(SOK) Socket Demonstrates World's First Bluetooth Plug-in Card for
Windows-powered Mobile Devices
NEW ORLEANS, Feb 28, 2000 (BUSINESS WIRE) --
CompactFlash Card Shown Working with HP's
PC Companions at CTIA and CeBIT Shows
Socket Communications Inc. (OTC BB:SCKT, SCKTW)(PSE:SOK) today became
the first company to publicly demonstrate a Bluetooth-compatible
plug-in card for Pocket PCs and Handheld PCs powered by the Microsoft
Windows CE operating system.
At the CTIA Wireless 2000 trade show in New Orleans and the CeBIT trade
show in Hannover, Germany, Socket conducted technology demonstrations
of the Personal Network Card(TM), a fully integrated CompactFlash CF+
card that supports the Bluetooth short-range wireless interconnect
standard for personal area networking.
In the demonstration, two Handheld PCs from Hewlett-Packard Company's
Jornada product family used Personal Network Cards to exchange files
and conduct chat sessions wirelessly. Production versions of Socket's
Personal Network Card, expected to be available in the second half of
2000, will enable users to connect mobile computers cordlessly to a
variety of Bluetooth-enabled devices including printers, display
monitors, and mobile phones for wireless web browsing, e-mail, or
remote access to corporate networks. Socket's demonstration units
incorporated Cambridge Silicon Radio's BlueCore(TM), the world's first
chip to combine all the elements of the Bluetooth standard on a single
chip.
Bluetooth is a worldwide technology specification that uses short-range
radio signals to connect multiple intelligent devices that can be up to
10 meters (30 feet) apart, enabling ad hoc cordless connectivity
scenarios such as using a Pocket PC or Handheld PC to browse the web
via a mobile phone stored in a coat pocket or briefcase. Socket is a
member of the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), which currently
has more than 1500 member companies. For more information on Bluetooth,
visit the Bluetooth SIG's web site at www.bluetooth.com.
"A great attraction of using Bluetooth to connect Pocket PCs to mobile
phones will be that the phone's large battery and powerful transmitter
can do useful work without adding to the bulk or power consumption of
the mobile computer," said Mike Gifford, founder and executive vice
president of business development for Socket Communications. "We call
this the virtual single-body solution for wireless web access because
the phone handset can be stashed away in a coat pocket or purse while
the user focuses exclusively on the mobile computer. Our demonstration
of the Personal Network Card reaffirms Socket's commitment to bring
users of Windows-powered mobile devices the best solutions available
for wireless web access."
"HP and Socket are working together to combine our market-leading HP
Jornada range of handheld PCs and Pocket PCs with the power of
ubiquitous wireless connectivity to mobile phones and other peripherals,
" said Helen Chan, marketing manager of Hewlett-Packard's Asia Pacific
PC Division. "The strong partnership between the two companies will
allow us to lead the market in offering a broad range of exciting
applications for our products."
"We are excited that Socket's Personal Network Card is bringing
Bluetooth wireless technology to Windows-powered Pocket PCs," said
Rogers Weed, director of marketing for Mobile Devices Division at
Microsoft Corp. "Socket's card is a great example of how industry
standard technology supported by the Windows CE platform can quickly
provide our customers with the newest technology to access their
information any time, anywhere and from any device."
Socket Communications, Inc. sells connection products for Windows-based
computers and other devices. Socket's products include the Battery
Friendly(TM) family of plug-in cards for enhancing Windows CE-based
computers by adding wireless Internet connectivity, data communication,
bar code scanning, and networking. Socket's products utilize the
company's low power chip technology, making them ideal for
battery-operated mobile computers. Information about Socket's complete
range of products is available on the company's web site at
www.socketcom.com.
Copyright (C) 2000 Business Wire. All rights reserved.
Distributed via COMTEX.
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CONTACT: Socket Communications, Inc.
Jerry Houston, 408/258-5186
jerry@socketcom.com
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