QUALCOMM's New Eudora 4.3 Provides Industrial-Strength Email for Free;New Sponsor-Supported Option Offers Added Choice for Millions of Email Users-
SAN DIEGO, Feb. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- QUALCOMM Incorporated (Nasdaq: QCOM), a leader in digital wireless communications and advanced electronic messaging solutions for the Internet, today announced the commercial release of a new version of its popular Eudora(R) email program for Windows(R) and Macintosh(R) users. The Eudora 4.3 release offers three user-selectable modes, including a new sponsor-supported mode that provides the full-featured program to consumers for free. The Sponsored mode of Eudora includes all of the capabilities that were previously available only in the retail version of the product known as Eudora Pro(R) (suggested retail price $49.99). More than 250,000 users have downloaded and tested the preview beta release. The commercial release of Eudora 4.3 can now be downloaded at no charge from www.eudora.com.
"Internet users' email boxes are overflowing at work and at home," said Jeffrey K. Belk, QUALCOMM vice president and general manager of QUALCOMM Eudora Products. "The new Eudora helps people take control of their email with a complete set of powerful, user-friendly features. The response from users of our beta software release has been very positive, and we expect larger numbers of Eudora Light users, as well as users of other email packages, to upgrade in the coming months."
Users Embrace the New Sponsored Mode
Longtime Eudora loyalists have expressed great satisfaction with the added capabilities now available through the free Sponsored mode. According to David Cramer, one of the many users who tested the beta release, "I can't even think of anything to ask for in future versions, it is such a satisfying product. The main new feature I enjoy in 4.3 over the old Light version is the vastly improved interface for searching."
The Sponsored mode advertising implementation has also been well received. In an MSNBC online poll conducted during the first weeks of the 4.3 beta release, 65 percent of all respondents said that they would be willing to accept advertising in return for a free $50 piece of software. "I really like it," said Jim Lane, another user of the Eudora 4.3 beta release. "The way I have my page configured, the ads are in a 2.5 inch square window on the left side, and every once in a while I see something I want to look at further."
Added Choice: One Product with Three Operating Modes
Eudora 4.3 can operate in any of three user-selectable modes:
-- Sponsored mode: This mode provides the full-featured Eudora desktop
email program at no charge, and includes free technical support (up to
six calls per year). The software displays a series of static
onscreen advertisements that do not interfere with the user's email
workspace. The advertising does not appear within the body of email
messages. The free download of Eudora installs in Sponsored mode.
-- Paid mode: When this mode is selected, Eudora guides the customer
through the payment process, then provides a registration code which
can be used to activate the full-featured version of the software
without advertising. QUALCOMM continues to sell Eudora through major
national computer retailers for customers who prefer to purchase the
box product, as well as direct at www.eudora.com and through
electronic retailers. When a customer purchases the software at
retail or via electronic download, Eudora installs in Paid mode and
does not display advertising. The suggested retail price is $49.95,
currently available with a $10 mail-in rebate (rebate United
States/Canada only). The Paid mode of Eudora 4.3 is a free upgrade
for Eudora Pro 4.x customers.
-- Light mode: The free download of Eudora 4.3 automatically installs in
the Sponsored mode, but users have the choice of switching to the
Light mode if they prefer. The Light mode is an upgrade for existing
Eudora Light users, and does not contain advertising, but includes
fewer features and email management tools than the Sponsored and Paid
modes.
Powerful Features to Manage Email Overload
U.S. consumer email volume is expected to increase from 132 billion messages in 1999 to almost 432 billion in 2003, according to Jupiter Communications. To meet this burgeoning email load, consumers need the powerful email management tools Eudora offers in its Sponsored and Paid modes that allow them to:
-- Manage messages and eliminate unwanted email easily through extensive
filtering;
-- Find messages quickly with the powerful search function;
-- Address emails quickly and easily with automatic name completion;
-- Manage multiple email accounts easily and discretely within the single
program;
-- Work uninterrupted by sending and receiving email in the background;
-- Enjoy the advantages of a word processor with automatic spell checking
and the ability to choose numerous font, formatting and color
settings;
-- Engage in more complete communications through easy handling of
attachments and the ability to view styled text and graphics right in
the body of a message.
A User-centric Design
Eudora's new Sponsored mode is designed to accommodate advertising without compromising the user experience. Ads appear one at a time in a window outside the main message composition and reading area. QUALCOMM has implemented strict guidelines to ensure that the advertising is not unnecessarily distracting. No ads with sound or animation are allowed.
Protecting Privacy
QUALCOMM is also taking steps to protect the privacy of personal information. Users are not required to provide any up-front profiling information in order to receive the new Eudora. Only a valid email address is needed to register the product. On a purely voluntary basis, users will be asked to profile themselves so that the advertising they receive will be more relevant. This data will only be used for targeting advertising. Users' personal information will not be shared with advertisers. On installation, Eudora defaults to the Sponsored mode, however the user always has the option of switching to the Paid or Light mode.
Availability
Beginning today, Eudora 4.3 is available for download at www.eudora.com. QUALCOMM plans to localize the new 4.3 release into other languages and introduce the product into Europe and Japan later this year.
About Eudora
First developed by Internet pioneer Steve Dorner in 1989-1990, Eudora email has been recognized with more than 70 industry awards, and is now used by over 20 million people worldwide. With the release of Eudora 4.3, QUALCOMM is once again taking the lead in providing innovative Internet email solutions. Going forward, the Company plans to expand both the functionality and the reach of its Eudora product line by adding more useful features and developing versions for emerging platforms such as wireless devices and Internet appliances.
QUALCOMM Incorporated (www.qualcomm.com) is a leader in developing and delivering innovative digital wireless communications products and services based on the Company's CDMA digital technology. The Company's business areas include integrated CDMA chipsets and system software; technology licensing; Eudora email software for Windows and Macintosh computing platforms; and satellite-based systems including OmniTRACS(R) and portions of the Globalstar(TM) system. Headquartered in San Diego, Calif., QUALCOMM is included in the S&P 500 Index and is a 1999 FORTUNE 500(R) company traded on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol QCOM.
Except for the historical information contained herein, this news release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties, including timely product development, the Company's ability to successfully manufacture significant quantities of CDMA or other equipment on a timely and profitable basis, and those related to performance guarantees, change in economic conditions of the various markets the Company serves, as well as the other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's SEC reports, including the report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 26, 1999, and most recent Form 10-Q.
QUALCOMM, OmniTRACS and Eudora are registered trademarks of QUALCOMM Incorporated. Globalstar is a trademark of Loral QUALCOMM Satellite Services, Incorporated. Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corp. Macintosh is a registered trademark of Apple Computer Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
SOURCE QUALCOMM Incorporated
CO: QUALCOMM Incorporated
ST: California
IN: MLM TLS
SU: PDT
02/15/2000 07:30 EST prnewswire.com |
