3Com Delivers New Palm MacPac Software Version 2 To Macintosh Users

Business Wire, March 1, 1999

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 1, 1999--Palm Computing, Inc., a 3Com company (Nasdaq: COMS), today announced shipment of the Palm(TM) MacPac version 2 connectivity kit for Macintosh users of the Palm Computing(R) platform. The product includes the Palm Desktop software 2.1, with all-new personal information manager (PIM) software based on the award-winning Claris Organizer software purchased by 3Com last year. It also includes newly redesigned, extensible HotSync(R) software to provide ultra-fast data synchronization between Palm Computing platform devices and Macintosh computers. The Palm MacPac version 2 is available worldwide for an estimated street price of U.S. $14.95.

With this release, the industry-leading Palm Computing platform offers the best handheld support for the growing Macintosh community of more than 25 million users worldwide. The new Palm Desktop software integrates calendar, contacts, tasks, notes and intelligent features such as drag-and-drop scheduling, user-defined custom views and powerful printing options in one easy-to-use, compact application that can be synchronized seamlessly with Palm Computing platform devices. The new HotSync(R) software is designed native to the Macintosh environment, offering ultra-fast data access, one-step desktop synchronization and the easy user experience that made the Palm Computing platform the de facto open standard in the handheld market.

"Forward-looking companies like 3Com have recognized the huge business opportunities out there for anyone delivering great Mac products, and with Palm MacPac version 2, Palm organizers can only increase in popularity among their many Macintosh followers," said Clent Richardson, Apple's vice president of worldwide developer relations. "Our iMac and new Power Macintosh G3s are inspiring developers to create a new generation of innovative Macintosh products."

As third-party applications for the Palm Computing platform continue to flourish, Palm Computing offers a Macintosh Conduit Development Kit (CDK) which allows developers to create conduits - or links - from Palm Computing platform handheld applications to Macintosh desktop software. The CDK provides an extensible, open architecture and a robust set of authoring tools for quick and easy development of Palm Computing platform conduits to native Macintosh applications. Already, third-party Macintosh developers have created Palm Computing platform solutions that allow users to synchronize handheld data with applications such as Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, FileMaker Pro, Quicken and a number of other email and desktop PIM packages.

Upgrade

All Macintosh users of the Palm Computing platform family of products including the Pilot, PalmPilot(TM), Palm III(TM), Palm IIIx(TM) and Palm V(TM) devices may download the new Palm MacPac version 2 software at no cost from http://www.palm.com.

Serial Port and USB Connectivity

The Palm MacPac version 2 product includes a standard Macintosh serial cable for use with all Palm Computing cradles and portable HotSync cables. This cable also is available now separately for $5.95. Third-party Universal Serial Bus (USB) adapter solutions for the Palm Computing platform are available from Keyspan, Entrega, and Griffin Technology at the following Web sites respectively: http://www.keyspan.com, http://www.entrega.com and http://www.griftech.com.

About 3Com

With more than 200 million customers worldwide, 3Com Corporation connects more people to information in more ways than any other networking company. 3Com delivers innovative information access products and network system solutions to large, medium and small enterprises; carriers and network service providers; PC OEMs; and consumers. 3Com - More connected.(TM) For further information, visit 3Com's World Wide Web site at www.3com.com or the Palm Computing site at www.palm.com.

Note to Editors: 3Com, the 3Com logo, Palm Computing and HotSync are registered trademarks, and Palm, PalmPilot, Palm III, Palm IIIx, and Palm V are trademarks of Palm Computing, Inc., 3Com Corporation or its subsidiaries. This product is not manufactured by Pilot Corporation or Pilot Corporation of America, manufacturers and distributors of writing instruments. All other brands and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.