A technology company has come up with a self-help twist on handheld devices.

NewReality has just launched an electronic gadget that functions as a music player as well as a personal coach. The NXTlynk PAD (Personal Achievement Device) comes with light-pulsing glasses that are said to stimulate and relax optical nerves. The NewReality Web site offers downloadable content for visualization and relaxation.

Therapist and author Patrick Porter has designed more than 200 20-minute mental coaching sessions that address wellness topics including stress and pain management, weight loss, smoking cessation, and mastery of various skills. Porter wrote a book entitled: Awaken the Genius, Mind Technology for the 21st Century.

The company announced the product this week. It is sold through NewReality's Web site and is already in use at spas, wellness centers, and resorts. It retails for $600 and comes pre-loaded with a selected 13-week session. The PAD plugs directly into computers for exclusive access to a URL where users may download additional programming. Users can access more than 100 hours of NewReality's "personal coaching" through individual purchases or subscriptions.

The device stores and plays music. It can store 2 Gbytes of data.

Other companies' electronic gadgets offer assistance with relaxation, personal goals, and performance, as well.

Accenture researchers have developed a Personal Performance Coach prototype, which could turn mobile phones into tools for measuring whether users talk too much on sales calls, interrupt colleagues too frequently, get enough sleep, and take their medication on time. Accenture Technology Labs' digital coach determines whether users' behaviors are aligned with their stated goals and provides coaching when necessary.