Short Cuts: Roaming Around the Mobile Computing Industry

Pen Input Helps Scales of Justice

Perhaps no trade produces as much paper as the legal profession, with the current O.J. Simpson hearing and upcoming trial threatening to set new records. To battle this, Simpson’s defense team, led by attorney Robert Shapiro, is using FTG’s light pen technology in conjunction with the courtroom presentation software Trial-Link.

Using the system, which incorporates CD-ROM technology to store both still and video images, lawyers are able to present images of evidence to the judge, jury, and other attorneys using computer screens. Using FTG’s light pen, lawyers are able to highlight evidence directly on the screen, add notations, and zoom to items of interest in a more natural manner.

In the O.J. Simpson case, perhaps the most publicized criminal trial in the United States since the Lindbergh baby kidnapping in the 1930’s, defense lawyers are using Trial-Link to store visual and written evidence on CD-ROM disks. Each item is tagged with a bar code number whose label is then attached to the notes used to question a witness.

Any evidentiary material can be quickly brought to the monitor by simply scanning the bar code on the item. Starting from the defense team’s computer, the images are first relayed to Judge Ito who then approves or disapproves of their display in court.

For more information on FTG’s light pen system, please contact Ron Zayas at (714) 995-3900.

CIC Bounces Back

Nineteen ninety four was a tough year for many in the pen computing industry, Communication Intelligence Corporation (CIC) included. Earlier this year, the company announced that it had pared down its work force, cut expenses, and entered a state of reorganization under Chapter 11 protection.

The end of the year has brought good news, however, as CIC announced that on November 14, 1994 the United States Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of California confirmed CIC’s Plan of Reorganization and that the company is no longer operating under Chapter 11 protection.

James Dao, CIC’s chairman, president and CEO said, “CIC has survived the restructuring of the pen computing industry and is now well positioned, both technologically and financially, to participate in the expected growth of the worldwide pen computing and mobile computing markets. CIC directors and management look forward to working to build a large profitable industry leader.”

CIC was founded in 1981, and has created an series of innovative products including its multilingual Handwriter Recognition System and Dynamic Signature Verification software, PenDOS and PenMac pen operating environments.

The Handwriter Recognition System software is available for several languages including: US and UK English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, and Japanese, with a Chinese language recognition system under development.

For more information, please contact Beverly Scott of CIC at (415) 802-7888.

Hyundai Hopes that Gulliver Will Travel

To the mild surprise of some of its technology partners, Korean industrial giant Hyundai quietly showed a non-functioning model of its upcoming PDA at the recent Las Vegas COMDEX ’94. The device, dubbed Gulliver, is a GEOS-based handheld pen computer based on AMD’s Elan low-power 386SX 25 MHz processor.

Gulliver is very similar in shape and size to the existing Zoomer-class devices, including those from Tandy, Casio, and AST. While the device we saw is clearly not a shipping version, the specification sheet does feature two Type II, or one Type III PCMCIA slot which would theoretically enable it to accept a wider range of storage options, including PCMCIA-based hard disks.

Sources at Hyundai were unable to state when Gulliver will be available, or at what price. For more information, please contact the Hyundai San Jose Office at (408) 473-9229, or the Korean Head Office at 0336-30-2056, 0336-30-3210 (fax).

A Pen Tablet to Bring Out the Leonardo in You

Pen computing is a natural for many mobile systems, especially as device sizes continue to shrink. However, desktop computing also stands to reap major benefits from the rich input capabilities of advanced tablet-based systems. Munich, Germany-based Boards Technologies demonstrated two impressive systems at the recent Fall COMDEX in Las Vegas.

The first system, dubbed LEONARDO, is an ultra-thin (2 mm) desktop tablet featuring a cordless, pressure-sensitive pen. LEONARDO comes in three standard sizes that feature active surface areas of 12″ x 12″ (304 x 304 mm), 18″ x 12″ (457 x 304 mm), and 24″ x 17″ (609 x 431 mm).

LEONARDO is compatible with leading CAD/CAE and pen computing environments across a range of computing platforms including AutoCad, Microsoft Windows for Pen Computing, Apple Macintosh, and X-Windows on Sun, HP, and SGI systems.

Boards Technologies also demonstrated their TouchTop 2000 computer. The device, based on standard 80486 technology, incorporates an integrated TFT or plasma technology flat panel display.

The TouchTop 2000, designed to be used in harsh industrial settings, employs an infrared touch screen that enables you to use a finger or pen to directly manipulate objects on the screen. System performance and response is excellent, and using Microsoft mouse emulation, you can use the system with standard Windows-based applications.

For more information, please contact Boards Technologies GmbH at +49-89/319 72-100, +49-89/319 72-103 (fax).

Smart Conferencing

With the high cost of moving people from place to place, companies are fast realizing that much useful work can be accomplished using advanced conferencing software and systems. One company cashing in on this trend is Calgary, Alberta-based SMART Technologies Inc.

At COMDEX, the company announced immediate availability of version 3.2 of its Windows-based SMART 2000 Conferencing System software. Improvements in the new version include additional support for sharing applications, an applet for taking meeting minutes, and support for Banyan Vines local area networks.

Using SMART 2000, a rear projection touch-sensitive whiteboard system, people in up to 64 locations can computer conference over the regular voice grade telephone network, ISDN, and local and wide area networks.

SMART Technologies also used COMDEX to announce enhancements to the SMART 2000 rear projection system incorporating an improved screen material dubbed SMART Super Screen Technology (SSST) and a higher lumen output projector. The SSST, which will be available in December, increases the viewing angle and doubles the brightness when compared with standard screen material.

For more information, please contact Aleece Wright of SMART Technologies, Inc. at (403) 245-0333.

Panasonic Demos a Bit of Magic

Staging not quite as low-key a demonstration as Hyundai, Matsushita’s Panasonic division was nonetheless slightly cagey about their upcoming PDA on show at COMDEX. Unable to provide a timetable or definite specification, Panasonic was happy to explain the key differences between its device from others.

The as-yet unnamed device runs General Magic’s very innovative Magic Cap system which incorporates Telescript communication technology. However, in terms of shape and size, the device more closely resembles the Apple Newton instead of its Sony and Motorola cousins (the Magic Link and Envoy respectively).

The Panasonic PDA deviates from these devices in other ways as well. For example, the device we saw at COMDEX does not have an infrared port, and relies on AA batteries without a recharger. Panasonic aims to include more memory in the device, and has endowed the computer with a slightly higher-contrast screen for better viewing.

For more information, please contact Tom Hanson of the Matsushita Consumer Electronics Company at (201) 348-7720. ❑