Short Cuts: Roaming Around the Mobile Computing Industry

PCMCIA Compatibility Sought

Leading PCMCIA manufacturers have joined together to form the QuickSwap Special Interest Group (SIG) to further the definition of PCMCIA compatibility for systems using the x86 family of processors.

While the PCMCIA as an organization is responsible for the technical standards, the SIG will focus on testing the compatibility of cards designed for x86-based devices.

The charter members of QuickSwap include familiar PCMCIA vendors such as Intel, National Semiconductor, NEC, Phoenix Technologies, Toshiba, and Xircom, among others.

The QuickSwap architecture was originally developed by Intel and known as ExCA. The SIG will enhance this specification by adding a QuickSwap test suite and making this available to members and interested test centers.

For more information, please fax a company letterhead, including contact name, phone, and fax number to Suzanne Hatten, Intel Corp. at (503) 696-1529.

Multimedia Pen Computing

Dauphin Technologies introduced an enhanced version of the DTR-1 mobile computer at COMDEX. The DTR-Sound System is a 2.5 lb. device that adds complete Microsoft Windows Sound System and Sound Blaster compatibility to the smallest 486-based pen-computer.

By attaching a microphone, users can add voice annotations to their presentations or data files. Users can also take advantage of the many benefits of CD-ROMs by attaching an IDE-compatible drive to the external IDE port on the device.

The computer is scheduled for shipment in the 1st Quarter of 1994 and will have a retail price of $2995. For more information, contact Dauphin at (800) 782-7922.

The Tightest Ship in Pen Computing

UPS announced an upgrade to their hand-held mobile computer which enables delivery personnel to keep track of the status of packages. The new device, known as DIAD II (Delivery Information Acquisition Device) is a 7″ x 12″ recycled clipboard that includes 1.5 MB of RAM and a new backlit LCD display.

Drivers can enter delivery information and capture electronic signatures without paper forms. Back in the truck, drivers insert the clipboard into the DIAD Vehicle Adapter which transfers the data to UPS’s mainframe tracking centers using a nationwide cellular system tied to UPS’s telecom network UPSnet.

The cellular network includes services provided by over 70 cellular carriers. UPS uses a cellular telephone modem supplied by Motorola and UPS plans to phase in the DIAD II in 21 of their busiest markets for the 1993 holiday season. For more information, contact Monica Spigelman at (201) 512-4982

Pen and Mouse Declare Peace

With the introduction of Gliffic Plus, Pleasanton-Calif-based Appoint Technologies, Inc. has reduced the tensions between mouse and pen-based input. Gliffic Plus, a 7 3/4″ x 8″ digitizer pad (active area 5″ x 4″), is compatible with both Microsoft’s Windows for Pen Computing and IBM/CIC’s PenDOS.

By including both a cordless mouse and a cordless pen, users can switch between the two at any time taking advantage of the benefits of both types of input. The digitizer attaches to the serial port of a PC compatible (286 or higher) and weighs 16.5 ounces.

The Gliffic Plus digitizer has a resolution of 1024 lines per inch and features a 6″, battery-operated pen. The SRP is $349, however there is a special developer’s price of $195. For more information, please contact Appoint at (800) 448-1184.

PenWare Offers Special Price

Palo Alto-based PenWare, Inc. maker of the pencentric PenCell spreadsheet for Microsoft Windows for Pen Computing, has enlisted three major input device manufacturers to offer its product at a special reduced price.

The three companies: FTG Data Systems, Communication Intelligence Corporation (CIC), and ACECAD, Inc., will all offer PenCell as an option with their respective products at $199, a 33% discount from the regular $295 price.

As you’ll recall, FTG Data Systems makes PenDirect for Windows, a package including a highly functional light pen for direct pen input. Likewise, CIC and ACECAD each sell full-feature digitizers under the product names HandWriter for Windows and ACECAT II respectively.

For more information, please contact Tom Nunan of PenWare, at (415) 858-4920

Fujitsu Announces Pen Advances

Fujitsu Personal Systems recently announced an impressive string of pen system deployments covering a range of industries. On September 20th, Fujitsu announced that it has been selected by the State of Alabama to provide its tablet-sized 325Point pen-based computer for use by over 20 state departments and agencies.

Custom software was developed using Power Pen Pal 4.0 and runs under the PenRight system. In addition, the state expects to use standard off-the-shelf applications such as Lotus 1-2-3 and Microsoft FoxPro in the Windows for Pen Computing environment.

On November 10th, Fujitsu announced that it will supply 650 PoqetPad Plus pen computers to Texas Utilities Electric, the largest electric utility in the state. In the first phase, crew foreman will use an application developed using PenPal’s development tools to collect and monitor crew activity information.

Later stages of the rollout will put the devices in the hands of meter technicians and field service personnel.

Finally, Fujitsu announced on November 29th that the Specialty Division of Best Foods Canada has decided to use the 325Point to automate sales operations, including client management and order downloading. The software was developed by Toronto-based VAR Filbitron.

Forms Made Easy on GEOS-based PDA’s

MetaPacific Systems, Inc. has just made the process of creating useful forms for Tandy, Casio, and Sharp PDA’s using the GEOS operating system a whole lot simpler. Using a program called Form Factor which runs under Microsoft’s Windows 3.0 or higher, you can create an electronic form by drawing the handwriting fields, checkboxes, and multiple choice lists graphically on the screen.

Without the need for any GEOS programming, you can create forms whose data is saved as standard comma or tab delimited ASCII text. Using this universal format, you can download and import this data into nearly any desktop spreadsheet or database program.

For more information, please call (800) 224-2411 x200.

AST Selects GEOS for its PDA

AST Research, the company that recently acquired Tandy Corp.’s PC manufacturing business including the GRiD product brand, has announced its entry into the PDA race. Named the Model 2390, the AST PDA uses GeoWorks’ GEOS operating system, however it also supports applications developed under the PenRight! environment.

Physically, the unit weighs in at under one pound, employs a 320 by 256 line LCD touch screen and stylus, and includes a PCMCIA Type II slot. The device uses an Intel 8086 compatible ASIC processor made by Casio which runs at 7.4 MHz. Like most GEOS-based PDA’s, AST claims battery life of more than 100 hours on three “AA” batteries.

The Model 2390 includes a suite of personal information applications from Palm Computing and Intuit. These applications are stored in the system’s 4 MB of ROM, freeing the 1 MB of RAM for processing data. Software is also included enabling you to access America Online, and from there the Internet and other online services.

AST is making the unit available to independent software vendors and plans to ship in quantity in early Q1 1994. The PDA with a SunDisk storage card and the PenRight! environment is expected to cost less than $1000. For more information, please contact AST at (800) 876-4AST

Epson Offers New Handheld

Epson America, Inc. selected COMDEX to premier its new MS-DOS-based handheld device called the EHT-30. The EHT-30 has an interesting blend of technologies including a 200 x 230 dot transflective LCD with backlighting and a PCMCIA Type II slot.

The device, which measures 3.56″ x 7.04″ x 1.44″ and weighs 21.6 ounces (30.4 ounces with the attached printer), achieves much of its physical savings by use of a lightweight, removable lithium-ion battery, that doesn’t suffer from the annoying “memory loss” effect characteristic of regular NiCad batteries. Using these batteries, the EHT-30 provides up to 14 hours of continuous operation without the backlight, and up to 8 hours using the backlight.

The EHT-30 is powered by a combination of processors including a 9.5 MHz, 16-bit AT-compatible CPU, along with an 8-bit slave processor running at 5 MHz. The system can accommodate up to 1 MB of RAM and up to 3 MB of flash ROM to run a range of applications.

The EHT-30 is intended to be used for a range of applications, including ones that require handwriting. To facilitate this, Epson’s parent company, Seiko Epson Corporation has partnered with Communication Intelligence Corporation (CIC) to incorporate CIC’s robust Handwriter Recognition System (HRS).

Epson will make the EHT-30 widely available in January 1994 for a suggested retail price of $1919.