Palm, Inc. Introduces Palm IIIxe Product For Versatile Handheld Computing

Business Wire, Feb 22, 2000

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--February 22, 2000

New addition to market-leading product family maximizes

investment; Collapsible keyboard enables email and

writing on-the-go

Palm, Inc., a 3Com company (Nasdaq:COMS), today introduced the Palm IIIxe(TM) handheld computer, a flexible and customizable addition to its industry-leading family of products. Ideal for professionals and enterprise customers working with many applications or large data needs, the Palm IIIxe product features a new dark-slate case, 8MB of memory and a low estimated retail price of U.S. $249. Based on the award-winning Palm III(TM) form factor and Palm OS(R) software, the Palm IIIxe product is ready immediately to take advantage of nearly 5,000 software applications as well as snap-on solutions from more than 500 hardware developers.

The company also announced today shipment of the highly anticipated Palm(TM) Portable Keyboard, an ultra-portable, collapsible full-size keyboard that enables easy data entry from any Palm, Inc. handheld computer. The Palm Portable Keyboard is now available worldwide for an estimated street price of U.S. $99.

The Palm IIIxe product is ideal for customers seeking to maximize their technology investment by adding hardware capabilities like the new Palm Portable Keyboard, modems, voice recorders, digital cameras or global positioning systems (GPS), or software applications such as large databases, maps or games. The product provides software-upgradable flash-ROM memory for compatibility with future versions of the Palm OS software. The Palm IIIxe product is available immediately for U.S. customers only.

"The versatile nature of the Palm IIIxe product takes full advantage of the richness of options that our developer community has brought to the Palm economy," said Byron Connell, vice president consumer markets for Palm, Inc. "We believe the new Palm IIIxe product offers an ideal combination of functionality, flexibility and value for people regardless of whether they're using it for business or personal use."

Updated Version of Industry-leading Palm OS Software

Because the Palm IIIxe product is one of the first to feature the new 3.5 release of the Palm OS software, it offers users many new convenience, viewing and data-entry features. These include: Agenda view, which allows users to see their appointments and their To Do items for the day together in one screen; access to menu views by simply tapping at the top of the screen; context-sensitive command stroke options at the bottom of each screen in an icon form; security that allows users to "mask" and password-protect private and personal entries; quick duplication of address records; faster HotSync(R) speeds; support for infrared HotSync operation; and a convenient alarm "snooze button." More details about the latest release of the Palm OS software can be found at www.palm.com.

Palm Portable Keyboard

For the ultimate in portability, the Palm Portable Keyboard allows all Palm, Inc. handheld computer users to compose email, draft articles or take notes from a full-size, collapsible keyboard. When folded, the keyboard measures a mere 3.6"x5.1"x 0.8" and weighs 7.9 ounces, just slightly larger than the Palm IIIxe product itself. It unfolds to a 100% QWERTY keyboard, with 19 mm key spacing, found on standard desktop keyboards, and 3 mm key travel, the same as premium notebook computers. Designed specifically for Palm, Inc. devices, the keyboard also offers designated keys for one-touch access to all of the core applications -- Address Book, Datebook, Memo Pad and To Do -- and easily programmable shortcuts for all functions.

Two versions of the Palm Portable Keyboard are available, one for the Palm III and Palm VII(TM) series and one for the Palm V(TM) series of handheld computers. Both are available immediately at an estimated street price of U.S. $99.

About Palm, Inc.

Palm, Inc., a 3Com company, is the leading provider of personal companion products (IDC, May 1999), including the best-selling Palm III, Palm V and Palm VII series of handheld computers. The Palm Computing(R) platform is the premier handheld development environment and is the foundation for the market-leading handheld computers from Palm, Inc. as well as products from Palm, Inc.'s strategic partners such as IBM, QUALCOMM, Franklin Covey, Handspring and Symbol Technologies. Designed to support the increasingly mobile and geographically dispersed nature of information management, the company's handheld solutions allow people to carry their most critical information in their pockets. For more information, please visit www.palm.com.

About 3Com Corporation

With over 300 million customer connections worldwide, 3Com Corporation connects more people and organizations to information and each other in more innovative, simple and reliable ways than any other networking company. 3Com delivers e-Networking solutions through information access products and network systems to enterprises, small businesses, consumers, and service providers. For further information, visit 3Com's World Wide Web site at www.3com.com or the press site at www.3com.com/pressbox.>