Practical Sales Tools has released a new wireless version of their "contact management" solution called Unwired Contact that supports Symantec ACT! and the SalesLogix Sales Information System. The solution requires a Windows NT Web server running either IIS 3/4 or Netscape Server, and a persistent connection to the Internet or VPN (virtual private network). The clients supported include smart phones (Mitsubishi Mobile and Samsung Duette), pagers (RIM Interactive Pager), PDAs (Novatel Wireless' Minstrel modem with either a 3Com PalmPilot Pro or a 3Com Palm III), and Windows CE Handheld PCs. The costs for this set-up starts at US$4995 for a Unwired Contact server license, plus US$199 for each Unwired Contact client connection.
Edupage (28Feb99) covers the news of a "POCKET-SIZE WEB SERVER" (powered by an Intel 486 processor running Linux OS) that is being developed by folks in the computer science department at Stanford University.
CompanionLink Software announced the acquisition of a company called Windows Link. Both companies produce software programs that synchronize handheld devices--such as the Royal daVinci and the PalmPilot--with Windows based PIMs like Microsoft Outlook and Schedule+, GoldMine, ACT!, and Lotus Organizer.
Antennas America has announced a new "F800 antenna" that is geared to providing wireless (800-900 MHz) Internet access to "commercial laptop PC and handheld device users" with Type II PC Card slots.
SonicNet has teamed with Avantgo to offer a new music news service for users of the Palm OS devices--Music News of The World--which will be "delivering up-to-the-minute coverage of the world of contemporary music."
Mason Mark reports that Five Speed has released v1.5--a major update--of Dash Board for the Newton OS 2.1. This "insanely functional" graphical user interface (GUI) enhancement package replaces the MessagePad 2x00 series soft button bar with a far more powerful one (hierarchical menus, scripting, and shortcuts). This version is free for all registered users.
-Steve Holden (sholden@pencomputing.com)