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Handspring Press Release Archive
HANDSPRING DELIVERS VISOR™ IN CANADA
Visor™ expandable handheld computers now available to Canadian customers through handspring.com and retail partners The Business Depot Ltd. and Future Shop
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIF. (July 31, 2000) - Handspring, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAND) today announced Canadian retail distribution for its popular line of Visor™ handheld computers. Handspring started shipping to Canadian customers via orders from its web site, handspring.com, earlier this month. The company has now entered into agreements with Canadian retailers Future Shop and The Business Depot Ltd., which operate across Canada as Staples, Business Depot, Staples Business Depot and Bureau en Gros. All outlets will sell Visor and Visor Deluxe edition handhelds for estimated retail prices of $279 and $379 Canadian, respectively, along with a variety of Springboard™ expansion modules and Visor accessories.
"Consumers in Canada have been very enthusiastic about Visor since we launched in the U.S., and we're glad to be bringing the benefits of our Springboard expansion platform to those customers," said Greg Woock, vice president, North American Sales for Handspring. "Business Depot Ltd. and Future Shop are ideal partners to help us introduce our products into this market."
With the rollout of Visor into Canada, Handspring continues to increase its presence in the North American retail channel as it also reaches new markets overseas. In addition to the above-mentioned partners, Handspring sells Visor, Springboard modules and accessories through its web store at handspring.com, at Amazon.com and through brick-and-mortar retail partners Best Buy, Staples and CompUSA in the U.S., as well as select retail partners in Europe and Japan.
"The handheld computing category is exploding and the addition of Handspring to our assortment is a natural progression of our product offering," said Todd Crawford, Category Manager for Business Depot Ltd. "Over the past months, as handheld users became aware of the new Visor product, we have received numerous inquiries as to when the product would be available in our stores. Now we are able to satisfy that pent up demand for Handspring Visor products and meet the needs of our customers."
"As the country's leading retailer of digital technology products we are pleased to be partnering with Handspring to launch the Visor in Canada" said Michael Nedelec, Director of Merchandising for Future Shop. "We are committed to bringing our customers the latest in digital technology, and with functionality that goes beyond the basic handheld computer, the Visor exemplifies what our customers expect to find at Future Shop."
ABOUT HANDSPRING
Handspring is a leading innovator in the handheld computing industry. The company develops, manufactures and markets a family of expandable handheld computers for a broad range of markets and customers. Founded in 1998 by the creators of the world-leading Palm Computing platform, Handspring's flagship technology is the Springboard platform that provides a simple and easy method for hardware and software expansion. Today Handspring sells its Visor line of handhelds at handspring.com and through select Internet and retail partners in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Japan, along with a line of Springboard expansion modules and accessories.
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including those relating to the rate of growth of the handheld computer market and the ability of the company's Canadian retailers to meet customer demand. Actual results may differ materially due to a number of factors including, among others, the company's limited operating history, the ability of the company's suppliers to meet demand, consumer acceptance of the Springboard expansion slot, and the rapid pace of technological change and competitive developments in the handheld computer industry. The matters discussed in this press release also involve risks and uncertainties described in the company's Form S-1 Registration Statement filed with Securities and Exchange Commission. The company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking information contained in this press release.
Handspring, the Handspring logo, 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.
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