Reuters and The San Jose Mercury News (SJMN) are reporting that 3Com has released their new Palm VII (US$599) wireless handheld device ahead of schedule. The New York City (NYC) area, along with parts of Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York, will get first access. Some 260 other high-population locations within the US will follow over the next six months. Pricing for the wireless access offered by Bell South will be between US$10 and US$25 depending on services and data sent/received. Other online sites also have coverage of this news: #1.) PC Week: "Wireless Palm VII raises usability bar", #2.) ZDNET: "Is The New Palm VII Wireless Heaven?", and #3.) Wired: "PALM VII: A DEFINITE LEMON". The most important review yet, of course, is the one written by our intrepid PalmPilot editor Shawn Barnett in Pen Computing Magazine's PalmPilot section.

Ericsson has released more information about their "WebOnAir" technology announced last week. The solution uses a "WebOnAir Filter Proxy" that filters out "non-essential HTML code, adapts image quality, and compresses information before it is transmitted to the wireless user." WebOnAir is network independent, so it is available for operators of GSM, TDMA, CDMA, and other wireless networks. This solution is a complement to WAP technology (Wireless Applications Protocol) and Wireless Mark-up Language (WML). One GSM operator--Germany's Mannesmann--is reportedly already successfully using the technology.

Shakun Gidwani has announced the following new Ruksun software applications: #1.) Net Force v2.0 For Windows CE 1.0, 2.x [network utilities, US$19.95]; #2.) IMAP Force v2.1HP For Windows CE 1.0, 2.x Handhelds [IMAP4 e-mail client, US$59.95]; and #3.) IMAP Force v2.1P For Windows CE Palm-size PC devices [IMAP4 e-mail client, US$59.95].

George Washington University's Continuing Engineering Education Program has announced a complete list of "wireless, cellular, and PCS" specific classes that run from July-December 1999 that are being offered in the Washington DC area.

-Steve Holden (sholden@pencomputing.com)