iambic has released a new utility for Palm OS devices. ToolboxToGo is a collection of applications geared towards users in need of applying multiple changes to their tasks, meetings, or contacts. It includes five tools allowing to adjust contacts' capitalization, align phone number formatting, delete data based on creation date, apply numerous changes to any of the contact, meeting and task related fields, and remove tags from the item's note. The company says, each facility is designed for fine grained selection of the pim items to which the changes will be applied and presents a list of records falling in the search criteria prior to moving forward with the updates.

ToolboxToGo for Palm OS v1.0 is available now for $9.95. A free trial period is included.

Vaja's i-Volution case line is legendary for not only its styling and leather quality, but also its scarce availability and high price tag. Fortunately, as we've all seen so often in the mobile tech world, imitation always remains sincerest form of flattery-and affordable imitation is always worthy of discussion. In my quest to find a slim, lightweight, and affordable daily case for my new 755p I decided to give this latest contender from Case-Mate a shot.

Let's see if the affordable Case-Mate Signature Series Treo hard shell case is a viable and affordable alternative to the classic Vaja i-Volution!

ActiveCaptain Mobile is a new application designed for boating enthusiasts. The application combines access to thousands of NOAA charts and powerful navigation tools with a wealth of local information from the ActiveCaptain website. The program features a guidebook with access to over 30,000 marinas, boatyards, anchorages, and local knowledge markers, and a powerful, portable chartplotter. With a GPS module, ActiveCaptain can function as a portable chartplotter which can track your location, offering a backup to onboard navigation systems.

RESETgame, makers of the popular Par 72 Golf, have released a new action title for Palm OS and Windows Mobile devices. Tank Ace 1944 is a 3D strategy shooter that puts you in command of a World War II tank. There are three different scenarios: Allied, German, or Soviet and three tanks a Sherman, Tiger, and T34, each with movable turret and cannon. The goal of each round of play is to clear the enemy from a map sector and drive them off the far bank of a river so that your side can cross and advance.

Tank Ace 1944 is available now for Palm OS and Windows Mobile devices. It comes with a free trial and costs $14.95 for a registration key.

Hobbyist Software has released a new update to its über-popular Butler application. Butler is a feature rich Treo/Centro smartphone utility that gives you extended control over a number of options and adds some useful additional tools and utilities. It includes mp3 alarms, customized alerts, remote sms security lock and data wipe, button customization and volume key control, an expanded keyguard, LED control and many other features. This new version has a new transparent sliding keyguard function that allows you to swipe your finger to unlock the device.

Butler v4.71 comes with a free trial and costs $14.95 to register.

Engadget Mobile has posted a new article detailing word on a round of updated versions of the SlingPlayer Mobile client software for Symbian S60 and both Standard and Professional flavors of Windows Mobile. Presumably a major part of the WM version's updates will be centered around supporting forthcoming WM 6.1 devices such as the rumored Treo 800w and Drucker from Palm.

While the article goes on to mention that the BlackBerry version of SlingPlayer is still progressing nicely, no word is made of the Palm OS version of the software which was released last July. No exact release date for the new versions of SlingPlayer Mobile is given other than "this spring".

The new Best Buy retail circular for March 16th -22nd is showing sale pricing for Palm's oldest remaining Palm OS product, the Tungsten E2 handheld, as well as the newest Palm OS model, the GSM Centro from AT&T.

This week's sale brings the E2 again down to its previous sale price of $149.99, with a $60 instant discount in effect (remember, Best Buy strangely sells Palm PDAs with higher-than-MSRP shelf prices). Additionally, Best Buy is touting the availability of the stylus/pen multipack for the E2 for $14.99, which is the standard price for this item. The full Tungsten E2 ad can be found on page 21 of this week's flyer.

Since the news has been a little slow of late, I thought it would be interesting to take a look back and what was going on around this time of year at PIC in the years past.

Eight years ago:

• Palm Inc Big in Japan
• Handspring talks Visor as a Gaming Platform

Seven years ago:

• It's Official: m500 and m505 Released
• New Features in Palm OS 4.0 and the m50x Series
• New Clié Available in Japan
• Rumor: Visor Edge Gallery Of Photos and More Details

Absolutist has released an update to its Bubble Shooter Mobile arcade game for Palm OS. Bubble Shooter is a game of simple rules with a great wealth of combinations and strategies. The goal is to explode all the bubbles before they overflow the board. As described by its developer the game takes the best from Tetris, Arkanoid and Pool and adds its own new twists and features.

Bubble Shooter Mobile v1.09 is available now for Palm OS 5 and later color devices. It comes with a free trial version and costs $16.95 to purchase the full version.

Megasoft2000 has released a new version of its popular MegaLauncher for Palm OS. MegaLauncher v6.45 (Apache) is a multipurpose application manager that can work on all modern Palm OS platform devices. To call it a simple launcher with skin support would be an understatement as the program provides a wide array of features. Highlights include a Today view with plugin support, a network and ftp manager, built-in file browser and utilities, multi-window mode, a theme manager, zip support and whole range of customization options. The latest update features full support for the GSM Centro.

MegaLauncher v6.45 (Apache) is available now for Palm OS 5 and above. It includes a free trial period and sells for $19.95.

Palm is running a site-wide 25% off accessories promotion. From now until March 19th, you can take 25% off all accessory purchases from the Palm.com store. The discount is applied once you add items to your shopping cart.

In addition, the Palm online store has a few other specials including a free universal keyboard with a Tungsten E2 handheld purchase and a free bluetooth headset with any Unlocked Treo 680 or Treo 750 purchase.