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  PalmPilot News (PPN) - 6th January 1997 Issue 5 ------------------------------------------------ Introduction ------------ Welcome to 1998 and another issue of PPN. Everyone at Bystander hopes you had a fantastic festive season and New Year. The PalmPilot momentum keeps on building, with big news rumoured to be on the near horizon. Remember that PPN will give you all the news about PalmPilots and their challengers in one easy newsletter. One issue we have got some feedback on is an occasional mail failure, where a reader gets a balnk message instead of the newsletter. If this ever happens to you, PPN is available on the Web, in DOC format, and as of this issue by auto-responder at:latest@bystander.netIf there is anything that we can do to improve PalmPilot News, let us know. Similarly, if you have a new product, or spot PalmPilots in the news (or catch a juicy rumour), make sure you drop a note to PalmPilot News at the following address.feedback@bystander.netFinally, we wish to thank the sponsors who support PalmPilot News, make sure that you support them in turn, and let them know you saw them in PalmPilot News. News ---- - PalmPilot beat the Phillips Velo1 and the Rex PDA to take out PC Computing's Most Valuable Product award. The accompanying review focuses on the devices power and simplicity, full details at:http://www.zdnet.com/pccomp/features/excl0198/mvp97/systems/default.html- OnTap, makers of a PalmPilot based viewer and WWW and Email based document encoding service have changed their pricing model to allow users free access to their encoding service, with copies of the viewer retailing for $39.95.http://www.ontaptech.com- CNET News.com story on new WinCE 2.0 devices, includes a quote that the new devices are much more complex to use than a PalmPilot.http://www.news.com/News/Item/0,4,17543,00.htmlSponsor's Message---------------------------------------------------------------- Finally, there is an easy way to do e-mail right from your PalmPilot Organizer. With PilotMail Online Service (http://www.pilotmail.net/or 1-888-44PILOT), and a PalmPilot Modem, you can check and send e-mail from everywhere you are. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- - Tapped, the paper based magazine focusing on PalmPilot technology, has now posted some sample articles from the current issue on their web site. Check out:http://www.tapped.com- CNET's News.com reports: "The Newton development and management team has recently been hit by a significant number of employee defections to 3Com's PalmComputing subsidiary..."http://www.news.com/News/Item/0,4,17670,00.htmlGot some news? Mail us:submissions@bystander.netSponsor's Message---------------------------------------------------------------- Rhinoskin, the creators of the Titanium Cockpit, the definitive ruggedized hardcase for the PalmPilot/Workpad, are proud to announce 3 new PalmPilot products, the RhinoPaks. Check outwww.rhinoskin.comfor more info on the Titanium Cockpit and the new RhinoPak line of cases for the PalmPilot/Workpad. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rumours ------- - New PalmPilots are slated for a first quarter release, to beat the April ship date of the Microsoft PalmPC devices Spread your rumour anonymously by mailing:submissions@bystander.netMedia Sightings --------------- - Anchordesk article on PIMs and PDA integration.http://www.zdnet.com/anchordesk/story/story_1606.html- PC Week Philips Velo500 WinCE review, but contains a great quote: "Frankly, we find it hard to recommend purchasing Windows CE-based devices because they generally run a little too big for a PDA but don't offer a large enough keyboard to allow users to tap their full potential. PDAs with handwriting recognition capabilities, such as 3Com Corp.'s PalmPilot, have a distinct advantage over Windows CE-based PDAs for users who primarily want a way to jot down simple notes."http://www.zdnet.com/pcweek/reviews/1222/22velo.html- Another PCWeek anti WinCE, pro PalmPilot mention:http://www.zdnet.com/pcweek/sr/1222/22workw.htmlSend all your media sightings to:submissions@bystander.netSponsor's Message---------------------------------------------------------------- If you're planning to deploy a corporate application using the PalmPilot platform, you need some way to connect all the handheld users to your data. Seehttp://www.hotsync.com/for a solution to multi-user synchronization. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ New Products ------------ - Ewen Cameron has released version 1.0 of his PalmWorld, his map based world time and phone area code product. Included is data for 270 locations.http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~ewenjc/html/palmworld.html- Orbworks, with Jeremy Dewey, has released an amazing piece of coding, a C compiler that runs natively on the PalmPilot. The compiler compiles source straight from the memo pad and includes support for external libraries. If you want to program for the PalmPilot, check it out:http://www.seashellinc.com/orbworks/pocketc.html- Libros, an XML based book reader, similar to AportisDOC, but with enhanced index functionality has entered Alpha testing.http://intellisys.base.org- Bombardier Software, makers of a Java based middleware application that woorks like Pointcast to regularly update info on your PalmPilot has released the final beta of its product. This includes a PalmPilot based HTML viewer.http://www.bombsoft.com/final_beta/- Sansoft, a PDA consulting firm has released Chemistry Set for PalmPilot and AstroPilot. Both are collections of AportisDOC documents detailing chemical data and astronomical tables respectively.http://www.pdantic.com/SanSoft.htm- Road Reloader 1.0 by SacherSoft allows users who suffer a hard reset while travelling to automatically reload their PalmPilots by syncing to their home machine. Road Reloader overcomes the requirement to choose a user name after a hard reset, allowing remote restores.http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Lab/4106/roadreloader.html- Pimlico Software has now released Datebk3. This enhancement to the standard Datebook application weighs in at 125k, but does offer a range of additional features including new views and floating appointments. Datebk3 can be downloaded from the Pimlico website:http://www.gorilla-haven.org/pimlico/datebk3.htm- Mike LaFountain is compiling a "Bible in a Year" group of daily readings.http://www.forelsystems.comTell us about your new product by emailing:submissions@bystander.netLatest on the Web ----------------- - A new on-line magazine - PalmPower has launched.http://www.palmpower.com/- The latest news and applications can be found at PalmPilot Gear:http://www.pilotgear.com- Matthew Glickman has launched a new site focusing on how he uses his PalmPilot and the software he has loaded.http://www.bway.net/~glickman/pilot/- Christian Scharf has put together the seminal collection of PalmPilot software for 1997.http://www.torget.se/users/s/scharf/- Mike Doolittle has added some interesting comparative info between the PalmPilot and the planned Gryphon (PalmPC) device from Microsoft.http://www2.southwind.net/~miked/pilot/pilot.html- All your questions are answered at Calvin's PalmPilot FAQ:http://www.pilotfaq.com/Send your web updates to:submissions@bystander.netSponsor's Message---------------------------------------------------------------- PalmPilotGear H.Q. is the one-stop resource for all PalmPilot hardware, software and accessories. We carry a full-line of accessories for the PalmPilot, including custom cases, styluses, screen protectors and enhancements, and many other products that will make your PalmPilot easier to use. We also maintain on-line the most comprehensive database of PalmPilot software applications in the world, including commercial software and shareware. At PalmPilotGear H.Q. you can search for the software you need, download it and register it all in one convenient location. We even provide free email notification of new software available! You can purchase their software from us or contact the authors directly. If we don't have what you need, we will do our best to get it! And visit our web site athttp://www.palmpilotgear.com. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3Com News --------- * Late Thursday, 3COM CORP executives said the company expects to see short-term pressure on its gross margins as it moves to eliminate inflated inventory levels in its distribution channels. The executives, speaking to analysts in a teleconference call following release of its 2Q results, said Asia was unlikely to return to its historic above-average industry performance any time soon. But on the bright side, an expected imminent resolution of standards for 56-kilobits per second computer modems could help boost industry growth prospects for 1998, they said. Benhamou said another factor dampening fiscal second quarter results was the economic turmoil in Asia, adding that "it's unlikely that Asia will return to its above average industry growth rates any time soon." (Reuters 06:39 PM ET 12/18/97) For the full text story, seehttp://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=6505378-6c7Stock Price: 01/05/98 (00s) SYMBOL CLOSE CHANGE HIGH LOW VOLUME ---------------------------------------------------------- COMS 35.375 -0.625 36.3125 34.6875 52509http://www1.nasdaq.com/scripts/quote.dll?symbol=comsPDA Wrap Up ----------- - The mooted release of the Microsoft "Pilot killer" has been getting a lot of press lately. Rumours from Bloomberg at:http://www.bloomberg.com/bbn/hwy/hwy1_02.html- In more Gryphon "pilot killer" news, NEC, LG and Casio are named as being ready to demo devices, potentially shipping by April. "The PalmPC hardware specification supports a 32-bit processor, a 240-by-160-pixel screen, 4MB of ROM, up to 4MB of RAM, an infrared port, a compact flash memory slot and a serial port connection for desktop PCs, sources said."http://www.zdnet.com/pcweek/news/1215/19epalm.html- Review of the TI Avigo, notes that functionality is limited with poor text input and no email capability.http://www.cnet.com/Content/Reviews/JustIn/Items/0,118,291,00.htmlReader's Questions ------------------ From: "Drohan, Jim" <jdrohan@vernonrentals.ca> Subject: Running Log Software I am looking for a Pilot software application that would serve as a "running log" book. As a fanatical runner I keep a daily log of miles/time/location by day/month/year. If you know of anything specific or other diary application that may work I would appreciate your assistance. - We'll publish any answers in the next issue. Postscript ---------- That's the end for another week, hope you've enjoyed it. You may have noticed we added a reader questions section this week. If you have any questions, mail them in and we'll give them a run. If you haven't already done so, please visit:http://www.bystander.net/pilot/subscribe/To subscribe for free and ensure you get your copy of PalmPilot News. If there is anything we can do to make this newsletter better, please drop us a line at:feedback@bystander.netThanks for reading! The Bystander Team