New products

April 17, 2001 —

Find It Anywhere

Main Course Technologies has released a product intended to let companies track and locate people, vehicles and other mobile assets. PortaTrack combines global positioning system and wireless networking technologies with a Web-based interface, and displays a map of resources on PCs or other Web-enabled devices, such as handheld computers. The product displays information -- including city, street, cross-street, speed and direction -- in both graphic and text-based formats. The product can be configured to work with customers' existing hardware or with newly purchased systems. Pricing begins at $500 per unit plus a monthly service fee of $19.90. For more information, visit www.mctworldwide.com or call 213 438-0352.

Instant Access

Groups and remote offices in need of quick Internet access may be interested in Rebel.com's latest versions of NetWinder, an Internet access device. The NetWinder 3100 includes security features, Web hosting, Internet access, e-mail services and file sharing. Each unit features three 100Base-T Ethernet ports, an integrated Web cache, a firewall, support for virtual private network remote access connections and an auto-update feature that allows for seamless software upgrades. The NetWinder 3300 includes all the same features and functions as an 802.11b wireless access point. Pricing for the products begins at $1,795 for the 3100 and $2,295 for the 3300. For more information, visit www.rebel.com or call 613 788-6000.

Sync It

Users with multiple information management products -- such as desktop PCs, PDAs and cell phones -- have a new tool for keeping information current on every platform. Synchrologic's ReadySyncGo synchronizes contact and calendar information, as well as providing an easy way to create and sync trips and appointments. The product can also automatically retrieve relevant Web information such as directions, maps and weather forecasts. It works with Microsoft Outlook 97, 98 and 2000, Palm handhelds running the PalmOS 3.0 and higher and many Web-enabled cell phones. Users can also retrieve information via the Web. The service is free for individuals. Enterprise pricing begins at $14.95 per month per user. For more information, visit www.readysyncgo.com or call 770 754-5600.

Portal Security

Evidian has unveiled a centralized, directory-based security product that allows authorized users to access a variety of Web and network resources without forcing them to remember multiple user names or passwords. PortalXpert Security lets administrators quickly add resources to the system, even if they don't control the source applications. Administrators can also hide confidential URLs while still providing access to the necessary resource. No additional software -- including cookies -- is required on either the Web servers or client devices. Pricing begins at $20 per user. For more information, visit www.evidian.com or call 978 294-5712.

Content Control

NQL has recently released ContentAnywhere, its enterprise content management platform. Once installed, companies can use ContentAnywhere to collect information from a variety of corporate sources (intranets, databases, websites, news services and more). Users can organize and insert the information into applications such as Outlook and Web browsers, and on many platforms, includiing PCs, PDAs and WAP-enabled cell phones. Pricing begins at $200,000 per server. For more information, visit www.nqli.com or call 714 338-1600.

After the Crash

Mutek Solutions has announced the release of its application error tracing solution, the Black Box Flight Recorder. The device resides on client or server systems, accessible via the network by support or system administrators. It monitors online application activity in the background. If it detects a situation that could lead to an error (error conditions are preset by an administrator), it sends alerts to administrators requesting attention. Should an application failure occur, administrators can then use the box to play back the events that led to the problem. The box can record activity at the user, system and code levels with minimal effect on system performance. Boxes are available for both client and server machines and can be monitored and managed locally or remotely via a Web interface. Pricing for the boxes is based on the customer's configuration. For more information, visit www.mutek.com.

CIO