THE GOODS : It Won’t Write but It Will Page

Motorola, the leader in the pager industry, has just introduced a nifty new one that looks like a fountain pen and can easily be slipped into a shirt pocket or purse.

The Gold Line Professional Pager also is lightweight (1.6 ounces) and measures a little less than six inches long, three-quarters inch wide and one-half inch deep. It has a simple two-button operation and runs on a 1.5-volt AAA size alkaline battery.

The little pen pager also offers a full range of functions, including 12-digit numerical display, full-screen backlit illumination for easy reading and the ability to hold as many as eight messages. All messages are automatically time-stamped. Pager users can be alerted to incoming pages either by a musical chime or Motorola’s Vibra-Page silent alerting system.

According to Motorola representatives, there currently are more than 20 million pager users in the United States; by 2000, Motorola estimates there will be 50 million. Company research “indicated that pen styling was the preferred form factor among both men and women,” said spokeswoman Jennifer Hansard.

The Gold Line Professional Pager (suggested retail $229) is available at Best Buy stores.

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Dividing Lines: New this fall from Casio PhoneMate is the Model 5100 telephone answering machine with several features that would make it ideal for a home office.

It provides two digital outgoing messages, so users can program one message to play during business hours, while the second message plays only at night. The Model 5100 also can be programmed to play a standard outgoing message, but play a specific message only when a special code is entered.

For users who subscribe to a Caller ID service, the Model 5100 displays the names and phone numbers of incoming calls and saves information for up to 25 calls, even those who do not leave voice messages.

Although Caller ID, a controversial service that allows the recipient of a phone call to see where the call is coming from before answering, is already available in 46 states, California’s Public Utilities Commission has not allowed residential customers to have access to it for now. That’s expected to change by next May or June.

The 5100 ($149.95) is available at electronics and department stores in most states. Because California does not yet have Caller ID, Casio PhoneMate has not released the 5100 to stores. But consumers can purchase it directly from Casio PhoneMate’s service center in Torrance. (310) 618-9910.

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A Frame-Up: The Bolt is a high-tech bicycle lock that’s strong, lightweight and designed to make the frame of the bike part of the locking system so thieves can’t use pipes, bars or car jacks to pry off the lock without damaging the bike.

Weighing just 1.7 pounds, the Bolt is made of case-hardened steel and can be locked quickly once the locking bracket has been installed on the frame. It is also designed so the key can be left in the lock when riding.

Manufactured by Bolt Security Products in Petaluma, the Bolt comes in two models and retails for between $39 and $45. In Los Angeles, the Bolt is sold at Sports Chalet stores, Helen’s Bicycles in Santa Monica and I. Martin Imports on Beverly Boulevard.