WebSphere Everyplace Access Server
Back in April, Palm announced its endorsement of IBM's WebSphere Everyplace Access Server, which provides core services needed to build, deploy, manage, and extend e-business and line-of-business applications to mobile devices.

Following up on this, on July 23, Palm, Inc. and IBM announced plans to develop a joint capability designed to let customers securely access enterprise applications and data using wireless-enabled Palm handheld computers. The plan is to allow customers to use IBM's WebSphere Everyplace Access (WEA) to extend applications beyond the firewall on wired networks using wireless technology and Palm handhelds.

Under this agreement, Palm is going to work with IBM to deliver a WEA-compatible mobile client suite for Palm handhelds, which they will jointly market and promote. The first release is scheduled to be available later this year, and new products are expected from both companies as the capabilities evolve.

In addition, IBM and Palm plan to deliver an enterprise-class instant messaging and awareness solution for Palm handhelds using Lotus Sametime technology. You would then be able to use wireless-enabled Palm handhelds to exchange instant messages among other Palm handheld users as well as desktop Sametime users. Palm and IBM are also working together on open standard technologies, including SyncML, and it's hoped that additional enterprise data will be able to be accessed using Lotus Domino.

Web services
On August 27, the Palm Solutions Group and BEA Systems, Inc. announced a strategic relationship to bring Web services to Palm branded handhelds. In short, Palm will develop tools and a device-side software suite designed to simplify development and deployment of mobile Web services to extend enterprise applications on Palm handhelds. Palm and BEA will work together to integrate this solution with BEA WebLogic Server 7.0 and BEA WebLogic Workshop products as server-side controls. This will be the first WebLogic Workshop control developed for a handheld device.

But just what is this Web services? I had opportunity to learn about it back in May of 2001 after attending an IBM press event announcing that the company was enabling all of its infrastructure software with comprehensive support for open Internet standards to enable the development of Web services applications. There I spoke with Beverly DeWitt, the Senior Manager for Lotus developer marketing in the Messaging and Collaboration business unit. She explained that, "Web services is a standards-based approach to integrating applications running across distributed servers that are connected via an intranet, extranet, or the Internet."