[Newer generations of web-enabled phones to also be at increased risk of infection once they offer capability of downloading applications.]

by Michelle Kessler -- "The magazine advertisement for an anti-virus computer software company shows a giant bug ready to pounce on a man using a handheld computer. The message: Computer viruses aren't just for personal computers anymore. Now, mobile devices such as handheld computers and cell phones are at risk. The threat is real, but it won't be much of a problem for at least a year, experts say. The mobile devices are not yet powerful enough to allow viruses to thrive. "Today's (virus warnings) are pretty much pure vendor hype," says John Pescatore, research director for Gartner, an analyst firm. Gartner estimates that viruses will begin to affect handheld users by the end of 2001 and cell phone users by mid-2002.

"More than 120 million people will own Web-enabled cell phones or handheld computers by 2005, according to industry research firm Yankee Group -- and anti-virus vendors are preparing for the onslaught.

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