Mobile silicon giant Qualcomm has launched a new concept called ‘Kayak’ that it describes as a “PC alternative” that will use 3G to make Internet access more widely available and affordable in emerging markets. Kayak includes a reference design and recommended software specifications that will be made available to device manufacturers, which Qualcomm says will allow manufacturers to design a wide range of devices based on the concept. The Kayak reference design uses Qualcomm’s dual-core Mobile Station Modem (MSM) chipsets to provide both computing and connectivity. Features include an Opera browser, a music player and 3D gaming console functionality. Initial Kayak units are to be manufactured by Taiwan-based Inventec Corporation with user trials due to start in the first quarter of next year in Southeast Asia using both CDMA2000 and WCDMA networks.

Qualcomm added that future, commercial Kayak devices could be based on its Snapdragon mobile computing platform. In a separate statement this week, the company said that there are currently 30 device designs in development using Snapdragon chipsets from 15 leading device manufacturers. The first Snapdragon devices are expected to launch in the first half of next year.