As Pen Computing Magazine has suggested for quite some time, Microsoft has today announced plans to consolidate all Windows CE versions into one Windows CE 3.0 operating system, which is scheduled for third quarter 1999. John G. Spooner and Darren Gladstone of PC Week wrote the breaking story online at ZDNET entitled MICROSOFT TO CONSOLIDATE WINDOWS CE SOFTWARE. The article also goes on to state that Microsoft will begin to shift users to Windows CE 2.11 next month with a ROM upgrade for HPCs running WinCE 2.0.

PC World, Wired, and InfoWorld have all recently published rumors surrounding the latest available information on 3Com's future PalmPilot devices. It looks like there will be two new devices: one small, compact, and thin (codenamed "Razor"); and another slightly larger than the Palm III that includes built-in wireless connectivity (codenamed "Seven" or "Eleven").

Douglas Luckie has published the Nov98 edition of MSPUG (Michigan State Palmtop User Group) News [Volume 2, Issue 8] with details on what is happening at MSPUG meetings, news briefs, and industry rumors. The MSPUG meets on the second Tuesday of the month--the next two main meetings are at Beaner's Coffeehouse (270 W. Grand River Ave, East Lansing, MI 48823) starting at 7:00 p.m. on 08Dec98 and then again on 12Jan99. You can learn more at surf.to/mspug.

Unisys has announced a new check processing system for banks that is called "SourceNDP" (Network Document Processor). This compact "shoebox-size" device runs Windows CE and will capture check images for processing. The core processor for this device is the Hitachi SH-3 RISC processor and the "digital imaging" processing capabilities come from the Philips TriMedia chip. [SOURCE: Business Wire]

Computer Reseller News is reporting that Apple is rumored to be finishing up plans to "re-enter the consumer portable PC market" just "after jettisoning its Newton Message Group." Word on the street is that the device "codenamed P1" could be "shown to limited audiences" at the Jan99 MacWorld San Francisco Expo and Conference.

Jason Vance at Concept Kitchen notes some "Super Product Blow-Out Specials" for "SmallTalk Newton Deluxe, Small Talk Single Language, Sticky Newts 2.0 for Newton, PDA StarterKit, WriteRights, Desktop Stylus, and Hipster for PalmPilot."

Andreas Briell notes the release of his annual freeware release of "NewtXmas" for 1998--"the advent-calendar for the Newton OS."

-Steve Holden (sholden@pencomputing.com)