Kicking off a three-year plan to transform itself into a supplier of Java-based mobile systems the UK’s Tadpole Technology Plc, better known as a vendor of Sparc RISC laptops and a volatile share price, yesterday snapped up Java application company Systems Synthesis Ltd. Bristol, Avon-based SSL’s Cartesia GIS software is already running on a pen-based mobile device code-named Kenya – for coffee – that Tadpole will introduce later this year. Running Cartesia and other Java and Corba software, Kenya is aimed at UK and US utility company field staff who are repairing grids, networks and other infrastructure, and require up-to-date network and parts management information to make what those industries refer to as ‘red line’ changes. Kenya can download and display information from a utility’s GIS application and Cartesia can pan or zoom to any UK National Grid reference or US utility network layout. Tadpole’s won a pilot contract for Kenya with the UK’s fourth largest private water utility Bristol Water Plc for deployment in the third quarter. It said it beat out competition for the contract from Windows-based handhelds in a trial at the end of last year, although Cartesia also sports a CGI gateway for connecting to other environments. Tadpole is not looking to compete with the bevy of consumer electronics giants creating Java devices but hopes to tread a middle path between handhelds and laptops/notebooks/network computers. The company is bringing its mobile skills to new markets under the direction of CEO Bernard Hulme after modest success selling Sparc RISC laptops and well-publicized failures in laptop PC and Alpha RISC markets. The company simply didn’t get the princess’ kiss it badly needed to escape the laptop pond life which is why Hulme’s been looking for a space not to get killed – a niche market opportunity – as well as a way of stabilizing the company’s volatile share price. SSL has been acquired for a modest price under a deferred purchase arrangement and becomes a wholly-owned Tadpole subsidiary. The ten year old SSL began life as a consultancy. Managing director David Brain initially developed software using Java’s predecessor, Sun’s Oak operating system.
