FRAMINGHAM (02/25/2000) - Wireless at CeBitBluetooth products demonstrated at CeBit 2000 in Hannover, Germany, this week included handheld computers from Palm Inc. in Santa Clara, Calif. Those devices link wirelessly to PCs and other Palms as well as NEC Corp. laptops that link to one another using Bluetooth chips. Bluetooth is a short-range radio technology that's designed to replace cables for device connections.
Kraft Adopts Ariba
Northfield, Ill.-based Kraft Foods Inc. signed on to use Mountain View, Calif-based Ariba Inc.'s business-to-business e-commerce and procurement software. The companies said Kraft plans to use the Internet-based procurement application across its supply chain.
AOL Hires FCC Chief
America Online Inc. has named Dennis Patrick, former commissioner and chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), as president of its wireless division. Patrick, who served at the FCC during the 1980s, will oversee AOL's wireless strategy and operations.
XML B-to-B Platform
Extricity Software Inc. in Redwood Shores, Calif., announced a new XML-based software platform for creating business-to-business Internet trading communities. The vendor also said that three customers have signed up for its new Alliance for Net Markets software: MarketFusion Inc. in San Jose, Need2Buy.com Inc. in Westlake Village, Calif., and RightFreight.com in New York.
Short Takes
Intelisys Electronic Commerce Inc. in New York and Xtra On-Line Corp. in Dallas signed a deal that will give users of Intelisys' Internet-based purchasing software desktop access to travel planning and management software from On-Line's PowerTrip.com. ... Microsoft Corp.'s Windows Millennium Edition, the next version of Consumer Windows, will ship with built-in help desk software from Support.com Inc. in Redwood City, Calif.