Palmspring Acquisition:
Palmspring Software Acquires Mobile Generation, Changes Name To Handmark Palmspring + Mobile Generation = Handmark
KANSAS CITY, MO, Nov 20, 2000 (INTERNET WIRE via COMTEX) -- With six new software titles shipping to nearly 2,000 retail outlets, Palmspring Software is rapidly emerging as a leading publisher of consumer applications for Palm OS? handheld devices. Today, the company announced two major changes that will accelerate its unprecedented growth.
Palmspring has acquired Mobile Generation Software, Inc. and its web presence, mobilegeneration.com, one of the most popular and highest rated Internet sites serving the exploding Palm OS? handheld market. With the acquisition of Mobile Generation, Palmspring gains several of the most popular software titles for Palm OS? devices, including MobileDB, one of the most used and recommended titles for Palm OS? handhelds, Four.Zero, the student software used on college campuses and in high schools throughout the U.S., and 12 additional applications.
Cassidy Lackey, the entrepreneur who founded Mobile Generation, will direct product development in the newly merged organization. Mr. Lackey is recognized within the Palm community as one of its most articulate and thoughtful advocates. Mr. Lackey's professional credentials include both Palm OS? based software development and a career as an expert in human interface design for the telecommunications industry. He was also the cofounder of MobileCoders.com, the industry leading web site for connecting clients with custom handheld developers.
Lackey said, "Teaming with Palmspring is the best way to realize my vision and quickly reach the largest possible number of Palm users with high quality application software."
In addition to the acquisition of Mobile Generation, Palmspring also announced that the company would change its name to more fully realize the mission of the combined enterprise.
According to Palmspring CEO August Grasis, III, "The company will become Handmark by the end of this year. We'll start 2001 as a much larger retail and web enabled enterprise under the Handmark brand. Cassidy Lackey will be the Vice President of Engineering for Handmark. He will continue to inspire the kind of robust content in our web presence that has made the Mobile Generation site unmatched in the Palm community."
Alan Kessler, Chief Operating Officer of Palm, Inc., praised the new venture. "We enthusiastically support the Handmark effort," said Kessler. "Their success is more evidence of the growing support for Palm OS? as the mobile platform of choice for all types of consumers."
Palmspring software is currently available through both national and regional retail stores, including CompUSA, Fry's, Staples, Micro Center, J&R Music World, RCS and others. Additional information can be found at the company's web site: www.handmark.com
Palmspring + Mobile Generation = HANDMARK
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions [And the answers!]
Q: Who/What is Handmark? A: Handmark is the new name for the combined enterprise formed by the merger of Palmspring Software, Inc. and Mobile Generation Software, Inc. Together as Handmark, Inc. the new company will offer a comprehensive line of software titles available everywhere that Palm OS(R) devices are sold. They will also offer a vast resource of web-based information and support for Palm OS device users.
Q: Who/What is Palmspring? A: Palmspring Software is rapidly emerging as a leading publisher of consumer software applications for Palm OS based devices. Currently the company is shipping six titles for Palm OS devices that are being sold through more than two-thousand retail stores in the U.S. and Europe.
Q: Who/What is Mobile Generation? A: Mobile Generation is the developer of some of the most popular software for Palm OS devices. Also, www.mobilegeneration.com is one of the most popular and highest rated sites serving the exploding Palm market.
Q: What will become of Mobile Generation? A: Error! Bookmark not defined., the founder of Mobile Generation has become Vice President of Engineering for Handmark and will play a leading role in directing the product evolution for the company. The Mobile Generation web site (with over three-hundred pages of content) will provide the basis for a much richer handmark.com web site and will incorporate all of the best from Mobile Generation while adding support for the new Handmark retail product line. Mobile Generation products will become part of an ever expanding Handmark product line.
Q: How are Mobile Generation / Palmspring / Handmark products supported? A: Email services from a professional support staff are available now for all products published by Palmspring, Mobile Generation, and Handmark. Users should send their requests to support@handmark.com and include a detailed description of the issue, the model of their handheld device and the version number of the application and Palm OS currently being used.
Q: What are the Mobile Generation products? A: Mobile Generation applications in several of the most popular software titles for Palm devices, among them are Four.Zero student software used on college campuses and in high schools throughout the U.S., and a dozen other applications..
Q: What are the Palmspring products? A: There are currently six products available from retail stores: Wine Guide, Travel Assistant, Wealth Essentials, Game Pak Deluxe, Pocket Money, and Student Assistant. Detailed product descriptions can be found on the Palmspring web site www.palmspringsoft.com
Q: Will Palmspring products be available for download from the Internet? A: Palmspring products are not available as an Internet download. However, some components of Handmark products will be available as trial versions. For a current list of stores offering current Palmspring software visit www.palmspringsoft.com
Q: I subscribe to email list services offered by Mobile Generation, will I continue to receive notices about updates, new products or the Palm Productivity Guide? A: As a customer of Mobile Generation you will become a customer of Handmark. All of the services you received as a Mobile Generation customer will continue.
Q: Do I need to re-register my Mobile Generation product? A: No. If you purchased a Mobile Generation product online then you are in our support database and are entitled to the same services offered new customers who purchase Palmspring and Handmark software.
Q: What is the upgrade policy for users of current Mobile Generation software products? A: From time to time, maintenance releases or bug fixes may be offered online; the costs, if any, of upgrades or of future releases of products based on Mobile Generation software has not been determined.
Q: Will Mobile Generation products now be sold in retail stores? A: Four.Zero is now bundled in the Palmspring Student Assistant product, MobileDB will be the core application in a new product planned for release in early 2001, and other products and technologies offered by Mobile Generation may also be included in future products offered by Handmark.
Q: Are there job opportunities at Palmspring / Handmark? A: Yes, there are positions open in both the Kansas City headquarters and in the Boulder, Colorado engineering center. Check out the careers and job opportunity pages on the web site at www.mobilegeneration.com and www.palmspringsoft.com or www.handmark.com for additional information about current openings.
Handmark, the Handmark logo and associated trade dress are trademarks of Handmark, Inc. Palm OS is a registered trademark and Palm is a trademark of Palm, Inc. Mac OS is a trademark and Macintosh is a registered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc. Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation. All other brand names, product names or trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
The software products, and the content, are all copyrighted works owned in whole or in part by Handmark and/or the following additional firms: Tastings, Inc.; Lightbulb Press; iBrite, Inc.; True North, Inc.; Stand Alone, Inc.; Catamount Software; Mobile Generation Software, Inc.; PocketMoney is a registered trademark of Catamount Software. |
