This press release from October 26, 1998 would suggest that the recently posted but un-dated HP-XYBR news is not recent news at all.
Moreover, seems not much has become of this ALLIANCE,
prnewswire.com
MUNICH, Germany, Oct. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Xybernaut Corporation
(Nasdaq: XYBR) and Hewlett Packard (NYSE: HWP) today announced the launch of Xybernaut's new Mobile Assistant IV ("MA IV(TM)") at the Systems '98 Exposition. Hewlett Packard, the European distribution partner for Xybernaut's newest generation wearable computer, said interest in the product was very high amongst all channels at the show and they were already creating a backlog of key sales opportunities. Joerg Mehno Harms, Managing Director of
HP's German operations, said: "We and our sales channels see a tremendous number of opportunities for our customers to deploy this breakthrough technology and integrate it with HP's complementary product lines. We are very pleased that Xybernaut has selected HP as its distribution partner for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. With its strong patent position, we see Xybernaut as the perfect partner for HP to continue moving into what both companies see as the next generation of personal computers -- user supported,
wearable and ubiquitous."
The MA IV, at approximately twenty-eight ounces and a little larger than a palm, features a 200 or 233 MHz Pentium(TM) Tillamook CPU, up to 128 MB of DRAM and a 4.3 GB HDD, also features a dual built-in PCMCIA Cardbus reader, a
built-in mouse and built-in sound for speech recognition and generation. The system has a USB port as well as a port replicator capable of bringing out a variety of accessories for virtually any peripheral, including bar code
scanners, GPS, wireless communications and test equipment for diagnostics, trouble shooting, inspection, maintenance and repair. The MA IV offers a choice of a one pound VGA color six inch flat panel digitizer worn either on
the wrist or in a sleeve on a belt, or a full color VGA miniature head mounted display complete with an integrated mic and tiny color video camera. The head mounted display offers the wearer the same perceived image as a conventional
computer monitor at normal desk-top or laptop distance. The MA IV runs industry standard operating systems such as Window '95, '98, NT, SCO UNIX and LINUX, allowing easy porting of existing applications for those who need
access to computerized information while truly mobile, keeping their hands and feet free and their eyes focused on their real jobs.
Bernd Wiedmann, Xybernaut's Director of European Operations, indicated his satisfaction with the introduction of this newest computer to the European
marketplace. He stated that he was pleased with the Company's decision to initiate its world-wide launch in Europe, a month ahead of its North American launch at COMDEX. "The response to this offering has engendered the kind of excitement both within the HP channels and amongst its current and future clients that we had hoped for. Based on this reception, HP management and Xybernaut's, anticipate brisk sales into a number of industries in Europe, especially in support of technical personnel servicing equipment on the plant floor or at the customer site, inspecting or certifying buildings, bridges, or
workplaces. In the airline industry, for example, using a wearable computer can increase speed and accuracy of aircraft inspection as well as reduce the lines of customers waiting in front of a counter."
Xybernaut Corporation is a leader in providing hardware, software and service solutions to the wearable computing industry. The Company's patented wearable computer systems feature speech-activation, flat panel and head- mounted displays that allow users hands-free access to information in the computer's internal storage, in local area networks, and on the Internet on an as-needed, where-needed basis. Xybernaut's software is designed to provide
users with the right information needed for the task at hand using consistent navigation techniques and screen presentations. Xybernaut's customers include leading corporations and government agencies for many mobile knowledge delivery system applications, including maintenance and repair, inspection, inventory control, manufacturing and data collection. |
