NewtNews-18Feb97-Supplement

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



by Steve Holden <newtnews@pobox.com>.  This is a supplement issue for the

weekly freeware newsletter that focuses on the Apple Newton and related

technologies.  The supplement is published as a reference guide during

times when NewtNews is not being published.  NewtNews Copyright 1994-97

Steve Holden.  All rights reserved.  See the Administrivia at end for

details and FAQ info.



This issue of NewtNews is sponsored in part by:



 + K2 Consultants - best Medical titles for Newton use ART engine - more

   info/order via <http://www.skyscape.com/k2> <http://www.1stopsoft.com>



 + VITAMIN A MENU EDITOR - Stand Alone has released it's custom and caret

   menu editor and creator! - Demo at: <http://www.standalone.com/newton>



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

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



 + PDA Panache is your single source for stylus solutions - ORDERS:

   800.270.7196 - FAX: 516.467.6329 - <http://www.pdapanache.com>



 + WinSlurp from Rare White Tiger Creations - Available via WWW at:

   <http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/heringermr/winslurp.htm>.



 + BILLS TO PAY PRO 3.5.4 - Easily Track Bills & Expenses - Supports

   German - <info@marsoftware.com> - <http://www.marsoftware.com>



 + PDA & HANDHELD DIRECT - Putting Technology in the Palm of Your Hand!

   800-279-4PDA 219-882-5228 [F]:219-845-0578 <http://www.pdadirect.com>



 + TeleType GPS and moving map for the Newton - Never get lost again -

   <http://www.teletype.com/gps/> - <TeleTypeGPS@teletype.com>



 + INFORMED FILLER FOR NEWTON - Custom Electronic Forms Integrated With

   Your Desktop - Shana Corp - <info@shana.com> - <http://www.shana.com>



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

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



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

   <http://owens.ridgecrest.ca.us/RidgeNET/RidgeNETWelcome.html>





Table of Contents

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



 1. From the Editor

 2. Pen Computing, Jan/Feb 1997

 3. REVIEW: MoreInfo 4.0

 4. Mobile Computing, February 1997

 5. REVIEW: powerPen Software's powerBack

 6. Web Pointers

 7. mobilis

 8. TAPPED.IN

 9. Wireless for the Corporate User

10. The PDA Connection

11. NewtNews Pro

12. Edupage, 10Feb97 thru 16Feb97

13. INNOVATION, 10Feb97

14. Handheld Systems

15. REVIEW: The Pocket Liberator Palmtop Shoulder Holster

16. Advertising Notes

17. Product and Service Information

18. REVIEW: QuickFigure Pro (QFP)

19. Guest Opinion

20. Administrivia





>From the Editor

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



** WELCOME **



Hello!  Welcome to the third NewtNews-Supplement. The goal of this

supplement is to provide NewtNews readers with good reference material

during a week when NewtNews is not being published.  This issue includes

some software and hardware reviews, and some guest opinions.  If you have

any questions, suggestions, or comments, please send them ASAP to Steve

Holden at: <newtnews@pobox.com>.  Thanks!



** NEXT ISSUE OF NEWTNEWS **



The next issue of NewtNews (issue #131) will be published on 25Feb97.

For a complete look at a calendar of publication dates please check out:

<http://www.ridgecrest.ca.us/NewtNews/NN_schedule.html>.



** GOOD COVERAGE OF MACWORLD JAPAN **



Chikara "RIKI" Taniuchi <riki-t@yk.rim.or.jp> reports that the Newton

Japan Project Team (NJPT) will be providing extensive coverage of this

years MacWorld Expo in Tokyo that starts on 18Feb97 via the following

URL: <http://www.cyborg.or.jp/~newtonj/>.  If you have specific questions

about the conference, send them to: <newtonj@cyborg.or.jp>.



** SOME QUESTIONS ANSWERED **



Thirty-two people replied back to the NewtNews listserver post called "A

Message from the Newton System Group."  Most of the responses were

positive and thankful for the forwarded information.  There were a host

of questions included in many of the posts, and this is an attempt to

answer them --



    + Why did it take so long to get a word processor?



    I know of several third party developers who

    wanted to work on a word processor and it wasn't

    until Newton 2.0 supported an external keyboard

    that it seemed to make sense to have a word

    processor.  With Apple bundling their word

    processor on the 'new' MessagePad and eMate it

    makes it much harder for a developer to compete.

    The reason that their isn't a 'NewtWorks' for

    Newton 2.0 is that the NewtWorks reportedly uses

    Newton 2.1 specific features and is not backward

    compatible.



    + Where can I order a MessagePad 2000?  Will

    developers be able to buy the MP2000 early?



    Most of the current Newton/PDA/Macintosh hardware

    vendors are taking orders for the MP2000.

    Developers should be able to buy the MP2000 via

    their developer program, but no announcement has

    been made yet that I know of.



    + Why doesn't Apple provide the E-mate to the

    general public?



    I think the main reason is that the eMate was

    'created' by the Education groups at Apple who

    'just used' the available Newton technology.  Since

    this market is very loyal it does wonders for

    Apple marketing in this arena to say "We made this

    just for you!"  I am pretty sure that folks in the

    Newton System Group will be working soon (or maybe

    they are already working on) a more publicly

    available eMate.



    + I have no plans to buy a MP2K because of the

    size.  Do you think Apple will make a smaller

    Newton soon?



    I hope so, but their are reportedly some in the

    Newton System Group management who are not at all

    interested in making a smaller Newton.



    + What is the change in physical size/weight

    between a MP130 and an MP2K?



    The dimensions for the MP130 are: 8 x 4 x 1.25

    inches and the MP2K is: 8.3 x 4.7 x 1.1 inches.

    The MP130 weighs 1.0 lbs and the MP2K weighs 1.4

    lbs.





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

  The New WriteRight Screen Enhancements protect your screen from

  scratches, reduce glare and improve your handwriting recognition by

  simulating the feel of writing on paper. WriteRights are available for

  all Newtons in packs of: 4-for $11.95, 8-for $18.95, and 12-for $24.95.

  Mention NewtNews and receive 10% off our 12-pack. For more info:

  415-929-1002 <Info@ConceptKitchen.com> <http://www.ConceptKitchen.com>

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



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

  AvailWorks 3.0 - New version adds a text layer with spell-check, find

  and replace, and support for multiple page documents.  AvailWorks

  integrates text processing, powerful tables, dynamic business charts

  and graphs, and drawing and page layout tools into one convenient package

  for the Newton.  From PelicanWare at $79.95+S&H.  For more info:

  <info@pelicanware.com>. To order 800.655.6398 or visit resellers.

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





Pen Computing, Jan/Feb 1997

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



** FEATURES & NEWS **



The cover of this issue has three key words: 'COLOR' for Sharp's new

Zaurus; "SPEED" for Philips Velo 1; and "Beauty" for Apple's eMate 300.



Dominic Giangrasso has a focus article on page 18 entitled "Pen Computing

in Utilities."



Vernon Haung examines how the MessagePad 2000 will influence the 'Newton

in Healthcare' on page 33.



Peter Glaskowsky has an article called "Under the hood: Windows CE CPUs

and Chipsets" on page 33.



Tammy Parker has a good review of all the vendors 'racing' to offer

wireless HPC connectivity on page 42.



Interested in the new "mini' small PC Card formats?  Check out page 84

for William Ott's detailed article about them.



Other good stuff: Pen News by John Wilmot on page 12; Handheld cases on

page 80; and Pen Development Kits on page 83.



** OPINIONS **



Excellent PDA and handheld opinions from:



    - C.H Blickenstorfer on "reflections on emerging trends"

    - Andrew Seybold on "HPCs in wireless comms

    - John Jerney on "open memo"

    - Tim Schmidt on "rumors, gossip, opinions"

    - Dominic Giangrasso on "right tools for the job"

    - Tammy Parker on "wireless in virtual workplace"

    - Gerald Fox on "info from Japan"



** REVIEWS **



Hardware reviews of: Philips Velo 1; Hitachi HPC, Sharp Copernicus; Apple

eMate 300; Sharp ZR-3000; Sharp Color Zaurus; IBM Sure Point; Axonix 8X

CD-ROM; and KidDraw Tablet.



Software reviews of: Pocket AutoMap for Windows CE; Pocket MS Internet

Explorer 1.1; Win2Go 1.0 (Newton/PC); Merlin/Wordsleuth (Newton);

FormLogic 2.0 (Newton); Pilot Forms 1.0; Pilot Light;

TimeReporter/Expense Reporter for Pilot; and Paseo for Magic Link.



** PLATFORM FOCUS **



    - Windows CE by Staff and C.H. Blickenstorfer

      on page 32 & 40

    - Newton by David MacNeil on page 50

    - Pilot by Scott Sbihli on page 60

    - Zaurus by Daniel Rasmus on page 64

    - Magic Cap by Dan Hanttula on page 74



** ON THE WEB **



    - <http://www.pencomputing.com>





REVIEW: MoreInfo 4.0

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



** ORGANIZE YOUR NEWTON **



by Calvin Grier <76330.3425@compuserve.com>



For the last year I've been looking for a way to increase the utility of

my Newton MP120.  I've always thought the built-in applications were a

little weak, and their connectivity needed some work.  MoreInfo 4.0 by

SilverWARE is a contact management tool for NOS2.0 that enhances the

connectivity of Notes, Names, and Dates in ways that seem to blur the

lines between them - which in this case is good!



A demonstration version of MoreInfo (MI) can be downloaded from

<http://www.silverware.com>.  The archive files contain three packages to

install on the Newton in about 414K of memory - though the preferences

application can be deleted later to free 39K.  These packages may be

installed on external stores and expire thirty days after installation.

Registration costs $69.95 and includes full documentation.



In a nutshell these packages add Note stationary, new ways to view Names

information and a linking tool to tie together related entries.  At a

Glance is included to help manage time critical information by showing

calls, to-dos and meetings in a three tiered display.



"At a Glance" provides a display that's a natural for the Newton Backdrop

even adding a "quick access" Notes button to the Status Bar.  If you want

another backdrop, At a Glance can be assigned to the text below the dates

icon - making access very easy, but causing a soup search each time it is

re-opened.  Normally it updates displayed to-dos, calls, and meetings

once at the beginning of each day.  At a Glance is easier to use and more

flexible than the Day's Agenda display available from Dates and provides

a more unified format allowing you to create/examine any links.



Enhancements to Notes include a stationary form that links to a name card

automatically, and the addition of an MI button to the Status Bar.  Names

gets the MI button plus a new layout format so you can see logged events

associated with each entry.  This Logbook layout is a powerful visual

tool indispensable for contact management.  The MI button provides quick

access to enhanced Add Meeting, To-do and Names slips that are only two

taps away.



A word of caution: creating a name card from Notes or Dates works great,

but MI keeps the process open until you look at the card from Names. This

allows for quick entry of names that you want to finish with an

associated appointment or call later.



Also included are enhanced alarms and Cardlinks.  You can now "link"

cards together by adding associations between entries in the Names

application including their relationships to each other - relative,

associate, secretary, etc.  I found I did not use this feature much.



The ability to link any meeting, anniversary, call, to-do, name, or note

to any other makes for a more cohesive PDA.  MI provides the tools to

create and manage those links.  However, it didn't seem to have a way to

link to outbox items, which would have been very useful to me.



Logged items show up in the Calls window of At a Glance.  Even meetings

and to-dos end up there.  I found this a little confusing because tapping

it brought up a popup menu with the option to log the logged entry! It

would be nice to have an iconic way to distinguish logged items from

completed items.  Perhaps in future versions we'll see logged outbox

items as well.



When sending/receiving faxes or printing items from the Notepad, MI

apparently it thought I was changing the Owner Setup information, which

would have caused problems with the product registration key.  I don't

know how I could have caused this, but it is a minor annoyance none the

less.



MoreInfo provides the kind of contact management integration WinCE may

never have and it benefits from the Newton philosophy of application

design.  MI seems a bit pricey, but it practically doubles the usability

of the Newton.  Organization is everything - and this application excels

at it.





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

        GET AMIGO NOW! Did you know you can order AMIGO the premier

        8000+ word English/Spanish Dictionary Reference Tool and

        Translation program for the Newton over the World Wide Web

        at: <http://www.1stopsoft.com>?  AMIGO is available for

        US$24.95 and it comes with a full year of upgrades. For more

        information contact ACCSYS by email at: <rkaplan@well.com>

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



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

  TeleType GPS is software for the Newton which displays your location

  while driving or flying. The software includes a moving map which shows

  you where you are in relation to cities and towns. It is controlled by

  the Garmin 30 TracPack, a powerful yet small Global Positioning System

  (GPS) antenna.  Never get lost again. Email: <TeleTypeGPS@teletype.com>

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

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





Mobile Computing, February 1997

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



** ARTICLES OF INTEREST **



Scott Koegler has a "Quick Spin" of Casio's HPC called the Cassiopea on

page 24.  The unit gets good marks for: familiar Windows CE interface,

backlit screen, paging-ready, and hardware contrast controls.  On the

minus side, Scott was not impressed with the 'kludgy' serial connector.



Rich Malloy has a "QuickSpin" of the new Sharp ZR-3000 on page 26.  The

unit gets positive marks for: low price (US$349), simple desktop

connectivity, small size & weight, and easy-to-learn interface.  It gets

negative marks for: lack of PC Card slot, lack of backlighting, and

inconsistent interface.



The "Industry Insider" Tim Bajarin <tbajarin@mcimail.com> has a "PDA

Wars: Pilot vs. HPC" article on page 37.  Tim has used "Apple, Psion, and

Zaurus" but didn't ditch paper daytimers until after using the Pilot.

After starting to use some of the new HPCs, Tim is being torn between

which PDA to use.



Steve Handler has a review of the latest PCS news and wonders if the

year of 1997 will be the boom or bust for PCS on page 64.



** REVIEWS OF INTEREST **



Short reviews with pictures of the following products:



    - Nokia 239 Flip Phone on page 28

    - Mitsubishi's AMiTY SP tablet on page 31



** HANDHELD ADS **



    - Philips Velo 1 (HPC)

    - Casio's Cassiopeia A-11 (HPC)

    - Mobile Planet (Newton, Sharp, HP, and Psion)

    - Japan Palmtop Direct (IBM PC110)

      800.641.5996

    - Psion Series 3c & Siena



** ON THE WEB **



    - <http://www.mobilecomputing.com>





REVIEW: powerPen Software's powerBack

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



** EXCELLENT FREEWARE BACKDROP UTILTIY **



by Charles Pickrell <chaasman@misnet.com>



Have you ever grown tired of turning on your MessagePad and seeing the

Notes screen?  After only two weeks of MessagePad 130 ownership, I did

(what can I say, I'm impatient).  So I began browsing the Web looking for

a new program to use as my backdrop when I stumbled across the powerPen

Web site at: <http://www.eecs.wsu.edu/~schlimme/newton/index.shtml> and

their 'cool' freeware program powerBack.



powerBack is a completely customizable backdrop application that you,

most interestingly enough, create on the web.  On the powerBack page you

fill in an on-line form to create such neat things as a page title and

sub-title, you can choose to display pickers to change owners and

worksites.  You can also display the owners address, e-mail, zip code,

and voice and fax numbers.  Want to display a picture of the wife and

kids on there as well?  No problem, just type in an address on the web

where the picture can be found, and it will be scaled and converted to

black and white for you.  There is also a selection of about twenty-four

pre-made pictures to choose from if you don't have any of your own. You

may also choose to display the date and time that when clicked upon

displays either the dates application or the clock.



There are many different status displays as well: battery level, volume,

heap, internal store, PCMCIA store, even a line graph (like a heart

monitor) that moves up and down as memory conditions change.  One

extremely useful feature for owners of the MessagePad 120 is the

Automatic Memory Clear that continuously clears out the heap (your

MessagePad's RAM) to keep from having crashes (that happen ever so often

with large programs like Pocket Quicken) when memory is low. I have

friend who swear by this feature, they say it takes the frustration back

out of their 120's.  Now you can customize powerBack to display icons

from the Extras program to display on the bottom of the screen and

program up a button bar to let you quickly get to your most-used

programs.  There are even buttons for sleeping, backlighting and

rotating. When you are done, just click on the build my application

button at the bottom of the screen and in just a minute or two, voila

your custom program is done and ready for download!



They say the best things in life aren't always free, well in this case

they are.  powerPen's programmers have graciously chosen to not charge

for their work, so anyone can go and download this today!  I think it is

safe to say the powerBack is my most used Newton application.  I gives me

a continuous look at my battery level and lets me quickly start

applications without the need to open Extras at all.  Most importantly

though, I have a MessagePad that doesn't look like anyone else's.  I must

commend Jeff Schlimmer, programmer of powerBack on an extremely innovative

system that ties the web and Newton Toolkit together in a most unique

way.  The MessagePad is a very personal device and powerBack has made it

even more so.





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

$ NS BASIC  $ The latest implementation of this cool programming tool has an

$   3.6     $ easy to use graphic screen layout function, plus indexed file

$   with    $ communications, graphics and more!  Program directly on Newton

$  Visual   $ or with a PC or Mac.  Create packages in the Extras drawer and

$ Designer! $ much more. 260 pg handbook. Cost is $99+5 S&H for all Newtons.

$           $ <info@nsbasic.com>,  <http://www.nsbasic.com>,  416.264.5999

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



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

  PDA & HANDHELD DIRECT - December96 Specials - Cool Stuff for your Newton!

   - Apple MessagePad 130 $689 (#22003) Free Win2Go Software with Purchase

   - Type II PCMCIA Flash Memory for all Apple MPs - Mfg Lifetime Guarantee

     4MB $128 (#41071)  8MB $224 (#41073)  10MB $274 (#41074)

   - Revelar Connection Utilities $53.95 - Windows (#10070) Mac OS (#10071)

   -ohesive PDA.  MI provides the tools to

create and manage those links.  However, it didn't seem to have a way to

link to outbox items, which would have been very useful to me.



Logged items show up in the Calls window of At a Glance.  Even meetings

and to-dos end up there.  I found this a little confusing because tapping

it brought up a popup menu with the option to log the logged entry! It

would be nice to have an iconic way to distinguish logged items from

completed items.  Perhaps in future versions we'll see logged outbox

items as well.



When sending/receiving faxes or printing items from the Notepad, MI

apparently it thought I was changing the Owner Setup information, which

would have caused problems with the product registration key.  I don't

know how I could have caused this, but it is a minor annoyance none the

less.



MoreInfo provides the kind of contact management integration WinCE may

never have and it benefits from the Newton philosophy of application

design.  MI seems a bit pricey, but it practically doubles the usability

of the Newton.  Organization is everything - and this application excels

at it.





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

        GET AMIGO NOW! Did you know you can order AMIGO the premier

        8000+ word English/Spanish Dictionary Reference Tool and

        Translation program for the Newton over the World Wide Web

        at: <http://www.1stopsoft.com>?  AMIGO is available for

        US$24.95 and it comes with a full year of upgrades. For more

        information contact ACCSYS by email at: <rkaplan@well.com>

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



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

  TeleType GPS is software for the Newton which displays your location

  while driving or flying. The software includes a moving map which shows

  you where you are in relation to cities and towns. It is controlled by

  the Garmin 30 TracPack, a powerful yet small Global Positioning System

  (GPS) antenna.  Never get lost again. Email: <TeleTypeGPS@teletype.com>

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

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





Mobile Computing, February 1997

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



** ARTICLES OF INTEREST **



Scott Koegler has a "Quick Spin" of Casio's HPC called the Cassiopea on

page 24.  The unit gets good marks for: familiar Windows CE interface,

backlit screen, paging-ready, and hardware contrast controls.  On the

minus side, Scott was not impressed with the 'kludgy' serial connector.



Rich Malloy has a "QuickSpin" of the new Sharp ZR-3000 on page 26.  The

unit gets positive marks for: low price (US$349), simple desktop

connectivity, small size & weight, and easy-to-learn interface.  It gets

negative marks for: lack of PC Card slot, lack of backlighting, and

inconsistent interface.



The "Industry Insider" Tim Bajarin <tbajarin@mcimail.com> has a "PDA

Wars: Pilot vs. HPC" article on page 37.  Tim has used "Apple, Psion, and

Zaurus" but didn't ditch paper daytimers until after using the Pilot.

After starting to use some of the new HPCs, Tim is being torn between

which PDA to use.



Steve Handler has a review of the latest PCS news and wonders if the

year of 1997 will be the boom or bust for PCS on page 64.



** REVIEWS OF INTEREST **



Short reviews with pictures of the following products:



    - Nokia 239 Flip Phone on page 28

    - Mitsubishi's AMiTY SP tablet on page 31



** HANDHELD ADS **



    - Philips Velo 1 (HPC)

    - Casio's Cassiopeia A-11 (HPC)

    - Mobile Planet (Newton, Sharp, HP, and Psion)

    - Japan Palmtop Direct (IBM PC110)

      800.641.5996

    - Psion Series 3c & Siena



** ON THE WEB **



    - <http://www.mobilecomputing.com>





REVIEW: powerPen Software's powerBack

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



** EXCELLENT FREEWARE BACKDROP UTILTIY **



by Charles Pickrell <chaasman@misnet.com>



Hasferring 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>.

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



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

   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>.

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





TAPPED.IN

---------



** VOL. 1 ISSUE 18 -- JANUARY 1997 **



INSIDE NSG: Q&A with Don Davis, Manager, Solutions Marketing Group in

Apple's NSG.  Don's main job is to "focus on Emerging Technologies"

(wireless, Internet, and modems) with an emphasis on Newton product

marketing, outbound marketing, and handling marketing issues with 3rd

party developers.



MARKETING FRONT: Q&A with Dave Russell, Manager of Product Marketing.

Dave answers questions about upcoming 'themes' for the MP2K and the eMate

300.  Dave also addresses 3rd party opportunities with these new units,

and that Apple plans to grow the Newton market.



VENDOR SPLENDOR1: Revelar Software -- the developer of RCU 2.2 for Newton

2.0 lets a Newton user to connect their Newton to their desktop computer.

RCU also offers the opportunity for other 3rd party developers to utilize

their Application Definition Format (ADF) file for data synchronization.

For more information call: 800.669.5191, email: <info@revelar.com> or WWW

to: <http://www.revelar.com>.



VENDOR SPLENDOR2: True North -- the developer of Gulliver (a travel

utility), and their expense report application called Out of Pocket which

lets a business user quickly create a custom expensive reports.  For more

information call: 603) 472-7888, email: <info@northisup.com> or WWW to:

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



TECHIE TIP: Bruce Thompson, Newton DTS Engineer, tackles the subject of

"Newton Internet Enabler (NIE) 1.1 has been released" in this issue.



TOP PROJECT: Tactile System's Construction Industry Development Board

(CIDB) pilot system has been built for the Singapore government.  This

system was a cooperative project between BYTE SYSTEMS

<bytesys@pacific.net.sg> and Fullmark Data <http://www.fullmark.com.sg>.

This 'digital' paperless Newton application communicates with desktop

database systems running ACI's 4th Dimension using software called

CONQUAS.  For more information about Tactile System check out:

<http://www.rmi.net/~rbruce/>.



NEWTON PROGRAMMING COURSES:

    - Newton 2.0 Essentials; 24-28Feb97; Palm Springs,

      CA; $1500; Registration: 909.793.5995

    - Newton 2.0 Communications; 17-21Mar97; Ann

      Arbor, MI; $1500; Registration: 313.439.3828



For more info about TAPPED.IN send an email to: <tapped.in@newton.apple.com>.





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

  K2 consultants, Inc. has the best Medical titles for Newton. Just out is

  Dr. Ferri's popular book for internists with special offers! Get the hit

  references like Lexi-Comp Drug Handbook, 5 Min. Clin Consult, Archimedes

  Programmable Calculator, etc.  KJV Bible, Ole spanish translator & more,

  all working with our reknowned ART engine. See ART make a big splash at

  <http://www.skyscape.com/k2> or <http://www.1stopsoft.com> for info/sales.

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





Wireless for the Corporate User

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



** JANUARY 1997 - VOL.6/NO.1 **



This is the 3rd annual Buyer's Guide 1997 for Wireless for the Corporate

User.  This expanded issue has:



    - Tutorials on implementing wireless solutions

    - Directory of System Integrators and VARs

    - Industry associations and user groups

    - Calendar of 1997 industry events



Folks with interesting advertisements in this issue:



    - Melard Technologies <http://www.melard.com>

    - Aironet (800.AIRONET)

    - BreezeCom <http://www.breezecom.com>

    - OTC Telecom <http://ezylink.com>



The list price of this magazine is US$5, and is well worth every penny

considering the quality and the depth of the information provided within

this edition.  For more info, check out: <http://www.wirelessmag.com>.





The PDA Connection

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



** VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2 **



This issue includes the following articles:



    - "Hand-Held & PDA Forum: PDAs in the Utilities

       Vertical Markets" by Phil Allingham

    - "PDAs aren't just PDAs anymore" by Jon Covington

    - "PDA Statistics: PDAia Implements New Research

       Program" by Phil Allingham

    - "Beyond Obvious: Marketing Where No PDA Has Gone

       Before -- Libraries" by Al Lieter

    - "Wireless Without Middleware" by Steven Baer

    - "Creating My Ideal PDA" by Al Beeman

    - "John Sculley Corrects The Red Herring" by John

       Sculley



IDC has published the following U.S. hand-held companion shipments in the

thousands:



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

    Categories           1996  1997   2000

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

    PDA                   163   256    624

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

    Personal

    Organizers             45   120    789

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

    High-end organizers/

    PC Companions         581   733   1282

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

    Total                 789  1109   2696

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



For more information about 'The PDA Connection' or PDAia (PDA Industry

Association) send an email to: <info@pdaia.org>.





NewtNews Pro

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



** FEBRUARY 1996 **



Dave Hina <nnpro@aol.com> reports that the latest issue of NewtNews Pro

is out and can be downloaded from:



    - <http://members.aol.com/nnpro/newton.html>



It will also be available shortly from the Newton forum on AOL (keyword

"Newton").  Read the newsletter either offline or online in "pdf" format

(online version requires Netscape Navigator and Adobe Acrobat version

3.0).  The ReadMe included with the download gives additional details

about the purpose and audience of NewtNews Pro.





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

   This space for rent.  For more info: <newtnews@pobox.com>.  Thanks.

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





Edupage, 10Feb97 thru 16Feb97

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



** APPLE TAKES WRITE-OFF FOR ACQUISITION OF NEXT **



Apple Computer is taking a $322 million write-off as the result of its

$400 million acquisition of Next, Inc.  Analysts believe the write-off

suggests that the company will not return to profitability this fiscal

year.  The company also announced the resignation of Heidi Roizen, who

had joined Apple a year ago to work with third-party software developers

and encourage them to write software for the Macintosh operating system.

She said the decision was personal: "It all came to a point where I made

the decision that this is not what I wanted to do with my life right

now."  (New York Times 11 Feb 97)



** VISA PLANS SMART CARD TEST **



Visa International will launch a major trial of "electronic purse" cards

in Great Britain, similar to the one it sponsored at the Atlanta Olympics

last summer.  Unlike the Olympic cards, the ones issued for the Leeds

trial will be equipped with both public- and private-key encryption

technology for security against hackers and other criminals.  The cards

contain a microchip storage capacity that can be credited and debited

with a monetary value over a telephone line or at an ATM machine.  (Wall

Street Journal 10 Feb 97)



** ORACLE DEVICE CAN FINGER HACKERS **



Oracle is marketing a palm-sized biometric security device that compares

a user's finger prints to sets stored in a central database before

allowing access to a computer.  The $500 unit, made by Sunnyvale,

Calif.-based Identix, "is the ultimate in security, because it doesn't

depend on what you know, but what you are," says Identix's CEO.  The

device can discern a real finger from a wax model, or from a glove with

someone else's print on it, because a collection of sensors track blood

flow, blood pressure and other signals as part of the identification

process.  (Wall Street Journal 10 Feb 97)



** THE ONE MAILBOX **



Octel Communications, the world's largest provider of voice-messaging

systems, has a new product called Unified Messenger that consolidates all

voice-mail, e-mail and fax  messages in a single mailbox accessible by

phone or computer.  The system, which works in concert with Microsoft's

Exchange e-mail system, enables workers to call up a list of voice and

e-mail messages on a computer screen, and play the voice messages back

through the PC's speakers.  Mobile workers can dial into the

voice-message system and retrieve e-mail messages that are read aloud in

a computer-generated voice. "There are definitely people who are

e-mail-centric and people who are voice-mail-centric," says Octel's CEO.

"Usually, sales and marketing runs on voice mail, while the rest of the

company uses e-mail.  Every single company I've come across has those

constituencies.  People need that gap bridged."  (Wall Street Journal 13

Feb 97)



** MICROSOFT TO OFFER RUSSIAN SPY PHOTOS **



Microsoft has contracted with North Carolina-based Aerial Images to

publish very high resolution (to one meter) photographs snapped by

Russian spy satellites.  The photos, which were all taken during the

1990s, are the first Russian-satellite-origin pictures to appear on the

Internet, says Aerial's VP.  The initial photos to appear on Microsoft's

Web site will show Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Rome and

London.  The photos may be downloaded for a charge of $30 per square

kilometer, with the proceeds to be split between Aerial and the Russian

space agency.  The images are likely to be used by mapping services,

construction companies and developers, forestry workers and government

agencies, says Aerial.  (Wall Street Journal 13 Feb 97)



** APPLE SHINES UP PRODUCT LINE **



Apple is ready to announce the PowerBook 3400 computer it claims to be

"the fastest notebook computer in the world," along with new desktop

computers featuring higher performance and lower costs than current

models.  Saying that the company's objective "is to continue to dominate

the publishing area," executive vice president Marco Landi says the

company also will introduce a digital camera for personal publishing.  In

addition, Apple will begin marketing its Emate 300, which will sell to

schools in the U.S. for about $700.  (Financial Times 15 Feb 97)



** MAC CLONE SALES BOOST THE NUMBERS **



Sales of Apple computers slid to 5.4% in the fourth quarter of last year,

according to Dataquest Inc., but when Mac clone sales are added in, the

Macintosh market share rises to 7.2%.  About a third of the

Macintosh-type computers sold in the fourth quarter were non-Apple

machines, most of them going to corporate, rather than personal, users.

The corporate sales, not traditionally a strong market for Apple, boosted

the Macintosh share of the business market to 9.4% in December, up from

7.4% for most of last year. "What you see in the clone numbers is

potential:  that if Apple can just turn corner on all the bad publicity,

there are a lot of people in place to really grow this market," says a

Dataquest analyst.  (Wall Street Journal 14 Feb 97)



** VIRGIN NET **



Richard Branson, founder and head of Virgin Atlantic Airways, says the

airline plans to be the first to offer the Internet available via "Virgin

Net" at every seat, in every class, by year's end.  "Besides the things

you can now do on the Internet, there will be in-flight shopping, so that

your duty-free will be waiting for you when you arrive at your

destination. You can answer your e-mail, do research, and conduct all

sorts of business.  Of course, you can also get information about your

destination, make dinner and hotel reservations, book tours.  These are

things that you can do now, but may not have time for.  But on a long

flight, it could be a valuable service and provide fun."  (Forbes ASAP 24

Feb 97)





INNOVATION, 10Feb97

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



** TRENDS: WEARABLE COMPUTERS WILL FUNCTION AS "SECOND BRAIN" **



The computer industry's huge strides in miniaturization are bringing us

ever closer to the day when computers will commonly be worn as clothing,

since "clothing is with us nearly all the time and thus seems like the

natural way to carry our computing devices."  MIT Media Lab researcher

Steve Mann uses a computer that has miniaturized into an otherwise normal

pair of eyeglasses; with the screen moved off the lap and up to the eyes,

he can simultaneously talk to someone and take notes without breaking eye

contact. Mann says that computer clothing will become a "visual memory

prosthetic" and perception enhancer.  "Clothing-based computing with

personal imaging will blur the boundaries between seeing and viewing and

between remembering and recording. Rather than narrowing our focus,

living within our own personal information domain will enlarge our scope

through shared visual memory that enables us to 'remember' something or

someone we have never seen."  (Steve Mann, "Wearable Computing:  A first

Step Toward Personal Imaging," Computer Feb 97)



** STRATEGIES: CHANGE AGENT, CHANGE THYSELF! **



Technological change implies cultural change, and "any new IT that

contains an idea about organizational change is an implied threat."  In

addition, information technology "contains change ideas packed in

vehicles that have only some of the conditions necessary for change."

The most seductive error is to regard technology as an externally applied

"magic bullet" that can solve all organizational problems.  But it is

"folly to approach such a complex, dynamic and chaotic process as

IT-enabled organizational transformation as a linear sequence of tasks

with defined roles and handoffs...  Everyone needs to be ready to do

whatever it takes.  Change is everyone's job...  In our view, at least

two team members should be designated as 'change agents' -- one IT

specialist and one nonspecialist. Further, the assignment should rotate

periodically, so that all team members can think through and practice

change management skills."  Why?  Because behavioral flexibility is a

critical factor in chaotic change processes. (M. Lynne Markus & Robert I.

Benjamin, "The Magic Bullet Theory In IT-Enabled Transformation,"  Sloan

Management Review Winter 97)



** INNOVATIONS: FREE SPEECH, IN A MANNER OF SPEAKING **



Swedish-based Gratistelefon offers its customers free phone calls

anywhere in Sweden, with one hitch -- both the caller and recipient must

listen to 10 seconds of advertising once every three minutes.  "After a

while you might get sort of annoyed by these interruptions, but I think

it's worth this little hassle for the savings you get," says one

satisfied customer.  "And the ads are only 10 seconds, so you're going to

listen to them.  It's not like you can do something else in that time."

The program is currently in a test phase, but Swedish advertisers are

enthusiastic about the possibilities, and the Gratistelefon technicians

are exploring ways to target phone call participants with different, but

simultaneous, ads touting merchandisers close to each caller's location.

(tele.com Jan 97)



** 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>





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

  NEED A NEWTON PROGRAMMER? NewtNews has a list of over 40 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.

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





Handheld Systems

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



** ISSUE 5.1 -- JAN/FEB 1997 **



Regular articles:



    - "Handheld News" by Steve Mann

    - "Hey Rocky! Watch Me Pull A Rabbit Outa My Hat"

       (Magic Cap) by Steve Mann

    - "Windows CE: The Rollout" by Steve Mann

    - "Handheld Mobility: Taking It to the Desktop" by

       Andrew Seybold

    - "IR Reflections" by Pat Megowan

    - "Profile: Wright Strategies, Inc." by Scott

       Sbihli

    - "NS Basic Corner: NetNews" (USENET reader) by

       John Schettino

    - "MoBettDrag" (Newton) by Mark Zeren



Reviews and Previews:



    - "Advanced Data Representation" by Robert Koekoek



Getting Started:



    - "Newton 2.1 Audio" by John Schettino

    - "Pilot Serial Programming" by Iain Barclay

    - "The Newton 2.1 Grayscale APIs" by Ray

       Rischpater



Features:



    - "GEOS Bugbashing" by Marcus Groeber

    - "UNIX and Pilots" by Kevin Flynn

    - "Newton Drag and Drop" by John Schettino

    - "Simon's Scriptoruim" (Magic Cap) by Brenda

       Holloway

    - "Windows CE: History & Design" by Bob O'Hara



Handheld Systems is also holding a conference and expo for handheld

system development the 24-26Apr97 at the San Francisco Airport Hilton.

You can get more information by sending an email to: <hhsc@cdpubs.com>.



For a complementary sample of Handheld Systems, go to Creative Digital's

Web page at: <http://www.cdpubs.com> fill out a request for a sample

issue, and email it to: <hhsj@cdpubs.com>.





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

  To much info in NewtNews for you?  Does all the Macintosh information

  make you want to puke?  Then maybe you should check out NewtNews-Savvy.

  For $20 you get 52 issues of just lean and mean Newton/PDA/Wireless

  information directly to your inbox of choice.  Send an email message

  with the subject containing 'NewtNews-Savvy' to <newtnews@pobox.com>

  and you'll get a sample issue and an order form.  Thanks for reading!

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



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

  If you are too cheap to pay $20 for weekly Newton/PDA/Wireless info,

  then check out the freeware-monthly-Acrobat-savvy-version of NewtNews

  called NewtNews Pro at: <http://members.aol.com/nnpro/newton.html>.

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





REVIEW: The Pocket Liberator Palmtop Shoulder Holster

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



** VERY GOOD NEWTON HOLSTER CASE **



by J. Leko <leko@ix.netcom.com>



Newton is a great, and versatile device but it suffers from one major

drawback - its form factor is too large to conveniently fit in a pocket.

This can be a problem since the only way it can truly be integrated into

one's life is to have it close by at all times.  For most people, this

means either carrying a bag, or case with Newton nestled inside (and the

speaker volume cranked up), or relegating one hand to the task.



Enter an innovative solution from OPUS 63 Design Labs, Inc., the Pocket

Liberator shoulder holster.  This has got to be one of the coolest ways

around to tote your MessagePad!  The Pocket Liberator provides a novel

approach to everyday Newton storage/luggage problems by providing a

sturdy convenient location in which to rest your silicon friend.  Well

designed and crafted, we found our test model to be quite comfortable

too.  The system is composed of two parts, the holster unit itself

available in four colors (i.e. orange, silver, blue, or black), and two

styles, and the shoulder harness which will accept up to two cases.



The PL-HA harness which comes in silver is necessary for each shoulder

holster, looping through its "eyes" to make the attachment. Its straps

are actually four long pieces of velcro independently riveted to a

leather centerpiece. This arrangement leaves the straps free to rotate,

and allows them to move with you for comfort.  First time holster wearers

will require a bit of patience as it takes a while for you to properly

adjust.  Once you are accustomed to it though, wearing it feels quite

natural.



Our tests were conducted on the PL-PTH model holster, a basic leather

pocket stitched to a board of synthetic material.  The pocket into which

the Newton is placed conveniently orients the speaker upward when

holstered allowing you to lower the volume.  To ensure that your PDA

remains in place during your daily activities, an elasticized strap

secures it.  We'd be happier if this strap were about a half-inch longer,

but have found that it stretches with use, and will hold adequately.

Lateral shock is countered through the use of elastic in one of the

pocket's sides - a very nice touch.  On this model, a pen holder is

placed on the pocket's front edge, and a nylon web on its top.  We found

the later a useful feature for attaching a beeper, or clipping an extra

pen.  On back, there is an elasticized fabric belt loop which helps to

stabilize the unit.  It adjusts with a series of snaps to conform to

people of various heights, and for shorties like us there is a sewn-in

belt loop.



With its non-intrusive style and comfort, we feel that this is the

perfect solution for on-the-go professionals who need both hands.  Need

to carry your PCMCIA cards with you too?  We recommend you get the

PL-PTH-D which has an additional compartment attached on top.  For even

more storage the system can be expanded by replacing the right underarm

support with the miscellaneous pouch holster.  There's even a cell phone

holster available. "But won't I look geeky?", you ask.  Actually we have

received several admiring comments from our co-workers, but all solutions

are easily concealed beneath a sportcoat.  Overall, we found the Pocket

Liberator shoulder holster system to be well thought-out, designed, and

constructed. A definite answer to your friends who complain that they

wouldn't want to amputate their hand by carrying a Newton.



For more information about the Pocket Liberator Palmtop Shoulder Holster

contact: OPUS 63 Design Labs, [V]: 718.706.6787, [F]: 718.706.7034,

[WWW]: <http://www.OPUS63.com>.





Advertising Notes

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



If you are interested in advertising in NewtNews please send email to:

<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

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



* MoreInfo 4.0 - This new version adds even more useful features to this

already essential product.  Version 4.0 now allows you to link together

any number of names, meetings, events, to dos, notes or calls all

through a single screen.  A powerful new "At a Glance" screen makes

managing your schedule effortless.  From SilverWARE at $69.95+S&H.  For

more info: <info@silverware.com> <http://www.silverware.com> 508.521.5262



* 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>



* Newt Development Environment: develop object-oriented applications in

NewtonScript on the Newton (shareware: $49.50; tools, examples, support).

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

and forms from HTML (via web browsing or Notepad) (shareware: $38.50;

tools, examples, support). For details, software, and registration info:

<http://www.netaxs.com/~weyer/newton/releases.html> or <weyer@netaxs.com>



* Frustrated by the amount of time required to input long notes?  Looking

for a faster method?  GESTURE MOSAIC is a hybrid keyboard/recognition

system which enables the rapid (30-40+wpm) pen-based entry of text.  Now

updated for OS2.0, you can use it to quickly input text anywhere in your

Newton. FREEWARE versions are available at: <http://www.amtelcom.com/Mosaic>

For more information contact: <amtelmit@aol.com> or call: 800-696-6724.



* ChessPad 2.0 turns the Newton into a digital chess book and a portable

chess set. It contains 28 fully-annotated games played by the greatest

players of all time, 100 brilliant winning combinations by Morphy, Tal,

Fischer, and Kasparov, and 100 chess problems.  ChessPad can also import

games in Portable Game Notation format. Only $39.95. Clear Lake Research

713.663.7513 <DavidL62@aol.com> <http://members.aol.com/clrsch/chesspad.html>



* STAND ALONE offers a variety of Newton applications for Newton 2.0:

   - PACKAGE POPUP: instant access to all your packages, launch

      with a tap, automatically thaw and re-freeze. $15.

   - SECURE-A-NEWT: Password protect folders in your NotePad, Names,

      and Extras Drawer. Protect your info from prying eyes. $20.

   - KEYMAN: Adds function keys, a multi-function calculator, and a

      new keyboard designed for one-fingered typing. $20.

   - NOTEMAN: Instant access to the NotePad from any package. $10.

   - BACKGAMMON: The classic board game, brought to Newton. $20.

   - SUPER SORTER: Fast, Usable list management, featuring fully

      expandable and customizable list creation and editing. $20

For information about any of these or other Stand Alone products,

contact us at: <info@standalone.com>, or (312) 262-5150. Also check

out our Web site at: <http://www.standalone.com/newton>.



* NEW! 7th Volume of the Totally Incomplete PDA CD-ROM for Newton! This

CD-ROM from AMUG CD, Inc. contains over 1800 packages, and 590 megs in

Mac and PC format. 2.0 & 1.x Packages can be downloaded directly from the

CD to your MessagePad. Maximize your Newton experience! $29 + S/H. Call

AMUG 602.497-2244, or email <sales@amug.org> to order! See our Newton CD

web page at <http://cdrom.amug.org/>.



* 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 3000.

   - 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.

   - SILK makes your MP130 GLOW. Floating silk screen palette so

       the built-in buttons can be seen in the dark.

For more information call 802-863-5256, email <info@catamount.com>, or

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



* NEW BILLS TO PAY PRO 3.5 Rated 4.5 by Gecko Magazine! Now available

in German! For NOS 2.0. Includes support for stationery, enhanced

overview, and new printing options! Easily track bills and expenses;

create budget projections; and set alarms to remind you of bills coming

due. Send bill info to Pocket Quicken or Pocket Money. $39.95+S&H

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



* PDA Panache is your single source for stylus solutions. Our stylus

upgrades for your MessagePad are the ultimate in writing comfort and

control. Screen-safe writing tip guaranteed for life.

 - Telescoping styli for all Newtons in Black-Chrome, Gold & Sterling.

 - The "Duo" multi-function stylus/ball pen or pencil combo. With

   "EasyView" orange tip.

 - The "Beacon" LED lighted-tip stylus. Functional, slim and  elegant.

 - Low-cost Stick Styli. Custom Stylus Solutions for VARs/OEMs.

More info or Visa/MasterCard orders at: 800.270.7196, FAX: 516.467.6329,

Int'l: 516.467.4042, or visit our Web site: <http://www.pdapanache.com>



* INFORMED FILLER FOR NEWTON is your mobile data collection solution for

Inspection forms, Health Care forms ... in fact, for any forms you use!

Design custom forms on your Macintosh with Informed Designer (included).

Then, fill out your forms on the Newton quickly and accurately using

automatic defaults, choice lists, calculations and signatures.  Finally,

send completed forms directly to Informed Manager on your desktop for

further processing.  For a limited time when you mention this ad, you'll

receive both Informed Filler for Newton AND Informed Manager (for

desktop integration) for $99US (SRP $390US).  Contact Shana Corp. at:

800.386.7244, email: <info@shana.com> or WWW: <http://www.shana.com>.





REVIEW: QuickFigure Pro (QFP)

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



** QFP MAKES SPREADSHEETS EASY **



By Don Modesto



I am a confirmed numeraphobe.  I am also a teacher (not math) so I have

to deal with a lot of numbers; QuickFigure Pro (QF) makes

number-crunching power easy.  I foresee it reducing my work load.

Instead of recording to paper and transferring to my the spreadsheet on

my desktop, I can just take my Newt into class and record attendance,

homework, and participation right there.



Re: Entry



Tap a cell and an entry slip appears with, among others, a pop-up menu of

editable functions .  Tap Edit and another slip appears allowing you to

add a function which you expect to use often.  The manual lists the ones

supported.



As usual, Newton pen input is cramped.  Unlike other programs which make

you fumble in those tiny slips with only a pen, QF includes an icon to

call up a keyboard for accurate entry.  You can set the prefs to have

this appear automatically.  Another button inputs an equals sign and two

more let you set text/ink text or numeric formats.



'Enter' your data and the slip disappears.  Tap an arrow and you can keep

entering without tapping on another cell.  The silk-screened arrows take

you up or down and QF puts two more arrows in the menu bar for going left

or right.



Hard Cell



As with anything on the Newt, space is a big issue.  QF's prefs allow you

to set a default column or change column widths by dragging but you can

only change one column at a time.  You can get around this by using a

template and/or copying imported documents into it.



Deleting columns (one at a time) also demands a work around.  I have

typed the last four paragraphs of this review while waiting for a column

to delete on spreadsheet with data in a 50 by 12 cell range: over seven

minutes by my stopwatch.  It's faster to select the range you want and

paste it into the range you don't. Inserting a column into the same sheet

took almost five minutes.  Plan carefully.  In contrast to the

sluggishness of columns, however, I was taken aback at how snappy the

charting wasless than a second for a range of 40 values.



The Prefs allow you to determine how many rows and columns are scrolled

with an arrow tap. 'Fast Scrolling' tells QF to keep the whole sheet in

memory so that scrolli/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>



* Newt Development Environment: develop object-oriented applications in

NewtonScript on the Newton (shareware: $49.50; tools, examples, support).

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

and forms from HTML (via web browsing or Notepad) (shareware: $38.50;

tools, examples, support). For details, software, and registration info:

<http://www.netaxs.com/~weyer/newton/releases.html> or <weyer@netaxs.com>



* Frustrated by the amount of time required to input long notes?  Looking

for a faster method?  GESTURE MOSAIC is a hybrid keyboard/recognition

system which enables the rapid (30-40+wpm) pen-based entry of text.  Now

updated for OS2.0, you can use it to quickly input text anywhere in your

Newton. FREEWARE versions are available at: <http://www.amtelcom.com/Mosaic>

For more information contact: <amtelmit@aol.com> or call: 800-696-6724.



* ChessPad 2.0 turns the Newton into a digital chess book and a portable

chess set. It contains 28 fully-annotated games played by the greatest

players of all time, 100 brilliant winning combinations by Morphy, Tal,

Fischer, and Kasparov, and 100 chess problems.  ChessPad can also import

games in Portable Game Notation format. Only $39.95. Clear Lake Research

713.663.7513 <DavidL62@aol.com> <http://members.aol.com/clrsch/chesspad.html>



* STAND ALONE offers a variety of Newton applications for Newton 2.0:

   - PACKAGE POPUP: instant access to all your packages, launch

      with a tap, automatically thaw and re-freeze. $15.

   - SECURE-A-NEWT: Password protect folders in your NotePad, Names,

      and Extras Drawer. Protect your info from prying eyes. $20.

   - KEYMAN: Adds function keys, a multi-function calculator, and a

      new keyboard designed for one-fingered typing. $20.

   - NOTEMAN: Instant access to the NotePad from any package. $10.

   - BACKGAMMON: The classic board game, brought to Newton. $20.

   - SUPER SORTER: Fast, Usable list management, featuring fully

      expandable and customizable list creation and editing. $20

For information about any of these or other Stand Alone products,

contact us at: <info@standalone.com>, or (312) 262-5150. Also check

out our Web site at: <http://www.standalone.com/newton>.



* NEW! 7th Volume of the Totally Incomplete PDA CD-ROM for Newton! This

CD-ROM from AMUG CD, Inc. contains over 1800 packages, and 590 megs in

Mac and PC format. 2.0 & 1.x Packages can be downloaded directly from the

CD to your MessagePad. Maximize your Newton experience! $29 + S/H. Call

AMUG 602.497-2244, or email <sales@amug.org> to order! See our Newton CD

web page at <http://cdrom.amug.org/>.



* 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 3000.

   - 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.

   - SILK makes your MP130 GLOW. Floating silk screen palette so

       the built-in buttons can be seen in the dark.

For more information call 802-863-5256, email <info@catamount.com>, or

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



* NEW BILLS TO PAY PRO 3.5 Rated 4.5 by Gecko Mag (As a FileMaker user, I still can't

    synchronize my contact files).



    Go and tell the world what the MP2K does, make the software

    that people can transfer and synchronize with their files,

    and nobody will buy another PDA.



    If I would be there to give you an advice I would say: grow

    in marketing and software that makes sense for the future,

    cut costs (and as little jobs as possible) and you will get

    better products that cost less, bring in more revenue, and

    have less risk.



    Greetings from



    Karl Keiser

    Newton & Apple lover

    <kkeiser@access.ch>





Administrivia

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



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