SANTA CLARA, Calif. and NEW YORK, April 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Palm, Inc. (Nasdaq: PALM), a leading provider of handheld computers, and Sanyo Fashion House, a subsidiary of Sanyo Shokai Tokyo, one of the largest international apparel manufacturers in Japan, have collaborated to create a new handheld-ready line of spring raincoats with a "Designed for Palm(TM) Handhelds" pocket. These luxurious raincoats, complete with a Palm logo button securing the pocket, are made for both men and women. Fashion-conscious consumers can now use the specially designed interior pocket of Sanyo's coats to securely store and easily access their Palm handhelds.

"Palm's design philosophy compels our products to be not only functional, but also fashionable and wearable," said Byron Connell, vice president, product management and planning, Palm, Inc. "Sanyo's beautifully designed raincoats exemplify these characteristics by providing Palm handheld users with a stylish new way to carry their handhelds."

"After extensive market research, Sanyo has identified that its customers are often Palm handheld users who need a pocket with greater security and accessibility," said Chris Champlin, national sales manager at Sanyo Fashion House. "Palm handhelds are a vital resource in our customers' busy lives and these new coats embody the fashion and function these customers want."

The pocket uses a static shield lining material, waterproof liner and a laser engraved Palm logo button closure. Several coats with this feature are currently available for both men and women as part of Sanyo's Spring 2001 Collection. Prices range from $185 to $695 at fine specialty stores nationwide. The upcoming Fall 2001 Collection will also feature coats with a pocket designed for Palm handhelds.

About Sanyo

Sanyo Fashion House Inc. is a subsidiary of Sanyo Shokai in Japan. Sanyo Shokai is a publicly traded company listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and is the largest apparel manufacturer in Japan with over 1 billion in sales. Sanyo offers over 60 brand names to major department and specialty stores throughout the world including Sanyo Collection, Sanyo Excellent, Sanyo Concept, Burberry, Paul Stuart, Allegri, The Scotch House, K of Krizia, Ma-Ji Masatomo, Sode, EZ, Carat, Vinvert, Reviv, Trans Work, Evex, Hartford, Recipi, Voir, Fragile, Epoca and Premiere. Sanyo Fashion House Inc. was established in New York City, in 1978 to directly distribute product to North American customers.

About Palm, Inc.

Palm, Inc. is a pioneer in the field of 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 approximately 150,000 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.

NOTE: Palm OS is a registered trademark and Palm is a trademark of Palm, Inc. or its subsidiaries.
SOURCE Palm, Inc.
Web site: http: //www.palm.com
CONTACT: Julia Rodriguez of Palm, Inc., 408-326-9390, or julia.rodriguez@corp.palm.com; or Susan Corrigan of Sanyo Fashion House, 212-869-2990, ext. 312; or Yvette Lorenz-Machlan of A&R Partners, 650-762-2827, or ylorenz_machlan@arpartners.com, for Palm, Inc.