Sega's decision to drop Dreamcast and focus on software sales will see the company expand beyond its games machine roots to alternative platforms - including, the company said today, Palm PDAs.

The move will see Sega offering both Web-based online titles - possibly derived from the Java-based cellphone-oriented games it's working on with Motorola - and downloadable games, all of which will be made available "sometime this year".

Presumably, driving the development of Palm-oriented games is the imminent arrival of more PDAs equipped with colour screens, though it's worth recalling that the original GameBoy did very nicely thank you with only a basic monochrome LCD.

Palm is expected to bring colour to its Palm V family -to be renamed the m50x line - next March. We've heard it will be similarly upgrading the Palm VII family, and if there isn't a colour m100 in the works, we'd be very surprised indeed.

And don't forget, Sony is scheduled to ship its colour Clié PalmOS-based PDA in the US during this quarter.

And then there are all those PocketPC machines out there. Sega US' President and COO said: "We feel Palm handhelds are one of the best vehicles for enjoying Sega games anytime, anywhere." You'll note that's "one of the best" not "the best".

Equally non-committal was Palm's content and Net access chief, Barry Cottle. He said: "Sega games would add an exciting entertainment option for MyPalm portal wireless users and all Palm handheld users worldwide."

"Would" isn't the same thing as "will". ®

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