3Com Corp has found a new distributor for its PalmPilot range in Taiwan. Weblink International Inc, a subsidiary of the Acer Group, has picked up the contract on the condition that it takes action to stamp out unauthorized imports of the PDAs into the country. The deal should help Palm to increase its presence in the region, where the devices have lost out to domestically manufactured CE-based devices. Palm is also encouraging local developers to start working on software for the PalmOS, while Weblink plans a major marketing campaign later this month as it rolls out the Palm devices.
However, according to the Taiwanese Commercial Times, local PDA manufacturers ETen Information System Co Ltd and Telepaq Technology Inc will be launching upgraded PDAs to coincide with the Palm launch. And Combest Technology Co Ltd, which lost out to Weblink over Palm distribution, has instead cut a deal with IBM Corp and will distribute WordPad PDAs and ‘PC Companions’.
