SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Palm, Inc., a leading provider of handheld computers, today announced details of its presence at the Cannes Film Festival, which takes place May 9 to 20. Palm will showcase new products and solutions at its booth in the Cannes Market (Booth 17.02) and will also provide an exclusive software CD and a unique application developed specifically for Cannes Market attendees and festival-goers. Private product demonstrations will be offered for press and entertainment industry VIPs.

Palm will preview its newest range of handhelds, the Palm(TM) m500 series, which features a Secure Digital (SD) and MultiMediaCard expansion slot to add extra memory for data backup; applications; and rich content, such as pictures or videos, making the m500 series ideal for the entertainment industry.

Satjiv Chahil, chief marketing officer, Palm, Inc., said, "The worlds of technology and film are converging. The film industry has continually embraced and enhanced new technologies, from the advent of sound and color, to video and DVD. Palm is now taking the Palm platform and the entertainment industry to the next level with the latest wireless and media technologies. With the new SD and MultiMediaCard expansion slot on the m500 series -- about the size of a postage stamp -- we're laying the foundation for the day when the latest Cannes film hit could be available on an SD card, ready to watch on your Palm handheld."

Palm also has made special provisions to sell a number of its cutting-edge handheld computers and accessories at the Palm booth. Models for sale will include the Palm m105 handheld with fashionable, colorful faceplates and the sleek, stylish Palm Vx handheld. Palm handheld accessories on sale include the Palm Portable Keyboard and PalmConnect USB Kit. Palm Vx handheld buyers also will receive a Palm Mobile Internet Kit (European version) at no extra charge.

Exclusive Software CD

A complimentary copy of Palm's exclusive software CD developed for the Cannes Film Festival will be distributed to attendees. The CD, which will be available from the Palm booth in the Cannes Market and to press and VIPs at the Majestic Hotel, highlights a wealth of Palm handheld applications related to the entertainment industry, including the following:

Palm has developed a unique festival guide for attendees who have Palm Powered(TM) devices. Handheld computers have proven extremely popular with the entertainment industry as a simple alternative to carrying around the cumbersome paper program and festival guide.

The guide contains comprehensive real-time information on the festival, including films in the official selection, allowing attendees to search for detailed information on film screening times by film, date and category. Times and dates of movies can be transferred easily into the Date Book application, allowing users to keep their Cannes schedules up-to-date. In addition, the application provides a listing of Cannes Market exhibitors and booth locations, as well as schedules for more than 1,400 market screenings, regularly updated and beamable from kiosks in the Palais de Festival. Local hotel and restaurant information that also can be imported directly into the Palm Address Book. This invaluable guide will be available for free download at the Palm booth and any of the beaming stations in the Cannes Market.

"Palm's presence at Cannes is symbolic of a new era," said Jerome Paillard, executive director of the Cannes Market. "As a pioneer in mobile and wireless technology, Palm is leading the charge to unite technology and film. We look forward to the advancements that Palm will bring to filmmakers and producers in the world of cinema."

Press and VIPs

Palm will be offering private screenings of its latest products and solutions for press and entertainment industry VIPs by appointment every day May 12 to 17 at the Majestic Hotel, directly opposite the famous red carpet at the Palais de Festival.

This is the third consecutive year that Palm will have a starring role at the Cannes Film Festival. Palm has also previously worked with the San Francisco and Sundance Film Festivals.

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 HandEra (formerly 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 and Palm Powered are trademarks of Palm, Inc. or its subsidiaries. Other brands may be trademarks of their respective owners.

SOURCE Palm, Inc.
Web site: http: //www.palm.com
CONTACT: Julia Rodriguez of Palm, Inc., 408-326-9390, or julia.rodriguez@corp.palm.com