Is it an electronic organiser? Is it a handheld gaming device? Or is it a mobile phone? Well basically the way Cybiko, a new handheld device from Russia, looks at it, it doesn't have to choose. It can be all these things. To coin the company's own advertising slogan "It's everything". Well it's not quite everything. It obstinately sits on your kitchen sideboard and refuses to even go near the washing up for starters, but it does give you 445 games and applications to download from, a music composer, a personal organiser, e-mail facility (via a PC connection) e-books to download and all the usual PDA bumph such as calendar, address book, alarm clock and planner.
The multifunctional device offers wireless, high-frequency digital connections to other Cybiko units within a range of 150 feet indoors to 300 feet outdoors. This feature allows users to chat wirelessly, play interactive games (such as Reversi) with other Cybiko users, e-mail anyone on the Internet and nurture their own little cyber pet, the CyLandia (although this is one of the programs you have to download from the manufacturer's Web site).
The Cybiko also offers a "Find a Friend" feature that can be utilised like personal classified ads. You put in your details and the details of the people you are trying to meet, then the Cybiko will look for other units in the vicinity that match your profile. This is based on a similar Japanese invention and might not be so successful here, but you can still use the Cybiko to keep in touch with friends and chat via the chat rooms.
The Cybiko has a few minor limitations: It only downloads from personal computers or Linux systems, not Macs and you need to download special software so that you can upgrade your Cybiko with new games and information. But at present most of the stuff is free once you have the unit so a couple of hours downloading stuff isn't a high price to pay for some cool games and features.
Included in the Cybiko pack is one Cybiko unit, equipped with a stylus for keying the tiny buttons (the screen isn't touch sensitive), a rechargeable battery, an adapter for charging or plugging in and an adapter cable for downloading to and from PCs. There's also a detailed user's manual to help with the initial programming. The Cybiko is 5.7 by 2.8 by 0.86 inches, weighs less than five ounces and has a 32-bit, 11-MHz Hitachi main processor and 512 KB of RAM. --Kristen Bowditch
