ComputerWorld reports that Compaq will announce Windows and Linux desktop thin clients and will position its new Aero 8000 Windows CE Jupiter machine as a mobile thin client.

3Com today announced that they’re spinning off Palm Computing as its own separate entity. According to their PR folks, “Today 3Com’s chairman and CEO, Eric Benhamou, announced plans to spin off the Palm Computing subsidiary and create an independent, publicly-traded company. The new structure will allow both companies to expand respective leadership positions by independently focusing on growth opportunities.”

NeoPoint announced it has begun shipping the NeoPoint 1000 to Sprint PCS. The NeoPoint 1000’s built-in personal organizer can hold up to 1,000 contact names and numbers, schedule and to-do list items for the next year. All of this information can be synchronized with PC-based organizers including Microsoft Outlook, ACT!, and the supplied software IntelliSync Mobile desktop, via SoftSync Plus software.

Infinite Ink announced the pending release of its multi-platform eBook system. The Infinite Press system was designed for the publishing, vending, and consumption of digital content on PC’s and other viewing devices, such as handhelds.

Clarinet Systems is unveiling its EthIR WAN access system designed to link notebook, handheld and palm-sized PCs to the Internet or corporate network, via their built-in infrared technology, without cards, wires or third-party software. EthIR WAN connects infrared-enabled devices to the Internet or a corporate network where enhanced security is required.

Big Entertainment’s Showtimes.com subsidiary announced an agreement with Yahoo! to deliver movie showtimes to handheld computers and other wireless devices. Yahoo! Mobile currently supports devices based on the Palm Computing platform as well as palm-sized devices running Windows CE.

3Com today announced that they’re spinning off Palm Computing as its own separate entity. According to their PR folks, “Today 3Com’s chairman and CEO, Eric Benhamou, announced plans to spin off the Palm Computing subsidiary and create an independent, publicly-traded company. The new structure will allow both companies to expand respective leadership positions by independently focusing on growth opportunities.”

It’s 9/9/99 as I write this (you’ll read it on the 10th, when we update the news pages again) and so far, everything seems to be holding up fine. As I’m sure many of you know, one of the “key” Y2K dates is 9/9/99 because programmers have for years used this as a test date. Also, I’m told, there’s some ancient EBCDIC (i.e., Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code, a precursor to ASCII characters) coding that maxes at 9999. — DG

The International Herald Tribune reports that Integrated Systems will develop a new operating system for handheld computers with Mitsubishi Electric Corporation.

The EE Times has this article on the digital TV debut of Java. The article also talks about how Thomson Multimedia teamed up with Microsoft to form a joint venture called TAK.