CNET has a Reuters piece saying Japan’s domestic shipments of handheld computers rose 20 percent to 912,000 last year as new models triggered demand.

CNET News.com reports Palm has seen its share of the European handheld market slip over the past year, according to market researcher Canalys.

E Ink Corporation announced it will discuss the company’s recent milestones in its effort to create the next publishing medium at the Society for Information Display’s Annual Symposium, Seminar, and Exhibition. Three papers on Active Matrix Electronic Ink Displays featuring working demonstration devices will be presented.

SiPix Inc. has announced that the Pocket Printer A6 is now available through retail, e-commerce, and mail order stores including Comp USA, Staples, Fry’s Electronics, J&R Music World, Buy.com, PC Mall, and Tiger Direct.

E-reads, a publisher of fiction and nonfiction reprints, and Fictionwise.com announced that the two companies have formed a strategic relationship. As part of the agreement, Fictionwise will be the preferred distributor of e-reads

Supplynet announced they have developed direct connect cellular cables for all Handspring Visors, Palm devices, and Compaq Pocket PCs to fit most cellular phones, including; Motorola, Samsung, Sanyo, Kyocera, Audiovox, and others.

The German mobile computing magazine Palmtop-Pro will be taking TinySheet on board the Polarstern, a polar research vessel. The scientists of the Polarstern will be using the spreadsheet software on specially-designed Palm handhelds as one of their reporting tools for the data captured during their next expedition.

Gripon announced the release of their new product, a barcode reader designed for standard Palm handhelds.

CNET reports Motorola released iSketch, a program for the Palm OS that lets personal digital assistant (PDA) owners handwrite notes and make sketches on their devices, and then wirelessly send them as if they were email, via infrared or cellular networks.

Palm, Inc. and Symbol Technologies, Inc. announced Symbol has extended its license of the Palm OS operating system through April 2005.