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Press Release
Palm Makes Internet Personal and Portable With MyPalm Portal
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New Wireless Content and Services to Be Initiated in Public Beta; Palm
Building Mobile PIM-centric Portal
LAS VEGAS, Nev., COMDEX, Nov. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Palm, Inc. (Nasdaq: PALM)
today announced the public beta version of a new, personal portal for Palm(TM)
VII series handheld users. The MyPalm(TM) portal takes the expanse of the
Internet and organizes just the information needed and wanted onto users' Palm
handheld computers. Information is displayed in a format sized to the
handheld's screen for easy, clear and virtually instantaneous access. This
move represents a large step forward in Palm's vision of delivering personal
information and the best of web-based content and access to a handheld device.
This portal -- which will go live by Dec. 25 -- gives handheld users
unprecedented freedom from their desktops and unprecedented wireless access to
personal accounts and websites of individual interest anytime in the
United States and eventually in many other parts of the world. At the same
time, Palm will remain true to its reputation for focusing on the user's
experience by delivering intuitive ease of use and transparent technology.
"The work we have begun today takes a great handheld computer and combines
it with the power of the wireless Internet. Users will be able to access the
world's information in a way that is easy to use, fast, powerful and
personally relevant," said Barry Cottle, chief operating officer, Content and
Access, for Palm, Inc. "The MyPalm portal will deliver access to rich,
dynamic, personal content, and it will free people from being tethered to a PC
or office."
The MyPalm portal builds on Palm's reputation for great Personal
Information Management (PIM) -- datebook, address, to-do lists and memo
functionality -- and takes those strengths to the web, where information can
be managed dynamically and wirelessly.
"As the Internet becomes more ubiquitous, the demand for mobile and
wireless control of a person's information and real-time content becomes
critical to users on the go," said Tim Bajarin, president,
Creative Strategies, Inc. "This new portal on a Palm handheld is a pioneering
effort that shows that the company really understands the needs of Palm users
and soon will give them a powerful connection that integrates personal
information with web-tailored content that can be accessed anytime and
anywhere."
Part of the power behind the portal is Palm's recent acquisition of
AnyDay.com, a leader in web-based calendaring and event services. By providing
time- and location-based services, users of the MyPalm portal will receive
personally relevant information and purchase options on local and national
events, such as movie listings and sporting event schedules, at home and on
the road. By enhancing individual and group-calendaring capabilities, family
members, friends and colleagues who choose to share their calendars can always
be current.
"Soon, for example, we'll reduce the everyday complexity of finding a
mutually available hour for a meeting in a department of busy co-workers,"
Cottle said. "By sharing calendars and using the MyPalm portal, a meeting can
be proposed and scheduled within minutes. What's more, a confirmed meeting can
be automatically populated into everyone's calendars wirelessly within
seconds. The time savings and productivity improvements possible are simply
amazing."
To build more services into the personal portal, Palm worked with Google,
a leading search engine that uses advanced technology to help users find the
information they're looking for quickly and effectively, and Yodlee, the
pioneer and leading provider of account-aggregation services.
"Teaming with Google and Yodlee helps create a powerful package of
services we know our users will enjoy. Suddenly, time waiting in the lobby of
a doctor's office or in a taxi stuck in traffic can become productive and
useful," Cottle said. "Using Yodlee, you can manage your frequent-flyer
programs and choose the one that offers the most miles for a particular trip,
do your personal banking and make stock trades all from one site with one
password login. Using Google, you can access the World Wide Web and be assured
a good experience."
MyPalm Portal in 2000
The MyPalm website, accessible at http://www.palm.net, provides an integrated
experience that lets handheld users access a wide variety of new content and
services. Users can download the beta MyPalm wireless application on Dec. 25.
In the future, Palm handhelds will have the MyPalm software preloaded.
The MyPalm portal lets Palm handheld users extend the functionality of
their handhelds with new features, including the following:
-- wireless calendar refresh, which allows a user to check his or her
calendar and instantly learn about changes made on the calendar at home
or work;
-- web searching through Google -- both wireless and on the web;
-- a link to personal e-mail accounts;
-- wireless search, download, and organization of more than 450 web
clipping applications;
-- a single interface to review personal accounts through Yodlee;
-- viewing and changing datebook, phone lists and to-do lists on the web;
-- automatic incorporation of personally relevant events to the web-based
datebook, such as movie listings and sporting events;
-- scheduling group meetings with work and personal groups; and
-- receiving personal reminders.
The MyPalm Portal in the Near Future
In the near future, the MyPalm portal will provide users with rich new
services. They will include the following:
-- wireless group scheduling;
-- automatic notification of calendar changes;
-- integrated services within a user's datebook, such as maps and
directions;
-- full wireline and wireless synchronization;
-- dynamic two-way content so users always have current calendars, fresh
information and the latest news, synchronized with home or office;
-- corporate e-mail with notification;
-- instant messaging;
-- MyPalm info page with personalized information; and
-- single login to access e-mail, personal and group calendars, address
books, event information and personal web-based accounts, such as those
for banking and stock trading.
MyPalm Application Available by Dec. 25
The public beta handheld application of the MyPalm portal can be
downloaded free of charge by Dec. 25 from http://www.palm.net.
Although the MyPalm portal is optimized for the Palm VIIx handheld, most
features of the portal also can be delivered to a Palm m100, Palm III and Palm
V series handhelds augmented with an infrared or standard mobile phone (with
cable) and the Palm Mobile Internet Kit. The kit began shipping today and is
available on the PalmStore at store.palm.com.
Diversified Revenue Opportunities
Palm believes that the MyPalm portal represents an important step forward
in the company's efforts to diversify its revenue base, which comprises
revenue from the sale of devices and accessories, licensing royalties, and
content and access. Last quarter, Palm obtained 97 percent of its revenue from
its device business. Over time, the company anticipates that the MyPalm portal
will help accelerate the company's content and access revenues.
About Palm, Inc.
Palm, Inc. is a pioneer in the field of mobile and wireless Internet
solutions and a leading provider of handheld computers (source: IDC,
December 1999). Based on the Palm OS(R) platform, Palm's handheld solutions
allow people to carry and access their most critical information with them
wherever they go. Palm handhelds address the needs of individuals, enterprises
and educational institutions through thousands of application solutions. The
Palm OS platform is also the foundation for products from Palm's licensees and
strategic partners, such as Cresenda Wireless; ePocrates, Inc.; Franklin
Covey; Handspring; IBM; Sony; Symbol Technologies; and TRG. Platform licensees
also include Kyocera and Nokia. Palm went public on March 2, 2000. Its stock
is traded on the Nasdaq national market under the symbol PALM. More
information is available at http://www.palm.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This release contains forward-looking statements about the future product
features and functionality and the diversification of the company's revenue
sources. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, which may
cause future events to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties are
discussed in detail in Palm's filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, including its Form 10-K for the year ended June 2, 2000, effective
Aug. 16, 2000, and Form 10-Q for the quarter ended Sept 1, 2000, effective
Oct. 12, 2000.
NOTE: Palm OS is a registered trademark and Palm and MyPalm are
trademarks of Palm, Inc. or its subsidiaries. All other trademarks are the
property of their respective owners.
SOURCE Palm, Inc.
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