COMDEX WATCH #1: Cross Pen Computing Group will be participating in an "in your face guerilla marketing campaign" at the upcoming Las Vegas COMDEX show to promote their CrossPad and CrossPad XP Portable Digital Notepads (PDNs).

COMDEX WATCH #2: TeleType GPS has announced that the following companies will be showing off TeleType GPS software related solutions at COMDEX during 16-20Nov98: Hitachi (L1248), Everex (L2076), and LG Electronics (L1614). The latest version of TeleType GPS for Windows CE--v3.5--"features vehicle tracking, Address Finder, and support for our new Geocoder Utility."

Oracle has released Oracle Lite v3.5 for Windows CE and PalmPilot, but Oracle has not yet released the database engine version for PalmPilot like they announced originally. Windows CE solutions gain access to SQL-savvy databases using persistent Java objects, but Palm Pilot solutions need to use a "desktop Consolidator" technology for data mapping and replication. [SOURCE: Maggie Biggs, InfoWorld, 09Nov98, page 119]

Corex Technologies has released CardScan 300 that lets users scan standard paper business cards into their PC (desktop or laptop) for direct HotSync connectivity to PalmPilot devices. From now until 31Dec98, Corex is selling the CardScan 300 for US$199; call 800-942-6739.

Japan's Matsushita Electric Industrial and Matsushita Kotobuki Electronics Industries are jointly-developing an external DVD-ROM drive (also supports 20x CD-ROM, CD-R, and CD-RW discs) that is just over 24 millimeters thick, and will interface with notebook computers using a PC Card interface. The price of unit will be around US$550. [SOURCE: Newsbytes News Network]

Andreas Briell at "EBB-mobile data systems" has announced version 1.0 of MobileBackup for the Newton. Some key features: automatic backups, backup storage cards to other storage cards, management of more than 100 backup sessions, and single package backup. The online price is US$29, or US$39 for disk and paper.

-Steve Holden (sholden@pencomputing.com)