Socket Communications reports that their Ethernet and Bluetooth Compact Flash plug-in cards for Pocket PC devices will be used by Microsoft in an upcoming 11-city Mobile Experience Tour that will highlight Microsoft savvy wireless solutions.

Fictionwise has been named preferred online distributor of e-reads' extensive list of nearly 1400 ebook titles.

Air2Web and Registry Magic have announced new plans to promote and sell each other's mobile solutions -- specifically Registry Magic's Consumer Payment Network that uses Bluetooth technology, and Air2Web's Mobile Internet Platform.

Scientists on the polar research vessel Polarstern will get the opportunity to try out several Palm OS solutions including iambic's TinySheet spreadsheet application in some real-world environments. The tests will be conducted by German's Palmtop-Pro magazine.

Compaq has posted a new ROM update for their Compaq iPAQ Pocket PC H3600 models. This update fixes: alarm problems, scroll lock issue, better power performance, Kernel reset hang, and serial connection problems.

Intermec Technologies recently demonstrated their MobileLAN family of wireless products and services to the Spring 2001 conference of Oracle Applications User Group (OAUG) held in Atlanta, GA. Key part of the demos was showing mobile devices connecting to backend Oracle databases and applications over a variety of wireless technologies.

-Steve Holden (sholden@pencomputing.com)