Macworld--The Elusive Apple-branded PDA

3Com drew big crowds when demonstrating Palm Desktop Software for the Mac (in Palm MacPac 2). The current version 2.1 is basically Claris Organizer and a free download. However, new features will appear in version 2.5 due out next month according to a 3Com employee. No one would talk about an Apple-branded Palm or Palms in iMac colors. It appears that our "inside" information that hardware would be announced by Steve Jobs in addition to the iBook was in fact the AirPort wireless network and base station.

Macworld--Farallon's SkyLINE Wireless Networking: Apple introduced the AirPort base station and card for the new iBook that enables 11 megabit per second wireless networking among 10 iBooks. Farallon will soon release its SkyLINE Wireless Type II PC card for PowerBooks that are compliant with card and socket services version 2.1. According to Farallon president Richard Maslana, the SkyLINE PC card will provide 2 Mbps networking with a 300' or more operating range, twice that of the iBook, in a building that is not internally steel structured. A greater operating range will be achieved outdoors, maybe 1000'. SkyLINE should work with Apple's AirPort system. The portion of the SkyLINE PC card with the antenna and LEDs extends a little over an inch from the PowerBook when the card is inserted and is about 5/8" thick. It will have to be inserted into the top PC card slot if another PC card is used in the bottom slot. The SkyLINE weighs only 2 ounces and will have drivers that support the Mac OS and Windows 95/98 and NT simultaneously on a wireless network via a base station or by ad hoc peer-to-peer networking. The price will be less than $300 and will be announced August 5th, according to Mr. Maslana. Base station manufacturers in addition to Apple include Lucent, Nokia, Maxtech and Zoom.