Psion Teklogix remains Sun Java loyalist

Psion formally sealed its union with Teklogix today, effectively trebling the size of its Enterprise (nee Industrial) division. Psion Teklogix will comprise half of the Psion company in both head count and revenue terms.

Teklogix, a Canadian company, sold complete 802.11 wireless RF based systems, and focused on big enterprise supply chain accounts around distribution centres such as container ports and airports. Half of its business was outside the US. It had already cultivated technology relationships with ERP vendors that are essential to signing off really big deals - something Symbian has been going after too. So it should be an ideal fit with Psion's Enterprise business. Both individual brands will continue, for now.

The company will produce industrial handhelds based on Quartz early next year, and says it's already working with EPOC R6 software.

Claes Bergstedt deputy MD of Psion Teklogix, was tactful on the subject of Java, which has caused much gnashing of teeth internally at Symbian, the company's software provider. We understand that Symbian is one of several Sun Java licensees that has been talking to HP about using Chai, but the Psion line is that the company will follow Sun's moving target: "Sun has redefined Java but committed to move their platform along with that," Bergstedt told us.

Java's performance and footprint has been a headache for a number of mobile device manufacturers, and this is going to be much more of an issue to Psi-Tek's corporate customers than consumers and end-users, so it needs to be fixed. Bergstedt pointed to accelerators and native environments from the likes of Insignia as a workaround. ®