With this backdrop, Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Good Technology said Handspring (soon to be part of Palm (Quote, Company Info)) will use GoodLink 2.0 will work on Handspring Treo 600 expected to hit the market later this year for cradle-free wireless messaging and data access.

Handspring's Treo 600 is a combined phone and PDA, which is based on the PalmOS and offers a variety of wireless applications, including messaging, e-mail and wireless Web browsing. The company said, in a statement, the new phone-organizer device "is expected to be available this fall on major carriers worldwide including the enhanced Sprint Nationwide PCS Network."

"GoodLink enables users to view e-mail attachments in Microsoft Office, WordPerfect, HTML, PDF and RTF file formats. The GoodLink system includes synchronizing server software, nationwide wireless service on a variety of networks, and applications software for a variety of devices and operating systems, including the Good G100, RIM 950 and RIM 957 wireless handhelds, and industry-standard devices based on PalmOS, and soon PocketPC," the companies said in a statement.

Good Technology also said Cingular will run GoodLink 2.0 software solution with Cingular XpressMail over the Mobitex network. Questions have been raised about the long-term viability of the Mobitex network, as carriers move to 2.5G and other next-generation networks. But for now, Good's software will run over the Mobitex network and will allow for Cingular to offer data capability with Cingular's Interactive Messaging Plus, two-way paging system.

Cingular announced its support of XpressMail with BlackBerry service for GSM/GPRS back in February. Meanwhile, RIM's move to next-generation cellular networks became clear with its recent deal to distribute its BlackBerry 6210 through T-Mobile USA's GSM/GPRS network.

Good Technology said, with the release of GoodLink 2.0, the company "is now ready for converged voice/data devices on 2.5G network, providing maximum network, device and handheld OS flexibility."

Good said the new version of its software will support a variety of voice and data devices and will run on both 1xRTT and GPRS next-generation wireless networks. Good expects that devices running Microsoft's (Quote, Company Info) Windows Mobile 2003 Pocket PC operating system will be available by the end of 2003. Good also has a deal with PalmSource to run its software, as part of its strategy of being handheld operating system agnostic.