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Press Release
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
3Com® and QUALCOMM Enter Strategic Alliance to
Deliver Wireless Solutions for the Palm Computing® Platform
SANTA CLARA, Calif., February 2, 1998 - Palm Computing, Inc., a 3Com company (Nasdaq:COMS)
and QUALCOMM Incorporated (Nasdaq:QCOM), the pioneer of Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA)
technology and leading manufacturer of CDMA subscriber products, today announced that QUALCOMM
has licensed Palm Computing's industry-leading Palm Computing® platform for integration into
QUALCOMM's next-generation CDMA wireless communication products. QUALCOMM will use components
of the Palm Computing platform to develop new wireless products that will facilitate the use of
data applications, e-mail and the Internet in wireless computing environments.
The alliance extends the Palm Computing platform to the fast-growing wireless communication
market, and is an important milestone in Palm Computing's strategy for bringing the world's
leading handheld computing technology to a broad range of markets and customers. As recently
reported by Dataquest, products based on the Palm Computing platform hold a 66 percent share of
the standard handheld computing market worldwide, clearly indicating Palm Computing's world
leadership in handheld computing. With well over one million units sold, the Palm Computing
platform is the fastest-adopted computing platform in the history of computing.
"We selected the Palm Computing platform because of its tremendous success in the marketplace
with its intuitive user interface and open architecture," said Dr. Paul E. Jacobs, president of
QUALCOMM's Subscriber Products Division. "We are pleased to work with Palm Computing to create
a whole new class of products and usher in a new era of wireless access."
QUALCOMM, recognized as the pioneer of Code Division Multiple Access digital wireless technology,
has licensed its CDMA technology to over 50 other leading telecommunications manufacturers
worldwide and supplies the industry's most advanced line of CDMA subscriber products, wireless
infrastructure products and semiconductors. QUALCOMM's CDMA technology enables a large number
of users to share the same frequencies and increases system capacity by as much as 10 to 20 times
over analog cellular systems. It also provides improved battery life and outstanding voice
quality with greatly reduced static, cross-talk and background noise.
"We are delighted that the leader of CDMA wireless communication solutions has selected the Palm
Computing platform," said Donna Dubinsky, 3Com vice president and president of Palm Computing.
"CDMA is a foundation technology for future devices that integrate data and voice communications.
This alliance brings two leaders in their categories together to produce ground-breaking new
solutions."
The Palm Computing platform is the foundation for the market-leading 3Com® PalmPilot™ connected
organizer and other handheld computing products from Palm Computing's strategic partners, all
leaders in their respective markets. In addition to QUALCOMM, these relationships include IBM,
which sells the IBM WorkPad PC Companion into the enterprise market, Franklin Covey, which
supplies the Franklin Electronic Day Planner for the training and time management industry,
and Symbol Technologies, whose expertise in bar code scanning and wireless LAN and WAN
connectivity will take the Palm Computing platform further into various vertical markets.
Examples of these vertical markets are retail, transportation, parcel and postal delivery,
manufacturing and health care.
An open architecture for handheld computing, the Palm Computing platform provides an ideal basis
for third-party developers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to create and deliver
successful mobile computing solutions. The platform consists of five primary components: the
reference hardware design, the device operating system called the Palm OS™; the HotSync® conduit
data synchronization technology; the platform component tools including an applications
programming interface (API) that enables developers to write applications; and the software
interface capabilities to support hardware add-ons. Today, more than 3,500 developers are
creating software solutions for the Palm Computing platform, while more than one thousand
software applications, developer tools and services are already available.
Headquartered in San Diego, QUALCOMM develops, manufactures, markets, licenses and operates
advanced communications systems and products based on its proprietary digital wireless
technologies. The Company's primary product areas are the OmniTRACS® system (a geostationary
satellite-based, mobile communications system providing two-way data and position reporting
services), CDMA wireless communications systems and products and, in conjunction with others,
the development of the Globalstar™ low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellite communications system.
Other Company products include the Eudora Pro™ electronic mail software, ASIC products, and
communications equipment and systems for government and commercial customers worldwide. For
more information on QUALCOMM products and technologies, please visit the Company's web site at
http://www.qualcomm.com/ or call (800) 349-4188.
3Com Corporation enables individuals and organizations worldwide to communicate and share
information and resources at anytime from anywhere. As one of the world's preeminent suppliers
of data, voice and video communications technology, 3Com has delivered networking solutions to
more than 100 million customers worldwide. The company provides enterprises, network service
providers and carriers, small businesses and consumers with comprehensive, innovative information
access products and system solutions for building intelligent, reliable and high performance
local and wide area networks. For further information, visit 3Com's World Wide Web site at
http://www.3com.com, or the press site at
http://www.3com.com/pressbox.
Except for the historical information contained herein, this news release contains
forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties, including timely
product development, QUALCOMM's ability to successfully manufacture significant quantities of
CDMA or other equipment on a timely and profitable basis and those related to performance
guarantees, change in economic conditions of the various markets QUALCOMM serves, as well as
the other risks detailed from time to time in the QUALCOMM's SEC reports, including the report
on Form 10-K for the year ended September 28, 1997 and most recent Form 10-Qs.
3Com, the 3Com logo, Palm Computing, and HotSync are registered trademarks, and PalmPilot,
the PalmPilot logo, and Palm OS are trademarks of 3Com Corporation or its subsidiaries.
This product is not manufactured by Pilot Corporation or Pilot Corporation of America,
manufacturers and distributors of writing instruments. All other brands and product names
may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. QUALCOMM, OmniTRACS
and Eudora and are registered trademarks of QUALCOMM Incorporated. Eudora Pro is a trademark
of QUALCOMM Incorporated. Globalstar is a trademark of Loral QUALCOMM Satellite Services,
Incorporated. cdmaOne is a trademark of the CDMA Development Group.
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