<would you wear a PC?>
Depends on what you mean. I personally find lugging a lap top through the airport a work out. But when you ask about a PC the size of a Palm Pilot, you've got another question.
So, when you define quality of service with size of the device, it becomes a very do able thing to wear a PC. I love that little computer on my bicycle that tells me my average speed and even elevation change. Cyclists are the ultimate freaks for cutting weight. So, when you bring in dramatic function to a mobil worker, I'd say it's a win.
This week, there are a lot of articles in Network World about handheld PC's. They involve Oracle and Sybase developing special database functions to support handhelds; Palm Pilot OS deals with many new software and hardware vendors; specialized servers; and information basd systems for mobility.
The Palm Pilot seems to be proving itself as a highly useable system with good enough input and output features, acceptable size, function, etc. Win CE systems must catch up, but the portability of existing Win systems must make CE a sure bet. Just look at Oracle going straight into support for CE even though the 2 companies hate each other.
The portable platform battle looks like the Apple/Microsoft battle of the future. Seems hard to believe 3 Com will win against Mr Softy.
Main thing is to get more access to the enterprise, or more on platform storage, or both. Demand is absolutly there. Yes, I'd wear a computer.
Regards,
Mark
Here are some articles from Network World. I started to just list url's but the stories are pass protected.
Handhelds bulk up with net connectivity
By John Cox
Network World Fusion, 09/29/98
New connectivity software will let MIS groups tie handheld computers and similar devices directly into corporate databases, groupware servers and enterprise applications such as order entry or customer service.
By creating a two-way connection between what had been single-user gadgets and corporate servers, the new products make handheld computers and Web phones true network clients for the first time. Until now, these devices typically could only share information with PC applications or in some cases read Web-based documents.
"If these capabilites were available today, they'd display everything I'm currently doing," says Richard Sleight, senior develop for sales technology at Anheuser-Busch, Inc., the St. Louis, Missouri brewer. Sleight is getting ready to pilot test the Shelf-Audit product, from Wright Strategies, on Hewlett-Packard Co., Inc. HP 620 handheld PCs.
With these systems, the brewer's sales consultants will be able to download periodically a forms-based survey. Using the handheld, they can enter response from distributors and from managers in grocery and liquor stores. Each night, the data will be uploaded to Wright Strategies server-based software for processing. Eventually, the data will be fed directly into an Anheuser-Busch data warehouse.
"Before, we did everything using paper surveys," Sleight says. "It would take us months to find out what was happening [in the field]. Now, we'll be doing it within in 24 hours."
The HP handheld runs Microsoft Windows CE, which today is focused on synchronizing with applications running on Windows PCs, according to Jill House, associate research analyst with International Data Corp., a Framingham, Mass. market research firm. "There's nothing out of the [CE] box that syncs you directly with corporate data sources,' she says. "There's a whole software industry springing up to handle these deficiencies."
"Until now, handhelds have been for good for helping us work with personal information -- my schedule or contacts," says Gerry Purdy, president of Mobile Insights, Inc., a Mountain View, Calif. mobile computing consultancy. "The next step is integrating the information in handhelds with corporate data to help run businesses and make them more profitable. [These new products] are the tools that will allow this to happen."
As previously reported, Avantgo, San Jose, Calif., recently released a new version of its connectivity software, adding a server component that links Avantgo client code on handhelds or Palm Platform devices with Web-based applications or selected relational databases.
Another product, from Puma Technology, Inc., also in San Jose, is Intellisync Anywhere. The Intellisync server monitors the target server application, such as Microsoft Exchange or Lotus Notes, and downloads any new information or changes for a given user. Handheld devices dial in to the server, or connect via a LAN-based PC, and the Intellisynch client code lets the device and server exchange information. Intellisync Anywhere will first let Palm Computing, Inc. devices access Microsoft Exchange in November, with Windows CE devices supported by April 1999. Access to Lotus Notes also will be available for both operating systems next spring. The software will be priced per user. For 100 users, the price will be $99 each.
Puma is building an ODBC connection to access databases and higher performance native connections to selected database products. This week, Synchrologic Inc., Atlanta, Georgia, unveils a Palm Platform version of its data synchronization toolkit. With SyncKit for the Palm, software developers can use the APIs to let Palm-based applications set up a two-way data sharing connection with desktop or laptop PCs or directly with corporate database servers. The Palm version of SyncKit is now in beta test and will be available by May 1999. Pricing has not been decided yet.
New server code marries handhelds and corporate data
nwfusion.com
Lotus adds PDA link to Notes
Server-based software providing wireless connectivity between PDAs (personal digital assistants) and the Lotus Notes groupware software was announced yesterday by Lotus.
The server-based Wireless Domino Access works with IBM Corp.'s WorkPad and 3Com Corp.'s PalmPilot and Palm III PDAs using Novatel Wireless' Minstrel Wireless IP Modem and Unwired Planet's microbrowser. Users can access existing Domino Notes mail, directory and calendar entries, Lotus said in a statement today.
Wireless Domino Access comes as a package with Lotus Pager Gateway Release 2.03. The package, available from Lotus business partners, is available now for $3,000.
nwfusion.com
Oracle refines handheld database
Oracle Corp. this week released version 3.51 of its Oracle Lite database product, for the handheld computer market.
And Sybase, Inc., which will soon offer a version of its compact SQL Server Anywhere for the same platforms, last week formed a Mobile and Embedded Computing division. The division, headed by vice president Terry Stepien, will focus on the need handheld and embedded systems have for managing data and copying it to and from corporate database servers.
Oracle won the race to be the first major database vendor to offer a database product for either the CE or Palm Computing devices. Oracle Lite offers the full set of SQL APIs, and replicates data to and from networked servers running Oracle 8.
Oracle Lite 3.5 is shipping now. The price is $295 for application developers, and $95 for each runtime license -- for each instance of the database on a handheld device.
Databases such as Oracle Lite can be packed onto small embedded systems, such as builtin automobile computer systems that monitor engine performance or track location, or even in softdrink vending machines. The vending machine could store inventory information and other data, then use a wireless connection to alert a distributor when the stock of drinks begins to run out. Another possible use is in cellular phones. A cell phone user might dial 411 for directory assistance, then push a button to have Oracle Lite store the number, name and address.
nwfusion.com
Sybase Inc. and 3Com Corp. today formalized their earlier development work aimed at having Sybase's mobile database run on 3Com's Palm Computing operating system.
The two companies announced today in a release that they intend to work together on integrating Sybase's UltraLite deployment of its Adaptive Server Anywhere relational database with 3Com's Palm Computing operating system. The duo will then jointly market their development efforts to both end users and software development partners.
Edited
nwfusion.com
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