Nikkei English News is reporting that Sharp and Alcatel Telecom are working together on a new "smart" phone, and that Seiko is also working on a new handheld computer with PDA type functionality.

Telxon has announced their first Windows CE device will be using their "PTC-1124 ruggedized, pen-based computer" form factor, and will be powered by a 66-MHz AMD ElanSC400 microprocessor.

Optional International has begun shipping in North America their GSM savvy wireless adapter for PalmPilot devices called "Option Snap-On."

FutureSoft is now shipping a new version of their Windows CE connectivity package called "DynaComm Connectivity Series 7.0."

BSQUARE has released bFax Pro v4.0 for Windows CE, and announced a new Add-On package for bFax Pro that let users fax directly from many of the built-in applications found on Windows CE devices. The v3.0 of bFax is currently bundled on many of the Windows CE devices currently on the market. BSQUARE is also shipping version 2.0 of bPrint.

Computer Reseller News (www.crn.com) has an interesting article about the current state of the PDA marketplace. The big change is that employees are demanding PDA solutions for either their companies' enterprise management teams or MIS departments. The article is entitled: "THE PDA SOLUTION -- EMPLOYEE DEMAND BRINGS ON ENTERPRISE SALES."

Micro Computer Systems (MCS) has created a new 100% Java e-mail compression package called "Calypso Wireless" that works with standard POP3 and SMTP e-mail servers to deliver "compressed" e-mail to wireless GSM users. MCS claims that Calypso Wireless will reduce "download" times from minutes to seconds. [Digital Cellular, 01Jul98]

Simple Technology (www.simpletech.com) and their OEM division SiliconTech (www.sti-oem.com) are now shipping to consumers and OEMs a 48MB CompactFlash card in two power configurations: 3.3-volts or 5-volts.

Dictaphone (www.dictaphone.com) has announced that they are using SanDisk CompactFlash cards in their new digital audio recorders called "Dictaphone Walkabout TOUR" (US$449).

The Information Week (www.informationweek.com) published on 29Jun98 has two articles of potential interest. The first is on page 36 and examines "Wireless Access Gets Cheaper, Faster, Safer: Airlines, hotels to install networks for customers, selves." The second is on page 176 an includes four letters to the "Reply to All" Editors discussing the topic "Handhelds: Toys or Tools?"

Word on the street is that Steve Weyer (weyer@kagi.com) has plans to soon release version 1.6 of Newt's Cape for the Newton. This shareware Newton savvy Web browser will have a host of bug-fixes, end-user requested enhancements, performance boosts, and support for JPEG photos. For more information check this out.

-Steve Holden (sholden@pencomputing.com)