PHILADELPHIA -- AT the Pocket PC Summit, which opened here Tuesday, leading vendors will show off their wireless solutions
for Microsoft's Pocket PC as well as applications for the Smartphone device.
Syware, a Cambridge, Mass.-based developer of mobile database tools, introduced on Tuesday FoneDB, a database for the Smartphone.
FoneDB lets mobile content developers quickly and easily create mobile phone databases without programming. The product, currently
in beta, will ship in the third quarter. Pricing has not been announced.
The Windows-Powered Smartphone 2002, previously known by the code name Stinger, competes with Symbian's and Palm's phone
software platforms.
Smartphone business is expected to start cutting into the PDA market, according to Todd Kort, a principle analyst at Gartner
Dataquest, although it will likely not take off this year or even next.
The current PDA market is dominated by the Palm OS, but as IT managers start setting more standards for PDAs within their
companies, the Pocket PC will become more established in large enterprises. "You should expect [Microsoft] to advance [their
market share] in the enterprise," Kort said.
"When you get into wireless applications, applications where you're concerned about security, heavy-duty apps -- that's
where you want Pocket PC," he added.
Also looking to increase the enterprise viability of the Pocket PC operating system, Sybase subsidiary iAnywhere Solutions,
a provider of mobile and wireless solutions, will introduce a beta program for its UltraLite Component Suite, which opens
its SQL Anywhere Studio to developers using Visual Basic, AppForge, eMbedded VB, ActiveX, and JNI (Java Native Interface).
The UltraLite Component Suite includes AppForge Ingot, which is used with the AppForge add-in to Visual Basic to create cross-platform
applications for Palm, Pocket PC, and Symbian-based devices; ActiveX control, for use with eMbedded Visual Basic or Internet
Explorer; and Java class libraries.
Other vendors who will be showing off their wares at the Pocket PC Summit include Funk Software of Cambridge, Mass. Funk
will demonstrate its AdmitOne VPN Client for the Pocket PC, which lets handheld users establish a secure connection over a
wireless link to the enterprise network. It uses IPsec and IKE (Internet Key Exchange) technologies to set up a secure communications
channel between a Pocket PC device and the corporate VPN server.
Thinking Bytes of Lexington, Mass., is redesigning ThinkDB and will show at Pocket PC Summit an early beta release of the
Pocket PC version of its database.
Asynchrony Solutions is demonstrating its PDA Defense product, which provides 512-bit Blowfish encryption, an AutoLock feature,
and selective database protection.
Symbol Technologies will be showcasing its lineup of rugged handheld products -- including its latest based on the X-Scale
processor. Symbol's devices are aimed at remote field workers needing anywhere-anytime information to enhance deliveries and
sell products.
In related news, Extended Systems on Tuesday announced an agreement to acquire Brisbane, Calif.-based ViaFone and integrate
ViaFone's OneBridge Mobility Platform with Extended Systems' XTNDConnect data synchronization and management software. The
move advances Boise, Idaho-based Extended Systems strategy of enabling companies to extend business-critical enterprise applications
to mobile and wireless environments, the company said.
The PocketPC Summit continues through Friday.
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