June 23, 1998

InterNetivity has announced that a Windows CE version of their Java-based data analysis tool called dbProbe is in the works. This version will bring industry standard "online analytical processing (OLAP)" capabilities to Windows CE devices.

Aethra (http://www.aethra.com) has a new "briefcase" based mobile video teleconferencing package that is normal phone line, ISDN, or satellite phone savvy called the "Voyager Briefcase." Pricing starts at US$12,995.

Microsoft is slowly leaking information about Windows CE 3.0 to the industry press. Embedded Systems Programming (Jun98) has mention of incorporation of "serious real-time features" planned for Windows CE 3.0 in a short article on page 15.

Novatel Wireless is reportedly ready to release a wireless Minstrel modem (US$399) for PalmPilot devices bundled with a new wireless financial news service called "MarketClip" (US$115 a month) from Aether Technologies. [CIO (http://www.cio.com), 01Jun98, page 76]

Kontron Elektronik (http://www.kontron.com) has reportedly begun OEM distribution of their "Car-PC" device that runs Windows 95/NT/CE or Unix, and offers a 6.5" TFT display that can incorporate touch screen capabilities.

Palm Computing Platform's Worldwide Developer Conference is going to be held December 1 through 4, 1998, at the Santa Clara Convention Center. You can learn more via http://www.palmdevcon.com.

There is a very interesting article by Richard Morais in Forbes published on 06Jul98 entitled "Mobile mayhem" (page 138). The article examines the current "financial and market" state of Sweden's Ericsson and has some insight into Ericsson's CEO Swen-Christer Nilsson.

John Breeden takes Compaq's new Windows CE savvy C-Series HPC (http://www.compaq.com) for a test drive in the Government Computer News (http://www.gcn.com) weekly published for 15Jun98. Overall the device rates an "A-", and the only drawback on the unit in John's opinion is the small keyboard.

AMUG CD (sales@amug.org) has announced the release of "Totally Incomplete PDA CD-ROM #12 for Newton" with over 1450 Newton packages for Macintosh and Windows users of Newton OS 1.x and 2.x devices. The list price is US$42, and if you search hard you can find some special pricing deals (aka Evangelist). For more info, go to http://cdrom.amug.org/, or call 602-497-2255.

Don Vollum (donv@pelicanware.com) reports that a 30-day demo of Notion 2.0 for the Newton has been posted to http://www.pelicanware.com.

-Steve Holden (sholden@pencomputing.com)