QUALCOMM Announces Software Developer's Program, Receives Lawsuit from Employee

QUALCOMM has established a software developer's program for its pdQ smart phone. The new software developer's program will provide companies with resources and tools for creating applications for the pdQ phone. QUALCOMM will also offer companies a software developer's kit that lets manufacturers write new applications of enhance existing Palm III applications for the pdQ phone.

Released at the PCS 98 show in Orlando, the pdQ smart phone combines the functionality of a CDMA digital phone and a pen-based organizer in a 15.7 x 6.7 x 3.5 cm unit. The pdQ smart phone was developed using 3Com's Palm computing platform. By employing this platform, the phone can access more than 1,000 productivity applications, such as enterprise information management, scheduling, and groupware.

The pdQ smart phone includes three applications for short messaging service (SMS) alert management, e-mail, and web browsing. In addition, this unit features a flip-down phone keypad for easy call dialing and a 160 x 240 pixel liquid crystal display (LCD) touch screen for the display of information and data entry.

In a second announcement, QUALCOMM released statements regarding a lawsuit filed by Richard Bliss, the QUALCOMM employee arrested in Russia in 1997 on charges of espionage. Bliss is seeking monetary compensation for his encounters in Russia.

QUALCOMM said it could not comment on the specifics of the claims because the company does not want to affect the charges still pending against Bliss in Russia. But, the company said it believes Bliss' claims are without merit.

QUALCOMM also said that it would continue to support Bliss, who still works for QUALCOMM, in his fight against the Russian government.