Sprint Gets the 'Point

NeoPoint's Web site promises that you'll "experience a revolution in digital wireless technology" with its NP 1000 smart phone.

It's a bold statement from the 2-year-old Southern California start-up. But then, a contract with Sprint worth up to $90 million doesn't hurt either.

The first wave of NP 1000s hit the streets in September, subtly dubbed the Sprint PCS Phone NP 1000 to operate with its new PCS wireless Web services. Although Sprint also offers the Qualcomm pdQ, some analysts believe the NP 1000 will be more popular because of its easy navigation and voice capabilities.

"The Qualcomm (model) is more a phone built around the old Palm architecture, whereas the NeoPoint model is more a phone with a built-in Web browser," said Weston Hendrek, Giga Information Group industry analyst.

Tucked beneath the NeoPoint's unique 11-line LCD is a bundle of PC-based software organizing all of the information inside: e-mail, Web browser, personal information manager, T-9 intelligent text, voice-command, reciprocal faxing, caller ID, voice mail, call timers, 3-way calling, flip-call answer and multiple ringer settings -- everything NeoPoint founder William Son and his team of international engineers could think to put inside of the pocket-size phone's frame. They brought it to market in less than a year, complete with the new name, NeoPoint.

"We as customers looked at what we needed and thought, 'Let's not try to reinvent everything here,'" said NeoPoint's founder William Son, who ran Qualcomm's Korean CDMA operations from 1995 to 1997.

They didn't. In fact, the quick NeoPoint gestation stems from Son relying upon established manufacturers for its guts -- a Phone.com Web-browser, for instance, and key chips from Qualcomm.

Mike Coad, Sprint vice president of subscriber equipment, said NeoPoint's list of brand-name cohorts helped ensure the NP 1000 could be delivered on time. Offering Qualcomm's pdQ as part of its smart-phone line doesn't reflect doubt about unproved NeoPoint or LG, he said. Sprint and Qualcomm have a cozy past.

Still, Coad said, Sprint entered "cautiously" into discussion with NeoPoint 18 months ago. Besides manufacturing, Coad wanted to make sure the company could deliver marketing, product support, training and repair.

NeoPoint accomplished the goal with plain, old-fashioned hard work, said Son.

"We worked eight days a week," he said. "We have March 32 around here."