NewtNews-170-03Mar98

====================



++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

  EDITOR'S NOTE: Nancy Hanger <nhanger@windhaven.com> at Windhaven Press

  <http://www.windhaven.com> has volunteered to translate the HTML version

  of NewtNews published every week while I finish my thesis into text so

  that it can be emailed out.  Wow!  This is cool!  Enjoy!! :-)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++



by Steve Holden <newtnews@pobox.com>. This is a weekly freeware

newsletter focusing on Newton Technologies and related topics. NewtNews

Copyright 1994-98 Steve Holden. All rights reserved. See the

Administrivia at end for details and FAQ info.





This issue of NewtNews  is sponsored in part by:



 + VITAMIN A MENU EDITOR - Stand Alone has released its custom

   and caret menu editor and creator! - Demo at:

   <http://www.standalone.com/newton>

 + C o u c h  F i r e ! - Buy a guide to what's on TV for your

   Newton - <info@tempestprod.com> - <http://www.tempestprod.com/>

 + PowerTrans 3.2 - Multilingual Customizable Translator and Mobile

   Vocabulary Trainer - Speech on MP2K, eMate <http://www.travel-cs.com>

 + X-Port, KwikMenu, NewtPaint, Quicknames Pro, proCALC Ex - Newton 2.0

   solutions - <sales@landware.com> - <http://www.landware.com>

 + Give your Newton the Clearly, Superior, Protection it deserves with

   The BARRIER -installs in seconds, protects for months

   <HTTP://WWW.ROADRUNNERTRACKS.COM>

 + THE CEO from MAR Software <http://www.marsoftware.com> - Ambidextrous,

   slim black leather play through case, 14 card pockets, adjustable

   closure & more $59.95

 + GERMAN QUALITY by Rindle & Partner GmbH maker of the Isaac's

   application suite <http://www.rindle.de/Horizontal.US.html>

 + WinSlurp from Rare White Tiger Creations - makes data transfer to

   a Newton from Windows a snap! <http://ourworld.compuserve.com/

   homepages/heringermr/winslurp.htm>

 + QuickFigure Pro v.3.1 - New version of the spreadsheet solution

   from PelicanWare! <http://www.pelicanware.com> For more info send

   email to: <sales@pelicanware.com>

 + PowerMedia presents 'Arcade Game Pack' - Birds With Lances, Rocks In

   Space, Frogs vs. Cars - US$29.95 - <http://www.powermedia.com/~pmi>

 + RidgeNet - SLIP, PPP access to the Internet from Ridgecrest, CA.

   <http://www.ridgecrest.ca.us/RidgeNet/RidgeNet.html>





Table of Contents

-----------------



 1.  Top News

 2.  Comments from the Editor

 3.  New and Updated Newton Information

 4.  New and Updated Newton Technology

 5.  Handheld Mentions in 'The Media'

 6.  NewtNews Tips and Tricks You Can Use On Your Newton

 7.  Dear Newton Developer

 8.  Other Handheld Technology News

 9.  Other Tidbits of Information

 10. Advertising Notes

 11. Product and Service Information

 12. Edupage, 23Feb98 thru 01Mar98

 13. INNOVATION, 23Feb98

 14. Administrivia





Top News

--------



** APPLE ENDS NEWTON DEVELOPMENT **



Apple (aka Steve Jobs <sjobs@apple.com>) has killed the Newton.

Basically, Apple has announced "plans to discontinue further development

of the Newton operating system and Newton OS-based products, including

the MessagePad 2100 and eMate 300." They do plan to have a mobile based

version of the Mac OS for eMate type devices in 1999. Apple also

announced that they are "committed to working with its customers and

developers to ensure a smooth transition to Mac OS-based products." You

can learn more via:



  - <http://www.apple.com/pr/library/1998/feb/27newton.html>

  - <http://www.zdnet.com/pcweek/news/0223/27anewt.html>

  - <http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/980227/ca_apple_c_1.html>

  - <http://www.wired.com/news/news/email/other/business/

    story/10596.html>

  - Apple Developer News - Issue 95 Supplement - 27Feb98

  - <http://www.msnbc.com/news/146985.asp>

  - Newton Central Survey <http://205.181.128.165/survey/

    survey2.cgi?display=383112798>

  - Five Speed's open letter <http://www.fivespeed.com/letter/>

  - <http://www.web-vantage.com/wv/980227n4.cfm>



Macintouch recently had pointers to the following interesting sites:



  - "A Managerial Business Plan to Redirect Apple Computer, Inc.

    into the Portable Computer Market" by Yves Grant

    <http://www.primenet.com/%7Eyvesg/Apple.html>

  - Newton Technology FAQ

    <http://www.apple.com/pr/library/1998/feb/27newtfaq.html>

  - "Future MessagePad Thoughts" by Walletware

    <http://www.walletware.com/FutureMessagePads.html>

  - "Balcones Software thoughts on the Newton is dead news"

    <http://www.balconessoftware.com/number9/html/platform.html>



The following sites also have coverage of the recent 'Newton is dead'

news: thessaSource <http://www.thessasource.com/>, MacWeek

<http://www.macweek.com>, OS News

<http://www.osnews.com/news/index.html>, PC Watch

<http://www.pcwatch.com/>, and Webintosh <http://www.webintosh.com>.





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  NewtCase 3.1 - The Ultimate Newton Utility Suite. Designed for

  Newton 2.x. Get system info, freeze/thaw packages or sets to

  increase heap, customize backdrop & button bar, and more. Includes:

  Package Manager, Extensions Manager, NewtInfo, SleepAid, GestureLaunch,

  BarKeep, Desktop, and SoupKitchen. From PelicanWare at $49.95+S&H

  (Upgrades $25+S&H). More info:info@pelicanware.com. To order 800.655.6398

  or visit resellers.

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  DON'T TOUCH THAT SCREEN -- until you protect it with The BARRIER

  Screen Protector!

    * Clearly Superior Protection

    * Chemical, Abrasion and Thermal resistant

    * Given 9 out of 10 by Newton 2000 Underground

  For more info: http://www.roadrunnertracks.com or call: 760-431-5483.

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Comments from the Editor

------------------------



** YOUR COMMENTS **



On Friday, 27Feb98 before I officially knew that the Newton was going to

be 'killed' I asked:



    "If the Newton goes away, what device would you use next?!?"



Here is an attempt to categorize the answers (fourth pass):



  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

  Answer                                        Percentage

  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

  Continue to use Newton until it breaks             61.1%

  or is replaced by something similar in power.



  Switch to PalmPilot or IBM WorkPad                 16.0%



  Switch to Microsoft's Palm PC                       2.2%



  Switch to Microsoft's Windows CE                    6.1%



  Switch to Psion                                     3.1%



  Wait and see                                        6.9%



  Switch to a Toshiba Libretto type device            2.2%



  Use another device/method                           2.2%

  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

  *Percentage does not equal 100% because of round-off errors.

  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

  Send me your opinion to: <sholden@pobox.com>

  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -



** MY SUMMARY **



If I had to summarize the general themes in the email messages here is my

second pass:



  - The Newton OS is still the most powerful handheld operating

    system currently on the market.

  - People are split 50-50 on whether or not to currently commit

    to supporting future Apple products in the handheld marketplace.

    There is also a lot of "anti-Apple" and "anti-Macintosh" feelings.

  - People want real handwriting recognition.

  - People do not want an attached & fixed keyboard.

  - People really like NewtNews, and would be very disappointed

    if it went away.



** MY PLANS AND SOME THOUGHTS **



I plan to keep using my MP2100 until something better comes along. To be

totally honest, I tried to use my PalmPilot Pro all day on Friday after

hearing the official news. And by Saturday morning, I was back to using

my MP2100. There is no comparison. Don't even get me started with Windows

CE. ;-)



I also have no plans to stop publishing NewtNews, and I will continue to

support Newton vendors. I urge all NewtNews readers to do so also. We can

not expect our Newton devices to continue to be useful for longer than a

year without the support of an excellent crop of developers.



I think Apple's announced plans to help Newton developers and users

transition to Mac OS based products is the biggest load of bull I've ever

read in a press release. Apple has most likely burned all the bridges

they ever had to the handheld user base by 'killing' the Newton OS. Their

only real hope to make amends is to either sell the Newton OS at a loss

to an interested party, or created a newton.org foundation that

distributes Newton OS like Linux. I unfortunately don't think this will

happen (especially if Steve Jobs continues to be a major decision maker

at Apple) because in reality Newton OS is a huge competitor which given

the right resources could actually be more successful than Mac OS.





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       C o u c h   F i r e !

  From your armchair, find your favorite shows using your Newton.

  Couch Fire is a TV programming guide that includes accurate, weekly

  updates via email. It combines the feel of a paper guide with the

  intelligence of a Newton. Couch Fire's auto-updating TV grid, searches

  and reminders mean you won't miss a thing. For more info, write

  <info@tempestprod.com> or visit <http://www.tempestprod.com/>.

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                  THE HAND STAND. The first Newton case ever with a

  PDA Concepts    built-in adjustable stand. Convert your Newton and

  proudly         keyboard into a miniature laptop computer that you can

  presents:       use anywhere, anytime! Carry virtually everything you

                  need in one compact case. <http://www.pda-concepts.com>

$-----------$------------$------------$------------$-----------$-----------$





New and Updated Newton Information

----------------------------------



** 4000+ MESSAGEPADS DEPLOYED **



Business Wire (25Feb98) notes that "CorNet Voyager

<http://www.cornetltd.com> Launches Fortune 500, Remote Sales Forces Into

Realm Of Hand-Held Computing." This system is being initially deployed on

over 4000 MessagePad 2100s for a major pharmaceutical client. The press

release notes that most of the software on the system was written by

PenVision Information Systems <http://www.penvision.com>.



** N*PROJECT TO GET VERSION 2.0 UPGRADE **



Tom Unkefer <nomadict@ix.netcom.com> noted on the NewtonTalk listserver

that Nomadic Technologies <http://www.nomadict.com> will make a preview

version of N*Project 2.0 available to all registered users later this

week. Registered users who want information on how to get the preview

software should send email to: info@nomadict.com.



** NEWTON VERSIONS IS 6 MONTHS OLD **



Jakob Peterhdnsel <info@dnug.dk> at the Danish Newton User Group (DNUG)

reports that the Newton Versions <http://www.dnug.dk:8080/> database has

been alive since Aug97 (6 months), and currently has 600+ products from

180 vendors listed.



** INTEL LICENSES STRONGARM **



Ronnie Yang Kum Yuen <ronnie@psl.com.sg> noted the following via

NewtonTalk that was originally posted to Planet Newton -- "Intel Licenses

StrongARM Technology" (23Feb98)

<http://www.planetnewton.com/dailyplanet/dailyplanetindex.htm>. The

article includes rumors about future direction for Apple in regards to

the Newton.



** WIN AN 8-MB STORAGE CARD **



LandWare <http://www.landware.com> has announced plans to raffle off an

8MB Storage Card at the end of Mar98. Complete details can be found on

their Web site.



** GESTURELAUNCH SITE **



Dan Rowley <dan@newts.com> notes that users of GestureLaunch3

<http://www.newts.com/newton/glaunch30.html> for the Newton should check

GesterLaunch Depot <http://www.newton-underground.com/glaunch> on a

regular basis for new scripts and other types of tools. For instance,

there is now a new public beta of the GestureScript editor.



** PICTURES OF A NEWTON JACKET **



Mark Degg <markdegg@lister.softnet.co.uk> has posted a photo of his new

custom DIY leather Newton logo jacket to his "Downloads Page" on his

Newton WWW site <http://www.soft.net.uk/lister/newton.htm>.



** OTHER APPLE NEWS **



Felix Hagno <hgus6@hgus.gu.se> notes that Apple's Newton Group has

released version 2.0 of their Desktop Integration Libraries (DILs) for

Newton via FTP

<ftp://ftp.apple.com/devworld/Newton_Development/tools/dils2>.



Apple has posted the following Newton OS Technical Documents:



  - Newton Connection Utilities: Newton Works Import Message (#30391)

    <http://til.info.apple.com/techinfo.nsf/artnum/n30391>

  - Newton OS: Determining Which OS & System Update Is Installed (#30384)

    <http://til.info.apple.com/techinfo.nsf/artnum/n30384>



Don Vollum <donv@teleport.com> at PelicanWare

<http://www.pelicanware.com> notes the release of Apple's Newton Tool Kit

version 1.6.4 <http://www.newton.apple.com/dev/>.



Apple recently updated their Technical Information Library (TIL) with

information about "Newton Print Pack 1.0: General Use and Troubleshooting

(#24389)" <http://til.info.apple.com/techinfo.nsf/artnum/n30412>. [Source

Apple Developer News (ADR) - 2/27/98 -#95]



** MENU EDITOR IS THE PROPER NAME **



John Ball <info@standalone.com> at StandAlone Software

<http://www.standalone.com> would like to remind NewtNews readers that

their 'Vitamin A Menu Editor' product has been renamed to just 'Menu

Editor 2.0.'





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  NS BASIC 3.6 with Visual Designer! The latest implementation of

  this cool programming tool has an easy to use graphic screen layout

  function, plus indexed file communications, graphics and more!

  Program directly on Newton or with a PC or Mac. Create packages in

  the Extras drawer and much more. 260 pg handbook. Cost is $99+5 S&H

  for all Newtons. <info@nsbasic.com>, <http://www.nsbasic.com>,

  416.264.5999

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  PowerMedia is your source for all the latest cutting edge Newton apps:

    * Super NotePad: Quick access arrows, encryption, tags, filters, etc.

    * DateMan 3.0: Complete agenda and contact management.

    * Stationary Construction Kit: Build your very own custom stationary.

  Commercially available at your favorite Newton retailer. Or check out

  online demos via the following site: <http://www.powermedia.com/~pmi>.

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New and Updated Newton Technology

---------------------------------



** ENFOUR HAS TWO BIG ANNOUNCEMENTS **



Enfour Japan <http://www.enfour.co.jp/> & Enfour USA

<http://www.enfour.com/us/> have announced <http://www.enfour.co.jp/> a

new IrDA 1.1 compatible infra-red module for the Macintosh that will

enable Newton connectivity. The pod is the size of a matchbox with a

serial cable attached, and it requires no power supply or batteries. The

device allows users to connect to IrDA or ASK devices such as printers,

digital cameras, LAN routers, or hand-held computers. Enfour pod comes

with a Control Panel to switch between the IrDA and ASK protocols.



Enfour <http://www.enfour.com/> has announced a new Newton OS

internationalization solution called "Named NLK" that enables the Newton

to support multiple interface localizations and input methods turning the

Newton into a multilingual machine without changes to ROM.



** REVELAR LINKS TO FILEMAKER PRO **



Van Evans <van@revelar.com> reports that Revelar <http://www.revelar.com>

is now shipping their Newton connectivity solution to FileMaker Pro 3.0

(Mac OS) called "Accordian 1.0." The list price is US$39 and can be

ordered via: 800-669-5191 or 801-278-7102.



** NS BASIC HAS A NEWTCARD CONTEST IN THE WORKS **



NS BASIC <http://www.nsbasic.com> has announced a NewtCard Stack design

contest <contest@nsbasic.com> that runs until 01Apr98 with prizes in the

US$100 range in three categories: Business, Education, and Wide Open.



** DATABASE SOLUTION ON THE ROAD TO VERSIONS 1.6 **



John Anderson <anderson@everchanging.com> at everchanging

<http://www.everchanging.com/> notes that version 1.6 of FilePad

(flat-file database application) for the Newton should be available in

May98. There is going to be a 'controlled' beta between now and then.

Send email to: beta@everchanging.com if you'd like to participate.



** THERE IS A DEMO OF OUTLOOK SYNC TOOL AVAILABLE **



Will Maddux <wmaddux@worldnet.att.net> reports that Seamless Software

<http://www.writeonwares.com> has released their latest demo/beta of

LookOut 1.1 (Newton to Microsoft Outlook sync tool) to their WWW site.



** AOL NEWTON CLIENT UPDATED **



Catamount Software <http://www.catamount.com> has released updates for

Aloha 2.4.5 (AOL email client) and for PocketMoney 2.1.5 (personal

finance manager).





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  WinSlurp! - Rare White Tiger Creations provides Newton Book

  publishing  services and is NOW offering WinSlurp. A windows front-end

  to Slurpee which supports transferring notes back and forth between the

  Newton notepad and the PC desktop. Available for downloading from this

  URL: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/heringermr/winslurp.htm.

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     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

     |             |      Multilingual Customizable Translator

     |  P O W E R  |         and Portable Vocabulary Trainer

     |  T R A N S  |

     |             |           <http://www.travel-cs.com/>

     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Handheld Mentions in 'The Media'

--------------------------------



** MP2100 GETS GOOD COVERAGE IN REVIEWS ARTICLE **



Robert Anthony examines "The Ultimate Personal Peripheral (Part Three)"

in PC Magazine <http://www.pcmag.com> published on 10Mar98. This articles

examines: Philips Mobile Computing Group's Philips Velo 500

<http://www.velo.philips.com>; Sharp Electronics' Mobilon

<http://www.sharp-usa.com>; Apple's MessagePad 2100

<http://www.newton.apple.com> (pretty good review except the pricing data

is incorrect); and AT&T PocketNet Service

<http://www.att.com/pocketnet/>.



** HANDHELD DEVICES MAKE CEO'S MORE SUCCESSFUL?!? **



Curtis Franklin (the senior editor at Solutions Integrator magazine

<http://www.solutionsintegrator.com>) examines "Profiting From Palmtops:

Embracing small computers is the only path that make sense - and

potentially a lot of money" on page 24 of the edition published on

01Feb98.



Daily Telegraph London published an interesting article entitled

"Connected: Little gray boxes for organization man. Real world

competition is intense in the personal digital assistant market (Psion,

Newton, Ericsson, PalmPilot)" on 19Feb98



The Chicago Sun-Times published an article entitled "CEOs log on to

Internet to gain an edge on rivals" on 17Feb98 that notes that Sybase's

CEO Mitchel Kertzman using a PalmPilot, Song PCG laptop, and Motorola

StarTac phone to keep plugged-in.



** HANDHELDS AROUND THE 'NET **



Insanely Great Mac (IGM)

<http://www.insanely-great.com/reviews/emate.html> published an eMate 300

review on 24Feb98.



MacCentral <http://www.maccentral.com> (25Feb98) points out Don Crabb's

"Rumor Reality Report: How Dead is the Newton?"

<http://www.maccentral.com/features/rumor_reality.shtml>



TidBITS#418/23-Feb-98 <http://www.tidbits.com/tb-issues/TidBITS-418.html>

has the following article entitled "Reflections on Life without Newton"

written by Ron Risley <rrisley@pobox.com>.



PC Week <http://www.pcweek.com> (16Feb98) examines:



  - "Apple's Newton on Chopping Block?" by Simone Kaplan &

    John Spooner, on page 10

  - "REVIEW -- PalmPilot Gains Wireless Web Access: Novatel

    modem turns PDA into powerful (but pokey) thin client"

    <http://www.novatelwireless.com> by Eamonn Sullivan,

    on page 43



Web-Vantage published the following interesting articles:



  - "Draft Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) Specification

    Published -- WAP-Ready Products are on the Way"

    <http://www.web-vantage.com/wv/980218n2.cfm>

  - "AvantGo Software Extends Enterprise Applications to

    Handheld Devices" <http://www.web-vantage.com/wv/980217n3.cfm>



** HELPFUL MAJOR WEEKLY MAGAZINE WEB POINTERS **



  - Web Week: <http://www.webweek.com>

  - MacWeek: <http://www.macweek.com>

  - InfoWorld: <http://www.infoworld.com>

  - Computer Reseller News: <http://www.crn.com>

  - PC Week: <http://www.pcweek.com>

  - Network World: <http://www.nwfusion.com>

  - LAN Times: <http://www.lantimes.com>

  - Information Week: <http://www.informationweek.com>

  - Network Computing: <http://www.networkcomputing.com>





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  Isaac's Dates - !the! Newton Dates extension. GERMAN QUALITY

  Why don't all those time management tools on your graphic Newton use

  graphics? Try Isaac's Dates and display all your scheduling information

  at a glance.  <http://www.rindle.de/Horizontal.US.html>

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  Tim Constantine has several cutting edge Newton solutions:

    * Flash - A Speed Reading Tutor;

    * CrazyDice - Multi-player Strategy Game, and

    * Clean Notes - Stationary w/o Lines.

  For more info: <timconstan@kagi.com> or <http://www.kagi.com/timconstan>.

  Tim is also available for custom Newton application development. Send Tim

  email if you have a question about custom application development or about

  his cutting edge solutions.

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Tips and Tricks You Can Use On Your Newton

------------------------------------------



** NO NONSENSE NUGGETS OF NEWTON KNOW HOW **



By Roger Coleman roger@rogercoleman.demon.co.uk



If you have similar tidbits for this column, please drop me a line!

Please include details of the Newton model and OS that you are using.



** GOOD ORGANIZATION AND DEMO TIP **



Christopher Sowada <bugboy@mail.utexas.edu> writes:



  Create a 'clip-art' folder (or use the miscellaneous folder,

  that's what I do) in Notes. Use it to store various drawings

  you use frequently (a compass rose, clock face, an airplane,

  and an outline of the state of Texas are among mine).



  I also wrote at the top of the note "remember to double-tap

  before sliding" to make sure that I'm copying (and not cutting)

  the item to the clipboard .



  This is very handy for when I'm in a hurry and want to put

  together maps, simple drawings, etc. in Notes as well as other

  apps (Names, dates, calls,...).



  The best part is when people unfamiliar with Newton come up

  to me and ask me what it is. I immediately go to my clip art

  folder and show them all my art; then I copy some (along with

  some text) into a new note and start playing around with the

  various items. Only then I demonstrate the handwriting

  recognition and maybe a few 3rd party apps. They're always impressed!



** TIPS WANTED **



Please send me any tips, hints, goodies, interesting or ingenious ideas

for future issues of this column to Roger Coleman

<roger@rogercoleman.demon.co.uk>. Thanks!





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  INTRODUCING WebXpress - Have web pages like The Wall Street Journal,

  CNN Interactive, The NY Times and other popular info sources ready

  and waiting for you each & every morning with WebXpress! With WebXpress

  your Newton can retrieve and store sports news, weather reports,

  technology updates, medical news, stock reports, you name it! WebXpress,

  delivers the Web to you - $34.95 - Free demo at: <http://www.pentekk.com>

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  New Copy: Back-up your Newton to a desktop Mac through your Ethernet

  Network. Print to network printers. FTP files to/from the Internet and

  browse the web fast! Farallon offers 8 ways to connect Newton-to

  Ethernet, including EtherWave, the daisy-chainable Ethernet technology

  that allows you to connect your Newton without unplugging your desktop

  computer from the net. For more info visit:

  http://www.farallon.com/product/mobile/newtsolutions.html

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Dear Newton Developer

---------------------



** INTRODUCTION & INCENTIVE **



This area is dedicated to trying to solve NewtNews readers programming

needs, and in turn hopefully lead to the creation of a legitimate Newton

shareware solution for the developer solving the problem. If a developer

solves such a problem, NewtNews will give them a 50% price reduction for

any advertising service they order for that product in our Products and

Services area. If you have a utility you need written, please let

NewtNews know by sending an email to: <newtnews@pobox.com>.



** PROGRAMMING TEXT GAMES ON THE NEWTON?!? **



Joeseph Simon <proving@en.com> would like to be able to program Inform

text games on his Newton. Since, Newton users can already play the games

using software from Scrawl Software, it would seem that having a games

editor would also be a nice step in the right direction.



** NEED A SITE FOR PRINTER AND MODEM DRIVERS?!? **



Jitse Schaafsma <j.schaafsma@mep.tno.nl> is looking for a complete

reference site that lists all available Newton printer and modem drivers.



** MONTH-AT-A-GLANCE VIEW **



Otis Bennett <OBENNETT@compuserve.com> is looking for a "month at a

glance" calendar view similar to the one in the new Windows CE HP 620 LX.

He is also curious if such a view could be created using NS Basic or

NewtCard or some other eaiser to use tool than Apple's Newton Toolkit

(NTK)?!?



** NETWORK TRAFFIC ANALYSIS?!? **



Carl Gladstone <Gladstone.Carl@BCG.com> thinks it would be very useful to

turn the Newton into something like the Fluke OneTouch LanMeter

<http://www.fluke.com/nettools>. [From EvangeList Digest V1 #1094

<http://www.lists.apple.com/evangelist.html>]





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  PDA Panache is your single source for stylus solutions. Custom stylus

  upgrades for Newton MP130 and MP2000. Custom styli for WinCE, USR, and

  Sharp PDAs. Wide selection of Pocket Styli for all tastes and budgets.

  Duo multi-function stylus/pen combo. Beacon L.E.D. lighted stylus.

  Stylus inserts for Cross & other popular pens. More info: 800.270.7196

  or 516.467.4042, FAX: 516.467.6329, http://www.PDAPanache.com (secure)

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  Widget Software Canada - Your Handheld Computer Experts! Let Lloyd

  Wasser and his staff provide your organization with the best in Newton,

  Psion, Windows CE & Pilot consulting, one-on-one or group training and

  product recommendation and support. You can "try before you buy". Used

  and new Newton (and other) hardware and accessories also available

  Contact Widget Canada today at: 416-449-2331 Email: Widgetcan@aol.com

$-----------$------------$------------$------------$-----------$-----------$





Other Handheld Technology News

------------------------------



[EDITOR: News collected via snail mail, major publications, news services

(Inquisit <http://www.inquisit.com> & HeadsUp

<http://www.individual.com>), USENET newsgroups, email, and the WWW.]



** PALMPILOT **



Jesse Berst's AnchorDesk (27Feb98) is reporting: NEW PALMPILOT NEAR

--Next-generation PalmPilot due early March. Changes include thinner form

factor, more memory and revised OS"

<http://www.zdnet.com/chkpt/adt0227nk/www.anchordesk.com/story/story_1819.html>.



TidBITS#416/09-Feb-98 has Jeff Carlson's "PalmPilot, Part 3: The Best

Gadgets Are... Toys?"

<http://www.tidbits.com/tb-issues/TidBITS-416.html>.



3Com <http://www.3com.com>, Symbol Technologies, IBM, and PeaPod have

announced a wireless online grocery solution that uses a ruggedized

PalmPilot device.



Flash Sheridan <flash@pobox.com> notes that the Stanford Pilot User Group

<http://pobox.com/~spug/> meets at 7 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each

month. The next meeting will be on 03Mar98. ISO Productions will be

demoing their Everything CD for PalmPilot.



** WINDOWS CE **



New Straits Times published a Windows CE piece entitled "A palmtop with

power to spare " on page 23Feb98.



Learning Tree International (800.843.8733) <http://www.learningtree.com>

has announced a new four day course entitled "Windows CE Programming"

(#410) that will be hosted at six cities in the United States between now

and Sep98.



MobileSoft <http://www.mobilesoft.com> has chosen Edelman Public

Relations <http://www.edelman.com> as their strategic press release firm.

MobileSoft also announced an agreement to include Compaq in their Windows

CE related OEM Partners Program.



On The Go Software <http://www.onthegosoftware.com/> is now shipping

their Windows CE 2.0 savvy version of Quicken ExpensAble (expense

reporting software).



** OTHER DEVICES **



You can learn more about "INTEL LICENSES CHIP FOR HANDHELDS"

<http://www.wired.com/news/news/email/other/business/story/10504.html>

from Wired <http://www.wired.com>.



Widget Software <Widgetcan@aol.com> will be holding a "Handheld

University" at their Don Mills store in Ontario, Canada on 27Feb98 from

10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Call 416.449.2331 to RSVP.



Concept Kitchen <http://www.conceptkitchen.com> is now selling WriteRight

Screen Enhancements for Texas Instruments' (TI) Avigo

<http://www.ti.com/organizers/>.



Duracell has announced a new line of "high-tech alkaline batteries" in AA

and AAA sizes called DURACELL ULTRA. The batteries according to Duracell

will last 50% longer than ordinary alkaline batteries.



PCMCIA's Miniature Card Working Group <http://www.pc-card.com/> has

announced the adoption of the Miniature Card Specification.



Lotus Development has posted a PalmPilot savvy version of EasySync

Release 2 for Lotus Notes <http://www.lotus.com/calendar>. In related

news, Psion <http://www.psion.com/> has announced Psion InSync for Lotus

Notes (US$50) for EPOC32 savvy devices.



General Magic <http://www.genmagic.com> is now shipping their Magic Cap

OS savvy US$1000 DataRover 840 handheld computing device with their new

DataRover Remote Access Kit (a rapid application development toolkit).



SRI International has received $793,000 in funding from the U.S. Defense

Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for continued development of a

new technology for the detection of biological warfare agents including a

handheld biodetector for specific antigens.



Wired examines "A PDA FOR THE PLAYSTATION? -- Sony is planning a tiny

Tamagotchi-sized unit for its game console that will allow gamers to

'train' game characters for a fight, them beam the data back to the unit

via infrared"

<http://www.wired.com/news/news/email/other/technology/story/10416.html>.





$-----------$------------$------------$------------$-----------$-----------$

  NEED A NEWTON PROGRAMMER? NewtNews has a list of over 48 Internet

  based Newton programmers who are interested in working on vertical

  or horizontal market solutions. Please send email to:

  newtnews@pobox.com if you would like the list or would like to be

  added to the list.

$-----------$------------$------------$------------$-----------$-----------$





Other Tidbits of Information

----------------------------



** WIRELESS & MOBILE **



Hewlett-Packard (HP) <http://www.hp.com> and StarFish

<http://www.starfish.com> have announced a new agreement that will

attempt to make each of their families of handheld products work better

together.



DATUS announced that it will use the SiRFstar GPS chipset

<http://www.sirf.com> for DATUS' future all-in-one portable car

navigation system called "RouteFinder PNA"

<http://www.routefinderpna.com>.



Research In Motion (RIM) <http://www.rim.net> has announced a US$1

million contract to supply RIM's "advanced OEM radio modems" to Telxon

<http://www.telxon.com>.



Airborne Express is going to conduct a handheld prototype pilot program

in the Fall of 1998 using Motorola's wireless HDT 300 handheld devices

<http://www.mot.com/LMPS>.



Nikean <http://www.nikean.com> is now shipping their US$369 X-1R wireless

modem (CDPD) for the PalmPilot to the PalmPilot developer Skybersoft for

creation of customized wireless Internet savvy software. A consumer model

is expected by mid-1998.



MDSI Mobile Data Solutions is the primary contractor for the recently

announced handheld upgrade for DHL Worldwide Express. Some 2000 MDSI

Intelligent Cradle Units (ICU) and related wireless connectivity &

gateway software will be supplied to DHL efforts in Asia and the Middle

East.



** OTHER **



Judy Brown's <judybrown@execpc.com> "Hot products from Demo 98":



  - FreeAction Technology's Reality Fusion <http://www.realityfusion.com>

  - Nuance Communication's Nuance Verifier <http://www.nuance.com>

  - Data General's Network THiiN Line Network Utility Box (NUB)

    <http://%20www.thiin.com>

  - IntelliSync' Time-Shift television <http://www.intelasync.com>

  - Fluent Speech Technologies' Speech Interface Developers Toolkit

    <http://%20www.fluent-speech.com>

  - Stac Electronics' Replica Network Storage Manager

    <http://%20www.stac.com>





Advertising Notes

-----------------



If you are interested in advertising in NewtNews please drop NewtNews an

email <newtnews@pobox.com>. NewtNews is freeware because of the

advertisers that support this effort, and we appreciate their support.



When you purchase products from NewtNews vendors please mention that you

heard about their product in NewtNews.





Product and Service Information

-------------------------------



* NEW SCOREPAD 3.1 -- Golf scorekeeping package for Newton 2.0. Easily

keeps scores and statistics - analyze and graph the results. Figure your

unofficial handicap. Automatically calculates nassaus and skins. Keep

notes about each round and course. Available for US$50 from Software

Unboxed <http://www.unboxed.com> or directly from Sun Sabre

(513.899.4710) with 10% by mentioning NewtNews.

<http:members.aol.com/sunsabre/ScorePad.html>



* SOLUTIONS FROM LANDWARE. All work in the Newton 2.0 OS.

  - PROCALC EX: Programmable calc. w/ SAN & RPN, includes: proCALC 12c.

  - QUICKNAMES PRO: Rapid access to names and much more.

  - X-PORT: The 2.0 connection utility. Send/receive notes,

    contacts...

  - KWIKMENU: the Newton dashboard, includes GestureLaunch Lite.

  - NEWTPAINT: "MacPaint" on your Newton, w/zoom-in and

    screen shot.

  - SYNC+: Dates to Schedule+ 1.0 or 7.0

LandWare, 201-347-0031, <sales@landware.com>, <http://www.landware.com>



* Stand Alone, Inc. has over 70 applications for the Newton OS, including:

  - BUTTONBAR PLUS: Place the buttonbar on any side of the screen,

    or shrink it to a small floating window. Also, shrink icons

    and resize the bar to suit your needs. $25, 2.1 OS

  - STAND ALONE MENU EDITOR : Create custom menus for the text

    caret, screen corners, extras icons or StatusBar button; each

    with over 35 possible actions. $29.95, 2.x OS

  - STARTBAR: Win95 style task bar that shows all of your

    running applications at the bottom of the screen, and lets

    you switch between them with a single tap. $20, 2.1 OS

  - TIMEMAN: Works both as a timer and a time card where you

    record your hours. Multiple views and printing options make

    it easy to manage your billing, and track your time. $44.95,

    2.x OS

  - PAPERBOY: A threaded off-line Usenet news reader for the

    Newton. Download your news to read it, and reply back on the

    go! $29.95, 2.x OS

For more information about Stand Alone's line of software for the Newton

OS, visit our web site at http://www.standalone.com, or contact us at

info@standalone.com, or (773) 477-2492



* TeleType GPS - New v2.0 - now includes U.S. Interstate Highways data

overlay. GPS software provides plot of your position on moving maps while

you drive or fly. Overlay packages include cities and towns, Interstates,

and special Aviation overlay for pilots. Bundles include GPS receiver and

software. Never get lost again. Email: <TeleTypeGPS@teletype.com> or WWW

to: <http://www.teletype.com/gps/> for more information.



* NEW! 10th Volume of the Totally Incomplete PDA CD-ROM for Newton! This

CD-ROM from AMUG CD, Inc. contains over 1450 packages, 600 megs, and a

Newt 2000 only area. Works on Mac or PC. 2.x & 1.x Packages can be

downloaded directly from the CD to your MessagePad. Maximize your Newton

experience! ONLY $29 + S/H. Call AMUG 602.497-2244, or email

<sales@amug.org> to order! AMUG CD web page at <http://cdrom.amug.org/>.



* SALES AUTOMATION Solution from Mitchell System Designs

  - OrderTaker: create orders/invoices, integrated with Names,

    inventory and order template modules, export in format for

    MYOB*. $75USD

  - TrackIt: track and graph data, $20USD

  - Relations: genealogy for Newton, import/export GEDCOM,

    $20USD + MSD:

For more info: PMitchell@kagi.com or http://www.ccinet.ab.ca/pmitchell/



* BUSINESS PRODUCTIVITY PACKAGES FROM PELICANWARE

All packages for Newton 2.0 OS - Upgrades also available.

  - QUICKFIGURE PRO 3.0: Spreadsheet application $59.95

  - NEWTCASE 3.0: The Ultimate Utility Suite $49.95

  - NOTION 1.5: High Performance List Manager $59.95

  - AVAILWORKS 2.0: Text, spreadsheets, drawing, and

    graphing $79.95.

All from PELICANWARE. For more details email: info@pelicanware.com, vox:

503-221-1148, fax: 503-221-8709, or http://www.pelicanware.com.



* CATAMOUNT SOFTWARE offers the following:

  - POCKETMONEY assists you in balancing your checking,

    savings, credit card and loan accounts. Export and

    import transactions to Quicken, MYM and other desktop

    based program.

  - NAMIGATOR gives rapid access to Names. I know, I have

    over 5000.

  - MPG helps you keep your vehicle records in order. Track

    fuel economy, record mileage for tax purposes, schedule

    repeating vehicle maintenance items for multiple vehicles.

  - MORGAN is the Newton Media ORGANizer. Track CDs, tapes,

    records books, laserdiscs, videos, and more...

For more information call 802-372-9512, email <products@catamount.com>,

or visit our web site <http://www.catamount.com>.



* GPS MAP and GPS MAP LITE -- GPS based navigation with real moving maps,

showing all details as familiar from paper based maps. Features -- map

calculator, route planning, database, history track, and mission

recorder. Import your own maps from your Mac or PC at any scale. Connects

to most GPS receiver's offering a NMEA183 interface. For more information

& demo: <http://www.soaring.de/gps/GPS_Map.html> or <gerds@micronet.de>.



* COOL NEWTON STUFF from MAR Software:

  - THE EXECUTIVE NEWTON STAND Mahogany/Maple $49.95+S&H

  - BILLS TO PAY PRO 3.5.6 Budgeting/finance tool $39.95+S&H

  - THE CEO Black leather play through case 14 pockets $59.95+S&H

  - THE NEWTSUIT Black neoprene slipcase $29.95+S&H

MAR Software: info@marsoftware.com or http://www.marsoftware.com.



* Newt's Cape: create Newton books with text, graphics, tables, links &

forms from HTML (via web browsing, Notes, Newtworks) (shareware: $35.00)

Newt Development Environment: develop object-oriented applications in

NewtonScript on the Newton (shareware: $45.00). Crypto: puzzles & Sloup:

data/text transfer. For details, software, and registration info try --

WWW <http://members.bellatlantic.net/~sweyer/newton/index.htm> or email

<mailto:weyer@kagi.com>





Edupage, 23Feb98 thru 01Mar98

-----------------------------



** NEW INTERAGENCY CENTER TO PROTECT NETWORKS **



Computer experts from the U.S. Defense and Justice Departments and the

Secret Service are combining their efforts to fight electronic break-ins

and sabotage of the nation's telephone systems, electric utilities and

digital networks. Attorney General Janet Reno unveiled the new National

Infrastructure Protection Center, which also will work closely with

private-sector technicians, on Friday. An FBI survey last year found that

businesses had lost more than $100 million due to computer-based sabotage

and fraud. (Wall Street Journal 27 Feb 98)



** CULPRITS OF PENTAGON COMPUTER BREAK-INS CAUGHT **



The vandals responsible for hacking their way into 11 military computer

systems and a number of university and federal research facilities

(including Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Brookhaven National

Laboratories, UC-Berkeley and the MIT fusion labs) have been identified

as two Northern California teenage boys and some friends. On the advice

of FBI agents, the Internet service provider used by the boys continued

to allow their break-ins while their activities were surreptitiously

monitored: "We decided to take a little risk. We let them play for a

little while. We gave them enough rope and let them hang themselves."

(Washington Post 28 Feb 98)



** THE GREAT PHONE NUMBER SHORTAGE HOAX **



The phone industry has argued for the past couple of years that the

proliferation of fax machines and data lines has used up the available

supply of phone numbers, forcing them to subdivide area code regions into

smaller and smaller parcels. But critics are charging that the telephone

industry has created an artificial shortage of phone numbers, costing

businesses and consumers millions of dollars in the process. The problem

lies in antiquated central office switching equipment, combined with the

growing number of new service providers, each of which are granted phone

numbers in blocks of 10,000 in each area code. Many of these numbers go

unused, and regulators say the phone companies could remedy the problem

by installing more sophisticated switches. Over the past three years, the

number of area codes in the U.S. has surged by 67%. (St. Petersburg Times

23 Feb 98)



** A COMPUTER IN EVERY GARAGE **



PC makers are targeting the automobile market, with Clarion Corp.

planning to be the first to offer a PC as a replacement for the

factory-installed radio. The device will use Microsoft's Auto PC

software, which runs on the Windows CE operating system and includes

voice-recognition technology. Microsoft and Intel are working with Ford

Motor Co.'s Visteon unit to develop a car PC, called ICES, which will be

offered as a dealer-installed option in California and other states this

summer. And General Motors' Delphi Delco Electronics unit is working on a

1999 Saab complete with on-board PC based on Microsoft software. "The

amount of software in a vehicle is increasing by 20% to 30% a year," says

the director of advanced engineering at Delphi Delco. Meanwhile, Sun

Microsystems is working on a PC that uses Java software to link all of a

car's computer system, from braking to airbags to dashboard meters. (Wall

Street Journal 23 Feb 98)





INNOVATION, 23Feb98

--------------------



** TRENDS: THE FUTURE OF HOME ENTERTAINMENT **



Doblin Group analyst Larry Keeley sa ys the future of computing as a

component of home entertainment will change radically over the next few

years: "It's going to have to get a whole lot easier and pervasive in

more natural ways before the 93 percent of nonusers really absorb it.

That's what causes us to speculate wildly about how home entertainment

might become both more theatrical in scale but also more pod-like. You

climb into a nest-like thing where your ambient conditions are all

controlled and you get some kind of experience that is very different

from what we know today. It's very obvious that something like that will

come along in the middle distance." (Upside Mar 98)

<http://www.upside.com/>



** STRATEGIES: THE NEW ECONOMY **



Technology guru Don Tapscott says that the emerging "knowledge" economy

is characterized by digitization, virtualization (business

anywhere-anytime), molecularization (the organization transformed into a

business unit of one), and integration/internetworking. Some other themes

of the new economy: disintermediation (elimination of middlemen operating

as go-betweens between producers and consumers), convergence of

industries, immediacy (drastically compressed product life-cycles),

globalization, and discordance (the growing gap between the

information-rich and the information-poor). How to cope? Here are two

strategies: First, since the new economy is an innovation-based economy,

you need to make your own products obsolete. "If you've just developed a

great product, your goal is to develop a better one which will make the

first one obsolete. If you don't, someone else will." Don't be like

former IBM chief executive John Akers, who resisted innovation and fought

to preserve the mainframe as the dominant form of computer. Second, since

the gap between consumers and producers blurs in the new economy, you

need to adopt a "mass customization" philosophy, and try to develop

products that can be tailored to the requirements and tastes of

individual consumers. "Firms need to change their business models --

their products, markets, distribution channels, organizational

structures, and more." (Don Tapscott, "Strategy In The New Economy,"

Strategy & Leadership Nov/Dec 97) <http://www.slforg.net/>



** INNOVATIONS: SOFTWARE CHECKS WHAT YOU SAY AND HOW YOU SAY IT **



Nuance Communications, based in Menlo Park, Calif., has developed a

Verifier program that not only understands what a user is saying --

through speech recognition technology -- but also matches it with that

person's voice patterns -- through speech verification. The product is

geared toward the needs of banks and airlines, to give customers an

alternative way of verifying their identity without punching endless sets

of numbers into the telephone keypad. "The Nuance product can also have

callers repeat randomly generated numbers," says Nuance's marketing VP.

"Someone could try to record your voice and play that back. But although

the voice would be correct, the recognition would fail." A Gartner Group

analyst points out that products like Verifier give voice technology an

edge over other biometric security measures, such as fingerprints and

optical sensors. "You can't use the others over the telephone. By their

nature, voiceprints can't be lost or stolen." The product is being tested

by discount broker Charles Schwab Corp. (Investor's Business Daily 17 Feb

98) <http://www.investors.com/>



** MORE INFO ON INNOVATION **



Innovation is published weekly, with individual subscriptions available

at $15 a year. Topics are organized under the following headers: TRENDS,

STRATEGIES, and INNOVATIONS. For a six-week free trial subscription to

Innovation, please send an email message to:

innovation-trial@newsscan.com and in the subject line type the word:

'subscribe'. You can also use the trial registration form on their Web

site at: http://www.newsscan.com. For more info, send email to:

gehl@newsscan.com or douglas@newsscan.com.





Administrivia

-------------



NewtNews Copyright 1994-98 Steve Holden. All rights reserved. Non-profit,

non-commercial publications may reprint articles if full credit is given.

Others please contact me. NewtNews doesn't guarantee accuracy of

articles. NewtNews does not express or imply any endorsement of any

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company names may be registered trademarks of their companies. All

trademarks used in this publication are for informational purposes only

and to the benefit of the trademark owner, with no intention of

infringing on that trademark. NewtNews is not affiliated with Apple

Computer.



My personal comments may be included in articles NewtNews reports by

highlighting them as -- [SDH: Comments]. Official NewtNews Editor's

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trademarks used in NewtNews are for informational purposes only and to

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THIS EDITION OF NEWTNEWS WAS WRITTEN WITH THE HELP OF: dinner with

Christy at La Jolla's Karl Strauss Brewery & Grill on Saturday night, and

working on my thesis.



QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "Challenges make you discover things about yourself

that you never really knew. They're what make the instrument stretch --

what makes you go beyond the norm." -- Cicely Tyson



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Disclaimer: I am doing this on my own time & with my own equipment.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *