Chapura
This year, the folks at Chapura were talking about their new Jibe software at http://www.chapura.com/html/products/jibe/jibe_features.php. Jibe 1.1 was designed exclusively for users of Microsoft Outlook Express and Palm Desktop, providing three-way synchronization between Microsoft Outlook Express, Palm Desktop, and the Palm OS handheld's Address Book. Chapura's booth is pictured in Figure F.

FIGURE F

Keith Ellenberg, Chapura's Chief Operating Officer, demonstrated some funky jibe. Click picture for a larger image.

If you add, change, or delete information on any one of these applications, Jibe software ensures that all three will have the updated first name, last name, company name, and email addresses. Jibe can also synchronize multiple handhelds to the same PC by allowing you to select the identity in Outlook Express with which you want to synchronize.

Extended Systems
As shown in Figure G, Extended Systems, Inc. (at http://www.extendedsystems.com) was on hand in the Palm pavilion following a recent announcement that the two companies have signed a non-binding Letter of Intent for Palm to resell Extended Systems' XTNDConnect Server Software as a Palm branded product by the fourth quarter of this year.

FIGURE G

Extended Systems' Jeff Warner was on hand to talk about XTNDConnect. Click picture for a larger image.

You may remember that Palm had planned to acquire Extended Systems but eventually the companies came to a mutual agreement to end the acquisition. The slowing economy and market conditions led them to conclude that a termination of merger plans would best serve both companies and their respective shareholders. However, this new deal shows the continuing strong relationship between these two companies.

XTNDConnect Server is designed to make mobile device deployment and behind-the-firewall access to real-time business information simple and secure. Any corporate information that resides on Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Domino, and ODBC (Open Data Base Connectivity)-compliant database servers will be accessible from Palm OS handhelds by using XTNDConnect.

XTNDConnect Server offers IT managers centrally controlled systems-management tools. IT managers also will see other mobile and wireless computing benefits for their organizations from implementing Palm handhelds and the XTNDConnect Server software, including greater flexibility, investment protection, and larger services and solution choices.

Gearworks
As shown in Figure H, Gearworks (at http://www.gearworks.com) was demonstrating etrace 2.0, a mobile communications and work management platform for transportation and field service industries.

FIGURE H

Enterprises can make use of etrace 2.0 for mobile communications and work management. Click picture for a larger image.

The tracking/communication software operates via Palm OS handhelds and Internet-enabled phones or pagers. You can use etrace to capture a legal signature for proof of delivery, transmit GPS-based tracking information, obtain real-time driving directions, and define your own smart mobile forms, all through a Palm OS device. In Figure I, etrace is shown running on a rugged Palm OS handheld from Symbol.