Portable Innovation Technology has announced the PiLock, a hardcase that not only physically protects a Palm m500 series handheld, it prevents unwanted access to the data inside. It comes with an application that locks the handheld to prevent its use by anyone who doesn't have the key. And there really is a physical key. The handheld is unlocked by waving what looks like a small handheld over the case. PiLock will be available at the end of August for $70.

PalmSource has a new company logo to go with its newly redesigned website. -Gavin Maxwell

SonyStyle is now taking orders for the new, monochrome PEG-SJ20 at $200. A review of this model was published last week. -Ed

PalmSource, the operating system division of Palm Inc. is looking for $60 million to $80 million in investment money for when it becomes an independent company, which should happen within the next six months. PalmSource CEO David Nagel told Cnet that his company was hoping to get an amount equal to 9 months to a year's revenue. "We're really talking to a mixture of what I would say are strategic investors -- people that would have either the status of technology partners or perhaps customers -- on the one hand and then strategic financial investors on the other," Nagel said.

Last month, a brochure was leaked on two new Palm OS devices coming from Acer, the s50 and s60. That information has now been confirmed by the company, according to infoSync, which goes on to say the two models will be released in Europe in English, French, Italian, German, and Spanish. When this will happen and what they will cost is not yet available. Acer's official site on its handhelds has not yet been updated with this information.

For those who have been waiting to use a Stowaway folding keyboard on their Sony T series handheld, the wait is almost over. Sony plans to begin selling the PEGA-KB11 Compact Keyboard in the near future, which is clearly a version of the Stowaway that has been rebranded by Sony. The KB11 will work with the NR, T, SJ and SL series. SonyStyle is taking pre-orders now for $90 but hasn't said when the release date will be.

SonyStyle is also taking pre-orders for the PEGA-GC10 Game Controller.

The PEG-SJ20 from Sony has a hi-res monochrome screen, 16 MB of RAM, a Memory Stick slot, Jog Dial, and Back button. It runs Palm OS 4.1 on a 33 MHz Dragonball processor. It has the same shape that first debuted on the SL10, and is 4.1 by 2.9 by .7 inches. It weighs 4.5 ounces.

The SJ20 comes with DataViz's Documents to Go 4.0 Standard Edition so users can access Microsoft Word and Excel files on their handheld.

News Editor Ed Hardy has an initial review of this new model.

A federal court has ruled that Palm Inc. didn't infringe on a patent held by E-Pass Technologies. E-Pass filed suit in February 2000 alleging Palm infringed a 1994 patent and arguing that the company's handhelds were electronic, multifunction cards. The court decided that Palm did not infringe literally or under the broader Doctrine of Equivalents and granted its request for summary judgment. -PR

Lexar Media has started shipments of 256 MB and 512 MB SD cards. These new cards will be available soon at retalers for $200 and $400 respectively. -PR

Everyone goes on trips occasionally, whether for work or fun, and all true handheld fans take their trusty Palm with them wherever they go. However, problems can arise once batteries start to get low. Proporta offers the Complete Data Power Pack, which allows users to recharge a Universal Connector Palm from almost any power source. News Editor Ed Hardy has this review.

InnoPocket has released a new hardcase for the Sony T665C and Marware has released one for the Handspring Treo line.

The Metal Deluxe Case for Sony T665C is made of anodized aluminum and lined with neoprene. It has been designed to fit the handheld as closely as possible. It includes slots that allow access to the Memory Stick slot, Jog Dial, Back button, headphone jack, Hold button, stylus, IR port, and HotSync port. It is available now from InnoPocket for $30.

The hardware division of Palm Inc. is moving from its Santa Clara offices to three rented buildings in Milpitas, California, which is a bit north of San Jose, according to an article in the The Argus. Despite moving from 144,900 sq. feet to 153,275 sq. feet, the rent will actually be less because of the depressed real estate market in the San Francisco Bay Area. About 650 employees from the Solutions Group will work here. PalmSource, the division that makes the Palm OS, is taking its 250 employees to offices in Sunnyvale, California.

AvantGo is offering hardcore users of its service the ability to buy extra channel capacity. Currently, users are limited to 2 MB of channels but AvantGo will now allow people who want more to have 8 MB for an annual fee of $20, though it currently has a special introductory price of $15. It should be emphasized that the service is still free for those who are happy with just 2 MB.