Cassiopeia color-screen Palm-size PC

As we went to press, Casio announced their new E-100, a color-screen Palm-size PC using the newest release of the Windows CE operating system. Casio is promoting the devices as "the world's smallest pocket 16 MB multimedia player."

The E-100 features an easy-to-read 240 x 320 color LCD screen with 65,536 colors, allowing the users to view movies, web browse and listen to music using various Windows CE software applications. The E-100 features a fast 131MHz NEC microprocessor. Other features include a 16 MB RAM, 16 MB ROM, CompactFlash Card Type II card slot, serial port, stereo headphone jack, microphone/speaker, optional serial cable, and IrDA 1.0 (Web download, upgrade to IrDA 1.1 1Mbps). The E-100 also features a cradle, AC adapter, and Lithium-ion rechargeable battery. A connectivity cradle and AC adapter are included with the E-100, along with bonus applications on CD ROM, Windows CE Services 2.2 and a carrying case. For more information, contact Casio at www.casio-usa.com/hpc/.

Everex Freestyle color-screen Palm-size PCs

Everex announced its new color-screen models of their popular Freestyle Palm-size PC. Scheduled to ship in the second quarter of 1999, new models of the Everex Freestyle will feature a large, front-lit 240 x 320 color display, and "numerous other hardware features designed to maximize the utility and functionality of the Windows CE operating system." One of the rumored changes will be an enhanced rock-arm navigation button to make one-handed use easier. No further details were available as we went to press. For further information, visit the Everex Web site: www.everex.com.

Compaq Aero 2100 color-screen Palm-size PC

Compaq announced its new color-screen Palm-size PC powered by a 70 MHz MIPS CPU. The Aero 2100 will come with 8 or 16 MB RAM - 24 MB expansion modules are available as options. The Japanese version will have 20 MB of ROM; 8 MB in U.S. and all other locations. The 4" diagonal 240x320 touchscreen is a 256-color high resolution Thin Film Transistor (TFT) liquid crystal display. On/off and application buttons are on the front of the unit. Action and exit buttons on the side. The Aero has an IrDA infrared port, CompactFlash slot, serial port, speaker, microphone and audio jack. The user is notified of appointments and other events by an audible alarm, LED signal, and an internal vibration mechanism. Cradle with DC Jack and serial port connection to PC comes standard with product.

Options include: Deluxe cradle - lets users charge an extra battery in cradle; Slipcase; Auto-Sync cable; 3-pack of Stylus; Auto Power adapter.

Software bundled with the package includes: Audible Content Player - a proprietary audio compression technology; Compaq Asset Management - software, allows IT managers to verify the owner of the device, review memory capacity and availability, and access serial and model numbers; Syracuse Language, Inc. - dictionary tools, including English-to-Japanese and English-to-Spanish; VCA, Inc.; Expense Tracker - helps users keep track of personal expenses and those that should be charged back to the company; Applian Technologies, Inc. CoolCalc - provides users with scientific, financial and business calculators.

For more information, contact your local Compaq dealer or visit their Web site at www.compaq.com/products/handhelds/.

HP Jornada 420 Palm-size PC

Hewlett-Packard Company has announced its Jornada 420 color-screen Palm-size PC. The 420 is powered by a 100 MHz SH7709a CPU and uses the new Windows CE 2.11 operating system. It comes with 8 MB ROM and 8 MB RAM (upgradeable) It has a 240x320 pixel 256 color touchscreen display with a transparent flip cover for protection.

The Jornada 420 will have the standard Palm-size PC built-in applications. It will also support FLEX CompactFlash paging and modem cards (optional) allowing the users to send and download short message service (SMS) messages with integrated infrared and Trio PhoneManager software.

The Jornada 420 will be priced at $519. According to HP, the Jornada 420 will be available to end-users, but will target corporate users with emphasis on integration with Back Office systems. HP is also targeting vertical solutions, including medical professionals. For more information, visit HP's Jornada Web site: www.hp.com/jornada/ (see review in this issue).

LEO Freestyle: Chinese language Palm-size PC

LEO systems of Taiwan, the developers of the hardware for the Everex Freestyle, have released a Chinese-language version of the Palm-size PC called the LEO Freestyle. The hardware is identical to the Everex version, but the LEO Freestyle uses the Windows CE 2.11 operating system and comes with a choice of the Simplified Chinese or Traditional Chinese character sets. The LEO Freestyle will be marketed in China and various overseas Chinese markets, including Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. The LEO Freestyle integrates a number of features designed to meet the specific needs of Chinese consumers and professionals. These include:

• Easy Chinese character input using a choice of Chinese character recognition, Pinyin Romanization, and ChangJie methods
• A Chinese Lunar Year Calendar
• Chinese language versions of all Windows CE Pocket Outlook applications
• A Chinese/English Dictionary with a total number of 100,000 entries

LEO Freestyle users will be able to input Chinese characters or English text using handwriting recognition or Soft keyboard. The LEO Freestyle will use the Windows CE 2.11 operation system and come with a complete set of the Palm-size PC Pocket applications and utilities, including Calendar, Contacts, Tasks, Inbox, Note Taker, World Clock, Calculator, Solitaire, Mobile Channels and Voice Recorder. New to the LEO will be a Palm-size PC version of Pocket Internet Explorer.

The LEO Freestyle Palm-size PC will be available in the Associate, Manager, and Executive models and will be sold through authorized LEO distributors and dealers in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, and other countries with Chinese-speaking populations. Retail prices will begin at under US $350 for the Associate model.

For more information contact:
LEO Systems, Inc. Taiwan
China : (02)-2218-2866
Hong Kong: 10-6262-8874
SE Asia & other countries: (886)-(2)-2715-3670
Website: www.leosys.com.

Philips plans color-screen Palm-size PC, drops H/PC

Philips Mobile Computing Group will introduce a color-screen version of its popular Nino Palm-size PC. It is also rumored that Philips will release a new low-end model of the Nino, to be priced under $300. For further information, visit Philips' Nino Web site at nino.philips.com/index.html. Philips has announced that it will discontinue the Velo 500 and not offer an upgrade to H/PC Pro.

Windows CE Services 2.2

Handheld PC Pros and the newer color-screen Palm-size PCs will be shipping with the latest version of Windows CE Services. This upgrade to Windows CE Services is for use with PC Companions using the Windows CE operating system, version 2.0, 2.01 and 2.11. This upgrade does not support devices using the original Windows CE operating system, version 1.0.

Users of Windows CE 2.0 PC Companions should check their manufacturer's Web site for a free downloadable copy of Windows CE Services 2.2. If you can't find one there, it can be downloaded at one of the following Web sites:

MSN's Computing Central Windows CE site:

http://computing central.msn.com/topics/windowsce/welcome.asp

CE Monster Updates Page: www.cemonster.com

Microsoft.com's Windows CE site. You can't actually download Windows CE Services here, but the site has links to H/PC and Palm-size PC manufacturer sites where you can download it:

www.microsoft.com/windowsce/pccompan ions/wceserv.asp

Upgrading to Windows CE 2.11 and H/PC Pro apps

Most of the manufacturers of Windows CE 2.0 Handheld PCs are supposed to make upgrade chips available to users of these devices. However, not all have announced when the upgrade will be available. As we went to press, only the following OEMs had announced upgrade plans and the H/PCs they apply to.

NEC MobilePro 750C

LG Electronics Phenom Express

Hitachi HW-200EC H/PC

Compaq C-Series

There has been no formal announcement from any of the others. The upgrade will be made available in the form of a user-installable ROM card that will replace an existing one in the various H/PCs. The card will cost from $100 to $150. For more information on availability, see the OEM Web sites listed in the At A Glance table. Microsoft's Web updates a list of manufacturers providing upgrades. Visit them at www.microsoft.com/ windows ce/downloads/pccompanions/hpcupgrade.asp.

Acer to release devices based on Windows CE

Acer computer company will be developing computer devices based on the Windows CE operating system, including mobile and handheld devices, set-top boxes, and desktop machines.

HP CapShare 910 communicates with PC Companions

Hewlett-Packard Company recently announced upgrade software to their new CapShare 910 information appliance, allowing the device to communicate with any of HP's Windows CE 2.0 or 2.11 devices, including the HP 360LX, 620/660LX, the Jornada 800 Handheld PC Pro, and the new Jornada 420 Palm-size PC. HP has not tested it with other PC Companions, but it should work with them also. HP CapShare 910 is a portable scanning device that can be used to capture documents and graphics, view them for accuracy on CapShare's built-in LCD display, and transfer them via IrDA port to a printer or portable device.

The user holds down the capture button, slides CapShare across the document, and releases the button. Another button transfers the captured image (in .pdf or .tif format) to a computer or printer with a standard IrDA infrared port. From a computer, you can attach it to an e-mail and send it anywhere. You can also import the image into a desktop PC's OCR program and convert it to text.

CapShare ships with a rechargeable NiMH battery that will allow the capture and transfer of about 100 pages before recharging. The device has storage memory for about 50 letter-sized pages. HP CapShare 910 will retail for about $699. Those who purchase CapShare 910 prior to March 1, 1999 can receive a free downloadable upgrade at CapShare's Web site, at www.capshare.hp.com. Additional information about CapShare is also available at the Web site.

Third-party software for HP Jornada 820 H/PC Pro

Hewlett-Packard Company's new Jornada 820 Handheld PC Pro is the first Windows CE device to use a StrongARM processor. The CPU is very fast (190 MHz), but the new processor type was just supported by Windows CE 2.11. Most of the H/PC software available from third-party developers was compiled for the MIPS and SH3 processors. Applications must be re-compiled for the StrongARM processor. Although many developers, including ART, bSQUARE, CASIO Soft and Ruksun, have done this, but many more have not. Users of the Jornada 820 should confirm that the software they are buying is compatible with their device.

Pretec introduces high-capacity CompactFlash cards

Pretec Electronics Corp. (www.pretec.com) has announced the launch of a line of higher capacity CompactFlash Type II (CF+) storage cards. The cards will come in 80, 100, 128, 160, 192, 256, and 320 megabyte capacities. The lower capacity cards are available now. You'll have to wait until sometime in the 2nd half of 1999 for a 320 MB CF+ card. Pretec's CF+ card is compliant with CompactFlash Type II specifications and based on 128Mbit/256Mbit 'AND' chips from Hitachi, or NAND chips from Toshiba and Samsung, together with Pretec's proprietary controller and packaging technology.

Infowave Office Enabler enhances Windows CE support

Infowave Software Inc. (www.infowave.com.) recently announced the release of version 2.6 of Infowave Office Enabler, which enables wireless networking with Microsoft Exchange servers. The new version will have tighter integration with Microsoft Exchange and enhanced features for Windows CE devices, including:

NTLM Authentication on Windows CE: Standard NT authentication for Windows CE clients provides the same level of network security that is available if the person was logging on from their desktop PC at the office.

Attachment Filtering: Allows Windows CE users to choose how and when to download messages with attachments such as Word, Excel or PowerPoint files.

NS Basic/CE Jornada Beta Now Shipping!

NS Basic Corporation (www.nsbasic.com) has announced the release of the beta version of NS Basic/CE Jornada 1.10. HP's new Jornada 820 uses a StrongARM processor and this new release of NS Basic/CE now supports that processor. Registered users of NS Basic/CE can get the software by sending an e-mail to beta@nsbasic.com. NS Basic Corp. will send back the files. The Jornada version of NS Basic/CE will be available at no charge to all licenced NS Basic/CE users.