Web Services Speed iAppliance Tool Intros

By Bernard Cole
iApplianceWeb
(02/23/02, 09:30:38 PM EDT)

With the coming wide availability of Web Services via small footprint iAppliances using frameworks such as Sun's ONE, IBM's Websphere and Microsoft's .NET, software tool and operating system vendors are accelerating their support for client side development.

Illustrative of this accelerating pace of development on the client side of the Web Services connection are recent new enhancements from BlueKite Inc. (San Francisco, Ca.); mFormation Technologies Inc. (Edison, N.J.); MontaVista Software Inc. (Sunnyvale, Ca.), and Pocket Technologies, Inc. (Minneapolis, Minn.).

Pocketing The PalmOS

With its two newest offerings Pocket Technologies is attempting to address both entry level and professional developer needs for application development on handheld devices using the PalmOS. PocketStudio Professional v1.1 features a powerful, optimized compiler and Integrated Development Environment built ``from the ground up'', specifically for handheld development. In addition it features a dozen new project wizards, over 50 samples, enhanced debugging, new libraries to simplify development, Bluetooth support and samples, and wireless wireless wizards. PocketStudio Standard Edition is an entry-level version of PocketStudio priced for the developer on a budget, looking to get started in handheld development.

Available now for download from Pocket's web site at www. The standard edition is $59.99 and the professional version is $199.99. A free 45 day trial version is also available for download.

MontaVista Adds X-Scale Support

Gambling that Intel Corp.'s StrongArm-derived X-scale architecture will define the next generation of wireless iAppliances, MontaVista Software Inc. is porting its flagship product, MontaVista Linux 2.1, to Intel Corp.'s new Intel PXA 210 and Intel PXA250 Applications Processors.

Based on process and architectural improvements to original StrongArm that offer the promise of 40 to 450 milliwatts of power dissipation over a 150 to 600 MHz performance range, the X-Scale based processors are targeted at the next-generation wireless and connected devices such as full-featured handheld communication devices and advanced PDAs. Manufacturers of these devices will depend heavily on the Web Services infrastructure and will need much more processing punch, while still meeting the small-size and low-power restrictions of battery-operated products.

MontaVista Software is currently optimizing MontaVista Linux 2.1 and associated development tools for the specific architectural features of the Intel PXA210/250 Applications Processors, with availability before the end of the first quarter of this year. In addition to OS support, Monta Vista will make available a set of tool kits for code development similar to those available for the x86/IA-32, PowerPC, StrongARM, MIPS, SH, ARM, and other microprocessor architectures. For more information, go to the company web site at http://www.mvista.com

mFormation Beefs Up Wireless Security

Designed to provide netcentric iAppliances using wireless connectivity a full measure of security and reliability, the new agent-based Enterprise Manager from mFormation Technologies,Inc. (Edison, N.J.) pinpoints pinpoint faults anywhere in a network, and manages devices, users and levels of service.

At the core of the system is a netcentric iAppliance middleware architecture composed of four elements: the management server, the service access point agents, device agents and a web-based console. Together they allow corporate web services providers to peer into authorized wireless handhelds in real time to get up-to-date device, user and network asset and configuration information.

Installed on an application service provider platform, the management server software -- on line, in real time -- regularly collects information from one or more agents are installed on each wireless client in a network, either in band or out of band.

In-band, management transactions are performed on open communications channels, previously established for that purpose. For ad hoc connections, out of band management functions traverse the corporate firewall and connect directly to the wireless carrier network(s)through a dedicated frame relay line. With "out of band" communications, the system can communicate directly with the wireless devices even when a component of the application channel is down. More information is available at www.mformation.com

BlueKite Flies On Compaq iPAQ

Finally, BlueKite Inc. (San Francisco, Ca.) is expanding the base of wireless and handheld platforms on which its Internet acceleration software is available to include Compaq Computer Corp.'s iPAQ PocketPC.

Using a combination of wireless caching and compression, it claims improvement in mobile Web browsing speeds by three to five times to roughly the speed available on a 56 kbps fixed-line modem connection. Such improvements in performance will be necessary if wireless and handheld platforms are to make any practical use of services resident on servers.

In addition to device manufacturers such as Compaq, BlueKite's software is also available from mobile operators, such as O2 (formerly BT Cellnet), Sprint PCS, Swisscom and Connect Austria as well as on devices from HP, Mitsubishi Trium and Sierra Wireless. Further, end users can download the BlueKite client directly from BlueKite's web site at http://compaq.bluekite.com.