PRODUCT AND TECHNOLOGY announcements at the PalmSource 2000 developer conference in Santa Clara this week will be aimed primarily at a corporate audience with a special emphasis on server-based platforms that turn the diminutive handheld into a thin client.

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WaveLink, in Kirkland, Wash., will release at the conference a version of its WaveLink Studio application development platform that supports use of the Palm OS in a wide area network environment.

WaveLink Studio will translate most of the common programming languages into Palm OS applications. Among the supported languages are Visual Basic, Visual C++, Java, PowerBuilder, Visual FoxPro and Delphi. The applications, running on the server can be accessed through any networked linked Palm such as the Palm VII using its wireless Web Clipping technology or with a Palm OS licensee Symbol Technology device.

Bringing Visual Basic programmers into the Palm OS fold is something Palm officials appear eager to do.

"We've made tremendous ground getting Visual Basic support for Palm as well and we're close to announcing some additional steps in that direction," said Michael Mace, Palm's chief technology officer.

There will be more good VB news blowing in from the east coast as AppForge out of Atlanta will introduce its version of a Visual Basic programming language and development package for the Palm OS as well.

There are some 6 million VB developers according to AppForge officials that will now be able to enter the handheld development space.

Applications developed with AppForge can be compiled as Windows executable files for debugging before Palm synchronization is attempted. The Windows-compatible application can also be emailed or put on a network drive.

Security with "enterprise-level muscle" is being promised by NTRU, another east coast high tech company. NTRU based in Burlington, Mass., will announce this week at PalmSource a Security Toolkit for Palm.

The kit will give developers the ability to create "disposable keys" that need not be stored on the handheld. The kit implements the Rijndael algorithm, an advanced encryption standard adopted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, according to a company spokesperson.

Widcomm in San Diego will help bring Bluetooth applications to Handspring Visor devices with BlueConnect Developer Kit.

To help speed Bluetooth applications for the Visor, the kit will allow developers to create applications "using the standard serial port library function calls," according to a Widcomm spokesman.

The kit can be used to develop either client or server applications to connect and synchronize data between handsets, PDAs, desktops or any other access point using Bluetooth technology.

Finally, corporate sales presentations will get a personal touch from ibrite at PalmSource. The company is planning to introduce powerViewer, a Windows utility that exports Microsoft PowerPoint 2000 presentations into format viewable on a Palm handheld display.

The PowerPoint presentations can be transferred from PC to Palm via infrared or during cradle hot synching sessions. The $40 software package will capture images, bulleted text and notes out of PowerPoint with a single button click. Later this year Ibrite will offer OfficeViewer for downloading other applications in the Microsofot Office suite to a Palm. Ibrite Inc., is based in Reston, Virginia.