Handspring Introduces Breakthrough Class of Expandable Handheld Computers; Industry Pioneers Deliver Customizable Handheld Products Designed for a Diverse Range of Markets and Customers

Business Wire, Sept 14, 1999

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 14, 1999--

In a move to transform ordinary organizers into customizable handheld computers, Handspring(TM), Inc. today introduced Visor(TM), the first in a new family of expandable handheld computers. Visor is the first pocket-sized computing product that people can easily customize using an innovative Handspring technology called the Springboard(TM) expansion slot.

With the Springboard slot, people can simply plug in Springboard expansion modules that will range from MP3 audio players and digital cameras to pagers and wireless modems for Internet access. The Visor family also introduces breakthrough pricing for the handheld market, with models starting at U.S. $149. Visor will be available in a variety of colors and can be ordered today at handspring.com for delivery in October.

Designed to expand the way people think about and use handheld computers, the Visor family is based on the industry-leading 3Com Palm Computing(TM) platform originally created by Handspring's founders. The products are compatible with the thousands of software applications designed for the Palm Computing platform, as well as with all data created by users of Palm Computing platform products.

With Springboard expansion modules - hardware components that slide easily in and out of the Springboard slot on the back of the Visor products - people can easily tailor their handhelds to suit their specific needs, with the flexibility to interchange modules as desired.

"Visor represents the next step in the evolution of the handheld computer," said Handspring co-founder, chairman and chief product officer Jeff Hawkins. "Everywhere I turn people want to do more with their Palm computers. They want to have more software, add a GPS, take digital pictures, and especially add wireless communications. There was no easy way to do this with existing handhelds, so we created the Springboard expansion platform. With the Springboard expansion slot developers can create hundreds of easy to use, solidly integrated expansion options."

"Handspring's innovative new products underscore the vitality and adaptability of the Palm Computing platform. The Visor family and Springboard platform are exciting both for Palm customers and developers, and will ultimately help drive the growth of the overall Palm economy," said Mark Bercow, vice president of strategic alliances and platform development for Palm Computing, Inc., a 3Com company. "3Com's commitment to a strong Handspring alliance shows our determination to expand the reach of our platform as the world-leading standard for handheld computing."

Handspring and many developers are creating and selling Springboard modules. Examples of Springboard modules available or under development include phones, pagers, global positioning systems, remote Internet access products, MP3 audio players, voice recorders, digital cameras, smart card readers, bar code scanners, field data collection probes and content modules containing applications, reference materials and games.

All Springboard-enabled handhelds contain a suitably located microphone that connects internally to the Springboard slot. Today Handspring sells an EA Sports(TM) Tiger Woods PGA(TM) Tour Golf module, a Quick Backup module that serves as removable storage for the entire contents of a Visor and an 8MB Flash module intended primarily for developers and power-users. Handspring will deliver a modem module later this year.

Other companies creating or providing content for Springboard modules and accessories include Concept Kitchen, DataStick, EA Sports, Franklin Covey, Glenayre's Wireless Access Group, Imagiworks, Innogear, JP Systems, Karrier Communications, Landware, MarcoSoft, Navicom, Pacific Neo-Tek, Peanut Press, the RioPort subsidiary of Diamond Multimedia, Revolv Design, Shinei, Sycom, Think Outside and Widcomm.

Handspring offers a full line of accessories for the Visor family. At handspring.com, customers can choose from three different lines of stylish Visor carrying cases, some of which are designed to match the various colors of the Visor Deluxe. In keeping with the customization theme of Visor, people can also design their own custom carrying case at handspring.com using a simple four-step process to choose from a variety of styles, colors and materials, and imprints.

The company also launched handspring.com today, a Web destination for Handspring product sales, support and services. Handspring will continue to develop the site to provide a vibrant and interactive resource for handheld industry information, including reviews, freeware and software applications.

About Visor

Visor is available in three models: Visor, Visor Solo edition and Visor Deluxe edition. Built from the ground up for expansion, all three feature the Springboard slot for plug-and-play integration of Springboard modules that are sold separately. Both the U.S. $179 Visor and the $249 Visor Deluxe come with the latest version of the Palm OS(TM) software, a synchronization cradle and HotSync(TM) software for desktop synchronization and a conduit to Microsoft Outlook(TM).