SOFTWARE company Datawright has taken its palm-held technology a stage further by installing a new system, the same week that one of their longest serving members of staff celebrated his 60th birthday.

Brian Hobson, a systems analyst at the firm, in Washington, Wearside, will use the newly installed Windows Mobile Technology "push email facility" on a daily basis.

And Mr Hobson is well-placed to appreciate how advanced the technology is - he started his career in 1965 using computers several metres long.

He said: "I started my career at Manchester University in 1965 and the first model I worked on was called Hermes.

"You could literally walk through one end and out the other side, yet it was nowhere near as powerful as the nifty gadgets we have today."

Datawright has introduced Windows Mobile Technology to ensure staff can access their email, online diary and calandar at all times, and update their schedule on the move.

Referred to as the push email facility, the software is fully integrated with Microsoft Exchange 2003 so, unlike other personal digital assistants, the company does not have to access another server to use the system.