Microsoft (http://www.microsoft.com/) and Hitachi (http://www.hitachi.co.jp) have announced a new initiative to co-develop a host of Windows CE based devices including handhelds, set-top boxes, and mobile telephones. Wired has more information about this deal via this URL: http://www.wired.com/news/news/e-mail/other/technology/story/13390.html.

Reuters (30Jun98) is reporting that Sony, IBM Japan, Pioneer Electronics, Honda Motor, and Mazda Motor have announced a new initiative to create a series of standards for mobile Internet savvy information equipment (hardware & communications) to be used in vehicles and PDAs.

MACWORLD Expo New York City (http://www.macworldexpo.com) will be held next week (08-10Jul98) and 3Com will be showing off their latest PalmPilot and Macintosh products at Booth #1530 (Jacob K. Javits Convention Center).

Dooney & Bourke (http://www.palm.com/dooney) have announced a collection of luxurious 3Com Palm III cases. They come in two types of leather (alligator or lizard) and in three colors (black, brown, or British tan).

Softwarebuero Mueller (http://members.aol.com/muellerho) is pleased to announce the release of Secret 2.0.2 for the Newton (Shareware US$15). This extension will add the ability to DES encrypt "Notes" of your choosing, and your Owner Info. A 30-day demo has been posted, and Secret is available in English or in German.

Michael Bean (bean@amug.org) notes that "BBS in a Box 24" is now shipping in a 4 CD-ROM set (8500+ archives) for a list price of US$69 (plus shipping and handling). This collection is mostly focused on Macintosh software, but there is a significant collection of Newton software also included on one of the CDs. For more information check out http://cdrom.amug.org/.

LandWare and Innovative Computer Solutions (ICS) have announced their intention to develop X-Port 3.0 for Newton devices connecting to Macintosh or Windows desktops. X-Port is a popular desktop connectivity package. The new version should be available by Oct98, and until then potential owners are encouraged to check out the recently shipping X-Port 2.1. You can learn more about v3.0 via http://www.newts.com/newton/xportchallenge.html, and details about v2.1 can be found at http://www.landware.com/products/xport/xportps.html.

Kenneth Wong (kenneth@chapters.org) would like readers to know about some recent Newton releases: 1) Tactile Systems' Reminder 1.0 [a Date, Call, Note, and Names enhancer] (http://www.tactile.com/reminder.html); 2) NewtBrick's Newton Movie Player has been renamed Cinema [plays QuickTime movies on your Newton] (http://www.w4r.com/macbrick/NewtBrick/Products.html); and 3) UBB Mobile Systems' VoiceNotes (http://www.ebb-ubb.com/ebb/).

Patrick (patrickn@pop.hkstar.com) reports that the new X-files CD-ROM game uses a "MessagePad 2000" as the primary "PDA" that players use to navigate throughout the game. He has posted some screen captures to http://home.hkstar.com/~hknug/xfiles.htm.

-Steve Holden (sholden@pencomputing.com)