Puma Technology has announced plans to enable their line of Windows CE products--Intellisync, Satellite Forms, and Intellisync Anywhere--to synchronize, provide custom viewing, and enable remote access to Microsoft's new Office 2000 technologies.

The Strategis Group has announced seven new "information resources packages" distributed in paper, pdf, or html formats that examine the current state of "Global Cellular and PCS" marketplaces. Pricing per report (distributed geographically) is between US$1600-$4500 (depending on format).

BF Goodrich's race tire design group is reportedly using Palm OS devices to collect data at race tracks and upload the data to a Microsoft Access database for post processing. The tool they are using on the Palm OS device is the Puma Technology's Satellite Forms. [InfoWorld, 12Apr99]

The two-way radio marketplace has been in "boom" mode over the last couple of years--"the days of scratchy analog squawk boxes are being quickly replaced with near-crystal clear clarity digital technology." The American Mobile Telecommunications Association (AMTA) is reporting that 20 million people every day in the US use two-radio (not including public services like police, fire, and ambulance). AMTA also claims that the average "business" cell phone bill per month is US$111, but two-way radio costs are in the US$70 a month range. [SOURCE: Salt Lake Tribune, 23May99]

Senior Analysts Matt Kramer and Herb Bethony at PC Week examine "PylonPro packs Lotus Notes data on Palm OS devices--but Globalware's updated sync tool doesn't match up with competitors [Puma Technologies' Satellite Forms or Advance Systems' ASL-Connect] for enterprise use" on page 59 of the issue published for 17May99.

Sharp's TelMail TM-20 email organizer continues to get relatively good press for solving the "business traveler's email access needs." The unit costs US$149 and there is a US$9.95 monthly service fee. The bottom of the unit has an "acoustic coupler" that will work with most phone receivers, and the call to get your email is a toll-free phone call in the United States. The device also provides some simplified contact management, memos, to-do lists, and calendaring capabilities.

-Steve Holden (sholden@pencomputing.com)