More Images, Video, Music, Applications and Microsoft Office Documents Can Be Carried in RAM

MILPITAS, Calif., April 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Palm, Inc. (Nasdaq: PALM) Solutions Group today said it has accomplished a sevenfold breakthrough in memory for Palm Powered(TM) handheld computers. Palm Solutions and PalmSource engineers collaborated to develop memory technology that extends the amount of random-access memory (RAM) possible on a Palm OS(R) handheld from the current 16MB to 128MB.

The engineering feat enhances Palm Solutions Group's long-term product roadmap and enables it to deliver more valuable solutions. Customers will be able to carry more images, video, music, applications and Microsoft Office documents on future Palm(TM) handhelds. Business-grade solutions such as email and web services will be enhanced. Business people and consumers alike will benefit from improved multimedia and gaming experiences.

The memory breakthrough has been incorporated into Palm OS by PalmSource, a subsidiary of Palm, Inc., responsible for developing and licensing the operating-system software.

"The range of potential next-generation hardware and software solutions expands tremendously with this innovation from Palm Solutions engineers," said Steve Manser, senior vice president of product development for Palm Solutions Group. "Our memory advance means customers can be confident they'll have what they need to deploy robust business applications or rich multimedia."

"We're delighted that Palm Solutions Group took the lead on this technology enhancement," said David Nagel, president and chief executive officer of PalmSource. "Cooperative development in partnership with our licensees gives the Palm OS platform faster innovation and benefits the entire Palm Economy."

"This innovation gives developers a plethora of possibilities for a new generation of hardware and software solutions," said Tim Bajarin, president of Creative Strategies. "Business customers tell us that no matter how efficient the Palm OS is, the competitive marketing spin on limited memory created concern. This should quiet those concerns."

Palm OS Efficiency, Speed and Value

The Palm OS platform was created for handheld computing and thus is designed for efficiency, speed, compact size and overall value. That history is a key differentiator from the Microsoft Pocket PC operating system, which was condensed from a desktop OS and thus saddled with bulk and compromises.

For example:

-- A high-performance Palm Tungsten(TM) T handheld requires about one-
fifth the storage space to hold identical calendar or address
information compared to the HP iPAQ 3870 running the Pocket PC OS;
-- A Palm handheld uses about one-fifth the storage to manage text or
voice memos vs. a Pocket PC handheld;
-- A Palm handheld user needs to perform only one step to beam a business
card vs. four steps on a Pocket PC device;
-- A Palm handheld owner can enter a Date Book appointment with only two
steps vs. seven steps required of a Pocket PC device owner;
-- Palm handhelds perform far better than the built-in software in Pocket
PC devices for editing Microsoft Office documents. For example,
DataViz's Documents To Go(R) allows Palm handheld users to synchronize
and edit Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files with confidence, knowing
that synchronization back to the desktop will retain the integrity of
the original desktop- or handheld-generated document. Fonts and formats
generally are preserved with integrity. (Use of Microsoft's own
PocketWord and PocketExcel for the Pocket PC platform can result in
lost fonts, degradation of image resolution and lost headers, tables,
and charts.); and
-- Business and information-technology managers concerned about total cost
of ownership can choose Palm OS products with confidence because they
deliver a 41 percent annual cost savings vs. Microsoft's Pocket PC
platform. (According to a May 2002 Gantry Group, LLC Study).

About Palm, Inc.

With shipment of more than 21 million Palm handheld computers, many carried in pockets, purses and briefcases around the world, Palm delivers devices that make it easy for people to use and keep track of what matters to them.

Information about Palm, Inc. is available at http://www.palm.com/aboutpalm .

Information about PalmSource, Inc., is available at www.palmsource.com.

NOTE: Palm OS is a registered trademark and Palm Powered is a trademark of PalmSource, Inc., a subsidiary of Palm, Inc. Palm and Tungsten are trademarks of Palm, Inc. Other brands may be trademarks of their respective owners.

SOURCE Palm, Inc.