11/16/98 THE WELL-PROGRAMMED PORTABLE

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THE WELL-PROGRAMMED PORTABLE

Handheld computers come ready to use out of the box, with all the software most customers will want already installed. But that hasn't stopped a small industry from springing up to sUpply add-on programs. Handhelds have no disk drives, so loading software requires first copying the program to a PC, then transferring it to the handheld over your synchronization setup.
Applications for the popular Palm Pilot are by fAr the most numerous. If you've added a modem to your Palm, you may want a good mail program to sendand receive messages over the Internet. My favorite is MultiMail PRO from Actual Software Corp. ($29.95). This program works well with corporate mail systems. Other choices include HandWEB and HandMAIL from Smartcode Software Inc. or, if you just want to access an America Online Inc. (AOL) mail account, PocketFlash from Power Media (both $49.95).
The Palm doesn't make for much of a Web browser, but it can read text paGes if you have the HandWEB browser from Smartcode ($49.95). A better idea is AvantGo Inc., from a company of the same name. AvantGo's free reader allows you to choose from free and subscription ''channels'' and download pages specially formatted for Palms.
Most PC mapping programs now feature links for handhelds, too. Microsoft Corp.'s (MSFT) Expedia Streets can download acTual maps to Windows CE handhelds, though using them on the smaller devices can be difficult. Rand McNally & Co. and DeLorme mapping products can download driving instructions to a Palm, and DeLorme sells a cable that allows you to attach a Global Positioning System receiver, turning your Palm into a navigation aid.
Windows CE starts off with a rich set of applications built in, but there are still plenty of add-ons available. A popular CE utility for sending faxes is bFAX from BSQUARE Corp. A professional version, which also letsyou receive faxes, is $69.95. The CE Handheld PCs come with touch screens and styluses, but lack handwriting-recognition software. You can remedy this with CalliGrapher from Vadem's Paragraph Div. ($49.95) or SmARTwriter Plus from Advanced Recognition Technologies Inc. ($69.95).
Finally, no computer of any size is complete without games--and there's a vast selection for both the Palm and WinCE. Your handheld computer is probably more versatile than you thought.
By Stephen H. Wildstrom in Washington

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