Psion has announced their next generation Psion Series 3c form factor device: the "Series 3mx", with a more stylish design and a faster processor. It comes standard with built-in PIM applications and 2MBs of storage (expandable). Desktop sync software is available for Windows 95/98/NT, Windows 3.1, and Macintosh as a separate purchase. The Series 3mx is currently available in the United Kingdom, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Scandinavia, Spain, and Switzerland in six language variations. The approximate U.S. price is $450, and availability in the U.S. was not announced at press time.

EvangeList Digest (Vol. 1, Num. 1265) published on 01Sep98 brings us news of AMUG's new PocketData 6 CD that is full of "over 580 apps and books for PalmPilot users." The CD lists for US$42 plus $5 S&H in US ($10 S&H for international orders) and can be ordered online. You can learn more about Guy Kawasaki's EvangeList list-server (very pro-Apple and Macintosh) via www.lists.apple.com/evangelist.html.

Wired is examining a growing trend: "VENDING MACHINES ONLINE, [where] soda machines are grabbing bandwidth... [and any] stock clerk with a PalmPilot can increase the company's profits".

Phoenix Technologies has announced a new software development kit (SDK) that includes power management enhancements that can increase hardware battery life on Windows CE based devices.

Socket Communications is now shipping the "Socket Collection I/O Card" (aka "CIO Card") in a CompactFlash form factor for Windows CE devices that will work a host of currently available bar code scanners and card readers that support RS-232 serial connectors.

Motorola has created a new processor that integrates both their "FLEX paging decoder" and their "M-CORE RISC microcontroller" on a single chip, making it possible to integrate "paging" into "industrial equipment and systems."

Nikkei English News is reporting a major marketing push by Lotus Japan to market their Windows CE software solutions that can link PCS mobile phones with Windows CE devices.

PC Week (31Aug98) has an article entitled "Pen Tables Rescue EMTs: PadStat helps ambulance service (Acadian Ambulance Services) monitor patient transport" on page 34. The system uses handheld Stylistic 1200 pen computers running a custom application written by Pad Systems that syncs with a data center SQL server.

-Steve Holden (sholden@pencomputing.com)