Mitsubishi Electric has already agreed to sell microchips to ISI, said Motokazu Isozaki, a Mitsubishi spokesman. ISI is developing an operating system it hopes to sell worldwide for the new hand-held devices, some of which will have wireless access to the Internet, he said.
Hitachi, Japan's largest electronics maker, is also considering selling microchips to ISI, said Tsuyoshi Miyata, a Hitachi spokesman.
As Internet traffic grows, more users are seeking mobile computing devices to get online. Electronics makers have answered that demand by developing portable devices using circuit boards with embedded microcomputers containing operating software. ISI will produce circuit boards with its software written onto the microcomputers supplied by Mitsubishi and Hitachi.
Fujitsu has been supplying ISI with microcomputers for use in digital cameras, digital televisions, and digital set-top boxes. Fujitsu wouldn't comment on its involvement with ISI on hand-held units.
Separately, NEC and ISI will together develop a microcomputer best suited for an ADSL modem for use in larger telecommunications products to access the Internet. ADSL, or asymmetric digital subscriber line, is a new technology that allows more data to be sent over existing copper telephone lines.
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