GooSync is a new program that provides an over the air synchronization client for Google Calendar with Palm OS and Windows Mobile devices. The program will sync the internal datebook application with Google Calendar. GooSync is listed as a beta application and the service is available for free. They company says they are also working on syncing contacts from Gmail accounts for a future release.

Janam Technologies, a provider of rugged mobile computers that scan barcodes, and ACCESS Systems Americas, today announced that Janam has signed a five year licensing agreement for Palm OS Garnet. Janam will develop and sell application-specific mobile computers based on the latest version of ACCESS’ Palm OS Garnet until 2011.

In addition, Janam has announced two new rugged, barcode-scanning, PDA-format mobile computers running Palm OS. These new models are expected to be available by the end of the year.

SimToGo, creators of the acclaimed Lunar Lander Simulator have released a new Palm OS game. The new game, "Blue Diamond", takes place in a Swiss bank vault. The player assumes the role of a thief who has been apprehended by the and must match wits with the bank's security director in a high-stakes game of chance, skill, and timing.

Blue Diamond is designed for Palm gamers of all ages and experience levels. The title is currently single-player only but future updates will offer multiplayer support. It features digitzed full-color 320x320 and 160x160 graphics and a compact, expansion card-friendly memory footprint.

Blue Diamond 1.0 is available now for all OS 5.0 and newer Palm devices for $9.95.

After the strong response to last month's story on Palm product presence at major brick and mortar retailers, PIC will be posting periodic reports from the retail frontlines showcasing Palm's "traditional" sales outlets.

A trip this past weekend to the local big box emporiums found several news-worthy items. Read on for the full story.

How to Do Everything With Your Treo 700p (2nd Edition) is now being listed on Amazon.com for pre-order. Amazon's pre-order info indicates the book is scheduled to be released on December 1st, 2006. The book's authors are Derek Ball and Dayton Foster. The pair have collaborated on a number of previous Palm OS and Pocket PC-oriented "Do Everything" books. The suggested retail price is $24.99.

In addition to the new Treo book, McGraw Hill is also soon releasing the long-delayed 6th edition of their long-running series entitled, "How to Do Everything With Your Palm-Powered Handheld". This new edition's cover has the two most recent non-Treo products from Palm, the TX and Z22. The publishers site gives a October 1st publication date but other sites are showing a November 2006 publication. McGraw Hill's website states: "This fully revised and updated bestseller covers all the latest Palm OS devices, including T|X and Tungsten E2, as well as third-party plug-ins. You will learn how to use the core Palm OS applications, take advantage of wireless features such as e-mail, Web, and phone capabilities, watch movies, listen to music, secure their devices, and much more"

Datastick Systems has released a new handheld PDA-based Vibration Spectrum Analyzer / Data Collector for the Palm TX. Vibration Spectrum Analyzers are used for industrial machine diagnostics and predictive maintenance. The software provides easy operation with open PC software that allows push-button data export to any PC running Microsoft Excel.

Palm, Inc. has issued a statement in response to a patent-infringement lawsuit filed against it by patent-holding company NTP Inc. Palm asserts that the lawsuit is "unwarranted" and remarks that NTP's patents are "Dubious."

The statement reads:

The NTP lawsuit claims that certain Palm products infringe seven NTP patents. All seven of the patents asserted are being re-examined by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) and have been rejected by the re-examiners as invalid. Palm also noted that the NTP patents disclose a pager-based email service that has nothing in common with the mobile-computing devices invented by Palm. Continued...

The latest addition to Palm's on-again, off-again instruction book series has quietly been released. "Now You Know: Treo 680" is now available for sale at Amazon and other major retailers with an MSRP of $19.99. Amazon's current sales price is 32% less at $13.59.

Published by Peachpit Press and authored by Patrick Ames, this 160-page guide follows the look and feel set by other volumes in the set. Targeting certain Treo smartphones and handhelds like the T|E and Zire 31/72, Palm's "Now You Know" line has historically been, essentially, a very glossy user manual targeting novice or beginner users.

The Tucson Palm Users Group will hold its next meeting on Tuesday, November 7, at 7 pm, at Something Sweet Cafe'. One of the highlighted Palm apps this month is the Prius Synergy Simulator, which simulates the effects of environmental conditions on gas mileage for Prius hybrid cars.

NTP today announced that it has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Palm, Inc. in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. NTP, Inc. is the company that recently forced RIM into a $612 million dollar settlement over similar patent claims earlier this year.

Love 'em or hate 'em, most Treo users will acknowledge that their devices are far from perfect. This point is especially evident when one begins the oftentimes-painful process of replacing a dedicated cellular “dumbphone” with a Treo. Fortunately, the Palm OS 3rd party software developers have heeded the call of the grumbling masses and come to the rescue. Hobbyist Software’s Phone Technician application is a multi-faced utility that makes life with a Treo easier in several different ways…and can prove to be a savior in one very critical category. Read on for the full scoop.