Personal digital assistant

The device, about the size of a fat paperback book, represents the most ambitious attempt yet by computer and communications companies to pool their resources in hopes of finally creating a market for what the industry calls "personal digital assistants."

Already, Sharp owns at least 60 percent of the market for personal digital assistants, or P.D.A.'s, with its Wizard line, ranking far ahead of Hewlett-Packard, Casio, Apple Computer and other competitors past and present.