ATI Technologies has joined the Palm OS Ready Program. This means that future Palm OS handhelds can include ATI's Imageon graphic accelerator chip, which delivers high-performance advanced 2D graphics and hardware MPEG-4 decoding. Imageon chips have been designed to offer the highest performance and crisp images while saving power for longer battery life.

At the TechXNY tradeshow today, PalmSource's CEO David Nagel said that Palm OS 5 will include features important to enterprise customers.

PalmSource and Insignia Solutions are working together to create a standard Java interface to run on the Palm OS platform. It is also working with Access Systems America to develop a new, secure, proxyless browser for OS 5. The new operating system will also include an evaluation version of SoftRemotePDA Virtual Private Network (VPN) client.

Barton Gellman, who is attending the TechXNY tradeshow in New York this week, got the opportunity to spend about an hour yesterday morning trying out the just announced Kyocera 7135 smartphone, which includes an MP3 player and an SD slot for external file storage. He was kind enough to write up his impressions and send them in.

Bachmann Software has introduced PrintBoy Anywhere, which allows users to print with the wireless method of their choice. Whether the users have Bluetooth, 802.11b, modem access, or infrared, it allows them to send their data directly from a handheld to a printer . PrintBoy Anywhere is is available now for $40.

Palm, Inc. has just reported that revenue for its most recent financial quarter was $233 million, which is slightly more than analysts had predicted. During the same quarter last year, the company had just $165 million in revenues. The company had a pro forma net loss of $18 million, or 3 cents per share.

Palm shipped approximately 900,000 Palm-branded handhelds during this quarter. This is down from the 1.3 million shipped last quarter.

Almost lost in the furor over the T665C was Sony's announcement that it will be releasing the Mini Keyboard PEGA-KB20. This connects to the HotSync port of any T-series handheld then clips onto the sides of the unit, covering the Graffiti area. It has a QWERTY keyboard layout and dedicated application buttons. It is $50 but Sony hasn't said yet when it will be available.

With the huge TechXNY show going on now, several companies have taken advantage of the opportunity to show off their new and updated products. Of course, most of the attention goes to the new handhelds, like the Sony T665C or the Kyocera 7135 smartphone announced yesterday, which might explain why there have been only a few software and peripheral announcements. Still, the ones there were deserve some attention.

Palm Inc. has named a board of directors for PalmSource, its subsidiary responsible for developing and licencing the Palm OS. This is an important milestone in the process of spinning off the subsidiary. This board will oversee the company once it is a separate unit, which is expected to happen later this year.

LEDhead simulates the classic LED (light emitting diode) based handheld games of the 70's. All games feature fully authentic sound-effects and faithfully replicate the game play of the originals. The Palm version now supports all 11 games. LEDhead is a free download, with the program being supported by user donations. -PR

SonyStyle Canada is now offering the Sony T615C for $500 CAD. -Anon

Sony has announced the PEG-T665C, a U.S. version of the T650C which it released in Japan earlier this month. This is essentially a T615C with an MP3/ATRAC3 player added. Despite this important new feature, the price for the T665C is the same as the T615C's was when it was announced, $400. In addition, the T665C's has an improved screen compared to the previous model, making it better able to display colors. Sony will begin taking preorders today and the T665C will be in retail stores sometime in July.

News Editor Ed Hardy has a review of this brand new handheld.

Kyocera is planning to release the 7135, a smartphone with an SD card slot and an MP3 player. It will support CDMA 2000 1X, meaning it can transfer data at up to 153 Kbps.

The device will have a clamshell shape with a color screen on one side and the Graffiti area, buttons, and a number pad on the other. The 7135 is expected to cost about $500 with a service plan and be available the fourth quarter of this year.

Update: Someone at TechXNY was able to learn that, contrary to what Kyocera's info on this device says, the 7135's screen is 160 by 160, not high resolution.

Update: An initial review of the 7135 is available.