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Press Release
New Sleek Palm m500 and m505 Handhelds Add Expansion, Mobile Connectivity and Vibrant Color
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Postage-Stamp-Size SD and MultiMediaCard Slot for Built-in Expansion Options
Tops Industry for Smallest Size
SANTA CLARA, Calif., March 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Palm, Inc. (Nasdaq: PALM), a
leading provider of handheld computers, today unveiled a new era in sleek,
expandable handheld computing -- the Palm(TM) m500 series handhelds. Two new
models -- the Palm m500 monochrome handheld and the Palm m505 color handheld,
defined by its vibrant 16-bit color screen -- pack the power of flexible dual,
plug-and-play expansion and mobile Internet access capability into the next
generation of the best-selling Palm V handheld product design. A Secure
Digital (SD) and MultiMediaCard expansion slot about the size of a postage
stamp, a new Universal Connector for hardware add-on modules, and Internet
connectivity software make the m500 series handhelds the most wearable,
expandable and wireless-capable handhelds on the market today.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20010319/HSM016-a
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20010319/HSM016-b )
Both handhelds feature a new Arctic Mist metallic silver color as well as
a new, gentle curve for easier gripping at the products' waistline. The m500
handheld, weighing just four ounces, is scheduled to be available in the
United States in late April for an estimated street price (ESP) of $399
(U.S.).(1) International availability is expected in May. The m505 handheld,
the lightest expandable color-screen handheld computing product ever designed,
is scheduled to be available in the United States in May for $449 (ESP).
International availability is expected in June. Outside the United States,
users can choose from six languages for both models -- English, French,
Italian, Spanish, German and Japanese. Effective today, the popular Palm Vx
handheld moves from $399 to $349 (ESP).
IBM intends to announce and ship new versions of its WorkPad, based on the
m500 series handhelds, in the second quarter. Palm is an OEM for IBM
WorkPads.
"We selected SD and MultiMediaCard technology for our expansion slot
because its small size allows us to maintain the elegant, sleek form factor
valued by our customers. Users can now easily carry additional memory, video
clips, images, applications, games, backup capability and more," said Byron
Connell, vice president, Product Management and Planning, Palm, Inc. "Its
adoption as a standard [by a broad variety of leading manufacturers], power
efficiency, low cost, fast transfer rates and support for I/O make it the best
choice for collaboration and sharing among Palm handhelds and other consumer
electronics devices."
In addition, Palm recognizes users want remote access to their corporate
and personal data and has included Mobile Connectivity software with the m500
series handhelds. Using a compatible data-enabled mobile phone or modem,
customers have wireless Internet access readily available for email and web
content via their Internet Service Provider.
Dual Expansion Architecture
The Palm m500 series handhelds introduce Palm's dual expansion
architecture, which includes an SD and MultiMediaCard expansion slot and a new
Universal Connector, which supports add-on modules. These new expansion
technologies will be common across future Palm handhelds.
SD and MultiMediaCard -- Small, Flexible and Cost-effective
Palm's postage-stamp-size expansion slot offers plug-and-play use of the
industry's smallest expansion formats: SD and MultiMediaCard media. The
expansion cards, which range from 8MB to 256MB(2), can be easily carried and
inserted in the expansion slot for instant access to applications, content,
data storage and backup, images, video clips and more. Because of the broad
acceptance of SD and MultiMediaCard media, the cards can be shared among a
variety of consumer electronics products as well, such as printers, digital
cameras and MP3 players.
Like Palm, more than 200 companies, including Panasonic, Toshiba and
SanDisk, have committed to supporting the SD card standard for use in multiple
consumer products. More information on the SD Association can be found at
http://www.sdcard.org.
More information about MultiMediaCard media is available at http://www.mmca.org.
"As one of the companies that led the development of the SD memory card,
Panasonic is excited by Palm's adoption of the SD format as part of its
expansion strategy," said Arthur Matsumoto, vice president of planning at
Panasonic's North American headquarters, Matsushita Electric Corporation of
America. "Panasonic believes that consumers will benefit from innovative
applications that will result from the enhanced interoperability between Palm
handhelds and a wide range of personal technology devices, including those
from Panasonic. We expect that the launch of these new SD-capable Palm
handhelds will be a major step forward for the SD format as a whole."
The SD format also supports input/output (SDIO) connectivity for future
capabilities. With SDIO, manufacturers will be able to miniaturize their
technologies to create SDIO modules for scanners, radios, modems, cameras and
MP3 players. A number of manufacturers, including Toshiba and Panasonic, have
already announced plans to create SDIO cards using technologies such as
Bluetooth, a new wireless standard that will enable seamless collaboration
among handhelds and other computing products.
This flexible media gives the more than 145,000 developers for the
Palm OS(R) platform the opportunity to create and distribute an even broader
array of products and software. Plus, the low cost of the media will allow
for a broader and more rapid proliferation of solutions for consumers and
businesses. For example, businesses will be able to provide employees with
up-to-date materials, such as databases, sales collateral and product manuals,
in a cost-effective manner.
New Universal Connector -- Superfast USB HotSync(R) Cradle
The m500 series will be the first to include Palm's new Universal
Connector, a standard connector and attachment methodology to be common across
future Palm handhelds.
The m500 series products are bundled with Palm's USB HotSync cradle,
providing even easier setup and faster synchronization than previous models.
The USB cradle provides out-of-the box connectivity for both PC and Macintosh
users. The cradle also supports the Universal Connector and as such will
become the standard cradle for future Palm products.
The Universal Connector will allow developers to create common hardware
add-ons, such as wireless modems, cameras, GPS receivers and MP3 players, that
can be used across a broad variety of future Palm handhelds, giving corporate
and individual customers the most flexibility for extending the functionality
of their handhelds.
"Palm believes the Universal Connector is an important step toward
simplifying the process of selecting expansion solutions for handheld
computers because it will lead to all products being compatible with all
peripherals," said Byron Connell. "Ultimately, this will provide more choices
for consumers, easier maintenance by corporate IT groups, and greater
opportunities for third-party developers."
Mobile Connectivity -- Many Ways to Stay Connected
The m500 handheld series offers people several options for keeping in
touch. The included Palm Mobile Connectivity software allows customers to
connect to the Internet and manage email(3) and Short Messaging Service (SMS)
virtually anytime, anywhere using a compatible modem or mobile phone.(4)
The Palm Mobile Connectivity software includes web clipping technology and
the MyPalm(TM) mobile portal application. Web clipping technology enables
handheld users to access popular web content, such as ABC News, ESPN, CBS
Marketwatch and Fidelity, in a format tailored for fast, comfortable handheld
viewing. More than 600 web clipping applications can be downloaded for free
at http://www.palm.net.
The MyPalm mobile portal application offers users access to a powerful new
web-based service that gives them the freedom to manage their personal data
and customize their favorite Internet content wirelessly from their Palm
handhelds.
For email, the Palm Mobile Connectivity software includes Palm
MultiMail(R) software, providing access to personal Internet mail (POP3,
IMAP4), such as Earthlink and AT&T WorldNet. The software also includes
support for SMS, which lets users send and receive messages and data with a
GSM data-enabled mobile phone.
In addition, both the m500 and m505 handhelds in the United States include
AOL for Palm OS, which gives AOL members handheld access to AOL email and
instant messaging in the office, on the road, or anywhere they can make a
connection. Many other web-based email applications, such as Yahoo! Mail and
Hotmail, also can be downloaded for free at http://www.palm.net.
Both handheld models also come with Palm HotSync Mail, which enables
people on-the-go to read and reply to desktop email offline.
Vibrant Color -- Crisp Screens Without Sacrificing Battery Life
The m505 product's new color screen offers bright and easy readability,
indoors and out. The reflective screen is designed to support more than
65,000 colors and color-rich 16-bit applications for clear viewing of games,
photos and video clips. The m505 handheld Graffiti(R) writing area can be
backlit for easy reading in dark conditions.
The new Palm m500 series handhelds use a powerful new lithium polymer
battery that easily handles the color screen demands of the m505 handheld.
This small, light new technology provides three to four weeks of average use
on a single charge.
The m500 handheld uses an enhanced gray-scale screen for a crisp, clear
display, with greater contrast for easier readability.
New Functionality -- Faster Operations, Upgradeability, Enhanced
Notification
The m500 series handhelds offer a faster processor, the Dragonball VZ
33MHz, for faster handheld operations. Both models have 4MB flash memory,
which provides more flexibility and upgradeability, and 8MB of RAM for highly
efficient storage of additional data and applications.
Both the m500 and m505 can be programmed for silent alerts. Users can
choose between an audible alarm, a vibrate mode or a blinking LED for
notification of important events and messages.
Also included are the popular Clock and Note Pad applications, first
introduced in the Palm m100 series handhelds.
New Palm OS(R) Software -- Native Expansion, USB and Wireless Capabilities
The m500 series handhelds are the first to include the latest version of
Palm's industry-leading operating system, Palm OS v4.0, which now includes
support for the following:
* Plug-and-play Expansion -- Dual plug-and-play architecture for SD and
MultiMediaCard expansion card slot and a new Universal Connector.
* Native USB Support -- New USB-enabled Universal Connector for faster
HotSync operations and easier setup.
* Security -- Improved security with new password protection,
user-configured automatic lockout, improved data masking and password
"hinting."
* Web clipping and SMS support -- Improved Internet access and SMS for
mobile and wireless access to web content and data.
* Notification -- Expanded event notification options and "subtle" alarm
support for Palm OS applications.
* Time-zone Support -- Improved scheduling across time zones.
* Address Book Dial Command -- Users can dial phone numbers directly from
the Palm Address Book when connected to a compatible mobile phone.
Palm Desktop Software -- Enhanced for Windows Users, Mac Software Now
Included
The m500 series products come with the latest versions of Palm's popular
desktop PIM software for Windows and Mac OS. The Palm Desktop software v4.0
for Windows includes enhanced functionality as well as conduit software for
synchronizing with Microsoft Outlook's calendar, contacts, notes and tasks.
The latest version of Palm Desktop software v2.6 for Mac OS and the USB
HotSync cradle let Mac users get started out-of-the-box.
Bonus Software -- Enhanced Handheld Capabilities
Included with the m500 series handhelds are a number of software
applications that can be installed for capabilities that enable users to do
more with their handhelds (see press release addendum for specific details).
If bought separately, these bundled products would cost more that $100 (EPS).
* Palm Reader -- Users can read electronic books on their Palm handhelds.
* DataViz Documents To Go 3.0 -- Enables users to view and edit Word
documents, Excel spreadsheets and other document types.
* MGI PhotoSuite Mobile Edition -- Users can view and share images and
video clips.
* Infinity Softworks powerOne Personal calculator -- Users can perform
advanced math and business functions.
* AvantGo -- Provides wireless and offline access from a handheld to
content and applications on the web.
* AOL for Palm OS -- AOL members can send and receive AOL email and
instant messages.
* Chapura PocketMirror 3.02 -- Synchronizes with Microsoft Outlook
calendar, contacts, tasks and notes
PalmPak(R) Content Cards and New Utility Cards
In conjunction with the m500 and m505 handheld introduction, Palm today
offers five PalmPak content cards and two utility cards:
Content Cards
* Travel -- Three travel cards are available:
-- United States -- Includes Lonely Planet CitySync Travel Guides for
six cities, and time-zone management software; sells for
$39.95 (ESP).
-- Europe -- Includes Lonely Planet CitySync Travel Guides for six
cities, time-zone management software, a currency conversion
calculator, and language translators; sells for $39.95 (ESP).
-- Asia Pacific -- Includes Lonely Planet CitySync Travel Guides for
six cities, time-zone management software, and currency conversion
calculator; sells for $39.95 (ESP).
* Games -- Bundled with 10 games, including Zap!2016, SimCity, PxBlackjack
and Klondike Solitaire; sells for $29.95 (ESP).
* Reference Dictionary/Thesaurus Card -- For quick reference on-the-go,
includes Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (Tenth Edition) and the
Franklin Advanced Thesaurus; sells for $39.95 (ESP).
Utility Cards
* Backup Card -- Users can back up and restore data from their
expansion-slot enabled Palm handhelds in seconds; sells for $39.95 (ESP)
each.
* 16MB Expansion Card(5) -- Triples the handheld's storage capacity to
hold extra software applications, music, databases and more; sells for
$49.95 (ESP).
Palm expects many third-party companies to announce SD and MultiMediaCard
expansion cards for the m500 series handhelds in the near future (see addendum
for more information).
Accessories and Peripherals -- Fashionable and Stylish Customization
Many new accessories and peripheral options are now available for the Palm
m500 series handhelds:
* Cases -- Four fashionable leather case options for the m500 series are
available, ranging in price from $24.95 for the most basic to $34.95
for a zippered model with slots designed to conveniently hold SD or
MultiMediaCard media. Also available is the Deluxe Leather Carrying
Case ($39.95 ESP) for carrying both a Palm m500 series handheld and the
Palm Portable Keyboard.
* Palm Portable Keyboard -- Also available today for the new m500 series
handhelds is the popular Palm Portable Keyboard, a best-selling
collapsible keyboard for typing on-the-go. With its full-sized QWERTY
layout, users can take notes and manage email while on the move. This
version features the new Universal Connector and sells for $99.
* PalmModem(R) Connectivity Kit -- The PalmModem Connectivity Kit allows
56K dialup data speeds for remote HotSync Mail and access to the
Internet for email using MultiMail SE or AOL Mail, and web clipping.
* Travel options -- For users who travel frequently, Palm offers several
travel accessories, including a charging kit and serial and USB HotSync
cables.
More information on accessories for the m500 series handhelds is available
at http://www.palm.com. Product configurations and accessories will vary among
regions.
Images of the Palm m500 series handhelds are linked to the press release
on the PR Newswire website (http://www.prnewswire.com).
About Palm, Inc.
Palm, Inc. is a pioneer in the field of mobile and mobile and wireless
Internet solutions and a leading provider of handheld computers, according to
IDC (December 2000). 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(TM) 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 Franklin Covey, Handspring, IBM,
Kyocera, Sony, Symbol Technologies, and TRG. Platform licensees also include
Nokia and Samsung. The Palm Economy is a growing global community of
industry-leading licensees, world-class OEM customers, and more than
145,000 innovative developers and solution providers that have registered to
develop solutions based on the Palm OS platform. 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.
(1) Dealer prices may vary.
(2) User accessible area will be less due to division of card into
security area and user accessible area.
(3) Internet and email features require an Internet connection.
(4) A list of mobile phones compatible with the Palm m500 series
handhelds can be found http://www.palm.com.
(5) The total card capacity of 16 million bytes is divided into a
security area and a user accessible area (of approximately
14.6 million bytes).
Palm OS, HotSync, PalmPak, Graffiti, MultiMail and PalmModem are
registered trademarks and Palm and MyPalm are trademarks of Palm, Inc. or its
subsidiaries. Other brands may be trademarks of their respective owners.
Palm m500 Series Press Release Addendum
I. Bonus Software
Palm Reader
Read books and periodicals wherever and whenever convenient. With the
Palm Reader, a Palm(TM) handheld user can download and start reading eBooks in
minutes. Best-selling novels, reference manuals and periodicals are all
available for Palm handhelds. Also included are two free eBooks to get
started -- "12 Valuable Ways to Use Your Palm" from Velocity Business
Publishing and "Tarzan of the Apes," Edgar Rice Burroughs' classic story.
http://www.palm.com/eBooks
AOL for Palm OS
AOL members can now check AOL email or send an instant message from the
mall, airport, or just about anywhere. With the AOL 2.0 for Palm OS(R)
application, it's simple and it's free to AOL members. All that is needed is
a Palm handheld, an America Online account and either a Palm compatible modem
or a data-enabled mobile phone.
http://www.aol.com/anywhere
AvantGo
The AvantGo mobile Internet service provides free interactive and
personalized content and applications to Palm handhelds. With AvantGo, Palm
handheld users can access the web, on a wirelessly enabled Palm handheld or
via desktop synchronization, or select from more than 650 optimized content
channels for up-to-date news, stock quotes, flight schedules, movie listings,
restaurant reviews, maps, weather, and much more.
http://www.avantgo.com
Chapura PocketMirror 3.02
PocketMirror has been the handheld industry's Outlook synchronization
standard for the past 3 years. PocketMirror is easy to install with no
configuration required, and allows for simple one-button synchronization of
data between the desktop and the handheld. It fully supports all Palm OS
handheld computers.
http://www.chapura.com
DataViz Documents To Go 3.0
View and edit documents and spreadsheets, such as Word and Excel, on a
Palm handheld. Simply drag files into the desktop application and the next
time the Palm handheld is synchronized, those files will be moved to the
handheld. Virtually all formatting will be retained, such as bold, italics,
underlines, justifications, indentations, auto bulleting and numbering -- even
tables. Supported formats include Word, Excel, WordPerfect, Lotus 1-2-3,
Quattro Pro, text, and more.
http://www.dataviz.com
Infinity Softworks' powerOne Personal Calculator
Advanced math functions, including power and square root, coupled with
basic business functions, such as tips, margins, markups, and percent change,
make powerOne Personal an excellent general-purpose calculator.
http://www.infinitysw.com
MGI PhotoSuite Mobile Edition
Carry favorite photos and video clips with you wherever you go. Powerful
editing and viewing tools for the complete video and imaging experience.
Capture, view, edit, produce and share video clips or images with anyone,
anywhere. Store images and videos on Secure Digital or MultiMediaCard media.
Supported formats include JPEG, GIF, TIF, AVI, WMF and MOV.
http://www.mgisoft.com
II. PalmPak(R) Content Cards and New Utility Cards
PalmPak Content Cards
PalmPak Travel Cards
The PalmPak(R) Travel Cards provide a convenient way to access travel
information when needed, without taking up valuable memory on the handheld
when not in use. Three PalmPak Travel Cards are now available: United
States, Europe and Asia Pacific.
Applications available on the PalmPak Travel Cards include TimeTraveler
Time Zone Management by Class Action Proprietary, CityTime World Clock by Code
City, SmallTalk by Landware, CitySync Travel Guides by Lonely Planet, and
Currency Calculator by Terai Tech.
PalmPak Games Card
The PalmPak Games Card includes 10 games that are designed to run off the
card so they don't have to be loaded into the handheld's memory. All games
play in color or monochrome, depending upon the handheld's capability.
Applications available on the PalmPak Games Card include SimCity v1.5 by
Atelier Software and Maxis, Zap!2000 by AstraWare, Klondike Solitaire and
Vegas Slots by Electron Hut, Chroma Pack (chess, checkers and backgammon) by
Whitehorse Games, 9-Ball by Landware, Bubblet by oopdreams Software, and
PXBlackjack by Pocket Express.
PalmPak Dictionary/Thesaurus Card
The PalmPak Dictionary/Thesaurus Card provides a comprehensive reference
library designed to run off the card so that only a minimal amount of the
handheld's memory is used.
The PalmPak Dictionary/Thesaurus Card includes Merriam-Webster's
Collegiate Dictionary (Tenth Edition) and the Franklin Advanced Thesaurus.
Utility Cards
Backup Card
The Backup Card allows users to back up Palm handheld data and restore
previously backed-up data to any 8MB expansion-slot-enabled Palm handheld in
seconds. It provides protection against handheld data loss or battery
depletion -- especially while traveling -- as well as security for data with
password protection and data encryption.
16MB Expansion Card
The 16MB Expansion Card provides extra memory anytime, anywhere. Palm
handheld users can carry and store software applications, pictures, music and
more on this fast, compact card -- even if the handheld's memory is full.
III. PluggedIn Program Members
DeLorme
The Secure Digital GPS solutions, from the Eartha Systems business unit at
DeLorme Publishing, will allow people the ability to see their current
position and track their travels in conjunction with the full features of the
Solus Pro application, which provides mapping and routing of the entire United
States so they can travel easily in unfamiliar areas. These solutions will be
targeted at the mobile professional, frequent travelers and the outdoor
recreation enthusiast.
Estimated availability: June 2001
Contact: Ron Brann, ronb@delorme.com
http://www.earthasystems.com
Infineon
Infineon will be providing software application cards for the new Palm
m500 and m505 handhelds. Infineon's 16MB capacity MultiMediaCard storage
cards will provide Palm handheld users with access to applications and data
programs, such as games, reference and travel information. Additionally,
Infineon will establish an e-commerce sales channel to provide third-party
developers with access to small lot orders of MultiMediaCard media and the
tools required to make applications and content available in this format.
http://www.infineon.com
Eastman Kodak Company
The new Kodak PalmPix camera from Eastman Kodak Company quickly and
affordably turns the latest Palm handhelds, the m500 and m505, into color
digital cameras. Designed for savvy, style-conscious Palm handheld users who
want to take pictures while on the go, the camera will be available in the
first half of 2001 for $129.95. Sleek and stylish, the camera folds like a
cell phone and can take full advantage of the handhelds' newest feature, the
expansion slot, which lets users store pictures on the removable SD and
MultiMediaCard media. The SVGA resolution (800 x 600 pixels), image sensor
and adjustable focal range (the three-position lens focuses from 4 inches to
infinity) mean better pictures, suitable for printing photo-realistic images
up to 4 inches x 6 inches.
Estimated street price: $129.95 (U.S.)
Estimated availability: first half of 2001
Contact: Erin Foster, Kodak, 716-781-9539, erin.foster@kodak.com or
Tara Poole, Shandwick, 646-658-8000, tpoole@shandwick.com
http://www.kodak.com/go/palmpix.
Landware
Pocket Quicken, from LandWare, gives people a mobile companion to their
desktop Quicken application so they can quickly capture transactions that will
synchronize back to Quicken (on a Windows or Macintosh desktop).
Target Market: Quicken owners and those interested in tracking their
spending.
Estimated street price: $39.95 (U.S.)
Estimated availability: Q3 2001
Contact for more information: sales@landware.com
http://www.landware.com
http://www.landware.com/PocketQuicken/
Zagat 2001 Restaurant Guide, from LandWare, transforms a Palm handheld
into the most useful, comprehensive and reliable dining guide around with
instant access to up-to-date reviews, ratings, costs and features. Each guide
contains the same extensive information found in Zagat's best-selling books.
Includes 22 cities plus the New York City Nightlife Guide.
Target Market: consumer market
Estimated street price: $39.95 (U.S.)
Estimated availability: Q3 2001
Contact for more information: sales@landware.com
http://www.landware.com
http://www.landware.com/zagat
Small Talk, from LandWare, provides a five-language translator for the
traveling professional or tourist. Provides phrase translations into
five languages: English, French, German, Spanish and Italian. The world's
first two-way real-time translator, Small Talk is a software application for
handheld computers. More than just a phrase book or a dictionary, Small Talk
allows users to engage in a real conversation with another person, even if you
don't speak the same language.
Target Market: international travelers
Estimated street price: $39.95 (U.S.)
Estimated availability: Q4 2001
Contact for more information: sales@landware.com
http://www.landware.com
http://www.landware.com/smalltalk/
Macronix
Macronix has announced a new family of low-cost, read-only MultiMediaCard
media for the Palm m500 series handheld computers. These new products are
fully compatible with the expansion-card slot built into the Palm m500 and
m505 handhelds, as well as into future Palm handhelds, and will be available
in densities from 2MB to 32MB. The cards are approximately the size of a
postage stamp with the thickness of a credit card. The cards are an ideal
medium for a variety of content, including books, dictionaries, maps, travel
guides and games. The cards also may be used to store such complex content as
music compressed in formats such as MP3.
Novatel Wireless
Minstrel m500 series of wireless handheld modems for the Palm m500 series:
Novatel Wireless, Inc, a leading provider of wireless data communications
access solutions, will provide both CDPD and GSM/GPRS wireless modem solutions
for the Palm m500 and Palm m505 handhelds. The modems offer users the ability
to access email, corporate LANs and the Internet wirelessly from their m500
and m505 handhelds so they can travel freely, in the United States and Europe,
and still stay connected wherever CDPD or GSM/GPRS service is available.
Target Market: mobile professionals
Estimated street price: $369 (U.S.)
Estimated availability: April 2001
Contact: 1-888-888-9231
http://www.novatelwireless.com
Portsmith, Inc.
Portsmith, Inc. offers the Portsmith Ethernet cradle for the Palm m500 and
m505. The cradle is a cost-effective solution for access to and
synchronization of mission-critical data from anywhere within the enterprise.
Corporate end users across a variety of industries and vertical markets,
including education and healthcare, can now update their data and charge their
Palm handhelds in common areas such as lobbies, conference rooms and
cafeterias without the need to return to their desktops.
Estimated street price: $199 (U.S.)
Estimated availability: June 2001
Contact: Daren Nordhagen, 208-395-1300 ext. 224 or darenn@portsmith.com
for additional information or to register for a limited number of
early release products.
http://www.portsmith.com
SanDisk Corporation
SanDisk Corporation is supplying Palm with Secure Digital (SD) flash
memory cards for the Palm m500 series handhelds. SanDisk participates in
Palm's PluggedIn Program and has been qualified to use the Designed for Palm
Handhelds logo to let customers know that SanDisk SD cards will work with Palm
m500 series handhelds. SanDisk also will roll out special marketing
activities in select retail channels worldwide to promote the benefits of
selecting SanDisk SD cards when purchasing a Palm m500 series handheld.
Shinei
i-Vox for the Palm m500 and Palm m505 handhelds, from Shinei
International, gives people an easy-to-use voice recorder with 99-message or
eight-minute recording capability so they can make reminders, phone numbers,
driving directions or notes to self.
Target Market: executive road warrior
Estimated Street Price: $59.95 (U.S.)
Estimated availability: April 2001
Contact: custsvc@shinei.com.sg
http://www.i-vox.com
Syncharger for the Palm m500 and Palm m505 handhelds, from Shinei
International, gives people an effortless charging solution using a pair of AA
alkaline batteries, with both USB and serial ports for HotSync(R) operations
to the user's desktop or notebook computer.
Target Market: Business traveler
Estimated Street Price: $59.95 (U.S.)
Estimated availability: July 2001
Contact: custsvc@shinei.com.sg
http://www.syncharger.com
Socket Communications
Socket's Digital Phone Connection makes it easy to attach a Palm m500 or
m505 handheld to a mobile phone for wireless applications such as email, web
browsing, e-commerce and remote access to corporate data. Socket's
energy-efficient solution includes a low-profile module that plugs into the
Universal Connector of a Palm m500 or m505 handheld and connects via a cable
to a data-enabled mobile phone. The initial versions of Socket's Digital
Phone Connection will be compatible with Motorola's StarTAC, Timeport,
Talkabout and V Series handsets and with a variety of handsets from Samsung.
Socket expects Digital Phone Connection to be available in Q2 2001.
Target market: mobile professionals and telecommuters
Estimated street price: $69 (U.S.)
Estimated availability: Q2 2001
Contact: Peter Phillips, peter@socketcom.com
http://www.socketcom.com/palmprods.htm
Socket's In-Hand Scan Card for Palm makes it a snap to add
high-performance bar-code scanning to a Palm m500 or m505 handheld computer.
Integrating a state-of-the-art miniature laser scan engine from Symbol
Technologies onto a Secure Digital input/output (SDIO) card, the In-Hand Scan
Card for Palm handhelds offers an instant plug-in solution that lets users
scan bar codes with one hand. The laser scan engine from Symbol makes
automatic data collection easy, fast and accurate, enabling emerging
consumer-based bar-code scanning applications such as scanner-assisted
shopping, as well as commercial applications. No extra batteries are needed.
Target markets: retail, manufacturing, transportation and medical
applications, such as inventory management, shipping/receiving, route
delivery, field inspection, market research, patient tracking, clinical
control, access control, and other mobile data-collection activities. The
device is also ideal for new and emerging consumer-based bar-code scanning
applications, such as scanner-assisted shopping and print-to-web access.
Estimated street price: $249 (U.S.)
Estimated availability: Q4 2001
Contact: Jack Brandon, jack@socketcom.com
http://www.socketcom.com/palmprods.htm
Sunderland Technologies Pte Ltd
Sunderland Technologies, a technology leader and pioneer in providing
wireless solutions, announces that it is building SMARTclip III, a compact and
integrated add-on Smart Card reader and writer for Palm handhelds using the
Universal Connector. With the Universal Connector, SMARTclip III will be
compatible with Palm m500 and m505 handhelds. SMARTclip III is estimated to
ship in June 2001 at an estimated street price of $120 (U.S.). The various
applications for SMARTclip include electronic monetary transactions, merchant
loyalty incentives, identification purposes, controlled access to databases
and time attendance tracking. At the same time, Sunderland Technologies will
also be extending product support for SDIO for Bluetooth as well as a
contact-less smart-card reader.
Estimated street price: Bluetooth, $199 (U.S.)
Estimated street price: Contact-less smart-card reader, $120 (U.S.)
Estimated availability: Q3 2001
Contact: Mun Ling Lee, munling@sunland-group.com
Mobile: +65-9876-4604
http://www.sunland-group.com
150 Kampong Ampat, #04-01/02 KA Centre
Singapore 368324
Tel: +65-286-2555
Fax: +65-286-2552
TDK/Global Pulse
GlobalPulse, from TDK Systems Europe Ltd, gives people an easy and unique
solution for connecting Palm m500 and Palm m505 handhelds and mobile handsets
so they can experience their own mobile office for email, internet, text
messaging and phone management.
Target Market: corporate, business and personal user
Estimated street price: from $79 (U.S.)
Estimated availability: April 2001
Contact: darren.watkins@tdksys.com or sales@tdksys.com
http://www.gsm4palm.com
Xircom
The Xircom 802.11b Wireless Ethernet module for Palm handhelds gives users
Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) connectivity for access to email, the
Internet and the corporate network so they can remain connected while roaming
within the building or corporate campus.
Target market: enterprise customers and small/medium businesses.
Estimated street price: $299 (U.S.)
Estimated availability: Q3 2001
Contact: Dean Edwards, Product Line Manager, Xircom, Inc.,
handheld@us.xircom.com
http://www.xircom.com
Industry Associations
MMCA
Palm, Inc. is a contributing member of the MultiMediaCard Association
(MMCA) and its board of directors.
About MultiMediaCard
MultiMediaCard is the world's smallest (24mm x 32mm x 1.4 mm) removable
solid-state memory solution for mobile applications such as MP-3 music
players, portable video games, laptop computers, personal digital assistants
(PDAs), mobile telephones and digital cameras. These convenient, reliable,
rugged and lightweight standardized data carriers store up to 128MB,
sufficient for 120 minutes of MP-3 digital music, or approximately 80,000 book
pages. MultiMediaCard media use ROM technology for read-only applications and
Flash technology for read/write applications. The cards are fast for
excellent system performance; energy efficient for prolonged battery life in
portable products; and cost-efficient for use in systems sold at consumer
price points. They also have an easy-to-install serial interface.
About the MultiMediaCard Association (MMCA)
The MultiMediaCard Association (MMCA) was founded in 1998, with
14 companies, to promote the worldwide adoption of a postage-stamp-size,
removable storage standard for storing and retrieving digital information in
small, low-power devices. The organization has grown rapidly and now has
100 members worldwide, representing all branches of mobile electronic
applications, including semiconductor suppliers, software vendors and
manufacturers of products such as music players, mobile phones, personal
digital assistants (PDAs), digital cameras, voice recorders, GPS navigation
devices, bar-code scanners and more. The MMCA developed and regulates open
industry standards that define all types of MultiMediaCard media, ensuring
full interchangeability between the cards produced by all MMCA members.
MultiMediaCard media offer an unmatched array of features and benefits, and
are becoming the industry standard for compact removable storage media across
multiple host platforms and markets. MMCA headquarters are located at 19672
Stevens Creek Blvd., PMB 404, Cupertino, CA 95014. More information is at the
web site, http://www.mmca.org
Contact for more information:
Tom Mahon
Thomas Mahon Associates
tmahon@ncal.verio.com
925-937-4921
Secure Digital Association (SDA)
Palm, Inc. is a contributing member of the Secure Digital Association
(SDA) and its board of directors.
About Secure Digital (SD) Card Media
SD card media is the product of the Secure Digital Association (SDA), an
open industry standards organization established in January 2000 by industry
leaders SanDisk, Toshiba and Matsushita (Panasonic). Its mission is to set
industry standards for SD card media and promote its wide acceptance in a
variety of applications.
In its short existence, the SDA has grown to more than 220 members strong.
In addition to the founders, members include such powerhouses as JVC, NEC,
Philips, QUALCOMM, Kodak, Compaq and Canon, many of which are already planning
a range of new-generation consumer electronic devices that create, store and
communicate digital content in exciting new ways. The SD standard is being
built into a wide range of new digital products, such as cellular phones,
audio players, automotive multimedia systems, handheld PCs, and video and
digital still cameras.
http://www.sdcard.org
Contact for more information:
Ray Creech
831-623-2107
fax: 831-623-2248
rcreech@sdcard.org
Palm OS, PalmPak and HotSync are registered trademarks and Palm is a
trademark of Palm, Inc. or its subsidiaries. All other trademarks are the
property of their respective companies.
SOURCE Palm, Inc.
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