2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | Palm PR Contacts

Cingular licenses Handspring Blazer web browser

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIF. and ATLANTA, GA. (Monday, March 25, 2002) —Handspring (Nasdaq: HAND) and Cingular Wireless, the nation's second largest wireless carrier, today announced that Cingular will begin selling Handspring's Treo communicators at Cingular.com the first week of April, and through additional distribution channels in the U.S. shortly. Cingular will also license Handspring's award-winning Blazer web browser to use as its web content platform for My Wireless Window, Cingular's wireless service for personalized web browsing, news, messages, and information alerts.

The parties intend to market and distribute Treo products throughout Cingular's distribution outlets. Handspring will also begin shipping Treo to its own retail partners where Cingular service contracts are available, including Comp USA and Staples. Handspring will sell the Treo 180g, the Graffiti?version, exclusively at Handspring.com.

"Good partnerships with industry leaders like Cingular are critical to the success of communications products and we are pleased to enjoy a strong relationship with Cingular as we roll out our Treo product line," said Ed Colligan, COO of Handspring. "Cingular's dedication to innovation at the network and service solution level is directly in line with our goals to deliver the best products in the market that harness the power of next-generation networks."

Cingular, which boasts more than 420 of the Fortune 1000 companies as customers, will enable Blazer with its groundbreaking new Cingular Xpress Mail Network Edition service and, later this year, other business applications such as customer relationship management solutions.

"Cingular is pleased to offer the Handspring Treo, one of the hottest new wireless devices, with our Xpress Mail Network Edition service," said Stephen Krom, Cingular Vice President - Business Marketing and Product Development. "No other wireless carrier in North America gives companies the ability to access their corporate Microsoft Exchange or Lotus Notes e-mail from their mobile phones, and now also from the award-winning Treo."

The Handspring Blazer web browser enables wireless Internet access to content in a variety of languages including HTML, WML (WAP) and cHTML. Cingular will use Blazer as a platform for My Wireless Window, Cingular's personalized Internet service. By licensing Blazer, Cingular can now offer Treo users seamless access to virtually any web site on the Internet via the Cingular network. Customers will have a fuller, more dynamic browsing experience as the browser supports rich graphics, bookmarks and personalization and been optimized for enhanced speed and security to support access to secure web sites through encryption technology from Certicom.

Cingular Xpress Mail, which is available nationwide to GPRS, GSM and TDMA customers, for the first time gives businesses secure and real-time access to Microsoft Exchange or Lotus Notes corporate e-mail and other desktop applications via Internet-ready mobile phones without having to install additional hardware or software at the enterprise's server or on a handset.

ABOUT TREO

Treo is a compact communicator that integrates the functions of a mobile phone and a handheld computer with Web browsing and data messaging. Treo is now available in two versions: Treo 180 with a built-in QWERTY keyboard, and Treo 180g with Graffiti® software for text input. Treo is small, measuring 4.3 x 2.7 x 0.7 inches and weighing only 5.4 ounces, but its flip-open design makes possible a large screen suitable for Web page viewing and text messaging. The Treo has a rechargeable battery, speaker, antenna, and four buttons: Phonebook, Date Book, short messaging service (SMS), and one that automatically launches Handspring's award-winning Blazer web browser.

Handspring also recently launched a beta version of Treo Mail, its own branded email solution that provides access to corporate email behind the firewall, available exclusively for Treo customers. Treo Mail, powered by Visto, provides tight integration with a Microsoft Outlook/Exchange or POP3 email inbox, enabling users to maintain the work or home email address that they already have. With Treo Mail, customers can send and receive email from their Treo communicator as if they were at their desks. Additionally, Microsoft Outlook/Exchange users enjoy the benefits of wireless inbox synchronization, so that messages read, sent or deleted on Treo will appear as such on the desktop. Treo Mail requires desktop software if used by an individual or server software for enterprise level usage.

ABOUT HANDSPRING

Handspring is a leading innovator in personal communications and handheld computing. The company develops, manufactures and markets the Treo family of communicators, the Visor family of expandable handheld computers, and client and server software for fast Web access from handheld devices and mobile phones. Founded in 1998, the company established itself as an industry leader with its Springboard platform, which provides a simple and easy method for hardware and software expansion. Today Handspring sells its Treo family of wireless communicators, Visor line of handheld computers and Springboard expansion modules and accessories at www.handspring.com and through select Internet and retail partners in the United States, Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the Middle East.

ABOUT CINGULAR WIRELESS

Cingular Wireless is the second largest wireless carrier in the U. S., and is dedicated to self-expression and customer-friendly service. As a leader in mobile voice and data communications for both individuals and enterprises, Cingular, a joint venture between SBC Communications and BellSouth, currently serves more than 21.6 million consumer and business customers nationwide. Cingular offers customers advanced technologies in simple, cost-effective ways that permit them to tap the creative potential of wireless through their own self-expression. Details of the company are available at www.cingular.com.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT

This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including those relating to: the ability of Handspring to effectively launch and market Treo through Cingular and its distribution channels, and Handspring's ability to qualify Treo for use with Cingular's network and services. Actual results may differ materially due to a number of factors including, among others: future economic conditions; consumer acceptance of and demand for Handspring's Treo communicator products; the availability of Treo communicator products in the US and internationally; the timing of the build-out of advanced wireless networks and availability of hardware and software features designed to take advantage of those networks, the quality and scope of voice and data service coverage offered by wireless carriers; the degree to which wireless carriers will facilitate the successful introduction of Handspring's wireless products; and the rapid pace of technological change and competitive developments in the handheld computer and wireless communications industries. The matters discussed in this press release also involve risks and uncertainties described in Handspring's most recent Form 10-Q. Handspring assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking information contained in this press release.

Handspring, the Handspring logo, Treo, the Treo logo, Blazer, Visor and Springboard are trademarks of Handspring, Inc. and may be registered in certain jurisdictions. All other brand names are trademarks of their respective owners.

Press Contacts:

Clay Owen
Cingular Wireless
404.236.6153
clay.owen@cingular.com

Erin Davis
Switzer Communications, Inc.
(415) 945-7070
erin@switz.com

Brian Jaquet
Handspring, Inc.
(650) 230-5211
bjaquet@handspring.com