News
Issue #2002 - 41 (October 2002)
(Updated Oct. 29, 2002)

APPLICATION SOLUTIONS and APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT 

SYWARE  and Metrowerks Upgrade Development Tools

Hollywood, CA (October 21, 2002)- SYWARE, Inc., a leading developer of intuitive database tools for business and personal productivity, today announced at the Pocket PC Summit, Version 7 of Visual CE(r), a database and forms development toolset designed specifically for building customized databases on Windows CE and Pocket PC handheld computers. The new release expands the range of functions built into the software and enhances the ease-of-use features that enable both business professionals and
developers to easily create database applications without programming. Visual CE Version 7 features a more flexible array of development tools, including full support for GPS devices, complete picture control,
multi-device synchronization, and support for a wide range of numeric, string, and date functions.

GPS Support
New functionality in Visual CE Version 7 provides complete support for Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) devices. More than just a data entry function, Visual CE can open the serial port on the handheld device; read the NMEA (National Marine Electronics Association) standard statements containing positioning data; extract the latitude, longitude, and altitude coordinates; and close the serial port. This allows Visual CE to read and store positioning information for a variety of field applications that have traditionally relied on slow, paper-based communication.

As an example, Forestry rangers and agricultural firms are now using GPS-enabled handhelds to mark plant and animal locations - from nests of rare bald eagles to crops in need of rotation. Visual CE now allows park rangers and seed companies to integrate these coordinates into a comprehensive database of environmental information. Municipalities and manufacturers of remote instrumentation can also use Visual CE to more easily transmit and track information regarding the maintenance status of equipment in the field.

Powerful and Easy-to-Use
With Visual CE Version 7, complete control of images is only a click away now that pictures can be integrated into any Visual CE database. This means business professionals can carry portable electronic showrooms into the field. Antique dealers or real estate professionals, for instance, can quickly create portable databases that integrate various views of a propertywith details regarding its condition and value. Visual CE also helps business teams stay closely aligned by allowing multiple handhelds to be synchronized to the same desktop table; this makes it easy to keep the latest product catalog or maintenance data in the hands of the field force.

With Visual CE Version 7, strings can be written to or read from the serial
port. This provides quick and easy access to a broad range of external
devices, including scanners, test equipment, and medical devices. In
addition, button colors can be set to prompt users visually and grids can be
ordered by specific values. For those with SYMBOL(r) devices, a scan can now
automatically launch a macro program.

New Development Functions
The new release of Visual CE also expands the range of numeric, string, and date functions - twenty four (24) new numeric functions, fifteen (15) new string functions and nine 9) new date and time functions include name of day, name of month, day of week, hour, minute, month, quarter, week, and year.

2. Metrowerks Tools to Support Next Generation Palm OS(r) 5 Devices Based on
ARM(r) Core Technology

AUSTIN, Texas - October 22, 2002 - Helping application developers smooth their transition to Palm OS(r) 5, Metrowerks' next version of its CodeWarrior(tm) tools for the Palm OS platform will support application
development for next generation Palm Powered(tm) handhelds that contain processors from Motorola, Intel and Texas Instruments based on ARM(r) core technology.

CodeWarrior Development Studio for Palm OS Platform, Version 9.0, will enable developers to build Palm OS 5 applications with support for 68K processors and ARM code development. The toolset will include ARMlet support with sample projects, C++ Object Library for Palm OS (POL), command line tools, application wizards, third party Palm OS utilities, and more.

According to a report from industry research firm GartnerGroup, 80 percent of all Palm OS applications are built with Metrowerks' CodeWarrior development tools.

CodeWarrior Development Studio for Palm OS Platform, Professional Edition, Version 9, is expected to be available by early December. 

For more information:  http://www.syware.com and http://www.metrowerks.com 

MobileInfo Comments and Advisory: Both SyWare and Metrowerks are leading wireless and handheld application tool developers. Developers and IT application development managers should look at these tools.

Note: This news release may contain forward-looking statements. Readers should take appropriate caution in developing plans utilizing these products, services and technology architectures.  All trademarks used in this summary are the property of their respective owners.