Clie line, Sony stopped providing original installation drivers, including Sony's version of Palm Desktop for the Clie, which are necessary for Hotsyncing with the PC and otherwise taking advantage of the handhelds' many features for which a PC may be required. Several Clie fans took it upon themselves to offer these drivers freely for download at www.sonyclie.org[1]

Sony's exit from the Palm OS marketplace left Palm, Inc. with no significant competitors. Some industry observers have expressed concern that the lack of competitive pressure will result in stagnation for Palm. Other observers point to the LifeDrive and recent Treo models as evidence that Palm continues to innovate.

[edit] Models

CLIÉ handhelds were released in series, usually with a few models released in each series. In later years, multiple series would be in production at the same time.

[edit] Motorola Dragonball CPU/ PalmOS 3.5 & 4.x

• S series (2000-2002)
• T series (2001-2003)
• N series (2001-2002)
• NR series (2002)
• SL/SJ series (2002-2003)

[edit] ARM CPU/PalmOS 5.0 & 5.2

• NX series (2002-2004)
• NZ series (2003-2004)
• TG series (2003-2004)
• UX series (2003-2004)
• TJ series (2003-2004)
• TH series (2004)
• VZ series (2004-2005) (Japan only)

[edit] See also

• Palm OS
• PalmSource, Inc.
• Graffiti (Palm OS)

[edit] External links

• CLIÉ - Originally the site for Sony's line-up of CLIÉ products in the USA, this page now redirects to the Sony Support pages for CLIÉ products
• Sony repair/parts replacement website - Buy replacement parts for current un-supported Sony CLIÉS.
• One Source - Formerly Clie Source, One Source is a CLIÉ enthusiast site which changed its name when Sony ended the CLIÉ line. It is still the more popular site that still talks about the Sony CLIÉ line of products through its forums.
• SonyClie.org - Downloadable PC-Clie drivers which are no longer provided by Sony.