News.com has this story on Microsoft’s offering of Slate online magazine to handheld users. Microsoft will offer Slate through an agreement with AvantGo.com.

Avid Technology’s subsidiary, Softimage, has entered into a strategic agreement with Microsoft to design and deliver tools for authoring Microsoft Windows CE-based games for the Sega Dreamcast console. Softimage will provide game developers with an ASCII-based file format called .XSI. The .XSI file format is based on Microsoft’s popular .x file format which is already used extensively in conjunction with the Softimage GDK (game development kit) game core module.

Applied Microsystems Corporation (AMC) announced that it signed a contract with Microsoft to create and market software development tools for building embedded appliances based on the Windows CE operating system. Under the terms of the contract, Microsoft will provide advance funding to AMC for updating certain software development tools to support Windows CE.

NS BASIC Corporation reports that NS Basic/CE 2.1 is now shipping. The upgrade is free to licensed users of NS Basic/CE 2.0. Users of NS Basic/CE 1.x can upgrade for just $39.95. Business applications and games can include sounds that provide additional feedback and information to the user. NS Basic/CE 2.1 is a complete BASIC development environment that runs completely on a Windows CE device.

Seagate Software is distributing two free products that allow Lotus Notes and Domino users to create and analyze great reports using our new native driver: Seagate Analysis, a new, standalone desktop tool that adds information analysis (ad hoc query, OLAP and reporting technologies) to Lotus Notes and Domino data. You can also get 50 licenses of Seagate Info 7, a fourth generation enterprise reporting solution that lets users access, analyze, and share Notes and Domino reports. Their new driver is also available in Seagate Crystal Reports, which allows developers to integrate powerful reporting into their Domino applications.

News.com has this story on Microsoft’s offering of Slate online magazine to handheld users. Microsoft will offer Slate through an agreement with AvantGo.com.

Applix announced that they are launching L.P.D., a Linux based Palm Computing platform organizer desktop application which integrates information from the Palm Computing family of connected organizers onto the Linux desktop.

FusionOne announced the completion of a second round of financing totaling $7.4 million. Led by Nokia Ventures, the round also includes investments from 3Com Ventures. FusionOne is the developer of the recently announced Internet Sync, a way for users to keep their personal digital content up-to-date and in sync across multiple devices. With FusionOne, users synchronize files and contacts on their office PC with assurance that their information will automatically be updated in their cell phone, home PC and handheld device.

PenOp announced the PenOp PocketSig application for Palm Computing handheld devices and IBM WorkPad organizers. PenOp PocketSign software allows users to sign e-commerce transactions on their PC using their handheld organizer to capture a secure handwritten signature. Available in September, PenOp PocketSign software will be offered at no charge to handheld owners who pre-register now at PenOp’s Web site. http://www.penop.com

Windows Magazine has this article on using spreadsheets on your palm-sized PC. The article takes a lok at BSquare’s SpreadSheet, which allows you to view speadsheet files in Microsoft’s PocketExcel.