Short Cuts: Roaming Around the Mobile Computing Industry

Signature Verification a la OpenDoc

One reason that paper has remained so much a part of our lives in the so-called paperless office is because we still rely heavily on people’s signatures to verify documents. U.K.-based Peripheral Vision Ltd. has been tackling this issue head-on for the past few years and has now added a significant component to their strategy.

At the recent ObjectWorld conference in Boston, the company announced that it has developed an OpenDoc part based on its PenOp handwriting signature verification system. OpenDoc is an architecture that enables developers and users to “mix and match” software components to create compound documents handling such items as text, graphics, spreadsheets, and images. Endorsed by leading companies such as IBM, Apple, Lotus, and Novell, among others, OpenDoc is set to establish itself as a cross-platform software integration architecture.

Peripheral Vision has now created a set of software objects that manage the most critical element of a paper document, the handwritten signature, and makes it accessible through the OpenDoc architecture. PenOp enables handwritten signatures to be captured securely, transported, stored and verified on electronic documents. Using a Biometric Signature Verification module, PenOps is capable of authenticating a signature not only based on the resulting ink image, but also on the speed of the pen, a very difficult effect to forge.

Peripheral Vision plans to pre-release a version of its OpenDoc-compatible software for software developers and users. For more information, please contact Jeremy Newman of Peripheral Vision at (212) 262-1588, (212) 262-1599 (fax) in the United States, and Arthur Llewellyn at (01373) 452755, (01373) 452744 (fax) in the United Kingdom.

Sales People Want TopSales

Sales force automation is one of the most promising vertical markets for pen-based computers. Sales people are constantly on the go with the need for up-to-date pricing and inventory information. More importantly, sales people must interact face-to-face with customers every single day.

As any salesperson knows, the dynamics of this interaction are as important as the products being sold. Technology that creates an artificial barrier in the middle of the sales process is of little help, no matter how highly automated its services are. For this reason, among others, sales forces have begun adopting pen computers in place of paper-based forms or conventional laptop computers.

Information Retrieval Methods, Inc. (IRM), a Dallas-based developer of sales automation systems and services with over 20 years of experience. Recently, IRM introduced a pen-based sales call reporting system known as the TopSales Field Sales Activity (FSA) system. TopSales is designed to run on PenRight! in DOS or on the Windows for Pen Computing platform.

The software, which is specifically tailored for marketers of packaged goods, enables bi-directional communication within a mainframe or client-server environment. Nine software modules are available, including account coverage, retail conditions, commitments, merchandising, distribution/out-of-stock, order capture, account status, promotions, and order status.

TopSales is designed to work with standard horizontal applications including word processing, spreadsheets, and electronic mail. The FSA user interface resembles a typical notebook page making the software easier to learn and use. For more information, please contact Jennifer Green of Michael A. Burns & Assoc. at (214) 521-8596.

Wireless Flexibility

Wireless modems are handy devices, however they do tend to lock you into a particular service. While most U.S. wireless data services provide excellent coverage, other networks are just in the process of being built and may fall short in certain regions. The CDPD (Cellular Digital Packet Data) service is one such example. While the service areas continue to expand, CDPD coverage still falls short of both the ARDIS and RAM Mobile Data networks, and is certainly less available than data over switched-circuit (voice) cellular.

Sierra Wireless, a Vancouver, British Columbia-based developer of wireless technologies, recently announced the commercial availability of a wireless modem that addresses precisely these concerns. Dubbed the PocketPlus 210 for Windows, the modem features multiple data communication options including 19.2 Kbps CDPD, as well as 14.4 Kbps V.32bis and V.17 data and fax over circuit switched cellular and the traditional wireline Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).

The PocketPlus includes a cellular transceiver and rechargeable batteries in a palm-sized device that Sierra claims is the smallest wireless modem on the market. The device can be connected to a Windows-based PC through a standard serial connection and includes software that makes configuration, switching, and channel monitoring straightforward.

The PocketPlus incorporates a number of advanced features including power management, channel hopping, cell hand-off, and roaming. The device contains embedded modem software that is up-to-date with the current CDPD specification and can be upgraded to future versions through software.

The PocketPlus modem for Windows is priced between US $1195 to $1295, depending on the service options, and is available through cellular service providers and Sierra Wireless. A Macintosh version of the PocketPlus is currently in beta trials. For more information, please contact Andrew Harries of Sierra Wireless Inc., at (604) 231-1100, (604) 231-1109 (fax).

Mobile Multimedia Matures

As multimedia becomes increasingly indispensable on the desktop, its appeal on mobile platforms continues to grow. In many ways, the case for mobile multimedia is even more compelling, as more and more useful information comes available in this format.

Recognizing the growing importance of adding multimedia to the new breed of mobile computers, Toshiba’s Disk Products Division has introduced a new, slim-sized CD-ROM drive designed specifically for these devices. Dubbed the XM-1102B, the double-speed internal CD-ROM measures 17 x 128.8 x 140.6 mm and weighs 340 g.

The XM-1102B, which relies on a very thin optical pick-up head and a new drive mechanism, has a random seek time of 210 ms with a data transfer rate of 300 KB/sec. The drive supports both the MPC-2 specification and Kodak’s multi-session Photo CD standard. Toshiba uses a variable speed playback system that enables the drive to read data upon reaching +/- 50 percent of either of the two disk speeds.

The XM-1102B is designed to work with IBM PC/AT compatible computers and features an ATAPI interface eliminating the requirement for an interface board such as a SCSI card. The XM-1102B is available immediately and is priced at $150 in OEM quantities. For more information, please contact Toshiba America, Disk Products Division at (714) 457-0777.

Nokia Juggles GEOS

The merging of mobile computing and communications took a major step forward recently as Nokia Mobile Phones, a business group of the Finnish electronics giant Nokia, entered into the fray. To serve as its software platform for a new range of devices, Nokia Mobile Phones selected Geoworks’ GEOS system, currently used in the Zoomer-class PDAs including those from Tandy and Casio.

To cement its commitment, Nokia Mobile Phones also made a $7.5 million equity investment in the Alameda, California-based system software company. With the new investment complete, Nokia now has a 8.95 percent stake of the 11.2 million outstanding Geoworks shares. Nokia also received a place on Geoworks’ board of directors.

Nokia is Europe’s largest cellular telephone manufacturer and has recently made a major entrance into the North American market. Nokia plans to build “smart” communicating products around GEOS and stated that this coincides with its vision for wireless, multimedia terminals for consumers. Nokia cited the operating system’s advanced features and limited hardware requirements as the prime reasons for selecting GEOS. Nokia joins Novell and Hewlett-Packard as recent equity investors and partners.

For more information, please contact Deborah Dawson of Geoworks at (510) 814-5750, (510) 814-4250 (fax), or Nokia Mobile Phones Communications Dept. at 358-0-510-5750, 358-0-5104-0782 (fax).