NEWSBytes

 

Windows CE Services version 2.1 Upgrade

Microsoft has announced the release of Windows CE Services 2.1. This upgrade adds several new features for Handheld PCs and Palm-size PCs powered by Windows CE 2.0.

  • File conversion and other synchronization settings are tailored to the Palm-size PC, letting you configure your PC to sync with a Palm-size PC, a Handheld PC, or as many of both as you like!
  • New Microsoft ActiveSync™ support for Mobile Channels lets you update your Palm-size PC with your favorite Web channels every time you connect to your PC!
  • File synchronization for Palm-size PC lets you sync your Rich Ink Notes with Microsoft Word!
  • ActiveSync is now compatible with Microsoft Outlook 98 messaging and collaboration client beta version 2.2 and beta versions of Microsoft Windows 98 operating (Beta 3) and Microsoft Windows NT operating system 5.0 (Beta 1). Get your Handheld PC or Palm-size PC ready for the latest releases of Microsoft Outlook and Windows!
  • Improved Partnership Wizard helps you set up your Handheld PC or Palm-size PC fast!
  • Improved handling of Internet AutoConnect configuration during Windows CE Services setup.
  • Improved handling of previous modem configurations on Microsoft Windows NT-based systems.
  • Application Manager now enables easier installation of applications to a PC card on your Handheld PC or Palm-size PC!
  • Improved ActiveSync support for Daylight Savings Time for Southern Hemisphere countries when using Outlook 97 version 8.03 or later. Early versions of the Handheld PC may require a device update to complete this. Check with your device manufacturer for availability.

This upgrade is provided to upgrade Windows CE Services version 2.0 only. You must ensure that you have installed Windows CE Services version 2.0 before installing the upgrade. This upgrade does not support Windows CE operating system software version 1.x devices.

Find out more, including where to download the Windows CE Services upgrade. Link to the Microsoft Windows CE website: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsce/
pccompanions/wceserv_upgrade.htm

Windows CE 2.0 Service Pack 1

 The Windows CE 2.0 Service Pack 1 makes the following improvements:

  • Enables file copy operations during power cycling. System lock-ups had been reported when a unit powered down to conserve energy, or while copying large files or sets of files to Compact Flash, PCMCIA ATA Flash, or SRAM cards.
  • Enables copying and pasting one folder into another where the folder's name differs by ONLY the last character (for example: pasting a folder named "Doc" into a folder named "Doc1"). Doing this has caused the device to crash.
  • Permits your H/PC to connect to more online service providers by enhancing CHAP authentication to support up to 256-character responses.
  • Allows long-term use with network connections. Continuous network use degrades performance over time. The service pack addresses known issues associated with this problem.
  • Enables you to individually set any event sound to the .WAV file of your choice without disrupting any other settings.
  • Displays the correct time in Calendar appointments regardless of location or daylight savings time status in all regions of the world.

At the time this announcement was written, Casio, Hewlett-Packard and Sharp had the download available on each of their Web sites. Other H/PC manufacturers may have followed suit by now. Each emphasized that the download they offered only worked with their H/PC. Note that this service pack is a fix to Windows CE 2.0 -- it is not the Windows CE 2.1 Upgrade announced earlier.

Cassiopeia download site: http://www.casiohpc.com/sp1_readme.html

HP Palmtop PC download site: http://www.hp.com/cposupport/indexes1/pt620lxs.html.

Sharp Mobilon download site: http://www.sharpusa.com/main.asp?sect=3&pageid=AEDEA. (Sharp's URL address is not very intuitive. Make sure you get all those funny characters correct. If you have problems, go to http://www.sharp-usa.com, do a search on "Mobilon" and select "Mobilon Download Software ­ Mobilon" from the list the search generates.) 

Microsoft Ships Japanese Version of Windows CE 2.0 to H/PC manufacturers

Microsoft is expanding its international support by releasing a Japanese version of the Windows CE 2.0 operating system for the H/PC. This is in addition to the English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish language versions previously announced.

The new release includes the operating system, the handheld PC user interface and the suite of "Pocket" applications, including Pocket Outlook, Pocket Word, Pocket Excel, Pocket PowerPoint, and Pocket Internet Explorer. With this release, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) can develop and market Japanese versions of the Windows CE 2.0 handheld PCs.

According to Microsoft, the Japanese-language version of Windows CE 2.0 has been released to Casio Computer Ltd., Compaq Computer Corp., Hewlett-Packard Co., Hitachi Ltd. and NEC Corp. Each OEM will set its own development timetable and pricing.

PowerToys for Windows CE 2.0 H/PCs

Microsoft has released PowerToys 2.0, a set of unsupported utilities and add-ons for Handheld PCs powered by Windows CE 2.0. Among the new programs are:

Business Cards -- a utility for easy infrared transmission of Contact information; Information Today -- a tool for getting a handle on all of the day's appointments, tasks, alarms, mail, and more; Mailbox Grepper -- a utility for finding email addresses in your Inbox and turning them into Contacts; and DTMF Dialing -- a utility that makes phone tones from numbers in your Contacts.

Several of your favorites from the first PowerToys are included. Remote Control is not.

Download from: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsce/hpc/software/powerr.htm 

RAM Mobile Data 
now "BellSouth Wireless Data"

BellSouth Corporation has assumed 100% operational control of RAM Mobile Data and has renamed the business "BellSouth Wireless Data." The network provides wireless services throughout the USA.

For more information, contact:

BellSouth Wireless Data
Phone: 800-726-3210
Email: webmaster@bellsouthwd.com
Web: http://www.bellsouthwd.com 

TrueSync CE for the HP 360/620LX Palmtop PC

This utility for the Hewlett-Packard 360/620LX only lets HP palmtop PC users transfer Pocket Calendar, Contacts, Notes and Tasks items easily from their palmtop PC to the shirt-pocket-sized REX PC Companion card. REX is a Personal Information Manager on a PC Card. Its LCD screen displays appointments, contact information, a to-do list and notes. REX is a display-only device. You enter the information on another computer and download it to REX through a docking station or PC card slot.

Plug the REX card into the Type II PC-card slot on the HP 360LX or 620LX and tap the TrueSync CE icon on the HP palmtop PC. TrueSync downloads the Pocket Outlook data automatically.

TrueSync CE only works with Hewlett-Packard's 360LX and 620LX palmtop PCs. TrueSync CE software can be downloaded free of charge from the Hewlett-Packard Web site: http://www.hp.com/handheld/getting_help/promotions/rex/rex_intro.html.

TrueSync CE will ship with the HP 360LX and 620LX beginning in May.

Note: Puma Technology recently released a version of its popular Intellisync program that lets you synchronize your desktop PC with the REX. Users of other Windows CE devices could conceivably use this new version of Intellisync, and the previously released Intellisync for Windows CE to keep an H/PC and the REX device synchronized. Note also that Starfish just released its own desktop version, TrueSync Plus, to keep the REX and a desktop PC's PIMs synchronized.

For more information on Intellisync, contact Puma Technologies, Phone: 800-774-7862; Web: http://www.pumatech.com. For more information on REX contact Franklin Electronic Publishers, Phone: 888-REX-6400. For more information on TrueSync Plus contact Starfish, Phone: 888-STARFISH; Web: http://www.starfish.com.

O.K., Everybody: It's "Palm-size PC"!

Microsoft Corp., 3Com Corp. and Palm Computing Inc. announced that they have agreed to amicably settle their dispute over the naming of the category of palm-size devices originally referred to by Microsoft as "Palm PCs." As part of the agreement, Microsoft will discontinue use of the term Palm PC and will begin referring to this category of devices as Palm-size PCs.

Under terms of the agreement, Microsoft will initiate a worldwide transition to the new term. In the coming months, Microsoft will ship to its original equipment manufacturers a worldwide English-language release of Windows CE 2.0 that substitutes the new category name. In addition, existing inventories of initial devices using the current term may be sold until software and devices using the new descriptor are available later this year. This agreement resolves the pending legal dispute.

For further information, contact Microsoft's web site at http://www.microsoft.com/ or 3Com's web site at http://www.3com. com/ 

Tiny Optical Drive for Handheld Computer Market

According to an article in the Business Journal San Jose, Microsoft Corp. recently joined with Polaris Venture, Partners of Bellevue, Britannia Ltd. of Great Britain and others to invest $9.5 million into a 35-employee company called loptics. According to loptics sources, the company will use the money to make a production prototype of a tiny, lower-power optical drive for the handheld computer market.

The company expects that the tiny drive will cost approximately $200 with 128 MB data cards at $2 to $3 each. Subsequent generations of the drive and data cards are expected to have the capacity of today's CD ROMs. No specific plans have been announced for other Windows CE devices.

Oracle Lite for Windows CE enters beta testing

Oracle Corporation is now beta-testing the Windows CE version of its popular database program Oracle Lite for Windows CE in preparation for a late summer release. Oracle Lite is a small, single-user, database program of interest to H/PC users requiring seamless synchronization with central database servers as well as individual H/PC users needing a small, stand-alone database program.

Oracle Lite for Windows CE provides a robust set of database features with a footprint of only 250-750 Kb. While you can create stand-alone databases with Oracle Lite, it also supports a range of development languages and tools, such as Java, C/C++, Oracle? Tools, Visual Basic, PowerBuilder, and Delphi. Oracle Lite leverages the power of Oracle8 to provide Handheld PC users access to enterprise database applications that are completely synchronized with their corporate systems.

Contact: Oracle Corporation, Phone: 650-506-7000; Oracle Web: http://www.oracle.com/; Oracle Lite Web: http://www.oracle.com/clientdb/olite/.

Free Windows 98 Upgrade with H/PC or Palm-size PC Purchase

Good only for Windows CE 2.0 devices purchased between May 1st and June 30th. Purchase a Palm-size PC or Handheld PC and be eligible to receive a coupon worth approximately $109 to get the Windows 98 upgrade, once it becomes available. Coupons are available through your local Microsoft reseller, or can be printed from the Microsoft Windows CE Web site below. Please follow the mailing and proof of purchase instructions.

This offer is no longer valid, it has expired.

Upgrade Corrects pcANYWHERE CE Display Problems

(From Don Hergert)

I had been using the original version of pcANYWHERE CE on the HP 320LX that I had upgraded to Windows CE 2.0. Then I got the new HP 360LX and tried using pcANYWHERE CE on it. On the 360LX it didn't display properly, and because of this, pcANYWHERE CE was useless for the 360LX and for every other Windows CE 2.0 H/PC with 16-grey-shade or color displays.

Fortunately, I discovered that Symantec was aware of the problem and offers an upgrade to fix it. The file name is CEUP1_2.EXE and it is available on the Symantec Web site at: http://www.symantec.com/techsupp/files/pca/pcanywhere_for_ce.html

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