DULLES, Va./SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 22, 1999--
Agreement Promises Handheld Access to AOL Information and Services
America Online, Inc. (NYSE:AOL), the world's leading interactive services company, and 3Com Corporation (Nasdaq:COMS) today announced a strategic relationship to give AOL members access to their e-mail for the first time via a handheld computer.
Under the agreement, AOL and 3Com will initially offer e-mail functionality for the Palm Computing(R) platform, enabling AOL members to send and receive mail via their AOL accounts from 3Com's industry-leading handheld organizers.
3Com will bundle AOL's new software in the retail packages of selected Palm Computing organizers and PalmModem(R) accessories. In addition, as part of a market test, AOL will offer its members a special Palm III organizer and PalmModem bundle as another way to send and receive e-mail.
AOL and 3Com also agreed to two longer-term initiatives for delivering AOL content and services via the world's leading handheld platform. The two companies shall explore distribution of AOL-branded wireless handheld organizers based on the Palm Computing platform, 3Com's Palm VII organizer and Web clipping technologies, and Sun's Java II technology for the U.S. and international markets.
In addition, 3Com and AOL plan to explore ways to develop a full-featured version of AOL software for the Palm Computing platform which would allow subscribers access to AOL content, e-mail, the Instant Messenger and Buddy List features, online calendaring and other AOL features.
"This alliance highlights the power of simplicity in technology and the increasing demand for instant access to information anywhere. Palm and AOL customers will soon enjoy handheld access to the AOL information and services they're used to receiving via a PC, making the combination of a Palm Computing organizer and AOL service one of the most compelling and useful solutions ever offered," said Robin Abrams, president of Palm Computing, Inc., a 3Com company.
"Today's announcement is exciting news for the more than 20 million users who are Palm customers or AOL members."
Barry Schuler, President of AOL Interactive Services, added, "We're delighted to be working with 3Com to enable our members to easily and conveniently send and receive their AOL e-mail from Palm Computing organizers.
"Offering our members the benefits of connected interactivity beyond the computer is another piece of our AOL Anywhere strategy to make AOL available through multiple connections and multiple devices."
About the Palm Computing Platform
With an installed base exceeding four million, the Palm Computing platform is the foundation for the world's leading family of handheld computing products from 3Com including the Palm III, Palm IIIx, Palm V, and the new wireless Palm VII connected organizers, in addition to a broad range of products from Palm Computing's strategic partners.
These products include the IBM WorkPad PC companion, the Franklin-Covey Electronic DayPlanner, the Symbol SPT 1500 with built-in barcode scanning capabilities for vertical markets, and the upcoming pdQ Smartphone from QUALCOMM. Palm Computing platform products already hold a 72 percent share of the worldwide handheld personal companion market (IDC, November, 1998).
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