AOL is to port its Instant Messenger app over to the Epoc 32 operating system used primarily by UK PDA pioneer Psion's family of handhelds.

That said, the deal was actually cut by SonicBlue, the company formerly known as S3, which persuaded AOL to bring AIM to its Diamond Mako PDA. However, since the Mako is simply a rebadged Psion Revo Plus, users of the Psion machine and other of its ilk should be able to use the new code too.

SonicBlue will bundle 'AIM for Epoc' and an AOL email client on future Makos, though the company didn't say exactly when it will be made available. Presumably existing users - and all those Psion owners, of course - will be able to download the software.

For its part, AOL will promote the Mako to its subscribers, which sounds like a pretty good coup for SonicBlue, but in fact it will simply appear alongside Palm and PocketPC/Windows CE. Both platforms are already part of the AOL Anywhere strategy. Still, SonicBlue and AOL have agreed to explore joint marketing opportunities, which isn't the same thing as doing joint promotional work, but is a move in the right direction. ®