Sun Microsystems Inc. built its reputation on high-performance technical workstations that were favored by developers and designers worldwide. It then moved into the enterprise IT space with several ranges of servers.

It leveraged these systems into its vision of ubiquitous computing, centered as much as possible around Solaris OS and the Java programming language, through various Java-centric devices. Until now, it has not addressed the mobile market, which is favored by well-traveled developers and dispersed enterprise IT managers globally.

Now comes word of the Sun Ultra 3 Mobile Workstation, a SPARC-based system with a base price of $3,400 and almost immediately availability. Sun Ultra 3 Mobile Workstations "deliver all the performance and functionality of a Sun Blade workstation in a mobile form factor," Sun says. "With the Solaris 10 Operating Environment and a range of UltraSPARC processors, graphics options, and up to 2 GB of memory, Sun Ultra 3 Mobile Workstations deliver workstation class performance."

There was no word on the size or weight of the system, but Sun has released some other specifications:

• Processor : 550 MHz or 650 MHz UltraSPARC IIi processor or 1.28 GHz UltraSPARC IIIi processor
• Main Memory : Up to 2 GB DRAM, error correction SDRAM
• Internal disk : 80 GB IDE or 73 GB UltraSCSI internal disk storage
• Operating System : Solaris 10 Operating Environment, Solaris 9 Operating Environment, Solaris 8 Operating Environment
• Office productivity : Sun Java Desktop System (pre-installed), StarOffice 7.0 or GNOME 2.0 Environment (depending on model)

There has also been no word about OEM arrangements with this system, or of the new product's relationship to third-party SPARC laptops on the market, but Sun has posted the picture found below at its website: