Just FYI, MCLL way-up today -- presumably on news with ORCL, though ORCL itself hasn't seen much price-effect so far. TWO news-released copied below...
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1) Monday June 19, 9:05 am Eastern Time
Company Press Release
SOURCE: Oracle Corp.
OracleMobile and Metrocall Partner to Promote Internet Connectivity Via Wireless Messaging Devices
REDWOOD SHORES, Calif. and ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 19 /PRNewswire/ -- (http://www.oracle.com/tellmemore/?217907) OracleMobile, a subsidiary of Oracle Corp. (Nasdaq: ORCL - news) focused on the wireless Internet industry, and Metrocall, Inc. (Nasdaq: MCLL - news), one of the nation's leading wireless data and messaging companies, today announced a partnership to jointly promote the newly launched Ask@OracleMobile service (see separate release) to mobile subscribers with remote access to e-mail. Using Metrocall's wireless messaging devices, subscribers will be able to access information directly from the Web via OracleMobile's mobile portal at oraclemobile.com.
In April, Metrocall introduced My2Way, the interactive two-way service that can send and receive e-mail and take advantage of Internet-based advanced content services. My2Way is accessed through pocket-sized wireless devices with full QWERTY keyboards that are ideally suited for the Ask@OracleMobile service. For Metrocall the agreement represents another positive addition to its advanced content portfolio that has many of the company's six million-plus subscribers migrating to web-enabled services.
``OracleMobile's innovative and unique service complements Metrocall's vision of Internet connectivity to the mobile consumer,'' stated Stan F. Sech, senior vice president of business and corporate development. ``Metrocall's nationwide two-way wireless networking capabilities provide OracleMobile customers with the opportunity to use the service anytime, anywhere.''
``Promoting the new Ask@OracleMobile service with Metrocall is an excellent opportunity for us to reach millions of new customers with our mobile Internet portal,'' said Denise Lahey, CEO of OracleMobile. ``Two-way wireless messaging customers will benefit from the increased productivity that comes with the ability to access information on demand.''
OracleMobile uniquely combines the best of the Internet into powerful mobile lifestyle services that link together various activities into one simple action. OracleMobile's complete services include short messaging, restaurant reviews and reservations, driving directions, flight status updates, stock price alerts, shopping, auctions, city events and more. These services are designed for any web-enabled device, including web-phones, pagers, Palms and other wireless personal digital assistants.
About Metrocall
Metrocall, Inc. headquartered in Alexandria, Va., is one of the largest wireless data and messaging companies in the United States serving more than six million subscribers. In addition, Metrocall markets digital PCS phones and offers two-way messaging via a nationwide wireless data network. Metrocall is the largest equity owner of Inciscent, an independent business-to-business enterprise, that is a national full service ``wired-to-wireless'' Application Service Provider (ASP). For more information on Metrocall please visit our Web site www.metrocall.com or AOL Keyword: Metrocall.
About OracleMobile
OracleMobile, a wholly owned subsidiary of Oracle Corp., was launched in February of this year to focus on the rapidly emerging wireless Internet market. Offering wireless portal services for consumers and enterprises from leading Internet content providers, OracleMobile is effectively mobilizing the Web. OracleMobile's consumer service is free of charge and supports any wireless device with Web or messaging capabilities.
About Oracle
Oracle Corporation provides the software that powers the Internet.
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2) OracleMobile expands wireless service
By Tim Eaton, CBS MarketWatch.com
Last Update: 12:14 AM ET Jun 19, 2000 NewsWatch
Latest headlines
REDWOOD SHORES, Calif. (CBS.MW) -- OracleMobile rolled out a free service Monday, AskAtOracleMobile, providing a browserless and wireless Internet connection for users of Palm VII and Blackberry handheld devices.
The fledgling company, launched by software powerhouse Oracle (ORCL: news, msgs) as a wholly owned subsidiary last February, already sends the Internet to Web-enabled phones via so-called ?microbrowsers.? The second step of OracleMobile?s business plan, which was announced Monday, extends the service to two-way wireless data devices without a browser.
?Given that we?re talking about pagers, they are missing the sweet spot,? said Prudential Volpe Technology analyst Pete Peterson. ?But it is a stepping stone.?
Analyst Jane Zweig of Herschel Shosteck Associates agrees, noting that Web phones represent the bigger market. However, she also sees an opportunity in the smaller paging sector.
?By itself, this is not a big deal, but two-way paging customers have been left out of Internet play,? said Zweig. ?I would classify this as a niche.?
The new wireless Internet service from OracleMobile is not limited to Palm (PALM: news, msgs) devices and to Blackberries. It also will connect with Pagewriters manufactured by Motorola (MOT: news, msgs) and all other two-way wireless devices.
?What is important [about this announcement] is it shows where the market is going and who is participating,? said Peterson.
OracleMobile is focused only with connecting people to the Internet without a computer. CEO Denise Lahey sees a lucrative opportunity and expects that there will be 1 billion people accessing the Internet via wireless gadgets in the next three years, surpassing PCs.
?That number is so loaded with flaws,? countered Zweig, disagreeing with the 1 billion customer figure.
Zweig noted that whereas the number of Internet wireless devices will likely increase, people will probably still be widespread users of their personal computers.
Money-making model
OracleMobile does not charge individual two-way wireless users. Instead, the company makes money by charging a hosting fee to its content partners, including EBay, E-Trade, Mapquest and Zagat.com, an online restaurant guide. Lahey declined to give the range of hosting fees the company charges.
Lahey added that the long-term money-making strategy will include seizing a portion of e-commerce transactions over OracleMobile?s service.
The company currently contracts with Web sites and adapts and translates their content for two-way wireless protocols. Ostensibly, OracleMobile removes the hassles associated with modifying and delivering data to several platforms.
?We take away the mobile complexity from the content provider. We will create the wireless applications and also host them,? said Lahey. ?We?ll make [the content] better for the smaller screen. It is not something that the content provider will have to worry about.?
The new service for two-way devices is e-mail based. So, customers e-mail OracleMobile, from a PC or handheld, and write ?stocks? or ?lottery? or ?flights? into the subject line to . When OracleMobile receives the e-mail, it sends the customer specific information from his or her portfolio that must be previously set up on the company?s Web site.
?We are providing both one-way and two-way pager access,? said Lahey. ?You can do a push and a pull.?
UPS (UPS: news, msgs) tracking numbers, driving directions, horoscopes, weather, traffic and a dictionary are also available. A press release said that more services will be added later in coming months.
The second part of Monday?s announcement was partnerships that OracleMobile has struck with Metrocall (MCLL: news, msgs), a paging service provider with 5.8 million customers, and Research in Motion (RIMM: news, msgs), the Canada-based maker of the pager-sized Blackberry e-mail device. |
