"We are an information provider, so for us hand-helds have always been an integral part of our strategy, " Infoseek's Goel says.

CNN: Portals open doors to convergence at CES

Laptops, hand-helds and cellphones will light up and instantly connect upon entering.

WSJ: Technology Makes Advances in Decade

As a result, HTC was ready when Western firms came looking for somebody to design and manufacture high-end hand-helds and mobile phones for them.

ECONOMIST: Face value

"There's conflicting evidence" on whether hands-free cell phone conversations would be as unsafe as those by hand-helds, Harsha said, adding that more "definitive research" is needed.

CNN: Call for car-phone ban likely to meet busy signal in states

Las Vegas, Nevada (CNN) -- The world's largest video game companies weren't about to miss an opportunity to get their consoles and hand-helds in front of a cutting-edge audience.

CNN: Motion, 3-D gaming right at home at CES

The differences extend well beyond size: The palm-size devices lack keyboards and color screens and are intended pretty much solely for "to do" lists and telephone numbers, while the hand-helds are surprisingly complete computer systems.

FORBES: Small and beautiful