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Technology Stocks : 3Com Corporation (COMS) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: let who wrote (17820)	6/19/1998 9:27:00 PM
From: The BayWatcher	Respond to of 45548

From Today's Computer Reseller's News, Eric B. does not think BAY/NT is good fit; much better fit between COMS and Siemens. I really do believe Eric B. knows what he's doing and worst case scenario is buyout by Siemens eventually at much higher price than mid 20's. 3Com Seeks Its Place In A Changing World By MargieÿSemilof New York 12:50 PM EDT Fri., June 19, 1998 .............. While one of his primary competitors has found solace as a division of Northern Telecom Ltd., Eric Benhamou, chief executive of 3Com Corp., said his company is not for sale. In an interview at PC Expo here this week, Benhamou said convergence of voice and data networks is driving mergers like last week's union of Bay Networks Inc. and Nortel. But he said that he believes a combined Bay Networks and Nortel gives neither company a market advantage. "Bay [Networks] does not bring to Nortel any real expertise in the ISP or carrier area, and Nortel does not bring to Bay [Networks] much expertise in the enterprise or in small businesses," Benhamou said. "There is no synergy." 3Com prefers to remain independent and align with strategic partners, he said. In 3Com's case, that partner is Siemens Rolm Communications Inc. Benhamou said 3Com is strategically intertwined with Siemens on all levels. Both have selected the same platform and make similar architecture choices. The fruit of this union? Not much yet. Recently, at CEBIT, 3Com demonstrated voice over IP using a Siemens carrier switch, and at Networld Interop, 3Com showed off a Siemens PBX integrated with 3Com's Superstack remote-access system. Benhamou said he chooses not to make incursions into telecommunications manufacturing, as Cisco Systems Inc. has done. Rather, Santa Clara, Calif.-based 3Com will build access products that complement switches built by companies such as Lucent Technologies, Nortel and Siemens . Benhamou said Bay Networks had become too similar to Cisco and that it had, in effect, been on a collision course with the giant switch maker. Cisco, San Jose, Calif., is emphasizing carrier-class networks in addition to its traditional focus on the high end of the enterprise. Cisco appears to want to remain independent too. The company recently approved its own shareholder protection plan to guard against an unfriendly takeover. Some financial analysts said a company would have to come up with about $100 billion to buy Cisco. But 3Com is another story, and it remains to be seen whether 3Com has the fortitude to remain independent. Benhamou said the success of converged voice and data networking for small to midsize businesses depends on having a critical mass of resellers trained to work with data and voice. But Benhamou also said 3Com has not done much to train VARs to sell voice gear. "That's a skill that Siemens will help provide," he said. When it comes to picking 3Com's strengths and weaknesses, analysts said 3Com is all over the map. The company is first or second in terms of remote-access servers but second or third in providing enterprise gear. It also is just recovering from the difficult digestion of U.S. Robotics Inc. Overall, it is still struggling to figure out where to dominate. "[3Com's] biggest challenge is where to take the company, and its competitors are only getting bigger," said Maribelle Lopez, an analyst at Forrester Research Inc., a Cambridge, Mass., consulting firm. "They used to be looking at the Ciscos and Bays, but now it's the Lucents and Nortels," she added. "It's high-stakes poker. How much do you need to stay in this game?"

To: let who wrote (17820)	6/19/1998 9:37:00 PM
From: The BayWatcher	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 45548

More news on our beloved 3COM: FOR THE RECORD Where Is 3Com Headed? <Picture>By Robert Faletra ........ With last week's announced buyout of Bay Networks by Northern Telecom, one of the questions that pops up is: Where does all this leave 3Com as it continues its turnaround? It is no secret, of course, that Eric Benhamou, 3Com's chairman and CEO, has had his challenges, especially since 3Com's acquisition of U.S. Robotics last year. While 3Com has held its own against Intel's aggressive network-card pricing, margins have been hurt on the low end of its business. On the other hand, Cisco's aggressiveness on the high end has proven formidable in that market. There are some strong bright spots that are only now coming under attack in which 3Com has solid leads. One of those bright spots is the handheld arena, where 3Com's PalmPilot is now the de facto standard. The PalmPilot is becoming so ubiquitous I'm somewhat embarrassed when I pull out my Windows CE handheld that is bulkier and somewhat more capable, but which I essentially use to do the same things as the PalmPilot. What 3Com has yet to do, however, is turn the PalmPilot into an enterprise device that complements the network. While there clearly are a number of third-party solutions that add value to the PalmPilot, it still seems to be too heavily positioned as a personal device that, while connected to the desktop, is not part of the network. To me, 3Com has to change that position and has the tool to do so in its channel base. Another area where 3Com has a very strong position is in the small and midsize accounts serviced by the vendor's channel. Cisco now targets this market and is attempting to design channel programs and product sets to meet the needs of this arena. Fortunately for 3Com, Cisco shows no signs of having a clear channel strategy in this market. In the small-business market, Cisco is close to launching a plan to bundle vertical-market solutions and recruit resellers to sell those offerings. Several conversations I had with Cisco executives recently left me shaking my head, however, at the plan. Resellers, in my opinion, sell into vertical markets they know a great deal about. It's all about selling solutions, and in order to do that, you have to understand your customers and the different problems they face. However, Cisco is not taking that into consideration. Why? Because just like many other large manufacturers that historically have sold to large accounts, Cisco looks for large volumes from the outset. But the Cisco plan is a subject for a future column. My point here is that 3Com is the leader in the small and midsize area and very likely will remain so. The Bay Networks-Nortel deal makes you ask whether we are headed toward a period of consolidation among data-network suppliers and voice-network suppliers. I believe we are, and 3Com over time has to make a play to take a very big stand in incorporating voice into its future. Convergence is real, and the data-network suppliers like 3Com are best positioned to take advantage of it. The question is: When does 3Com do so? ROBERT FALETRA can be reached via telephone at (516) 733-8612; Internet: rfaletra@cmp.com or MCI: 585-5795. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Computer Reseller News June 22, 1998 Issue 795

To: let who wrote (17820)	6/19/1998 10:47:00 PM
From: Mang Cheng	Respond to of 45548

"Motorola Announces Availability of Developer Kits for the Pager Card for the PalmPilot Beta Testers Provide Positive Feedback About Newest Generation Palm 3.0 " June 19, 1998 BOYNTON BEACH, Fla., June 18 /PRNewswire/ via NewsEdge Corporation -- Motorola's LinkWorks (NYSE: MOT) today announced July, 1998 availability of Developer Kits for the Pager Card for the PalmPilot, an integrated wireless messaging device for the 3Com PalmPilot connected organizer. With the Developer Kits, PalmPilot developers will be able to use Motorola's Applications Programming Interfaces to add unique applications and features to the Pager Card for the PalmPilot. Motorola is also announcing that the Pager Card for the PalmPilot will include Palm OS 3.0(TM), the newest generation operating system recently introduced by Palm Computing. With Palm OS 3.0 included on the Pager Card, users of Pilot 1000, Pilot 5000, PalmPilot Personal and PalmPilot Professional models will have all the hardware features of the new Palm III. Currently in Beta testing with OS 3.0, the Pager Card for the PalmPilot is expected to be available through PageMart Wireless (Nasdaq: PMWI) and Palm Computing distribution channels in July, 1998. The Pager Card for the PalmPilot represents a new class of product that brings wireless messaging to the mass market. Based on Motorola's advanced FLEX one-way paging technology, the Pager Card for the PalmPilot will allow PalmPilot users to receive numeric and text messages via the PageMart Network with coverage throughout NAFTA countries and beyond. The Pager Card for the PalmPilot eliminates the need for users to carry multiple devices for paging and handheld computing, and works with existing versions of the PalmPilot, including the Pilot 1000 and 5000 organizers and the PalmPilot Personal and Professional edition products. Reaction from Beta testers on the Pager Card for the PalmPilot has been very positive. "The ability to get messages via email goes beyond anything I had hoped. This essentially gives me nationwide -- worldwide -- connectivity with friends, family and for business. Talk about being global," said L.J. Anderson of Acxiom Corporation (Nasdaq: ACXM). "The combination of Motorola's FLEX one-way paging technology, the new Palm OS 3.0 and PageMart's extensive coverage footprint ensures that PalmPilot users will have a fast, reliable and cutting-edge solution for wireless connectivity," said Steve Shapiro, senior marketing manager for Motorola's LinkWorks. "Working with 3Com and PageMart, Motorola realized that by adding Palm's OS 3.0 at no additional charge and offering Developer Kits, we could provide users with enhanced pager card capabilities that would be more than worth the slight extension of commercial availability." "We're excited to offer the first integrated paging solution for the leading handheld organizer," said Donna Regenbaum, vice president of marketing for PageMart Wireless. "With the availability of the Developers Kits, we expect to see an enormous variety of innovative applications for paging- enabled PalmPilots." The Pager Card for the PalmPilot uses Motorola's FLEX technology and a PalmPilot user interface software application co-developed by Motorola and PageMart. The Pager Card integrates seamlessly with the PalmPilot organizer, and is equipped with FLASH memory, 2 MB RAM and a modified memory door. The pager card, which replaces the standard PalmPilot memory card, is easily installed by the users. The pager card is also compatible with the IBM Workpad PC Companion. New features and capabilities enabled by the Palm OS 3.0 include: -- File linking: Users can automatically import data from a file located on a remote server each time the PalmPilot is synchronized with the desktop -- Optimized user interfaces: The new OS offers a variety of fonts to improve the readability of data on the screen. -- E-mail: Palm OS 3.0 offers built-in e-mail compatibility with Microsoft Exchange(TM), Microsoft Outlook 97(TM), Lotus(R), cc:mail(TM), Microsoft Outlook Express and Qualcomm's(R) Eudora Pro(TM). The Pager Card for the Palm Pilot successfully passed Palm Computing's Platinum compatibility testing. Under the Platinum Solution Provider Program, products bearing the "Designed for Palm Computing platform Platinum" logo have passed the Platinum compatibility test suite created by 3Com and administered by independent test companies. The Platinum Compatibility test provides assurance that Palm Computing platform Platinum products meet compatibility, quality and usability standards set by 3Com. Motorola is currently taking advance orders for the Pager Card for the PalmPilot Developer Kits (DK). The DK allows independent software developers to create wireless PalmPilot platform applications capable of receiving text, numeric and binary messages from the Pager Card. The Developer Kits will be initially offered for purchase through an independent distributor, Fourth Dimension Industry, a Long Island, NY-based corporation offering wireless communication products and services. Developers interested in placing advance orders for the Pager Card Developer Kits can call Fourth Dimension Industry at 1-800-378-0348 or email the company at fdi@netcom.com. Motorola is one of the world's leading providers of wireless communications, semiconductors, and advanced electronic systems, components, and services. Major equipment businesses include paging and data communications, cellular telephone, two-way radio, personal communications, automotive, defense and space electronics and computers. Motorola semiconductors power communication devices, computers and millions of other products. Motorola's 1997 sales were $29.8 billion. For further information, please visit Motorola's World Wide Web site at motorola.com. Motorola and FLEX are trademarks of Motorola, Inc. 3Com and the 3Com logo are registered trademarks and PalmPilot is a trademark of 3Com Corporation. All other brands and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. SOURCE PageMart Wireless, Inc. Mang